Department of Exercise and Sport Science

Introduction

The mission of the Department of Exercise and Sport Science is to discover and promote knowledge of human movement to improve quality of life.

Exercise and sport science examines the anatomy, physics, physiology, and psychology of sport and exercise. The general major (B.A. and B.S. degrees) provides foundational courses in exercise science that prepares students for many paths. Students interested in sport administration can build a foundation in the management of sport, and explore career options related to amateur, interscholastic, or professional sport operation and business. The fitness professional program is designed to prepare students for careers in a variety of health-related fields, including but not limited to entry-level positions in the health-fitness industry; personal training of amateur, professional, and recreational athletes; exercise therapy for a range of clinical conditions; or graduate study in exercise physiology. Other career options for majors include strength-conditioning coach for an athletic team; exercise research within the athletic, medical, or pharmaceutical industries; or fitness club entrepreneur. By choosing additional courses, students can apply to schools of physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, public health, nursing, or medicine.

Advising

All majors and minors have a primary academic advisor from the Academic Advising Program. Students are strongly encouraged to meet regularly with their advisor and review their Tar Heel Tracker each semester. The department communicates via an EXSS majors Canvas page, classroom “advising” visits, bulletin boards/video boards throughout the building, and the departmental website. Departmental academic advising is particularly important for those majors who are considering graduate school. Further information on courses, undergraduate research opportunities, the honors program, careers, and graduate schools may be obtained from the department’s website.

Facilities

In addition to classroom space and physical activity area, Fetzer Hall, Woollen Gym, and Stallings-Evans Sports Medicine Center house several well-equipped research and teaching laboratories:

1. The Applied Physiology Laboratory is fully equipped to measure metabolism, body composition, and aerobic fitness. Additionally, it houses a chemistry laboratory to study the biochemistry of exercise.
2. The Cadaver Anatomy Laboratory is designed to teach cadaver dissection in order to gain a greater knowledge about how the human body works in an athletic environment.
3. The Exercise Science Teaching Laboratory was specifically designed for teaching exercise science laboratory experiences as well as clinical exercise testing experiences.
4. The MOTION Science Institute, comprised of four research laboratories (Motion Analysis Laboratory, Neuromuscular Assessment Laboratory, Gait Biomechanics Laboratory, and Psychology of Sport Injury Laboratory), is fully equipped to evaluate neuromuscular function, biomechanics, and psychological factors associated with musculoskeletal injury prevention.
5. The CPR Laboratory is a teaching laboratory for CPR and first aid skills. The laboratory is equipped with mannequins, AED trainers, and first aid equipment.
6. The Exercise Oncology Laboratory is equipped with the latest technology for the assessment of cardiorespiratory and pulmonary function, body composition, cognitive function, electrocardiogram monitoring capability, and evaluation of heart rate coherence and heart rate variability in oncology patients.
7. Through its clinical and research initiatives, the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Research Center demonstrates its commitment to providing the highest level of care for athletes of all ages suffering from sport-related brain injuries, and to assisting parents, coaches, and medical professionals in managing these athletes.
8. The Athletic Training Teaching Laboratory is designed for students to practice evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation skills. It is equipped with treatment tables, evaluation tools, rehabilitation supplies such as foam rollers, exercises balls, and taping supplies.
9. The Cardiometabolic Laboratory investigates: the interactions between lifestyle behaviors and cardiometabolic health with a particular interest in sedentary behavior and young adults, the development and interpretation of methodologies for assessing cardiometabolic health, and the translation of basic and applied science in regards to public health outcomes.
10. The STAR Heel Lab at UNC examines innovating how we get health and performance science and applications to all individuals who need it.

Graduate School and Career Opportunities

Many undergraduate exercise and sport science majors are preparing for graduate work in related areas: exercise physiology, physical therapy, sports medicine, nutrition, athletic training, sports administration/management, etc. They will be well-prepared for master’s and doctoral programs, and graduate assistantships in these areas at UNC–Chapel Hill and other large universities. Numerous career opportunities exist in a variety of fields directly related to sport and exercise. Some graduates go directly into health/fitness/sport-related employment. Others attend professional schools or pursue advanced academic degrees.

Majors

• Exercise and Sport Science Major, B.A.–General
• Exercise and Sport Science Major, B.A.–Fitness Professional
• Exercise and Sport Science Major, B.A.–Sport Administration
• Exercise and Sport Science Major, B.S.

Minors

• Coaching Education Minor
• Exercise and Sport Science Minor
• Sports Medicine Minor

Graduate Program

• Exercise and Sport Science, M.A.

Courses

• Exercise and Sport Science (EXSS)
• Lifetime Fitness (LFIT)
• Physical Activities (PHYA)

One lifetime fitness course is a graduation requirement for all students at UNC–Chapel Hill (post-2006 curriculum). Students are encouraged to complete the lifetime fitness requirement during their first year of study. A student may enroll in only one LFIT course and may count only one, one-credit LFIT course toward graduation at Carolina. These courses combine practice in a sport or physical activity with general instruction in lifelong health.

Professors

Claudio L. Battaglini, J. Troy Blackburn, Anthony C. Hackney, Kristen L. Kucera, Jason P. Mihalik, Barbara Osborne, Darin A. Padua, Brian G. Pietrosimone, Nels K. Popp, Eric D. Ryan, Abbie E. Smith-Ryan, Erianne A. Weight.

Associate Professors

Erik D. Hanson, Jonathan A. Jensen, Zachary Yukio Kerr, Micheal D. Lewek, Johna Register-Mihalik, Lee Stoner, Erik A. Wikstrom.

Assistant Professors

Shelby E. Baez, Malia Blue, Jimikaye B. Courtney, Adam C. Kiefer, Derek Monroe, Jessica R. Murfree.

Teaching Professors

Alain J. Aguilar, Meredith A. Petschauer.

Teaching Associate Professors

J.D. DeFreese, Kristin S. Ondrak, Anthony F. Patterson, Angela Pratt.

Teaching Assistant Professors

Rebecca L. Battaglini, Benjamin M. Goerger, Wayne McDonnell Jr., Aliza K. Nedimyer, Olufemi Oluyedun.

Research Associate Professor

Wesley R. Cole.

Research Assistant Professor

Gena R. Gerstner.

Lecturers

Bradley Bates, John Brunner, Anthony Cosby, Greg Moore, Sherry Norris, James Strong, Nina Walker, Sunny Yu.

Postdoctoral Research Associates

Thomas Birchmeier, Aiden Chauntry, Katherine Collins, Daniel Corry, Hyunwook Lee, Jeb Struder.

Professor of the Practice

Richard A. Baddour.

Professors Emeriti

M. Deborah Bialeschki, John E. Billing, Bonita L. Marks, Robert G. McMurray, Frederick O. Mueller, Frank Pleasants, William E. Prentice, Edgar Shields, John M. Silva.

Teaching Professor Emerita

Sherry Salyer.

Adjunct Professors

David J. Berkoff, Deborah L. Givens, Kevin M. Guskiewicz, Stephen W. Marshall, Karen L. McCulloch, Todd Schwartz, Leon R. Schimmelfing.

Adjunct Associate Professors

Kevin Carneiro, Vicki S. Mercer.

Adjunct Assistant Professors

Avinash Chandran, Shawn Kane, Michael Mazzoleni.