THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Notification of Intent to Plan a New Baccalaureate, Master’s, or C.A.S. Program
Please submit this form electronically, using
http://www.northcarolina.edu/content.php/apps/acadplan/appendixa.php.
THE PURPOSE OF ACADEMIC PROGRAM PLANNING: Planning a new academic degree
program provides an opportunity for an institution to make the case for need and demand and for
its ability to offer a quality program. This notification, and the planning activity to follow, do not
guarantee that authorization to establish will be granted..
Date:
June 29, 2007
Constituent Institution: University of North Carolina Wilmington
CIP Discipline Specialty Title: Exercise Science
CIP Discipline Specialty Number: 310505 Level: B X M C.A.S.
Exact Title of the Proposed Program Exercise Science
Exact Degree Abbreviation (e.g. B.S., B.A., M.A., M.S., C.A.S.): B.S.
Does the proposed program constitute a substantive change as defined by SACS? Yes_ No X
a) Is it at a more advanced level than those previously authorized? Yes__ No X
b) Is the proposed program in a new discipline division? Yes X No ____
Approximate date for submitting the Request to Establish proposal (must be within one year
of date of submission of notification of intent to plan): March 2008
Proposed date to establish degree: month August year 2008 (Date can be no sooner than
six months after the date of notification of intent to plan and must allow at least three months
for review of the request to establish, once submitted.)
1. Describe the proposed new degree program. The description should include:
a) a brief description of the program and a statement of educational objectives
The Department of Health and Applied Human Sciences currently has the
exercise science program as a concentration within the umbrella of Bachelor of Arts
(B.A.) in Physical Education and Health for the past 6+ years. Currently, the transcript of
students graduating with the skills and academic knowledge of an individual in exercise
science are generically classified as physical education majors, a degree title associated
with teaching physical education within the realm of elementary, middle, and high
schools. Briefly, exercise science professionals are skilled in evaluating health behaviors,
identifying risk factors, conducting fitness assessments, detailing appropriate exercise
prescriptions for a wide array of populations ranging from apparently healthy through
special populations (e.g., pregnancy, diabetes, obesity, children, stroke, coronary
revascularization, atherectomy, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, etc…), and motivating
individuals to modify negative health habits and maintain positive lifestyle behaviors to
enhance quality of life. Examples of typical work environments of those in exercise
science include, but are not limited to, commercial fitness centers, government/law
enforcement training academies, corporate fitness/wellness centers, university
wellness/adult fitness centers, hospitals/clinics with specialties in cardiac and/or
pulmonary rehabilitation, municipal/city recreation/family centers, activity centers for
older adults, community centers, university athletics, and worksite health promotion
programs. It is this acquisition of knowledge, skills, actions, and various venues that
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demarcate exercise science students from the broad and generic classification of physical
education.
The need for the exercise science degree is evident, not only by student interest
and growth (please see response #d), but also by employment projections drawn from the
Monthly Labor Review (February, 2004) indicating that there will be an increase in the
number of job openings within the exercise science and allied health-related fields from
485,000 in 2002 to 628,000 in 2012, representing a 44% increase. In addition, the fitness
industry has been defined as the 11th fastest growing area of employment in the United
States for 2002 through 2012 (Month Labor Review, 2004).
Furthermore, a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Exercise Science will prepare
students for advanced study in graduate programs and allied-health (e.g., physical
therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, chiropractic, physician assistant)
programs. Since fall of 2006, we have had exercise science students accepted for
graduate study in: Doctor of Physical Therapy (12); Master of Science in Exercise
Science (13 with 11 receiving graduate assistantships); Physician Assistant (1); Ph.D in
Exercise Science (1).
Exercise Science specific courses that students take include: Human Anatomy and
Physiology; Biomechanics; Physiology of Exercise and Sport; Motor Behavior;
Measurement and Evaluation of Human Performance; Research; Sport, Physical Activity
and the Law; Sport and Exercise Psychology; Exercise Prescription and Assessment in
Healthy Populations; Exercise Prescription and Assessment in Special Populations;
Practicum; Exercise Performance and Nutrition. No additional courses are being
proposed nor are they necessary at this time.
Educational Objectives
1. To enhance the marketability, credibility, and preparation of students for entrylevel professional positions within the field of exercise science.
2. To prepare students for the rigors and challenges of graduate school within the
field of exercise science.
3. To prepare students for the rigors and challenges of graduate school within the
field of allied health.
4. To prepare students to take national certification examinations governed by the
American College of Sports Medicine and National Strength and Conditioning
Association.
5. To seek program endorsement by the American College of Sports Medicine.
b) the relationship of the proposed new program to the institutional mission and
how the program fits into the institution's strategic plan
Several strides have been taken to enhance the quality of the exercise science degree in
an effort to maintain consistency with the University’s mission and to support the
University's Strategic Plan. Below outlines the efforts set forth by exercise science
faculty members as it relates to the University's Strategic Plans.
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Creating the most powerful learning experience possible for our students.
This strategic goal has been and will be achieved via fostering student-learning
and experiential application with scholarship and research endeavors. More specifically,
in addition to the myriad of cycle ergometers, treadmills, skinfold calipers, and
electrocardiography carts, the latest acquisition of the BOD POD S/T body composition
tracking system, O2/CO2 analyzers, and dual x-ray absorptiometry within the applied
laboratory has afforded students to be on the leading-edge of technological advances
within the field of exercise science. Experiential/applied laboratory opportunities
required in current courses (PED 349 and PED 470) allow students to conceptually
understand the mechanistic principles and more importantly, practice utilizing some of
the many aforementioned instrumentation and equipment. Moreover, given the
equipment functionality and availability, increased numbers of students have registered
for PED 491 (Directed Individualized Study) and PED 499 (Honors Work in Physical
Education) to conduct quality research with the supervision and guidance of exercise
science faculty. In the past three years, 11 exercise science students have presented their
research findings at local, regional, and national conferences such as American College
of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, Southeast
American College of Sports Medicine, Colonial Academic Alliance, Research at the
Capital, and UNCW’s Undergraduate Research Symposium. From a monetary
viewpoint, approximately $7,000 was granted by the C-Surf honors program, $3500 from
UNCW’s Student Research Grant, and $1000 by the UNCW’s Undergraduate Research
Fellowship for exercise science students to fund/conduct their research investigations and
travel to and present their research findings at conferences.
With respect to academic content, a multitude of curriculum revisions aimed at
increasing program breadth has been made with the purpose of developing critical
thinking skills, experiential learning opportunities, and applied research experiences.
Furthermore, enhancing the breadth of the exercise science curriculum facilitates a
comprehensive and coordinated advising program. It is this breadth of knowledge
combined with proper advisement that has allowed many students to further their
education in several graduate programs in exercise science and allied health-related
schools.
Recruiting, retaining and developing quality faculty, administration and staff in
appropriate numbers.
Currently, there are four full-time faculty members (two Associate; one Assistant;
one lecturer) to cater the emerging volume of exercise science students. Dr. Deborah
Dowd, Associate Professor, has been with the exercise science program for the past 10+
years. Dr. Wayland Tseh, Associate Professor, was recently granted promotion and
tenure in 2006, has been with the exercise science program for the past 6 years. Dr.
Robert Boyce, Assistant Professor, who will be going up for promotion and tenure come
fall 2008, has been with the exercise science program for the past 4 years. Lastly, Mr.
Christian Barnes, full-time lecturer, was recently promoted from part-time status to fulltime status in 2005 and has been with the exercise science program for the past 10+
years. With that said, recruiting, retaining, and nurturing quality faculty/staff has not
been an issue for the exercise science program. Lastly, to support the growing volume of
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exercise science students, Health and Applied Human Sciences hopes to hire a new
exercise science faculty member in the near future. The HAHS department chair has
prepared a request for a new EXS faculty position to be presented to the Dean of CAS in
fall 2007.
Create an educational environment that prepares our students to be global citizens.
This strategic goal has been and will be achieved by encouraging many of our
exercise science students to travel abroad and attend various Universities in England
(University of Hull) and Australia (University of Canberra, University of Wollongong,
Southern Cross University, James Cook University). In addition, in the most recent past
(spring 2007), we hosted two students from the University of Hertsfordshire and plan to
foster this relationship with the University to host many more students within the very
near future.
Furthermore, seven students in the last three years have attended and presented
their research at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), a premier
international professional research organization. The students were highly involved with
the occupational physiology interest group with members from such countries as the
United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. This international group was primarily
responsible for the peer review acceptance of their research at ACSM as it relates to
occupational and environmental medicine research. Through this occupational forum, our
exercise science students presented and discussed their research findings with
international experts and students.
Strengthen the university’s regional engagement and outreach activities.
This strategic goal has been and is currently being achieved by way of
collaborating with exercise science faculty members at other Universities with respect to
grants, scientific investigations, presentations, and publications. Several joint
presentations at local, regional, and national conferences resulted from collaboration with
University of North Carolina Greensboro, Arizona State University, Millersville
University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Most, if not all, of these scientific presentations have been published in peer-reviewed
journals (please refer to exercise science faculty curriculum vitae). Recently, a M.S.
student from Middle Tennessee State University stayed in Wilmington, NC for 3 weeks
with the purpose of conducting all of his data collection within the exercise science
laboratory (quantified bone mineral densitometry via dual x-ray absorptiometry) for his
thesis study.
From a community perspective, as a partial fulfillment of the experiential
education aspect within the exercise science program, students are required to volunteer
90 to 300 hours at a variety of commercial, private, government, clinical centers such as
New Hanover Hospital, YMCA, UNCW’s student recreation center, O2 Fitness, Gold’s
Gym, Wilmington Athletic Club, Atlantic Orthopedics, Lindley Habilitation, Craven
Regional Medical Center, Forsyth Pediatrics, and Carolina Sports Medicine. To further
enhance student’s experiential education and maintain UNCW’s engagement with local
and regional agencies, our exercise science students, over the past two years, have
volunteered to assess the fitness status of over 400 North Carolina firefighters in Cary,
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Wake Forest, Rocky Mount, and New Bern (http://www.uncw.edu/hahs/New_Bern_FF.htm).
Additionally, our exercise science students have evaluated through ergonomic, nutrition
and fitness assessments over 400 Verizon Wireless employees to improve employee
fitness, comfort and productivity. Lastly, they assisted with the data management and
evaluation of over 2,000 police officers and firefighter for the Charlotte Mecklenburg
Police and Fire Departments. Not only were the evaluations published, but they were
presented to management, resulting in documented changes within these organizations. It
is these coordinated events and efforts that have allowed the exercise science students
and faculty to contribute to the local and regional community.
c) the relationship of the proposed new program to other existing programs at the
institution
The exercise science curriculum is and has already been in existence and has been
carefully designed to reflect the values to meet the strategic goals set forth by UNCW.
Conversion of the exercise science concentration to a B.S. in Exercise Science will
require no additional resources to UNCW beyond what has been proposed. All exercise
science courses are in place and sufficient classroom and laboratory spaces have already
been allocated and secured.
With respect to other programs within the Department of Health and Applied
Human Sciences, students within the teacher education concentration beneath the
umbrella of Physical Education are currently taking several courses within the exercise
science curriculum (PED 216, PED 340, PED 350, PED 355). Additionally, therapeutic
recreation majors are taking PED 216 and PED 217 as a partial fulfillment of their degree
program requirement and PED 340 is a choice from a list of required electives. Students
majoring in Athletic Training are taking PED 216, PED 217, PED 266, PED 340, and
PED 349 as a requirement. Students majoring in Community Health (presently under the
Physical Education umbrella) may select from several exercise science courses as part of
their curriculum. Derivation of the new exercise science degree will not influence the
previously-mentioned programs within Health and Applied Human Sciences as students
will be able to continue to register for and take the common course shared among specific
curricula.
d) special features or conditions that make the institution a desirable, unique, or
appropriate place to initiate such a degree program.
Findings made available from previous years support student interest in the
exercise science program at UNCW. As displayed in Table 1, data provided by the
Office of Institutional Research reveals that exercise science students have increased
dramatically between fall 2001 through fall 2005. The volume of exercise science
student enrollment has increased each year, quantitatively, with a 179.5% rise from 2001
to 2005. This impressive rise might be subjectively explained by all or a combination of
the prime geographic location of UNCW, beach community, active lifestyles, student
quality of life, and/or the individualized attention and supervision between exercise
science faculty and student.
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Table 1. Exercise Science Student Growth from 2001 through 2005.
Year
Exercise Science Student Enrollment
Fall 2001
44
Fall 2002
66
Fall 2003
74
Fall 2004
81
Fall 2005
123
Data provided by:
www.uncw.edu/oir/documents/FactSheets/AcademicMajors/AcadMajors_Fall_UG_Hdcnt.pdf - 2007-02-14
Anecdotally, an increasing number of people focusing on their health are
spending more time and discretionary money on local commercial health clubs (YMCA,
YWCA, O2 Fitness, Wilmington Athletic Club) and more corporate businesses (Verizon,
PPD) are recognizing the benefits of employee health, fitness, and wellness for insurance
purposes. Sadly, the mass reduction of physical education programs in elementary,
middle, and high schools, combined with parents’ growing concern of the wellness of
their child(ren), has resulted in rapid increases in children’s health club membership to
combat the deleterious effects of various chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and
hypercholesterolemia. Moreover, parents are hiring personal trainers to train their child
to excel in youth sports have been and are expected to continue to grow. Local health
club memberships among young adults also have grown steadily, driven by fitnessrelated performances and health-related concerns. Aging baby-boomers are concerned
with staying healthy, physically fit, and independent, which also contributes to the large
proportion of health club memberships. As local health clubs strive to provide more
personalized service to keep their members motivated, they will continue to offer
personal training and a wide variety of group exercise classes. Participation in yoga,
pilates, aqua aerobics, and spinning classes are expected to continue to grow, driven
partly by the aging population demanding low-impact forms of exercise and relief from
musculoskeletal-related ailments and injuries.
2. List all other public and private institutions of higher education in North
Carolina currently operating programs similar to the proposed new degree
program.
The following institutions of higher education in North Carolina offer
Baccalaureate degrees under the general category of Exercise Science.
University of North Carolina Chapel-Hill:
Bachelor of Science in Exercise and Sport Science
http://www.unc.edu/depts/exercise/index.htm
University of North Carolina Greensboro:
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Sport Studies
http://www.uncg.edu/reg/Catalog/current/ESS/major.html
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Wake Forest University:
Bachelor of Science in Health and Exercise Science
http://www.wfu.edu/hes/
East Carolina University:
Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology
http://www.ecu.edu/cs-hhp/exss/undergrad-ep.cfm
Appalachian State University:
Bachelor of Science in Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science
http://www.hles.appstate.edu/
3. Estimate the number of students that would be enrolled in the program during
the first year of operation:
Full-time: 125+
Part-time: 7
4. If there are plans to offer the program away from campus during the first year of
operation:
To our knowledge, presently, there are no plans to offer the program away from campus
during the first year of operation.
a) briefly describe these plans, including potential sites and possible method(s) of
delivering instruction.
N/A
b) indicate any similar programs being offered off-campus in North Carolina by
other institutions (public or private)
N/A
c) estimate the number of students that would be enrolled in the program during the
first year of operation:
Full-time: N/A
Part-time: N/A
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5. List the names, titles, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of the person(s)
responsible for planning the proposed program.
In alphabetical order, Table 3 displays the names, names, titles, e-mail addresses
and telephone numbers of current exercise science faculty members.
Table 3. Exercise science faculty members.
Name
Title
Email
Phone Number
Christian Barnes, M.S. Full-Time Lecturer
barnesc@uncw.edu
910-962-7288
Robert Boyce, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
boycer@uncw.edu
910-962-7824
Deborah Dowd, Ed.D.
Associate Professor
dowdd@uncw.edu
910-962-3255
Wayland Tseh, Ph.D.*
Associate Professor
tsehw@uncw.edu
910-962-2484
* Dr. Wayland Tseh is the primary contact person.
Departmental Approval:
Terry Kinney, Chairperson
Date
6. This intent to plan a new program has been reviewed and approved by the
appropriate campus committees and authorities, including the Chief Academic
Officer.
Paul Hosier, Vice Chancellor, Academic Affairs
Date
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