Dear Prospective Student,
Thank you for your interest in Exercise Science (ES). As you can see from other information contained on this website, our program is varied and allows you to work with a large contingent of individuals once you complete your major.
The ES curriculum is a science-based curriculum, designed to prepare and equip students for entry-level
positions in any of four health-fitness settings: commercial, community, corporate, or clinical. Completion
of the ES program also will act as a stepping stone to prepare the exceptional student for graduate
education in exercise physiology/science, cardiac rehabilitation, physical therapy, sports medicine,
biomechanics and other allied health disciplines.
The ES program includes everything from the study of physical activity and the associated acute and chronic
physiological responses and adaptations resulting from it, to health-fitness business management principles
found in facilities worldwide. Majors are encouraged to select a minor in business, psychology or any other
area depending on their interests. Several field experience courses during the four-year program as well as
a capstone experience involving a semester-long internship required at the end of the ES program afford
students the opportunity to select an area of specialization in the field at sites available throughout the
country. Graduates consider the internship requirement as one of the best parts of the program before
graduation. Working with facilities all over the country has allowed our students to see the availability
of employment positions in this field. Some interns are hired at their internship site after completing
their requirements. Some have gone onto much higher positions in the company where they are employed, or
gain employment within the community where they complete their internship. ES graduates from NDSU
(approximately 20 to 40 per year) have been employed in these different settings across the country,
especially in metropolitan areas.
Approximately 30% have continued on to graduate school or medical school, while around 20% have been hired on at their internship site. With an undergraduate degree and no experience, a starting salary averages up to $36,000 per year. However, the starting salary for health-fitness professionals is difficult to predict because of such factors as experience, geographic location, employment setting and market demand. It also can depend on licensure and certification. An advanced degree affords greater opportunity.
In 2003, NDSU’s Exercise Science major received endorsement from the ACSM. Since this endorsement,
three groups of students have taken the ACSM Health Fitness Instructor certification exam, with a pass rate
of approximately 35%. In July, 2006, the curriculum received accreditation from the Commission for
Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences in cooperation with the American College of Sports Medicine. The
NDSU ES program is one of the first seven academic programs in the country.
Again, welcome to our curriculum. If I can be of any assistance in your selection of your career, please
feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Donna J. Terbizan, Ph.D, FACSM
Professor and Exercise Science Program Coordinator
701-231-7792