Kinesiology, BS

What you will study

Like other schools for kinesiology, UCM’s bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology focuses on human movement as it relates to health, wellness and fitness. Part of what makes us unique, though, is our program curriculum. You will also have the opportunity to specialize your Bachelor of Kinesiology degree by choosing an area of concentration:

• Exercise Science: Focus on improving people's overall health, wellness and fitness. 
• Corporate Fitness: Prepare to lead corporate wellness programs for large companies. 
• Pre-Athletic Training: Get ready for graduate school and gain the skills to work with athletes. 
• Pre-Occupational Therapy: Focus on the occupations of life, helping people maintain independence following injury and/or illness. 
• Pre-Physical Therapy: Gain exposure to movement-based coursework and prepare for graduate school.

 

 

Unique Learning Opportunities

As you look at schools for kinesiology, finding a program that puts an emphasis on experiential learning is important. 

At the University of Central Missouri, we provide hands-on opportunities for Kinesiology majors through research, lab and field-based course activities, and internships. When you take your learning beyond the classroom, you will become better qualified for competitive jobs within kinesiology and better prepared to stand out among graduates from other kinesiology programs.

• Internships: Gain professional experience while earning course credit toward your bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology with an internship. You could work in settings such as hospitals, clinics and recreation centers. In the past, Kinesiology majors have interned with St. Luke's Health System, EXOS Physical Therapy and Sports Performance and Yale University.
• Facilities: Get involved with innovative research, even as an undergraduate student, and acquire hands-on experience in our state-of-the-art spaces. These include the Human Performance Lab, Biomechanics Lab and Clinical Exercise Physiology Lab.
• Undergraduate research: Collaborate with students, clients and faculty on projects and research. Our Kinesiology majors regularly attend regional and national research conferences. These experiences build your knowledge base and offer networking opportunities with working professionals. 
• Introduction to Kinesiology: In this foundational course, you will explore what the Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology has to offer, hear from professional speakers about career paths and meet with academic advisors to develop a personalized degree plan.
• Biomechanics: Participate in hands-on demonstrations as part of this undergraduate course to develop your skills in analyzing and critiquing movement patterns.
• Assessment and Evaluation of Fitness and Wellness: Learn lab- and field-based tests and measures in this course that focuses on how program exercise can effectively improve fitness. 
• Fitness Programming and Implementation: Gain hands-on experience integrating prior coursework and applying classroom knowledge to training an actual client in this course.

 

Learn with State-of-the-Art Equipment

Your education won’t be limited to what you read in textbooks! All kinesiology students at UCM will spend time learning in three on-campus laboratories filled with the same state-of-the-art equipment you will see utilized by professionals in the field. This technology includes:

• TuffTread high performance treadmill
• ParvoMedics metabolic cart
• GE Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry
• Cosmed BodPod
• Kistler force plate
• Qualysis motion capture system
• Cyclus 2 high performance ergometer
• Multiple ECG systems and much more

 

What can you do with a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology from UCM?

With a Kinesiology degree from UCM, you will have the foundational knowledge and training employers and graduate schools are looking for. Kinesiology careers are expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years, meaning you will be in high demand after you graduate. 

Career opportunities within kinesiology

Be prepared for job opportunities in fields such as fitness training, athletic performance, strength and conditioning, working with special populations — including children, pregnant women, older adults and those with chronic illness — or medical rehabilitation programs. In recent years, 95% of Kinesiology majors have been employed within six months of graduation.

Our graduates also continue their education at elite professional and graduate schools, pursuing advanced degrees in areas such as physical therapy, athletic training, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, biomechanics or other kinesiology-related fields.

Career opportunities with a Kinesiology degree

Explore more options for future jobs within kinesiology using the interactive tool below. You can gain insights on kinesiology salaries, career outlooks and more.

 

 

Financial assistance options for your Kinesiology degree

A Kinesiology degree from the University of Central Missouri is worth the investment, no matter which career path you choose. UCM offers a variety of resources to help you finance your college education, such as scholarships, assistantships, grants and awards. 

In addition to affordable tuition, we offer several scholarships specifically for Kinesiology majors, including:

• Kinesiology Scholarship 
• Shelby and Marjorie Brightwell Scholarship
• Mike and SueAnn Carter Scholarship
• Ronald L. “Doc” Van Dam Scholarship