Bachelor of Arts

Exercise Science

MAJOR | MINOR

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A Goshen College soccer player smiles

Study how the body performs and build a career out of it

At Goshen College, you won’t just study exercise science—you’ll live it.

Our Exercise Science major explores physical activity, exercise and human performance to prepare you for a career as a personal fitness trainer, strength and conditioning coach, cardiopulmonary rehab technician and others. This major also equips you for success in graduate school programs in athletic training/sports medicine, exercise physiology, physical therapy or chiropractic care.  By blending classroom learning with real-world practice, you’ll gain the hands-on experience you need to jump straight into a job or excel in graduate school. Throughout it all, small classes and dedicated faculty mentors ensure you’re supported and known by name every step of the way.

  • ⁠100%
    of exercise science majors complete an internship before graduating
  • #5
    most popular major among Goshen College students — so you will have cohort support all four years
  • 5
    Goshen College partner sites — including local hospitals, sports teams and wellness centers — to ensure internship opportunitiesand wellness centers

    Made for people who love performance and exercise

    If you love sport and movement and you want a career built on understanding the body, this major is for you.  As an exercise science major, every student does an internship or significant practical experience. You’ll have opportunity to spend time in athletic training rooms, physical therapy clinics and in other organizations and businesses programs around Goshen. Those placements often grow out of the college’s connections with local hospitals, sports teams and wellness centers. 

    Goshen College also brings together students from a wide range of backgrounds, including a large international community, so you’ll learn next to people whose experiences don’t look like your own.

    What you’ll study

    Here you’ll study the body from the inside out, starting with anatomy and physiology, then moving into kinesiology through courses in biomechanics, exercise physiology, exercise prescription and fitness testing. You’ll learn how the body responds under physical and mental exertion, adapts to training and recovers from injury. You”ll apply it directly with athletes and clients and through a community internship before you graduate. That foundation prepares you for a career in strength and conditioning coaching, athletic training, wellness education or graduate study in fields like physical therapy.

    View the complete program requirements in our catalog.

    Program Requirements

    • The exercise science degree at Goshen College helped me discover my passion for strength and conditioning while exploring the many career opportunities within the field. Through extensive laboratory work and hands-on experiences, I was able to apply classroom concepts in real-world settings, building the knowledge and confidence needed to begin my professional career.

      Thiago Serejo '26

      Goshen College Men's Soccer Assistant Coach and Personal Trainer

    Paying for Goshen

    All exercise science majors are eligible to apply for Goshen College academic and need-based scholarships, and most students receive financial aid.

    To see your own price after aid, run the net price calculator, or  explore your options at the financial aid and scholarships pages.

    Financial AidScholarshipsnet price calculator

    Common questions about the exercise science major

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