About
- State-of-the-art facility – The department is housed in the Student Recreation Center, a $32 million facility which includes a fitness center, swimming pool, racquetball and tennis courts, a climbing wall, and multi-purpose gymnasiums.
- Specialty Labs – Students gain hands-on experience in our Exercise Physiology Lab which features a temperature and humidity control chamber, anatomical diagrams, infrared motion capture technology and a hydrostatic weighing tank. An Athletic Training Lab is also available which features adjustable treatment tables, exercise and rehabilitation equipment.
- One of a kind programs – The department houses one of the 12 accredited graduate programs in the United States and the only program approved in Michigan that supports the special physical education approval through pursuit of a master’s degree.
- Experienced Faculty – Since 1994, the department faculty has authored over 200 publications and over 500 presentations have been made at international, national, regional, state and local professional conferences.
Mission statement
It is the mission of the department to provide coursework and experiences which will allow students to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes conducive to their employment as professionals within the allied fields of human performance and health education. Students develop skills which allow them to analyze programmatic needs, deliver programs which meet specific needs and self-assess professional effectiveness through reflective practices.
Our spaces
Exercise physiology lab
Specialized facility equipped with advanced technology where researchers and health professionals measure and analyze how the human body's systems respond, adapt, and perform during physical exertion.
Temperature and humidity control chamber
Used to simulate specific weather conditions, allowing researchers to study how heat, cold, and moisture impact human physical performance and physiological responses during workouts.
Hydrostatic weighing tank
A specialized, water-filled apparatus used to highly accurately determine a person's body composition—specifically body fat percentage—by comparing their normal weight on dry land to their weight while completely submerged underwater.
Athletic training lab
Dedicated clinical workspace where students practice hands-on skills such as injury evaluation, joint taping and bracing, emergency care, and rehabilitation techniques.