EDWARDSVILLE - College Choice has ranked the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Education, Health and Human Behavior’s (SEHHB) undergraduate exercise science program among the best in the nation. SIUE landed 22nd in the 2017 Best Sports Medicine Degrees ranking, which included programs in exercise science, kinesiology and athletic training.
Housed in the SEHHB’s Department of Applied Health, SIUE’s program combines coursework in both the basic sciences and exercise sciences, along with real-world internship experiences to provide students with the preparation needed to excel in a variety of professional health and fitness settings.
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“We are proud of the national recognition our accredited exercise science program is receiving,” said Bryan Smith, PhD, associate professor and program director. “Congratulations are due to the program faculty and instructors who devote significant time and effort to provide students with a high-quality education.”
“Our students also deserve credit for the success of this program,” Smith continued. “Their dedication and academic excellence has led to high acceptance rates to post-secondary programs and job placement following graduation. Their achievements affirm the value of this program.”
Few academic programs offer such diverse opportunities for employment and professional development upon graduation as SIUE’s exercise science program. It is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education programs.
“This ranking corroborates the feedback we receive from students about our exceptional exercise science faculty,” added Paul Rose, PhD, interim dean of the SEHHB. “It is a signal of the powerful learning and research activities that prospective exercise science students can expect to enjoy at SIUE, where our reputation keeps rising.”
Approximately 70 percent of program graduates enter other health-related programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, medicine, physician assistant, chiropractic and more. The other 30 percent of graduates enter the exercise science field directly in such areas as cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, strength and conditioning, corporate fitness, community health and wellness, sports medicine and personal training.
According to College Choice, the ranking is based on three composite scores of institutional excellence, student satisfaction and return on investment. Data is from university website, PayScale, U.S. News & World Report, and the National Center for Education Statistics.
The SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior prepares students in a wide range of fields including public health, exercise science, nutrition, instructional technology, psychology, speech-language pathology and audiology, educational administration, and teaching. Faculty members engage in leading-edge research, which enhances teaching and enriches the educational experience. The School supports the community through on-campus clinics, outreach to children and families, and a focused commitment to enhancing individual lives across the region.
