COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

HUMAN PERFORMANCE

Bachelor's Degree Program

Human Performance and the world of exercise sciences is a broad and exciting field.

The Human Performance major includes three emphasis areas students select from. Pre-professional, exercise science, and sport, wellness and recreation. Each emphasis area leads students toward their potential career goals.

4-year plan Apply now Request information

Choose from three emphases

A person in a Warhawk Athletics shirt tapes the ankle of a person off camera.

Pre-Professional emphasis

The Pre-Professional emphasis prepares students for graduate or doctoral programs in occupational therapy, athletic training, or physical therapy. Students will take courses such as Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2, Statistics, Principles of Physics and General Chemistry I. This emphasis does not require a minor.

A student lifts a barbell with a monitor cuff on their bicep.

Exercise Science emphasis

The Exercise Science emphasis prepares students for careers in cardiac rehab, exercise physiology, strength and conditioning, and collegiate coaching. Students will take courses such as Structure and Function of the Human Body I and II, Health Appraisal and Exercise Testing, and Physiology of Exercise. This emphasis requires a minor and is also available in an online format.

A student bounces a large red ball with a child.

Sport, Wellness and Recreation emphasis

The Sport, Wellness and Recreation emphasis prepares students for careers in recreation and sport management, community and corporate wellness, health promotion, and athletic administration. Students will take courses such as Structure and Function of the Human Body I and II, Current topics in health and wellness, stress management, inclusive physical activity and recreation. This emphasis requires a minor and is also available in an online format.

What our Human Performance students do

Pink icon showing movement of human body.

Gain practical skills and develop knowledge needed to be a leader within the kinesiology profession

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Pursue internships with professional sports teams and local parks

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Explore the great outdoors through travel study and student trips

Hands-on and cross-cultural experiences

Human Performance students have many opportunities to gain professional experience on and off campus.

 

A student uses a stethescope to check the heart rate with of another who is on a treadmill.

Internships

Human Performance students complete their 300-hour internships in a variety of settings including fitness centers, hospitals and clinics, professional or collegiate sports teams, and park and recreation departments.

Service learning

Embedded into our curriculum you’ll find several courses with a service-learning element. For example, students plan and host health fairs, lead after-school programs, develop activity programs for senior centers, and lead Performance Stations during Wisconsin Special Olympics competitions.

Research

Students engage in research with a faculty mentor, which can lead to co-authoring a paper or presenting at a national conference.

On-campus employment

Many of our students gain professional experience through on-campus employment in recreation sports, at the fitness center, or with our coaching staff and athletic trainers.

Campus and community involvement

UW-Whitewater offers several student organizations that are of interest to Human Performance students.

 

A group of five students stand together outside and talk while one holds a frisbee.

 

ACTIVE Human Performance, Sport and Recreation Professional Development Club
Invites guest speakers, brings students to conferences and job fairs, and provides other work to support professional development of students.

Outdoor Adventure Club
A student-led club that provides outdoor and professional development opportunities by leading outdoor experiences. Common adventures include river and lake canoeing, rock climbing adventures, ski trips, and camping/adventure trips (including trips to nearby Ottawa Lake State Park and Horicon Marsh, and more distant trips to the Badlands National Park/Custer State Park in South Dakota, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park in North Carolina and Tennessee).

Pre-Health Associates of Today
Pre-Health Associates of Today (PHAT) is for pre-health majors or students interested in the health field and helping each other in advancing their career paths.

Our facilities

Classrooms, laboratories and activity spaces are located in the Williams Center, Kachel Fieldhouse and surrounding outdoor locations. Facilities are also utilized in the Roseman Building, the Student Athletic Complex and other locations across campus.

The Williams Center and the Kachel Fieldhouse includes the following facilities:

  • 200 Meter Indoor Track with Multi-Purpose Courts for Basketball, Volleyball and Tennis
  • Golf Hitting Cage and Putting Green
  • 4 Racquetball Courts
  • Basketball Gymnasium
  • Wrestling Gymnasium
  • Gymnastics Gymnasium
  • Volleyball Arena
  • Swimming Pool and Diving Well
  • Fitness Facilities for Weight Training and Aerobic Exercise
  • Specialized Laboratory and Studio Facilities

The Human Performance Laboratory provides teaching, research and service programs through state-of-the-art equipment. Four fully-equipped multi-student laboratory stations utilize computer systems on customized carts with dual monitors. Each of the four carts includes a Vacu-Med Vista VO2 Lab metabolic analysis system, Cardio-Card electrocardiography system, BIOPAC system and pulmonary function analysis system. Each of the four teaching stations includes a cycle ergometer, upper body ergometer and treadmill. Additional equipment includes a research-grade metabolic analysis cart that uses AEI analyzers and Vacu-Med Vista software and interfaces operating on a computer system with dual monitors. The cart also includes a Cardio-Card electrocardiography system, BIOPAC system and capabilities for measuring oxyhemoglobin saturation. Other equipment includes a Velotron Dynafit Pro with VariCrank that uses 3D, SpinScan, Coaching and Wingate software.

The Human Performance Laboratory also has capabilities for exercise biochemistry that include a glucose and lactate analyzer, two UV/Vis spectrophotometers, water bath, analytical balance and related equipment to analyze blood and other tissues. Capabilities for DNA analysis are available across campus in Upham Hall. A computerized hydrostatic location is available in a separate location in the Williams Center complex.

Our updated motion analysis lab features equipment such as a CSMi isokinetic dynamometer, force plates, Parvo Medics metabolic cart, tendo unit, and a Biodex Balance System. The lab also has upper body and cycle ergometers and other equipment used for aerobic and anaerobic capacity tests.

This equipment is used for class laboratories, honors options, and undergraduate research projects, such as measuring muscle imbalances, likelihood of muscular injury, and sports training program assessment.

What our Human Performance graduates do

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Pursue graduate degrees in health professions, such as occupational therapy, physical therapy and athletic training

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Design and implement health promotion, sport and recreation programs

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Coach high school and college athletics

Human Performance jobs: Career success

Our program prepares students for an array of careers in the performance sciences

Human Performance graduates work in a variety of settings as:

  • exercise physiologists (in clinical rehabilitation and sports performance settings)
  • strength and conditioning coaches (in collegiate athletics, at fitness centers, or in clinical settings)
  • community health coordinators (with nonprofits, hospitals, or corporations)
  • sports/recreation managers (in civic organizations, nonprofits, or state/national parks)

Many of our Human Performance graduates continue on to master’s degree programs in areas such as:

  • exercise science
  • nutrition
  • recreation management
  • sport management
  • occupational therapy
  • physical therapy
  • public health
  • nursing /medical school

Contact us

Want to learn more about becoming a Human Performance professional at UW-Whitewater? education@uww.edu

Our faculty

Among our faculty you’ll find award-winning teachers and leading exercise scientists with impressive credentials:

  • Lindsey Greviskes co-authored a paper on caring interactions between patients with Parkinson’s Disease and their provider team.
  • Bridgette Hermanson brings practical experience in the sport and recreation management. She enjoys connecting students to real world experience by facilitating the internship process.
  • Jason Shurley was recently featured as a source in The New York Times for an article and video on “How Weight Lifting Took Over America.”
  • Mike Stibor has vast experience and knowledge in the field of kinesiology that he brings to classroom. As a former physical education teacher and varsity coach, his practical experience enhances student learning.

Additionally, our faculty often collaborate with colleagues in other departments, such as psychology, geography and UW-Whitewater Athletics.

Meet our faculty

UW-Whitewater offers the following Human Performance degrees:

The Human Performance major has three emphasis areas for students to select from. Students choose an emphasis based on their career goals. All three emphasis areas require a 6 credit internship and a 3 credit capstone requirement for graduation.

Minors:

Certificates:

To apply, complete the UW-Whitewater application for admission and indicate your major of interest.

Apply now

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