Major

Drake’s pre-professional Kinesiology major offers an intensive focus in anatomy and physiology, with courses sequenced and proactively spiraled so that students see kinesiology content from multiple perspectives and applications.

The Bachelor of Science degree consists of 60 or 61 credit hours, depending upon options chosen. Starting in Fall 2021, students with strong incoming credits can enroll in the 3+2 kinesiology + athletic training program, where they earn both a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and a master’s degree in athletic training over five years. Required courses for the major have been organized into basic science and exercise science categories.

Required 23-24 credit hour Basic Science Core:

• BIO 012 and BIO 012L: Pre-Professional Biology I with Lab 
• BIO 013 and BIO 013L: Pre-Professional Biology II with Lab 
• CHEM 001 and CHEM 003: General Chemistry I with Lab 
• CHEM 002 and CHEM 004: General Chemistry II with Lab 
• PHYS 011: General Physics I with Lab 
• MATH 050: Calculus I OR BIO 140 Biology Research and Statistical Methods OR STAT 060 Statistics for the Life Sciences OR PSY 011+013 Introduction to Statistics and Research Methods

Required 37 credit hours Exercise Science Core:

• BIO 036: Exercise & Sport Psychology
• BIO 032: Wellness & Nutrition
• BIO 129 and BIO 129L: Mammalian Physiology with Lab
• BIO 134 and BIO 134L: Exercise Physiology with Lab
• HSCI 107: Skeletal Muscle Structure & Function
• HSCI 141: Human Anatomy with Lab OR BIO 018/018L: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
• BIO 133 and BIO 133L: Kinesiology with Lab 
• BIO 137: Medical & Sport Biomechanics with Lab 
• BIO 136 and BIO 136L: Motor Control & Learning
• BIO 139: Kinesiology Capstone

Optional exercise science courses:

Optional exercise science/sports medicine-associated courses that support and enrich the major by providing additional content and experiences but do not fulfill any requirements for the major.

• BIO 033: Strength & Conditioning
• BIO 021: Plyometrics and Spring Training
• BIO 135L: Foot & Ankle Research Lab
• EDUC 172: Care & Prevention of Athletic Injuries or HSCI 149: Introduction to Sports Medicine
• HSCI 095: Medical Terminology
• HSCI 140: Patient Assessment 
• HSCI 145: Health Coaching and
• HSCI 150: Exercise Testing & Prescription 

Recommended courses for pre-medical students:

These courses are often required by medical schools for entering students. They may help students meet admissions requirements and/or be more competitive when applying but the courses do not fulfill any requirements for the major.

• BIO 131 and 131L: Biochemistry with Lab
• CHEM 097 and CHEM 098: Organic Chemistry I with Lab 
• CHEM 108 and CHEM 110: Organic Chemistry II with Lab 
• PHYS 012: Physics II with Lab
• PHIL 090: Ethics
• PSY 001: Introduction to Psychology
• SCSS 001: Survey of Sociology
• and 6 credit hours in composition (e.g., ENG 040, ENG 090-094)