Sport Studies

The humanities subdisciplines include sport history and sport philosophy, and can be expanded to include sport art, sport communication and journalism, sport literature, and sport law. The social science subdisciplines include sport psychology and sport sociology. More specifically, each of these subdisciplines can be described as follows.

Sport History: The study of sport in the past, which illustrates how sport developed, as well as what was tried and whether it worked successfully or not. This can lead us in avoiding mistakes of the past or help us to envision better ways to do things.

Sport Philosophy: The examination of sport and the sporting experience in order to determine the place and meaning of sport in our lives. The sport philosopher is concerned with what is significant about the sport experience.

Sport Psychology: The study of either the effect psychological factors have on performing or learning sport skills or the effect sport participation has on the development of psychological factors, such as confidence, attention, motivation, etc.

Sport Sociology: The examination of the socio-cultural aspects of behavior related to the sport setting; including the behavior of individuals, groups, institutions, or cultures.

Career Opportunities

Many students are initially interested in a undergraduate program in sport studies because they enjoy sport and participating in all types of physical activity. The opportunity to study the socio-cultural and scientific bases of sport is often appealing.

In fact, some students may even apply the knowledge they gain in this type of program to their own sport participation or work with athletes in various settings. Students interested in coaching often major in sport studies.

Other students who major in sport studies use their undergraduate program as a stepping stone to professional and graduate programs, such as law, journalism, communications, medicine and other health related fields, as well as university or college teaching and research in a variety of subdisciplines (history, philosophy, psychology, sociology, etc.).

In addition, a sports studies degree can lead to careers in the corporate and business world, or as a consultant in a private setting.

Some Potential Career Options for Students Concentrating in Sports Studies

Professional or Graduate School Programs	Private Sector	Teacher, Researcher and/or Coach	Business/Corporate World
Law	Consultant (Sport Psychologist)	University or College professor	Communications Industry
Medicine or Health-related fields		University or College coach	Museums
Media/Communications		High school/Club team coach
Journalism/Writer		US Olympic Training Center
History
Philosophy
Psychology

Distribution of Courses for the B.S. in Kinesiology with a Concentration in Sports Studies

Required General Education and Liberal Arts Courses

CPN100: Academic Writing I
CPN101: Academic Writing II
BIO110: Principles of Biology I (GE 8)
BIO111: Principles of Biology II (GE 8)
PSY101: General Psychology
BIO301: Anatomy and Physiology I
BIO302: Anatomy and Physiology II
CAP100: Computer Applications
General Education Courses
Quantitative Skills Requirement
*met by MAT121, MAT125, PSY201 or ECO221

Required Kinesiology Theory Courses

EXS 197: History/Philosophy of PED
EXS 287: Soc-Psych Aspects of Activity
EXS 297: Motor Behavior
EXS 351: Philosophy of Sport
EXS 387: Biomechanics
EXS 397: Exercise Physiology
EXS 420: Sport in American Culture

Required Activity Courses

PED 181: Adventure Activities
PED 182: Health-related Physical Fitness
PED 288: Rhythms and Dance
Aquatics activity elective
Activity electives

Sports Studies Concentration Requirements

EXS 345: Sport Society
EXS 346: Sport Psychology
ENG260: Sport Literature
EXS 410: Sport Ethics
EXS 445: Woman And Sport
EXS 468: African-American Sport History

Track (Courses outside the major) - see catalog for additional details

Free Electives

Total Hours Required for Graduation 124