Master's in Exercise & Sport Science

Earn your MS in exercise & sport science at Sacred Heart University and gain a cutting-edge education that will prepare you as both a practitioner and professional sport scientist. You'll master the instrumentation and data-analytical skills that set you apart in the field, and you'll learn how to elicit the highest level of athletic performance from your athletes and clients. This International Universities Strength and Conditioning Association (IUSCA)-accredited program is built for working professionals ready to advance their careers without putting their lives on hold.

Why Choose Sacred Heart for Your MS in Exercise & Sport Science?

Sacred Heart University's MS in exercise & sport science prepares you to become a skilled practitioner and a data-driven sport scientist. You won't just learn science. You'll apply it to bring out peak performance in your athletes or clients. You’ll become fluent in the instrumentation, technology, and data analytics today’s employers demand.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of approximately 4:1, you'll study in a collaborative, engaging environment defined by close faculty mentorship. Small classes mean your professors know your name, your goals, and your potential.

You’ll gain training in:

• Advanced athletic performance-based testing, monitoring, and program design
• Assessing, evaluating, and disseminating scientific evidence
• Coaching best practices and management skills for private, high school, collegiate, or professional strength and conditioning settings

Two Paths, One Degree: Choose the Sequence That Fits Your Goals

You'll tailor your graduate experience to match exactly where you want to go. The program offers two distinct sequences: the thesis track and the performance track. If you're drawn to research and see a Ph.D. in your future, the thesis sequence gives you the rigorous, inquiry-driven foundation you'll need to pursue doctoral study and advance the science of human performance. If your goal is to coach, enhance performance, and make an immediate impact with athletes and clients, the performance track sequence prepares you for a career in strength and conditioning. You will complete a hands-on capstone to demonstrate your knowledge and prepare you for professional work. Whichever path you choose, you'll graduate with the knowledge, skills, and credentials to lead.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Sacred Heart University is committed to making graduate education accessible and affordable. Exercise & sport science students may qualify for a range of financial support options, including:

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Hands-on Learning, Including Division I Experiences

This is where the science meets the field. You'll work alongside faculty members on research in athletic performance, sport nutrition, applied physiology, or biomechanics. Through multi-semester internships, you'll design and implement your own training programs under the mentorship of DI head strength and conditioning coaches, gaining the real-world experience that employers value most.

You'll learn in state-of-the-art facilities, including a motion analysis lab, human cadaver lab, and human performance lab equipped with advanced technology such as: 

Designed to Support Full-time & Part-time Students

• Experience the flexibility of late afternoon/evening classes
• Pursue your bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years through our accelerated program

Exercise & Sport Science Career Paths

Graduates of Sacred Heart's exercise & sport science program are employed as:

• Strength and conditioning coaches for high school, collegiate, and professional athletic departments
• Lead data analytics and athlete monitoring sport scientists for collegiate athletic departments
• Tactical strength and conditioning coach for the military
• Directors of performance for international Olympic teams
• Head coach at DI, II & III universities
• Full-time university faculty members who continued their studies into Ph.D. programs
• Entrepreneurs who designed, built, and continue to manage their own private strength and conditioning facilities
• Sport science support for technology companies
• Directors of health and wellness for app-based exercise companies

See detailed descriptions of select alumni

Lifetime Career Support

Exercise & sport science students benefit from a dedicated career team with industry experience and employer partnerships that connect top talent to employers in fields such as health and fitness and education. Students and alumni enjoy lifetime access to the Center for Career & Professional Development, where expert coaches provide personalized support with résumés, interviews, and job placement.

Dual Degree Option

Students apply to the Bachelor’s-Master of Science in exercise & sport science (EXSS) dual degree program as incoming freshmen and are admitted directly into the graduate program at the same time as their admission as undergraduate students. Students are encouraged to reach out to their admissions counselor to discuss dual degree options, including:

Accelerated 3+2 Bachelor’s-Master of Science in Exercise & Sport Science

Complete three years of undergraduate coursework and two years of graduate coursework, earning both a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and the Master of Science in exercise & sport science degree within five years.

4+2 Bachelor’s-Master of Science in Exercise & Sport Science

Complete the bachelor’s degree in the traditional four-year time frame and complete two years of graduate study in the EXSS program, earning both the bachelor’s degree and the master’s degree within six years.

Frequently Asked Questions

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