Department of Health Sciences
Exercise Science (MS)

Exercise Science (MS)

Exercise Science (MS)

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Exercise Science for Clinicians Graduate Certificate

Exercise training has been shown to be of therapeutic benefit to patients who have chronic diseases, including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, and metabolic disorders. Supervised exercises are commonly performed in a variety of settings including hospitals, outpatient clinics, physician’s offices, or research facilities. Through this Graduate Certificate, clinicians will understand the role of exercise as a proven powerful medicine that has demonstrated a high therapeutic effect with little to no side effects.

The Exercise Science Program provides its students with a dedicated on-site laboratory that is equipped with state of the art technology that is ideal for applying coursework, honing practical skills, and conducting research.

Need more clinical hours for PA School?

Professional Advancement for Clinicians

Post-baccalaureate Education

How Will You Benefit from a Graduate Certificate?

Are you a student planning to apply to Northeastern’s Physician Assistant program but need more clinical hours?

The internships through this certificate program provide hours of clinical contact experience preapproved by Northeastern’s PA program.

Download Northeastern’s PA Program — How it works [PDF]
Or visit Northeastern’s PA program page.

Are you a clinician who wants to develop competency in the area of exercise science; specifically exercise as medicine?

This graduate certificate bridges the knowledge gap between the medical field and the exercise field to promote the benefits of exercise for disease prevention and therapeutic intervention for their patients with chronic diseases. Learn about the admissions process.

Are you looking for a post-baccalaureate program that will advance you into the healthcare professions field?

This graduate certificate provides graduate professional experience through course work and experiential learning opportunities. Students develop well-rounded knowledge of the role of physical activity and exercise on health and disease prevention/intervention. Coursework covers knowledge of exercise physiology and exercise testing, assessment and prescription, all of which are major domains of job tasks for a Clinical Exercise Physiologist required by the American College of Sports Medicine. See application information.

Curriculum

The Graduate Certificate in Exercise Science includes course work and experiential learning opportunities for students to develop well-rounded knowledge of the role of physical activity and exercise on health and disease prevention/intervention. It covers knowledge of exercise physiology and exercise testing, assessment and prescription, all of which are major domains of job tasks for a Clinical Exercise Physiologist required by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).  Upon successful completion of the curriculum, students will be granted an Exercise Science for Clinicians Certificate.

The 2 required courses provide foundation for understanding principles of exercise physiology and the cardiopulmonary and musculoskeletal systems (6 credits total).

  • Cardiopulmonary Physiology
  • Advanced Exercise Physiology

The 2 required courses provide the foundation for understanding acute and chronic responses to endurance and strength exercise in major body systems (6 credits total).

  • Physical Activity and Exercise: Prescription, Measurement and Testing
  • Electrocardiography, Clinical Assessment and Prescription

Students complete 2 internships of a minimum of 300 hours of supervised experience in a research or practice setting.

Complete 3 semester hours of electives with approval of program director.

Curriculum subject to change. For a sample curriculum, please click here.

Admissions

The Exercise Science Graduate Certificate program accepts applications for Fall entry only.

Applicants accepted: Domestic only
Delivery: Primarily on campus
Student status: Full-time
Term Start: Fall only
Application Deadlines: 8/1*

If you are a student that is also applying to the Northeastern PA program, you must submit your application for both the PA program and the graduate certificate by 8/1. For more information click here.

Admissions Checklist

Click each required application item for more information.

Completed application
Degree requirements
Official transcripts
Prerequisite coursework
3 letters of recommendation

Real-World Transferability

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    Other Program Information

    Collaborative Opportunities
    Distinguished Faculty
    Real-World Transferability

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What are the tuition costs for the Exercise Science Graduate Certificate Program?

    The program consists of 21 credits. For up-to-date information regarding Northeastern University tuition per credit, please refer to the University’s tuition page.

    Can I take my prerequisite coursework online?

    Yes, as long as the courses are offered by an accredited institution.

    Do your students typically go on to be certified from the ACSM?

    Yes, our students graduate from our program are well prepared and may be eligible for this certifications from organizations such as ACSM, NPAS,  NSCA and we encourage them to apply for certifications.

    Contact Information

    We welcome any questions you might have about our program. Please feel free to send general program inquiries and admissions-related questions to Dr. Rui Li.

    Rui Li, PhD
    Program Director
    617.373.2526
    r.li@neu.edu