GMercyU Launches Exercise Science Program for Fall 2025
Gwynedd Mercy University is launching a new Bachelor of Health Science degree in Exercise Science for Fall 2025.
To help meet the demand for highly skilled practitioners in this field, the program will focus on the human body, physical activity, and health to prepare students for careers in exercise science, health, and human performance fields.
"Today's growing need for competent and compassionate professionals in this field makes this an ideal time to expand our health profession programs and offer a degree in Exercise Science," said Jane Hsiao-Chen Tang, PhD, RN, NE-BC, Dean of the Frances M. Maguire College of Nursing and Health Professions.
"This program will build on the University's legacy of preparing highly skilled healthcare, service-oriented professionals with excellent clinical skills and a Mercy-centered focus on providing holistic, compassionate care."
The job market for this field is incredibly robust, with 12,334 jobs nationwide available which is 31% higher than the national average for jobs according to Lightcast. More so, there are projected to be nearly 50,000 jobs in Pennsylvania by 2028 in this field according to Lightcast.
The four-year program requires 120 credits and features courses designed to provide students with specialized knowledge in topics like kinesiology, exercise physiology, fitness assessment, and strength training. Some courses are lab-based, offering students practical experience in applied exercise science. The program also includes experiential learning opportunities, particularly through practicum experiences.
Students will have the opportunity to learn in GMercyU's new Frances M. Maguire '55 Healthcare Innovation Center, which is set to open in 2025. This state-of-the-art building will feature high-tech classrooms, immersive simulation and skills labs, and collaborative spaces where students from different majors can work together to learn how to treat the "whole" patient/client, a healthcare best-practice.