Health and Exercise Science
Are you ready to get moving?
Simmons University’s health and exercise science program will prepare you for rewarding careers within the healthcare, fitness, and wellness fields.
You will receive a solid foundation in the sciences of exercise and health through hands-on experiences and coursework in the health and fitness industry. Learn how the human body moves, performs, and heals through courses in anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, exercise physiology, and nutrition.
You will learn to assess fitness, design exercise programs, prevent injuries, and promote overall wellness. The curriculum also covers health psychology, behavior change, and research methods to help you understand the physical and mental factors influencing health.
Throughout your time in the program, you’ll have the opportunity to conduct clinical research, work in rehabilitation settings, develop, and lead group exercise and physical activity programs, and more. These opportunities provide skills mastered through service learning engagement with community organizations, and in Boston’s world-class health centers.
Health and Exercise Degree Career Pathways
The health and exercise science major is excellent preparation for graduate school in fields such as physical therapy, nutrition, public health, and behavioral analysis. Explore career tracks in the allied healthcare space on our Pre-Health Professions Track page.
At Simmons, we offer programs to fast-track your studies to advanced degrees and exciting career opportunities. Learn more about our accelerated Health and Exercise Science + Nutrition and Health Promotion (4+1) and Doctor of Physical Therapy program (3+3).
Health and Exercise Science Program
Do you want to improve the lives of others in a rapidly growing field? By studying Health and Exercise Science at Simmons University, students are exposed to industry-leading technology used in the healthcare and wellness fields.
Direct Graduate Pathways Available to Students
Simmons University and A.T. Still University's College of Graduate Health Studies are now partners! Learn more about that and about other direct entry enrollment pathways available to Simmons students!
Our Faculty
Michael Welch
Assistant Teaching Professor and Director of the Health & Exercise Science Program
Ling Xin
Assistant Professor
Tim Hanway
Assistant Professor of Practice and Internship Coordinator for the Health & Exercise Science Program
Spotlight on Exercise Science Students and Alums
Simmons Welcomes New Cohort of Bonner Community Leaders
The Bonner Community Leaders Program is a unique opportunity for students who want to combine a strong commitment to service with personal growth, teamwork, leadership development, and scholarship. We spoke with Ellie Foss ’28, Jocelyn Miranda Landaverde ’28, Bridget Swezey ’28, and Soraya Timas ’28 about what drew them to the program.
Exercise Science Alumna Interviewed in The Boston Globe
The Globe interviewed Francesca Corsinetti ’19 an occupational therapist, high school basketball coach, and founder of The Sports OT (a program that helps current and retired athletes navigate the complexities of mental health).
Simmons Exercise Science Alumnae Share Research at Conference
Health and Exercise Science alumnae Haleigh St.Hilaire ’24, ’26MPH and Caroline Aspinwall ’24 recently presented their respective research at the New England chapter of the American College of Sports Medicine (NEACSM) conference.
Exercise Science Student Interns at Boston Children's Hospital
Caroline Aspinwall ’24, majoring in Health and Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology, shares details about her internship experience at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Nutrition Professor Receives Award from Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation
Recognizing the professional achievements of Assistant Professor of Nutrition Dr. Jacqueline Beatty, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation honored her with the 2024 Margene Wagstaff Award for Innovation in Dietetics Education.
Congratulations to the 2024 SURPASs Scholars
Twelve undergraduate scholars from different disciplines have been selected to join the Summer Undergraduate Research Program at Simmons (SURPASs), a highly competitive, fully funded research and mentorship program. During this six week intensive, students will work with a faculty mentor to execute an independent research project of their own design and development.
Finding Community at Simmons as a Transfer Commuter Student
While at Simmons, Exercise Science major and Healthcare Management minor Kiani Jacobs ’23 received the 2023 Senior Scholar Award and interned at the Harvard Medical Ginty Lab on Neurological Research. She reflects on the value of time spent in the lab, planning events with student groups, and finding her place — as a transfer student and a commuter — at Simmons.
Developing a Personal Passion into a Capstone Research Project
Exercise Science student and Barbara Lee Fellow Haleigh St.Hilaire ’24 explores the intersection of Exercise Science and Public Health through her internship at the Massachusetts State House.