Exercise Science/Kinesiology Majors must read

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I think this would be a good article for any high school or college student considering a degree in exercise science, kinesiology or exercise physiology. Universities will not tell these students that they are not terminal degrees and unless they get into PT school, take classes to become an athletic trainer, or get their doctorate and work for a university, these are essentially useless degrees.

I graduated with a BS in Exercise Science w/ a concentration in athletic training, then got a MS in Exercise Science in Exercise Science with an applied biomechanics concentration and will be starting PT school in June. Along this road, I have seen so many students graduate with a non-terminal degree and end up working as personal trainers making squat. Several PT's I have worked with agree that if they didn't get into PT school, their BS degree would be useless.

Here is a link to the article: http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/...ysiology-3.doc

Originally Posted by sierra54

I think this would be a good article for any high school or college student considering a degree in exercise science, kinesiology or exercise physiology. Universities will not tell these students that they are not terminal degrees and unless they get into PT school, take classes to become an athletic trainer, or get their doctorate and work for a university, these are essentially useless degrees.

I graduated with a BS in Exercise Science w/ a concentration in athletic training, then got a MS in Exercise Science in Exercise Science with an applied biomechanics concentration and will be starting PT school in June. Along this road, I have seen so many students graduate with a non-terminal degree and end up working as personal trainers making squat. Several PT's I have worked with agree that if they didn't get into PT school, their BS degree would be useless.

Here is a link to the article: http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/...ysiology-3.doc

Good article, my KIN degree really didn't translate to a better job right after I graduated!!! Although I feel it has prepared me well for PT school, I was really expecting a somewhat better financial status after I graduated! If anything the B.S. did help me find a job all be it unrelated to my field of study. I'm sure glad I got into a program this year!!!

hello,
I have recently got admission in MA in kinesiology. I wish to pursue exercise physiology. I was keen to know that after i complete my degree, will i b able to get a job directly?
please reply soon, i have to accept the admission in uni..
Thanks.

this was a huge concern for me. and i made a thread about majors while planing to go to pt school and having a plan B, ect.

just in case i don't get into pt school maybe i can retake some classes while i have a good job and apply agian.

Im majoring in Logisitics and supply chain managment. hopefully the job market will be good and it wont be useless.......just in case. but hopefully i'll just get accepted to pt school and start right away!

I have a BS in Nutrition Science and an AS in Business Administration and am currently a waiter. What's sad is my AS degree is probably worth more than my BS, even though the BS cost three times as much to get. The reality is that anymore people really need to think about what they are getting themselves into when they decide to go to school. In the real world outside of academia; what matters is networking and hard work. It really is who you know most of the time. College anymore is all about the money and what they sell is the literally a piece of paper that is overrated.

I honestly think that the government wants us in debt. They are now handling student loans directly. No longer is college the ticket to a better future and people reading this should definitely be researching things prior to jumping into a mountain of debt and years lost dealing with school.

All valid points, but it's what you make of it. If you major in kinesiology/exercise science and don't get involved, that's your own fault. You have to get involved with something related to the field one way or another. This will open more doors for you once you graduate. Are jobs hard to come by with a BS in kinesiology? Yes. This doesn't mean you can't land a decent job straight out of undergrad. There are positions available in corporate wellness as a fitness director, rehab, and some exercise phys jobs. It really varies. Generally speaking though, kines is for preparation for some sort of further education.

Originally Posted by sierra54

I think this would be a good article for any high school or college student considering a degree in exercise science, kinesiology or exercise physiology. Universities will not tell these students that they are not terminal degrees and unless they get into PT school, take classes to become an athletic trainer, or get their doctorate and work for a university, these are essentially useless degrees.

I graduated with a BS in Exercise Science w/ a concentration in athletic training, then got a MS in Exercise Science in Exercise Science with an applied biomechanics concentration and will be starting PT school in June. Along this road, I have seen so many students graduate with a non-terminal degree and end up working as personal trainers making squat. Several PT's I have worked with agree that if they didn't get into PT school, their BS degree would be useless.

Here is a link to the article: http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/...ysiology-3.doc

I feel like it is a given that you would not do much financially with a only a BS in Exer Scie. But, just as with anything else in life, you get what you put into it. Where will a 4 year degree in business land you financially? Education? Doesn't mean these are useless degrees. If you continue your education and knowledge of the human body, the world is yours. "Knowledge is Power" no matter what subject. The only limiting factor in your life is you, not your education, not the government.

All it take is a little "Faith", and a lot "Sweat".

Sorry for the rant, all amped up on coffee! (Big Chem test tomorrow)

this is a good point...but honestly i think this applies to MOST undergraduate B.A. degrees as well. i went to a top 30 liberal arts school, that has an outstanding academic reputation. problem is....NONE of their programs are really terminal. but then again, look at the IVY league schools...same deal. all of the majors are history, sociology, psychology, religious studies, anthropology, biology....all are majors that require further schooling to be really a marketable individual. i majored in history and sometimes i kick myself in the ass for it....because i didnt think i had a lot of opportunities coming out of school. but then again, most majors are the same way. college is not REALLY meant to just get you a job...its about "learning and maturing." (waste of time and money). no matter what you really do, you need a further degree if you want to be a professional, with the exception of only a few fields like engineering and nursing.

Originally Posted by MuscleHead

this is a good point...but honestly i think this applies to MOST undergraduate B.A. degrees as well. i went to a top 30 liberal arts school, that has an outstanding academic reputation. problem is....NONE of their programs are really terminal. but then again, look at the IVY league schools...same deal. all of the majors are history, sociology, psychology, religious studies, anthropology, biology....all are majors that require further schooling to be really a marketable individual. i majored in history and sometimes i kick myself in the ass for it....because i didnt think i had a lot of opportunities coming out of school. but then again, most majors are the same way. college is not REALLY meant to just get you a job...its about "learning and maturing." (waste of time and money). no matter what you really do, you need a further degree if you want to be a professional, with the exception of only a few fields like engineering and nursing.

Completely agree. Since I went back to college later in life, I think (thankfully) that I realized going in that my undergrad was only the starting point, and from the get-go, had planned on some form of grad school (thank god pt found me). But yeah, there are so few jobs out there that you can get from your BS/BA.

What about if I got a Bachelors in Exercise Science and went on to a private Ultrasound school? Would the bachelors degree benefit me in that field? Other than helping me to get registered faster? any advice is always welcome. I'm lost as to what bachelors degree to choose.

I think the problem is counselors tell people to major in "what they love." HS Seniors and freshmen follow this and by the time they realize it's a useless degree, it's senior year.

It's sad, but true. Most employers do not value an undergraduate degree in Kinseiology/Exercise Science/ Exercise Physiology etc., but the same is true for most B.S or B.A. degrees. Physicians, engineers, physical therapists, business men/women, dentists, veterinarians, etc and the list goes on to infinity all have to get advanced professional and/or research degrees. It is the nature of the beast. Very few degrees, if any, are terminal. Terminal degrees typically refer to the highest academic or professional degree that you can get in one particular field, and that is not a B.S. or B.A. my friends. I can only think of a few degrees off hand that a person could get a decent paying gig(50K+) without going to grad school. Maybe in finance, engineering, architecture, or scientific lab professional.

(Soap box rant coming so take it how you want)
Education has become big business for universities and this country in general over the last 30 years. It's almost like buying into a Sam's Club, BJs, etc to receive your educations. Every time I think about it, I get weak in the knees because literally all of us who want to make a decent living for ourselves and families will have to get at least a Master's degree in any particular field(Doctorate for PT). Why do you think the government has to enact all of these assistance programs to help us out. Income-based repayment/Public Service Loan Forgiveness and all of these other programs are basically an apology for making you take out 100-300k in student loan debt to start out with a salary of 60-70k. So our generation may not come out much better than our parent's generation as it relates to finances. My parents never made the salaries I may end up making, but they damn sure didn't start their late 20s with the debt I will. The same is true for many of you who are on these forums as well. The whole things just makes me wring my hands and roll my eyes. Let me shut up for the time being, because I boil every time I think about!