Exercise and Sport Science

About the Major

This major is designed for students who are interested in pursuing employment in the field of Exercise and Sport Science. Students completing the required core courses in the major will be able to implement preventative health programs in private, corporate, commercial, and community settings. The major also prepares interested students for graduate work in exercise physiology, exercise science, sport medicine, kinesiology, physical therapy, or athletic training.

The Exercise and Sport Science major can be completed with the designated core courses or students may also choose to complete the optional track in psychology. The major has been designed to address the knowledge, skills, and abilities recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for certification by ACSM as Personal Trainer, Health/Fitness Instructor or Exercise Specialist. The ACSM certifications require that students hold a related undergraduate degree in a health and fitness curriculum as well as successful completion of an examination that includes both written and practical components.

What is Unique About Our Program...

There are two components to the major, the Summit Health Articulation Agreement and the Eden Hall Fitness Center, that add unique additional opportunities for students in the major.

Summit Health Articulation Agreement

In December of 1999, Wilson sealed an agreement with Summit Health (Chambersburg Hospital, Waynesboro Hospital, Results Fitness and Physical Therapy) to work together to implement the Exercise and Sport Science Major. This agreement makes available to Wilson students, all of the human, professional, and technical resources of Summit Health. It also provides opportunities for students to volunteer or intern with any of the many departments. We have utilized this articulation agreement to provide speakers and to observe physical, respiratory, cardiac and occupational therapists. Specialists in diabetes education, women’s health issues, nutrition, resistance training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, cardiac and respiratory rehabilitation, regularly make presentations to our majors. As part of the laboratory component of the ESS 220 and 222, students also visit many of the departments.

As part of ESS 320 “Administrative Aspects of Exercise and Sport Science”. ESS majors designed a survey which they conduct every other year. The survey was developed at the request of Summit Health, to poll local (within 30 miles) fitness centers regarding their staff, programs and facilities. This information is collated and sent to Summit Health where the information is formatted and made available to all physicians in the area to use as a reference for referral of their patients.

Eden Hall Fitness Center

The Eden Hall Fitness Center opened its doors in the Fall of 2002. One of the objectives for the center was to provide a laboratory opportunity for students in the major where they would have first-hand experience in running a fitness center. All majors work or volunteer in the fitness center. Senior majors supervise and run the center with the assistance of the ESS faculty. Majors gain experience in scheduling and in-service training staff, running promotional or thematic programs, designing bulletin boards, researching topics for bulletin board displays, inventorying, screening, testing and designing exercise programs. This is a very large experiential component of the major.

Contact Information

Anjuli Gairola
Department Chair
717-264-4141 ext. 3249
agairola@wilson.edu