Kinesiology is one of the most vibrant and unique academic departments on campus. The unmatched beauty of Berry's campus, with its thousands of acres of fields, forests, lakes and trails makes it an ideal setting for developing a vigorous and physically active lifestyle. In the Department of Kinesiology, we strive to assist in this lifestyle development through our general education offerings and our degree programs.

Berry College students complete three credit general education requirement in heath and physical education. Students may choose from a broad range of courses including outdoor activities such as canoeing, rock climbing and scuba, lifetime sporting activities like bowling, dancing, golf and tennis, and fitness activities such as weight training, self-defense and yoga.

The kinesiology department offers two majors, teacher education and exercise science. Berry's HPE teaching major meets National Association of Sport and Physical Education HPE standards. The program is also approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. The exercise science program is for students interested in the science of human movement, sports medicine and helping people live healthier lives.

The HPE degree program is designed to prepare undergraduates for teaching certification in grades Pre-Kindergarten through 12 (P-12). Typically, graduates choose to teach at the elementary, middle grades or secondary (high school) levels; many also pursue athletic coaching interests. The HPE teacher education major is a degree track within the Charter School of Education and Human Sciences (CSEHS).

The purpose of the exercise science degree program is to prepare qualified professionals for careers in hospital wellness programs, corporate fitness programs, rehabilitation centers, exercise and fitness centers, athletic/sports programs and allied health programs. Furthermore, this program may be designed as a pre-medical or pre-physical therapy program. In addition to general education courses, exercise science majors take lab courses in biology, physics and chemistry and such required courses as Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology. During the exercise science major's senior year, the student participates in a capstone internship course that involves hundreds of hours of hands-on experience. Students have the opportunity to work side-by-side with experts in such fields as exercise, physical rehabilitation, performance and physical therapy.

Another degree option allows highly motivated students to develop a sport-related concentration within an Interdisciplinary Studies degree program. This individualized course of study is administered (and must be approved) through the Interdisciplinary Studies program coordinator. In the past, concentrations in KIN have been attractive to students interested in graduate study in a health or sport-related field, those interested in pursuing a specified career in such fields and for students simply interested in the scholarly study of sport, physical education and human movement.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr. Bob Pearson, chair of the Department of Kinesiology, via phone at 706-238-2642 or email.