General Major

Health and Human Kinetics General provides an array of interdisciplinary courses that include exercise science, public health, sport and exercise management, and general health. This broad range of courses help prepare students for diverse careers that include medicine, nursing, physical therapy, fitness instruction, management and recreation fields.

About the Major

Health and Human Kinetics is a discipline focused on the comprehensive study and practice of human movement and exercise, and its impact on health and physical performance. HHK will promote an interdisciplinary understanding of health and human movement, drawing on both the social and natural sciences. The aim is the development of knowledge and practical skills related to community health promotion; and chronic disease prevention and rehabilitation through the use of lifestyle management, focusing on physical activity and nutrition programming. HHK General will be dedicated to creating and advancing knowledge that promotes healthy individuals and communities through physical activity and nutrition.

Related Minors

Think Big

Undergraduate research, performed under the mentorship of expert faculty, is a central component of The OWU Connection.

A Theory-to-Practice Grant could fund your original research, internship, or creative project throughout the world.

Theory-to-Practice Grants Research & Independent Study

Do athletes slump at season's end?

Exercise Science major Jacqueline Feliciano ’18 studied muscle imbalances and performance changes over the course of a field hockey season. She worked with faculty member Andrew Bush on the project. After graduating, Jacqueline moved on to the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Ohio University.

Examining ACL timetables

Working with faculty mentor Andrew Busch, Cassandra Oberle ’18 conducted a research project testing leg strength and power in athletes with and without ACL reconstruction to better determine when athletes should return to training and competition.

Go Global

From your first year on campus, you can get off campus with Travel-Learning Courses, a key part of The OWU Connection. Journey to a distant land and immerse yourself in another culture. Learn how classroom theory truly connects with real-world experience.

The most recent Travel-Learning Courses in the department have taken students to Italy for studies of obesity, food philosophies, and traditions.

Travel-Learning Courses

Food in Italy

Ohio Wesleyan University professor Chris Fink and his students visit Dario Cecchini, the world’s most famous butcher, during a travel-learning experience in Italy.

Australian sports

A group of five OWU students and faculty member Richard Hawes traveled to Australia to visit the Australian Institute of Sport, renowned for its research to enhance athletic performance, fitness, and health. The trip was supported by a university-funded Theory-to-Practice Grant.

Get Real

Build your experience and connections to the professional world with internships with health and exercise centers, professional sports teams, community agencies, and businesses.

Every HHK major completes a 120-hour internship during their junior or senior year.

Internships

Major League

Kristie Prendergast ’15 worked in sponsorship and marketing for Major League Lacrosse’s Ohio Machine, where she worked with the announcer during the Machine’s summer season. She now is Corporate Partnerships & Premium Hospitality Representative with the Cleveland Indians.

Inspired Teaching

OWU faculty are outstanding scholars and researchers—and passionate teachers. They will push you, challenge you, inspire you, and work with you on your own research and creative projects.

They can even pack a 3-minute lecture with ideas, insight, and imagination. Check out our unique I³ lectures.

i³ Lectures

Dr. Chris Fink

Authentic Pot Pie Has No Crust

Watch the Video

Highlights

Hands-On Learning

In classes like Cardiovascular and Flexibility Training, you'll apply fundamental theories to your own fitness level as you fully learn about techniques that you'll soon be teaching.

Fitness Center

OWU's fabulous new Simpson Querrey Fitness Center houses the HHK Department and serves as a classroom and lab space for HHK students.

Internships

As a junior or senior you will complete a 120-hour internship in your chosen area of concentration. You will experience the effort and responsibility that comes with your potential career.

Field Experience

In courses like Motor Learning and Exercise Prescription, you’ll learn to prescribe exercise regimens and nutritional plans for adults. You will go through the same process you would in your professional career — plan, teach, observe, and make decisions to positively impact the health of each individual.

Graduate Outcomes

Alexis Roberts ’19

After graduating, Alexis was accepted at the University of Louisville, where she is pursuing a Master’s in Sports Administration. While at OWU, Alexis had an internship at the University of Kentucky and was a member of the NCAC mentorship program.

Physical Therapy

Many of our graduates pursue careers in physical therapy. Jenna Bialik '09 earned her doctorate from Duke University and is now a licensed physical therapist in San Francisco. Josh Gardner '11 is an LPT in Westerville, OH. Jessie Huschart ’13 is a physical therapy doctoral student at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Education Career

Graduate Patrick Trenor, physical education teacher and coach at Urbana High School, says: "I was lucky to have a great group of professors who really cared about my individual success and were mentors to me throughout my four years at OWU."

Graduate Study

Recent Health Promotion graduates have earned graduate degrees in areas such as Public Health, Exercise Physiology, and Nutritional Sciences at schools such as American University, Ohio University, and the University of Connecticut. Exercise Science graduate Grant Geib '09 earned his master's in kinesiology from the University of Tennessee and is now Director of Strength and Conditioning for Western Michigan University Football. He says: "When I got to graduate school and started coaching, I already had years of practice leading up to it. The real-world application of the OWU program gave me a head start."

Sports Management

Recent graduates have begun careers in sport management and coaching with the Cleveland Indians, George Washington University Athletic Department, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After graduating in 2014 Cassie Fowler joined the famed Durham Bulls Baseball Club in Durham, N.C., and is now assistant manager of group sales.

Department Contact Info

Location

Edwards Gymnasium
Ohio Wesleyan University
Delaware, OH 43015
P 740-368-3725

HHK Department Contact

Department Chair: Andrew Busch
Assistant Professor of Health and Human Kinetics
Edwards Gymnasium 107-C
614-783-6917
ambusch@owu.edu

Academic Assistant: Wendi Kay
Edwards Gymnasium #107-A
740-368-3982
wwkay@owu.edu