BS Exercise Science / MS Nutrition & Health Promotion
An accelerated five-year BS Exercise Science/ MS Nutrition program is jointly offered by the Biology Department, College of Arts and Sciences and the Nutrition Department, School of Health Sciences
BS Exercise Science/ MS Nutrition Program
Students complete this accelerated BS/MS program in 5 years and receive a Bachelor of Science degree with a Biology major in Exercise Science and a Master of Science degree in Nutrition and Health Promotion. Graduates of this program will find opportunities and careers in a variety of fields promoting health, which include research, government programs, weight loss centers, and exercise facilities.
Application to this program occurs in the student's second semester of the junior year and is directed to the SHS Director of Admissions. A grade point average of 3.0 overall is required but no GRE scores are necessary.
The curriculum for this program is described below. Two graduate course, SHS 410 Research Methods and SHS 450 Health Care Systems: Interdisciplinary Perspectives, are taken in the senior year. This is 6 credit hours which may be counted toward undergraduate degree credits*** and also fulfill two of their graduate course requirements, giving the students a significant graduate tuition reduction.
Combined requirements for the undergraduate Exercise Science major and graduate degree in Nutrition and Health Promotion:
Year One
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 6 Courses | ||
| Foundations of Exer & Health | BIOL-246 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| General Biology | BIOL-113 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Intro. Chemistry: Inorganic | CHEM-111 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Intro. Chemistry: Organic | CHEM-112 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Multidisciplinary Core Course | MCC-101 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Multidisciplinary Core Course | MCC-102 | 4.00 | Lecture |
Year Two
Students take Math 118 OR Math 238, not both.
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 6 Courses | ||
| Introduction to Nutrition Sci | NUTR-112 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Anatomy & Physiology I | BIOL-231 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Anatomy & Physiology II | BIOL-232 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Introductory Statistics | MATH-118 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Applied Statistical Models | MATH-238 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Introduction to Psychology | PSYC-101 | 4.00 | Lecture |
Year Three
Students would also choose an elective from the Exercise Science List below. In addition, students
complete First Aid and CPR/AED certification through the LEAP program.
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 6 Courses | ||
| Exercise Physiology | BIOL-332 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Health Psychology | PSYC-232 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Intro Biochemistry | CHEM-223 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Practice Commun Nutrition | NUTR-237 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Intro Physics I | PHYS-110 | 4.00 | Lecture |
Apply for the MS program during second semester.
Year Four
Students complete 8 credits of Independent Learning, either through an internship (Biol 370) or through
research (Biol 350). Students also take SHS 361 - Exercise Assessment and Prescription and SHS 3xx -
Kinesiology. Both of these courses are in development.
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 4 Courses | ||
| HC Syst: Interdis Perspective | SHS-450 | 3.00 | Lecture |
| Research Methods | SHS-410 | 3.00 | Lecture |
| Independent Lab Research | BIOL-350 | 4.00 | INS |
| Internship | BIOL-370 | 4.00 | INT |
* Modes M1, M2, M5, M6 do not have to be taken in order listed
Exercise Science Electives
| Course Name | Number | Credits | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 10 Courses | ||
| Microbiology | BIOL-221 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Microbiology Lab | BIOL-221L | 0.00 | LAB |
| Intro Biochemistry | CHEM-223 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Social Implications of Nutrit | NUTR-110 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Nutrient Metabolism | NUTR-311 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Intro Physics II | PHYS-111 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Lab | PHYS-111L | 0.00 | LAB |
| Health, Illness & Society | SOCI-241 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Sociology of Sports | SOCI-266 | 4.00 | Lecture |
| Health Systems & Policy | SOCI-345 | 4.00 | Lecture |
***Note that one of these courses would be taken as a fifth course during the senior year. Students need 127 unique credits to graduate with an undergraduate degree. This allows them to substitute 1 3-credit course for the usual 4 credit offerings at Simmons. Since both of the graduate courses are 3 credits, then the student would have to take one of these as a fifth course, if they didn't already have an extra course prior to the senior year.
