Earn a Master of Science degree in Health and Human Development with an option in Exercise Physiology. Graduate students in exercise physiology will customize their programs for future employment within a variety of fields, including:

Ideally, entering graduate students will have completed a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science or a closely related field (e.g., Biology, Pre-Physical Therapy) with appropriate background course work that includes the following: anatomy and physiology, inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, statistics, anatomical kinesiology, biomechanics, and exercise physiology. Students without an appropriate undergraduate background may still enter the program, but will be required to take undergraduate courses that serve as prerequisites for graduate course work.

Dr. Dan Heil, Dr. John Seifert, and Dr. Mary Miles work with graduate students in exercise physiology.

Dr. Heil's research generally focuses on the modeling of human activity energy expenditure through a combination of lab-and field-based research projects. Several current research studies include the use of hip- and wrist-worn electronic activity monitors for predicting free-living physical activity and activity energy expenditure in overweight and obese adults, as well as modeling the determinants of upper body power in competitive cross-country skiers. More info>>>

Dr. Seifert has broad research interests that include downhill skiing, nutritional supplements and exercise performance, cycling performance, and physiological responses to cold exposure. Current and future research work includes evaluating the role of carbohydrates and proteins in rehydration, the influence of fitness level in physiological stress during downhill skiing, the change in markers of health and fitness during a season of downhill skiing, power development in ski racers, and the influence of cold air inhalation on pulmonary and cardiac functions in COPD patients. More info>>>

Dr. Miles teaches a graduate course in exercise metabolism and nutrition that is based on cellular and molecular exercise physiology. Her research focuses on inflammation and risk of chronic diseases. Persistent, low-level inflammation is a risk factor for chronic diseases. Persistent, low-level inflammation is a risk factor for chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis and type 2 diabetes. Diet, physical activity, stress, and genetics all influence this type of inflammation, and these relationships are the subject of several research projects. For example, a large project just completed identified inflammatory factors differentiating individuals with lower and higher basal inflammatory levels, different genotypes for one of the key inflammatory genes, and by anthropometrics, gender, and physical activity levels. One current project is determining whether high carbohydrate intake enhances inflammation induced by muscle damage. Future work is likely to focus on diet, exercise, and stress reduction strategies to decrease disease risk, with emphasis on inflammation and inflammatory mechanisms. Other areas of focus for graduate students working with Dr. Miles have been in sports nutrition, exercise performance, and hormonal influence on neuromuscular performance. Students working with Dr. Miles are typically in either the Nutrition and Exercise or the Exercise Physiology program of study. More info>>>