Exercise Science: Definition, Degrees, and Jobs

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Exercise science is all about understanding the principles underlying physical activity and fitness. Want to turn your passion for movement into a career? Learn more about this impactful field to decide whether it’s the right next step for you.

[Featured Image] A fitness instructor who is knowledgeable about exercise science teaches an aerobics class in a spacious workout area.

Key takeaways

Exercise science is the study of movement and how it impacts the fitness and health of the human body.

  • The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasts that job openings for fitness trainers will grow by 12 percent between 2024 and 2034 [1].

  • A graduate degree in exercise science can lead to more senior positions in physiology, biomechanics research, or health promotion.

  • You can launch your career in exercise science by building key skills in kinesiology, physiology, fitness, anatomy, and psychology.

Discover what exercise science is, find information on the most common degrees in the field, and explore relevant careers. If you’re ready to begin your career journey right away, the NASM Personal Fitness Trainer Professional Certificate is a great place to start. In addition to exploring kinesiology and physiology, you’ll learn key exercise science principles and their impact on fitness goals.

What is exercise science? 

Exercise science is the study of movement, the ways the human body adapts to it, and how it impacts physical fitness. The field draws from a wide variety of other disciplines, such as anatomy, exercise physiology, exercise psychology, and biomechanics in order to develop a complete picture of how various applied factors affect human health and fitness. 

Physical fitness is a critical public health issue within the United States. According to research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 40.3 percent of adults in America are classified as obese, and 9.4 percent are classified as “severely obese” [2]. Obesity has been linked to such health conditions as heart disease and certain types of cancer [2]. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that jobs related to exercise science will grow in the coming years. For example, the BLS forecasts that job openings for fitness trainers will grow by 12 percent between 2024 and 2034, adding about 74,200 new jobs a year throughout the decade [1]. Jobs for exercise physiologists, meanwhile, are expected to grow by 9 percent during the same period, resulting in 1,700 new job openings each year [3].

What can you do with an exercise science degree? 

With a bachelor’s or an associate degree in exercise science, you can choose to continue your education and pursue a specialized program, or you can enter the workforce and start gaining experience in the field. For example, with an associate degree, you could become a fitness instructor or go on to earn a bachelor’s degree. With a bachelor’s degree, you could learn the skills to open your own studio or gym. With a master’s degree, you could become a kinesiologist. The level of education you’ll pursue depends on your career goals. 

What's the difference between exercise science and kinesiology?

Though they are interrelated, kinesiology and exercise science have different scopes of focus that create a meaningful distinction between them. Kinesiology studies the mechanics of movement within the human body, including how exercise impacts physical fitness and health. Exercise science, meanwhile, is a subfield of kinesiology that solely focuses on how movement impacts the physical fitness and health of the human body. In effect, kinesiology is concerned with the mechanics of movement, while exercise science focuses more on the applied impact of movement on the body. 

What is an exercise science degree?

If you’re interested in being an exercise science major, then you’ll have to decide on whether you want to enter an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree program. The exact path you decide to take, though, will largely depend on your own resources, goals, and current degree status.

Here’s what you can expect from each exercise science degree program: 

Exercise science associate degree

An associate degree will prepare you for entry-level careers in the field, such as being a fitness instructor or personal trainer in a commercial or recreational fitness center. Typically, associate degrees in exercise science take between 18 months and two years to complete and will introduce you to relevant topics like anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and fitness theory. 

Bachelor’s in exercise science 

A bachelor’s degree in exercise science will prepare you for a career in the field while also equipping you with a deeper understanding of the science behind exercise, health, and physical fitness. Typically, a bachelor’s degree in exercise science will take between three and four years to complete and introduce you to such critical topics as anatomy, kinesiology, sports nutrition, cellular biology, and biomechanics. 

Read more: What Is a Master’s in Biology

Master’s in exercise science

A graduate program in exercise science prepares students for potentially more advanced positions within the field, such as in health promotion, exercise physiology, and biomechanics research. Typically, a master’s degree in exercise science takes one to two years to complete and includes courses on such topics as advanced biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports nutrition, and advanced human physiology. Furthermore, some programs require students to conduct original research in the field, particularly in laboratory settings. 

Jobs for exercise science majors

Degrees in exercise science can prepare you for a wide variety of professional careers—from those focused on athletic training to those concerned with physical therapy or even designing research-backed fitness assessments. Here are some of the careers you might consider pursuing with a degree in the field:

If you’re considering a career in the field of fitness or another area, subscribe to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat, to learn more about trending topics across industries. Or, explore our free digital resources to guide you on your journey.

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Article sources

1. 

Center for Disease Control. “Obesity and Severe Obesity Prevalence in Adults, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db508.htm.” Accessed January 13, 2025.

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