Exercise Science

Deborah G. Coffin, Associate Professor
David Pober, Assistant Professor
Anthony Sgherza, Associate Professor

B.S. Exercise Science:
Secondary Areas:

Strength and Conditioning - Health and Fitness
Sport Management
Exercise Science: Pre-professional allied health (PT, OT, PA) *3+3 (UVM) Pre-professional athletic training *4+2 (PSU)
Self-Designed Programs

B.S. Physical Education

Program Mission Statement

The degree program in exercise science combines fundamental interdisciplinary study in the natural sciences and liberal arts with extensive laboratory, experiential and professional internship practices. The mission of the department is to provide exceptional academic and professional preparation for careers in physical education and exercise science. Emphasis is placed upon the development of academic, practical, and critical skills needed for lifelong learning as advocates of health promotion and disease prevention.

Common Program Goals

Students completing the B.S. in Exercise Science will emerge with the following outcomes:

a foundation of knowledge in the natural sciences.
an understanding of the behavior of the human organism in causing, controlling and responding to movement.
a variety of career or post-secondary educational opportunities related to the field of Exercise Sciences.
the technological and practical skills to access and read the scholarly materials in the field of Exercise Science.
a demonstration of independent research.

Program Assessment

Career tracks in exercise science offer a strong experiential component via laboratory, practicum, and internship experience. The effectiveness of the departmental and program preparation and the core components of the completed internships are evaluated by the student and the internship supervisor.

A college Internship manual (Student Teaching, Internship, or Pre-professional) is provided for the student and the internship site. One of the Manual’s appendices has a form for the intern and the internship site to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in preparing students for this experience.

Teacher preparation courses use standards based syllabi that include course assignments and rubrics for evaluation of each assignment. Teacher education students are required, as a capstone experience, to present their licensure portfolio to a panel of professionals after completing student teaching. All seniors are required to take AHS 4071 and 4072, a two-semester research methods sequence which integrates scholarship, professional study and, as a capstone project, a presentation of their research project. Graduate surveys are scored to provide feedback of the program. Program improvements may result from this information.

Program Study

Bachelor degrees in physical education and exercise science consist of a core of primary courses which all students in the department must complete. Six career tracks allow students to select an area of concentration. The core provides a solid foundation of knowledge in the natural and exercise sciences while career track concentrations promote professional or personal career goals. The self-designed secondary area must be a minimum of 25 credits of course work that has a coherent theme and focus. In designing their own program, the student will work with their academic advisor. The self-designed program must be proposed and approved by the Department of Exercise Science.

Articulation agreements with University of Vermont (physical therapy) and Plymouth State University (athletic training) offer students unique opportunities for entry level graduate and professional study in these chosen careers. Pre-professional study in physical therapy offers an option of professional application to University of Vermont following completion of the third year at LSC (*3 + 3 UVM). Pre-professional study in athletic training offers an option for entry level graduate study in athletic training (*4 + 2) at Plymouth State University.

Students pursuing strength and conditioning – health and fitness career option are prepared with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to sit for nationally recognized certifications; namely, National Strength and Conditioning Association – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and American College of Sports Medicine – Health Fitness Instructor (HFI).

The Department of Exercise Science at Lyndon State College is recognized by the National Strength and Conditioning Association for successfully meeting established educational program criteria in strength and conditioning.

The Teacher Licensure Program satisfies the teaching competencies and the State of Vermont Standards for licensure. Vermont recognizes the Exercise Science core of requirements that satisfies the double major requirement for licensure. All students must comply with the current State of Vermont regulations regarding Praxis I and II testing for licensure. Praxis I and II results must be on file at the college prior to November 1st for registering for Student Teaching in the spring semester, and prior to April 1st for registering for Student Teaching in the fall semester.