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Studies & Degrees in Exercise and Wellness

Exercise and wellness is the study of how physical activity affects the human body and how exercise can be used to keep people healthy. It sits between sport science and health care. Courses appear under several names: exercise science, kinesiology, exercise physiology, sport and exercise science, and health promotion. The subject has a clear public-health background. According to the World Health Organization's fact sheet of 26 June 2024, 31% of adults and 80% of adolescents do not meet the recommended levels of physical activity, which for adults means at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.

Students learn how the body responds and adapts to exercise, and how to assess a person and design a safe programme. The core subjects are much the same everywhere. The University of Brighton builds its first year on physiology, psychology, anatomy and biomechanics. Purdue University lists exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor control, motor development, and sport and exercise psychology.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degrees. In the United States a bachelor's degree takes about four years. The Bachelor of Science in Sport and Exercise Physiology at DeSales University has 124 credit hours and an average time to degree of four years, with tracks such as Pre-Physical Therapy, Pre-Athletic Training, and Strength and Conditioning. In the United Kingdom the Sport and Exercise Science BSc(Hons) at the University of Brighton takes three years full-time, or four with a placement year. In Canada, Camosun College describes its Bachelor of Athletic & Exercise Therapy as a four-year programme.
  • Spain. The usual university route is the Grado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte. Official bachelor's degrees (grados) have 240 ECTS credits, and official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits.
  • Vocational training. Spain's vocational system (FP) has a higher-level qualification, Técnico Superior en Acondicionamiento Físico, which lasts 2,000 hours and trains fitness and personal trainers.
  • Concentrations and master's degrees. Some universities add a specialisation to a broader degree. At Purdue University the Clinical Exercise Physiology concentration is a 24-credit option within the Kinesiology major. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that master's degree programmes in exercise physiology are also available.
  • Short courses and certificates. Fitness instructors often qualify through certificates from professional bodies instead of a degree.

Practical work is part of almost every programme. DeSales University requires an internship of all its sport and exercise physiology students. Anderson University states that its exercise science graduates complete 120 hours of practical experience and an off-campus internship. At Brighton, the final year includes a professional placement.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 13 active schools for exercise and wellness. Six are in the United States, three in Spain, two in Canada, and one each in the United Kingdom and Russia.

The schools in the United States include DeSales University in Pennsylvania, Anderson University and Purdue University in Indiana, Illinois State University, and Fort Lewis College in Colorado, which offers majors in Exercise & Health Promotion and in Exercise Physiology. In Canada the list includes Camosun College in Victoria and Lethbridge College in Alberta. The University of Brighton is the school in the United Kingdom, and Rostov State Medical University is the one in Russia.

In Spain the list has EADE Estudios Universitarios in Málaga, CESAE Escuela de Negocios in Madrid and Instituto Forymat, an online training institute based in Zaragoza. EADE lists a Grado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte and states that it teaches bachelor's and master's programmes under an agreement with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Students who plan to work in Spain should ask each school what recognition its qualification has.

Teaching is normally in the language of the country: English in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, and Spanish in Spain.

Careers

Graduates work as exercise physiologists, fitness and personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and wellness coordinators in companies, gyms, hospitals and sports clubs. Purdue University lists roles such as cardiac rehabilitation specialist, wellness manager and group exercise instructor.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics describes exercise physiologists as professionals who develop fitness and exercise programmes to help people improve their health. They typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and most are self-employed or work for hospitals. The bureau projects employment of exercise physiologists in the United States to grow 13 percent from 2025 to 2035, and employment of fitness trainers and instructors to grow 7 percent in the same period. Fitness trainers typically need a high school diploma, and employers usually prefer to hire those with certification. These figures describe the United States; other countries publish their own data.

In Spain, the ministry's vocational training portal lists jobs for the Acondicionamiento Físico qualification such as fitness trainer in gyms, sports centres and pools, and personal trainer.

Frequently asked questions

Is exercise and wellness the same as sport science?

The two overlap. Sport science looks more at athletic performance, and exercise and wellness looks more at health and physical activity for the general population. Many degrees cover both: at the University of Brighton students study sport science and exercise and health science throughout the course.

How long does a degree in exercise science take?

About four years in the United States and Canada, and three years full-time in the United Kingdom. In Spain an official bachelor's degree has 240 ECTS credits.

Do I need a degree to work as a personal trainer?

Not always. In the United States fitness trainers typically need a high school diploma, and employers usually prefer certification. In Spain the 2,000-hour vocational qualification in Acondicionamiento Físico leads to work as a personal trainer.