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

Highlights

Graduate Outcomes

Amanda Ciccone '22

Amanda majored in HHK Ex Science, her Honors project was titled: "Impact of COVID-19 on School-Based Occupational Therapists: Lessons Learned".

Amanda was accepted into the OTD program at the Top-rated OT school in the country, University of Pittsburgh! Amanda recently presented her Honor's poster at the American Occupational Therapy Association's national conference.

Headlines

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