Health and Human Performance

The Sports and Health Science major is designed to create a well-rounded experience for students interested in the broad field of healthcare, dealing specifically with physically active or athletic populations.  It includes specialized courses targeting the injury care and management aspects of sports, health science, and performance enhancement.  The program will allow students to gain a quality, tangible education in a growing field and learn practical skills.  Their observations of work in the field will reinforce their knowledge and skills and provide a competitive advantage for employment or graduate program admissions.

The major serves as a pre-professional course of study for professions which include, but are not limited to, the following: athletic trainer, physical therapist, occupational therapist, physician assistant, worksite injury intervention specialist, orthopedic physician extender, EMT, massage therapist, performance enhancement specialist, chiropractor, and medical sales representative.

The Sports and Health Science major offers five concentration tracks that are designed to provide evidence-based knowledge and practical skill sets required for various healthcare professions.  The interdisciplinary design of the concentration areas allows students to meet required pre-requisite courses to enroll in specialized and advanced allied healthcare graduate programs.  The program design additionally allows flexibility for students to purse other areas of interest (academic minors or double majors), or to allow program completion in three years (transfers or ACEX students).

The pre-professional concentration areas (Rehabilitation Sciences, Pre-Athletic Training, and Pre-Physician Assistant) allow students to complete the most common admissions requirements for graduate programs in a 300-mile radius from Alfred.  The General and Performance Enhancement concentrations prepare students for a range of employment opportunities.