Sports Studies and Exercise Science
About Our Program
The passionate sports fan. The dedicated athlete. The fitness fanatic. The communicator. The future doctor. Our program draws in students from a variety of interests who are eager to discuss the past, present, and future aspects of physical activity.
You’ll explore sports and exercise through scientific, philosophical, and psychological perspectives as you learn how to care for and prevent athlete injuries, navigate nutrition, and think critically about societal barriers to physical activity.
You’ll lay the educational and practical groundwork to pursue certifications with the American Red Cross as a lifeguard or with New York State as a coach.
Whether you’re considering a career in sports communication, coaching, or medicine, our program provides you with opportunities for independent research and internships to get a first-hand look at the field of your interest.
Learning Experiences to Prepare for Your Career
Research
Explore sports studies and exercise science further with research. You might even get to complete an independent research project like Daniel Mannella '20 who examined the role that goaltenders, pitchers, and quarterbacks play in their respective sports. By conducting interviews and distributing surveys, they discovered why athletes chose to take on their roles.
Senior Year Experience (SYE)
Turn your passion into a project with a Senior Year Experience. We had one student who recently analyzed the benefits and downfalls of the relationship between mass media and women in sports to examine the representation and idolization of professional athletes.
Certificate in Coaching
Get started with your coaching certification through our program. St. Lawrence offers three courses through New York State to help you on the way to becoming a certified coach.
Internships
Learn by doing in a real-world environment. Students in our program intern with a wide range of organizations, including:
- Fresenius Kabi Pharmaceutical Company
- Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services
- Physical Therapy
- Child Centers
Volunteering
You can also gain experience while making a difference through service work. Sports studies and exercise science students have volunteered as assistant coaches, hospice care aides, and crisis hotlines responders.
Study Abroad
Choose from more than 30 semester-long programs offered in more than 20 international locations, or take part in one of our short-term summer programs, which are popular with student-athletes.
Off-Campus Study in the U.S.
Other U.S-based off-campus study programs include a Liberal Arts in New York City experience, which includes an internship with a Manhattan-based business or nonprofit.
Among the 150+ clubs and organizations at St. Lawrence, you’ll find many that involve physical well-being:
- Varsity Sports Teams
- Outing Club
- The Hill News
- Health & Fitness
- St. Lawrence Lifeguards
- Connecting Laurentians Around Wilderness
- Laurentian Paddlesports Canoe Racing Team
- Dance Team
- The POWERhouse Theme Cottage
- SLUBA
- Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
- Gumboot Dance
- Nutrition Club
- Self-Care Club
- SLU EMS
- Xplosive: Majorette and J-Stette Dance Team
- Club Sports and Intramural Teams
Why St. Lawrence for Sports Studies and Exercise Science?
of St. Lawrence graduates were employed or enrolled in graduate or professional schools within 7-9 months after Commencement
The number of courses we offer to help you on your way to becoming a NYS certified coach
miles from the Adirondack Park and St. Lawrence River, a perfect way to stay active
Alumni at Work: Good Sports
You’ll find Laurentians competing in the Olympic games, coaching at all levels, working in management at the professional level, and using sports to engage underserved communities.
Graduates from our program have pursued careers in:
- Sports Information
- Professional Football Teams
- Professional/National Hockey Teams
- Medicine
- Sports Marketing
- Business
- Journalism
oldest collegiate outdoor club in the nation
Class in Lifeguarding & Water Safety Instruction to provide you with the chance to complete an American Red Cross Lifeguarding Certificate
Stations of weight machines, treadmills, stationary bikes, and other aerobic fitness devices at your disposal.
Varsity teams
Club and intramural teams
of students study more than one discipline
More Program Information
Program Requirements & Courses
Explore sports and exercise science minor requirements, as well as electives and combined study options.
Complementary and Related Programs
If you’re interested in sports and exercise science, you might also like these programs.
Sports Studies & Exercise Science Faculty
What better way to learn about sports studies and exercise science than from the experts themselves? Your instructors represent a number of our athletic teams as well as our Sports Information team.
"Our classrooms are a natural extension of our students’ liberal arts education; a place where curiosity, reflection and engagement around the role of sport and wellness are front and center."
Mare MacDougall Bari
Chris Downs
Fran Grembowicz
Nick Hughes
Mike Mahoney
George Repicky
Get More Information
We’re excited to learn more about you, tell you more about our interdisciplinary academic programs, show you around our beautiful campus, and help you navigate your college search.
Apply to St. Lawrence
We’re looking for curious students who are eager to make a difference. We take a holistic approach to reviewing applications and consider all aspects of your application and what we learn about you.