Health and Human Kinetics Majors

Ohio Wesleyan offers three different Health and Human Kinetics majors to align with your interests and prepare you for careers in a growing field promoting individual and public health.

About the Majors

To become a health and human kinetics expert, it's essential that learning takes place in the field. The real-world application of knowledge that defines The OWU Connection is vital to preparing you for a flourishing HHK career. At OWU, you master the theories of your field when you apply them to your life and to the lives of others. Opportunities such as hands-on coursework, field experience, travel-learning, and internships are built into the curriculum, and they start from your very first semester.

Students in Health and Human Kinetics select from three options:

Health and Human Kinetics, General

Health and Human Kinetics focuses on the comprehensive study and practice of human movement and exercise and its impact on health and physical performance. The HHK General major promotes an interdisciplinary understanding of health and human movement, drawing on both the social and natural sciences. You will develop knowledge and practical skills related to community health promotion and chronic disease prevention and rehabilitation through the use of lifestyle management, focusing on physical activity and nutrition programming.

HHK General is dedicated to creating and advancing knowledge that promotes healthy individuals and communities through physical activity and nutrition. The General major prepares you for a variety of options within the field and allows for an integrative approach to building a course of study.

See the requirements and courses.

Exercise Science

With a strong foundation in science and a real-world focus, the Exercise Science major prepares you for immediate careers in a variety of fields related to exercise physiology, biomechanics, and sport medicine; graduate study; and direct entry to upper-level certifications in the rehabilitation and fitness industries. The Exercise Science major focuses on applied concepts of exercise and physical activity as it relates to healthy, injured, and high-risk populations. 

It combines coursework in exercise prescription, anatomy, and physiology; lab and research opportunities;  hands-on experience in exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, and exercise testing; and practical experiences with client interaction and community outreach initiatives to help you hone interpersonal and professional skills to evaluate client needs and integrate the information into rehabilitation or exercise programs.

Many students follow a pre-professional degree track that prepares them for graduate programs for health professions such as physical therapy, physical therapy assistant, occupational therapy, athletic training, chiropractic, physicians assistant, nursing, or exercise physiology, biometrics, or kinesiology.

See the requirements and courses.

Sports and Exercise Management

Prepare for a successful career in sports management. In this major, you will take business-related courses that help you build the solid foundation of business knowledge needed to help sports organizations be successful in a multibillion dollar industry. You will acquire real-world, hands-on learning opportunities that prepare you for the variety of environments you may find in your career. Every Sports and Exercise Management major completes at least one sports administratio internship before graduating.

In completing a Sports Management degree, you will develop the ability to work with a wide range of people who share a common passion for sports and exercise, becoming a vital part of a sports or exercise organization. The field provides unforgettable experiences, and it includes career opportunities across the country.

The increasing growth in the sports industry and exercise in the U.S. has sparked a demand for sports and exercise management professionals. In fact, sports-related businesses are ranked in the top 15 industries in the country. Career opportunities for graduates of sports management programs vary from working for local, private, chain, or nonprofit organizations to pursuing positions with professional sports teams.

See the requirements and courses.

pOPULAR sECOND majors

About one-third of OWU students complete more than one major to expand their opportunities and follow their interests. For students majoring in Exercise Science, Psychology has been a popular second major. Students in Sports and Exercise Management frequently choose to also major in Business Administration or Management Economics.

Popular minors for HHK Students
Other HHK Minors

Think Big

Undergraduate research, performed under the mentorship of expert faculty, is a central component of The OWU Connection. A Theory-to-Practice Grant could fund your original research, internship, or creative project throughout the world.

Students in all HHK majors often work with faculty members and OWU coaches on research projects that they present at the Student Symposium and sometimes publish in professional journals.

Theory-to-Practice Grants Research & Independent Study

Healthy Aging Study

Exercise Science major Brooke Hall '23 worked with HHK faculty to study the relationship between physical function and cognition with the fall-risk of individuals within a retirement community, culminating in a poster presentation at the 2023 Ohio Public Health Association Conference.

Yoga & Youth Anxiety

Exercise Science major Emily Sheridan '21 worked with two faculty members on a research project to examine the effectiveness of yoga in reducing anxiety in children and adolescents.

Shoulder Strength Research Published

Three 2020 graduates and member of the varsity swim team–Morgan Barnard, Tyler Mansfield (pictured), and Liz Mayio–with Professor Andrew Busch, researched gender differences in shoulder strength and range of motion. In July 2020, their research was published in peer-reviewed Sport Journal, published by the U.S. Sports Academy in Alabama.

Shin Splint Research

Exercise Science major Megan Sievers '20 worked with Prof. Andrew Busch to research the relationship between lower extremity range of motion, balance, single-leg hop, and gender with shin splints in collegiate runners.

Do athletes slump at season's end?

Exercise Science major Jacqueline Feliciano '18 studied muscle imbalances and performance changes over the course of a field hockey season. She worked with faculty member Andrew Bush on the project. After graduating, Jacqueline moved on to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Ohio University.

Examining ACL Timetables

Working with faculty mentor Andrew Busch, Cassandra Oberle '18 conducted a research project testing leg strength and power in athletes with and without ACL reconstruction to better determine when athletes should return to training and competition.

Go Global

From your first year on campus, you can get off campus with Travel-Learning Courses, a key part of The OWU Connection. Journey to a distant land and immerse yourself in another culture. Learn how classroom theory truly connects with real-world experience. You can also study abroad for a full semester or apply for OWU Connection grants to conduct projects all over the world.

The most recent Travel-Learning Courses in HHK have taken students to Italy for studies of obesity, food philosophies, and traditions.

Travel-Learning Courses

Global Health

A double major in Health & Human Kinetics and French, Bolu Ogunye '25 earned a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study French language and culture at Les Cours de Civilisation Francaise de la Sorbonne in Paris.

Labeling Allergens in the U.K.

HHK major Sarah Sewell-Conley '23 (right), with fellow students Karli Walsh '24 and Kolby Brock '23, traveled to London to research and compare food allergen regulations in the United Kingdom and the United States. The travel-learning experience was led by Professor Franchesca Nestor using an OWU Connection grant that grew out of her fall 2021 Food Politics and Policy class.

Culture and Cuisine

HHK Exercise Science major Morgan Barnard '20 (right), Abby Bowman '20 (left), and three other OWU students received an OWU Connection grant to traveled to D.C. with Professor Christopher Fink as part of his ongoing exploration of food and migration.

Food in Italy

Ohio Wesleyan University professors Chris Fink and Elizabeth Nix and their students during a travel-learning experience in Italy.

Get Real

Every HHK major completes a 120-hour internship during their junior or senior year. Internship opportunities help synthesize learning outcomes; build networking contacts; hone analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Internship opportunities exist in various areas under the umbrella of Health and Human Kinetics, focusing on areas of interest to each student. Students frequently complete internships with health and exercise centers, professional sports teams, community agencies, and businesses. Students also gain experience with Fit OWU, Special Olympics, and OWU's Early Childhood Center.

Internships

Columbus Crew Internship

Sports & Exercise Study major Paddy Colligan '24 (pictured far right with the Crew operations team) had a summer internship with the Columbus Crew, working as an operations assistant for the Major League Soccer team. His duties include helping to prepare the stadium for match days and events.

NYU Sports Information Internship

During an internship in the Athletic Communications Office at New York University, Sports Management and Communication major Michaela Alfano '25 wrote post-game stories and did other communications work at NYU women's volleyball, women's and men's soccer, and women's and men's basketball events. She plans to pursue a career in the professional sports sector.

Columbus Clippers Promo Team Intern

Will Cousino '19, Sports and Exercise Management major, completed a nine-month internship with the Columbus Clippers.

On the Rise

Sports & Exercise Management and Business Administration major Zack Katona '17 used his experience completing a summer internship in New York City to help develop a new product called Rise for the dietary supplement market.

Do Good

Students across OWU care deeply about making the world a better place. Through the OWU Connection, students participate in community service projects in central Ohio and around the world. Spring break service teams take on projects across the country, and other groups and individuals use OWU Connection Grants to connect their classroom learning with hands-on service.

OWU's Health & Human Kinetics Department operates the Cooking Matters program, where students learn about preparing nutritious meals on a budget, and then teach classes on the topic in the community.

Community Service Learning Spring Break Service Week

Healthy Meals, Healthy Communities

Lauren Mussenden '22 and Leigh Stavar '22 interned with the Cooking Matters program that shows people how to make healthy meals on a budget. Their work included making Foodie Friday videos.

Watch the Video

Fighting Food Insecurity

OWU's Cooking Matters program works to address community food insecurity issues. In the photo, Carlos Jackson '17 helps teach a class on preparing nutritious meals on a budget.

Inspired Teaching

OWU faculty are outstanding scholars and researchers—and passionate teachers. They will push you, challenge you, inspire you, and work with you on your own research and creative projects.

They can even pack a 3-minute lecture with ideas, insight, and imagination. Check out our unique I³ lectures.

i³ Lectures

Dr. Chris Fink

Authentic Pot Pie Has No Crust

Watch the Video

Dr. Andrew Busch

Movement = Medicine

Watch the Video

Highlights

Hands-On Learning

In classes like Cardiovascular and Flexibility Training, you'll apply fundamental theories to your own fitness level as you fully learn about techniques that you'll soon be teaching.

Fitness Focus

The Health & Human Kinetics Department is in the same building as Edwards Gymnasium and the Simpson Querrey Fitness Center. The connected buildings also include a dance studio and athletic offices.

Fitness Center

Internships

As a junior or senior you will complete a 120-hour internship in your chosen area of concentration. You will experience the effort and responsibility that comes with your potential career.

Field Experience

In courses like Motor Learning and Exercise Prescription, you'll learn to prescribe exercise regimens and nutritional plans for adults. You will go through the same process you would in your professional career — plan, teach, observe, and make decisions to positively impact the health of each individual.

Graduate Outcomes

Dr. Emily Sheridan '21

Emily majored in HHK Exercise Science at OWU. Emily was accepted into the Doctorate Program at The Ohio State University Division of Occupational Therapy in the fall of 2021 where her journey started. Emily has completed her dissertation titled "A Mindful Moment: Effects of Mindfulness on Preschooler Executive Function Skills" and is now officially Dr. Emily Sheridan!

Physical & Occupational Therapy

Many of our graduates pursue careers in physical and occupational therapy. OWU has a 3/2 master's program agreement with Washington University of St. Louis in occupational therapy program-MSOT. If your goal is to apply to a graduate school in physical therapy or occupational therapy, we offer academic guidance and access to the courses and electives necessary for graduate application in those fields.

Physical Therapy Advising

Education Career

Graduate Patrick Trenor, physical education teacher and coach at Urbana High School, says: "I was lucky to have a great group of professors who really cared about my individual success and were mentors to me throughout my four years at OWU."

Graduate Study

Recent graduates have earned graduate degrees in areas such as Public Health, Exercise Physiology, and Nutritional Sciences at schools such as American University, Ohio University, and the University of Connecticut. Exercise Science graduate Grant Geib '09 earned his master's in kinesiology from the University of Tennessee and is now Director of Strength and Conditioning for Western Michigan University Football. He says: "When I got to graduate school and started coaching, I already had years of practice leading up to it. The real-world application of the OWU program gave me a head start."

Sports Management

Recent graduates have begun careers in sport management and coaching with the Cleveland Indians, George Washington University Athletic Department, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After graduating in 2014 Cassie Fowler joined the famed Durham Bulls Baseball Club in Durham, N.C., and is now assistant manager of group sales.

Headlines

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A Look at Health & Human Kinetics

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Sarah Fowler— Exercise Science major Sarah Fowler '17 talks about her OWU experience in the classroom and as an All-American in Cross Country and Track.

Sarah Fowler

Exercise Science major Sarah Fowler '17 talks about her OWU experience in the classroom and as an All-American in Cross Country and Track.

Student Athlete Jerry Harper

Student Athlete Jerry Harper

Hands-on learning

Hands-on learning
Enjoy small classes in HHK.

Enjoy small classes in HHK.

Department Contact Info

Location

Edwards Gymnasium
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
P 740-368-3725

HHK Department Contact

Department Chair: Andrew Busch
Assistant Professor of Health and Human Kinetics
Edwards Gymnasium 107-C
614-783-6917
ambusch@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Wendi Kay
Edwards Gymnasium #107-A
740-368-3982
wwkay@owu.edu