By: Paige Scofield Campus Life Editor
Western offers a wide variety of degrees that students can major in, many of which 
students don’t know are offered, or know next to nothing about. This week, in “Get To Know a Major:” receiving a bachelor of science in exercise science.
Kristin Miller, a junior, is working towards receiving a bachelor of science in exercise science with a minor in dance. Even though she originally came to Western for its dance program, she soon realized that she wanted to switch majors.
“I hope to go into occupational therapy, and exercise science was the most applicable major that I could do and I’m really interested in keeping people healthy, and the body, and how it works and the science of it,” Miller said.
Although she switched majors, Miller wants to keep dance a part of her life and try to use it in the field of occupational therapy.
“I’d like to incorporate dance into occupational therapy somehow,” said Miller. “I think a lot of people don’t see dance as a sport, but I want people to see it as a way to exercise and keeping themselves healthy.”
There are many career fields that exercise science can put students on the right track to pursue. According to Western’s website, those careers include: hospital cardiac rehabilitation and physical therapy assistance, corporate fitness centers, athletic and health focused fitness clubs, with organizations that provide fitness and activity programming such as YMCA and Boys & Girls Club, physical educators in public and private schools, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing and nutrition/dietetics.
Western’s website describes exercise science as, “the study of changes that occur within the human body in response to exercise and physical activity. Students of exercise science complete foundational coursework in general biology and human anatomy and physiology. Key areas of study within the major include biomechanics, motor behavior, nutrition, physiology of exercise, and social and psychological aspects of exercise and physical activity. Students learn how the human body adapts to various forms of movement and exercise, for purposes ranging from general health promotion and injury prevention, to rehabilitation and sports performance.”
Miller’s favorite class she took for her major was the anatomy series. “Even though it was a lot of work, I learned so much in the span of a year about the body, and I think it’s something that will help me a lot with my career.”
“Ever since I’ve changed my major, I’ve been really impressed with the exercise science major and all the professors, they’re all super nice. I think it’s a really good major for our current society, because health is such a pertinent issue and it’s a good field to get into right now because exercise is really on the rise,” concluded Miller.
Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu
