School of Kinesiology and Recreation

Undergraduate Programs

Four undergraduate Bachelor of Science majors are offered to students interested in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation. The faculty combines high quality instruction with numerous research opportunities and real-world applications of their academic skills.

Athletic Training
Athletic Training In the Athletic Training major, knowledge, and skills are developed in the prevention, recognition, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. As professionals working closely with physicians, athletic trainers also act as a liaison between the patient and the physician. Recognized by the American Medical Association as allied health care professionals, athletic trainers work in various settings including high schools, colleges and universities, professional sport venues, sports medicine clinics, corporations and industrial settings, health clubs, and nontraditional settings. Students must complete designated courses and 1,200 hours of supervised clinical experience divided over five semesters plus a comprehensive summer internship. The Athletic Training major is designed in accordance with the Board of Certification, the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, and the Joint Review Committee for Educational Programs in Athletic Training.

Exercise Science
Anatomy Laboratory

The Exercise Science major prepares students to become certified as health/fitness professionals by organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American Council on Exercise.

Students begin this major by taking introductory core classes with an emphasis on science classes such as anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and exercise physiology. Then they take more specialized sequence courses including exercise programming, physiological assessment, fitness management, health and disease, and instructional methods courses in aquatic and aerobic fitness, resistive exercise, and stress management.

Graduates of the Exercise Science Major often pursue careers in cardiac rehabilitation, fitness/wellness programs (corporate, commercial, and community), personal training fields, strength training, and research and development. It is not unusual for these graduates to pursue advanced study in such fields as physical therapy and exercise physiology.

Physical Education Teacher Education
Soccer

The Physical Education Teacher Education major is nationally recognized as an exemplary undergraduate teacher preparation program. Two of every three physical education teachers in Illinois schools are graduates of this program. Pedagogical content in teacher preparation is established by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

In addition to completing a set of core introductory courses with a science emphasis, students enroll in classes that focus on instructional strategies, elementary curriculum, secondary curriculum, assessment in physical education, teaching methods, adapted physical education, and field experiences. Additionally various pedagogy oriented activity classes are required. Student preparation leads to K-12 specialist certification and 6-12 standard and/or middle school certification. The Teacher Education Major has enjoyed more than a 90 percent job placement record for the past decade. Many students seek a second subject minor or teaching endorsement.

Recreation and Park Administration
  The Recreation and Park Administration Major (RPA) has been accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association / American Association of Leisure and Recreation’s Council on Accreditation since 1985. Students may choose from two sequences within the RPA Major: Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation. 

Recreation Management
Mountain Biking Program The Recreation Management Sequence  prepares students for careers in sports/fitness centers, park districts, employee recreation, hotels, resorts, high adventure outdoor pursuits, travel and tourism, entertainment centers, theme parks, cruise lines, and theaters. In Recreation Management, the emphasis is on marketing, management, finance, risk management, and event and program planning. Students graduating from this program are immediately eligible to sit for examinations to become a Certified Park and Recreation Professional or a Certified Commercial Recreation Professional. 

Therapeutic Recreation

Park Outing The Therapeutic Recreation Sequence prepares students for careers providing recreational services to people with disabilities community agencies, sheltered workshops, substance abuse centers, psychiatric hospitals, community mental health centers, correctional institutions, nursing homes, and other social service agencies. Successful completion of the Therapeutic Recreation Sequence and an internship qualify a student to apply to sit for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification exam in pursuit of becoming a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.

For additional information, please refer to Illinois State University's Undergraduate Catalog.