The information on this page pertains to program requirements for students who matriculated in the 2024-2025 academic year. View requirements for previous catalog years here.
Drake's pre-professional Kinesiology major offers an intensive focus in anatomy, physiology, and human movement. Courses are sequenced and proactively planned to prepare Drake students for success in physical therapy school, medical school, graduate school in kinesiology/exercise science, or careers in community wellness.
The Bachelor of Science degree consists of 59 to 63 credit hours, depending upon options chosen. Required courses for the major have been organized into basic science and exercise science categories.
| Course | Credits |
| Basic Science Core | |
| BIO 012 - Pre-Professional Biology I | 3 |
| BIO 012L - Pre-Professional Biology I Lab | 1 |
| BIO 013 - Pre-Professional Biology II | 3 |
| BIO 013L - Pre-Professional Biology II Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| PHY 011 - General Physics | 4 |
| MATH Elective | 3-7 |
| MATH 050 - Calculus I | 3 |
| BIO 140 - Biology Research and Stat. Methods | 4 |
| PSY 011/013 - Intro to Statistics and Research Methods in Psychology | 7 |
| STAT 060 - Statistics for Life Sciences | 3 |
| Exercise Science Core | |
| BIO 031 - Kinesiology Orientation | 1 |
| BIO 032 - Wellness & Nutrition | 3 |
| BIO 129 and BIO 129L - Mammalian Physiology with Lab | 5 |
| BIO 133 and BIO 133L - Kinesiology with Lab | 4 |
| BIO 134 and BIO 134L - Exercise Physiology with Lab | 4 |
| BIO 136 and BIO 136L - Motor Control and Learning with Lab | 4 |
| BIO 139 - Kinesiology Capstone | 1 |
| BIO 137 and BIO 137L - Biomechanics with Lab | 4 |
| HSCI 107 - Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function | 3 |
|
BIO 018 and 018L- Intro to Anatomy and Physiology, or HSCI 141 and 141L - Human Anatomy with Lab |
4 |
| BIO 036 - Exercise & Sport Psychology | 3 |
| Optional Exercise Science Courses: These courses support and enrich the major but do not fulfill any major requirements. | |
| BIO 033 - Strength & Conditioning | 3 |
| BIO 135L - Foot & Ankle Research Lab | 1 |
| EDUC 172 - Care & Prevention of Athletic Injuries | 3 |
| HSCI 095 - Medical Terminology | 1 |
| HSCI 140 - Patient Assessment | 2 |
| HSCI 145 - Health Coaching | 2 |
| HSCI 148 - Exercise Testing & Prescription | 3 |
| Recommended Courses for Pre-Medical Students: These courses may help students meet admission requirements to medical schools and/or be more competitive when applying but do not fulfill any major requirements. | |
| BIO 131 and BIO 131L - Biochemistry I: Fundamentals and Lab | 4 |
| BIO 140 - Biological Research and Statistical Methods, or STAT 060 - Statistics for the Life Sciences |
4 3 |
| CHEM 097 and CHEM 098 - Organic Chemistry I with Lab | 4 |
| CHEM 108 and CHEM 110 - Organic Chemistry II with Lab | 4 |
| PHIL 090 - Ethics | 3 |
| PHY 012 - General Physics II with Lab | 4 |
| PSY 001 - Introduction to Psychology | 4 |
| SOC 001 - Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Six credit hours in composition courses (eg, ENG 040, ENG 090-094) | 6 |
The kinesiology program, in collaboration with the Master of Athletic Training (MAT) program, is offering an accelerated curriculum allowing students to complete both a B.S. in Kinesiology and a Master of Athletic Training degree in five years. The first three years of the curriculum focuses on (1) courses for the Kinesiology major and (2) pre-requisites for the MAT program. In the third year, interested students can then apply for the MAT program where they will be guaranteed an interview for admission and have a seat saved for them in the program provided they meet all requirements. Students will begin the MAT program their fourth year when they will finish the last few courses required for the Kinesiology degree. The summer between the fourth and fifth year as well as the fifth year are fully dedicated to the completion of the MAT. Since this is an accelerated program, students will need to be particularly proactive in degree planning with their advisors in order to meet both degree requirements.
Pathway Requirements
| Course | Credits |
| BIO 012 - Pre-Professional Biology I | 3 |
| BIO 012L - Pre-Professional Biology I Lab | 1 |
| BIO 013 - Pre-Professional Biology II | 3 |
| BIO 013L - Pre-Professional Biology II Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 001 - General Chemistry I | 3 |
| CHEM 002 - General Chemistry II | 3 |
| CHEM 003 - General Chemistry I Lab | 1 |
| CHEM 004 - General Chemistry II Lab | 1 |
| BIO 031 - Intro to Kinesiology | 1 |
| BIO 032 - Wellness and Nutrition | 3 |
|
BIO 036 - Exercise and Sport Psychology |
3 |
| BIO 129 and BIO 129L - Mammalian Physiology with Lab | 5 |
| BIO 133 and BIO 133L - Kinesiology with Lab | 4 |
| BIO 134 and BIO 134L - Exercise Physiology with Lab | 4 |
| BIO 136 and BIO 136L - Motor Control and Learning with Lab | 4 |
| BIO 137 and BIO 137L - Biomechanics with Lab | 4 |
| BIO 139 - Kinesiology Capstone (to be completed in first year of MAT program) | 1 |
| HSCI 095 – Medical Terminology | 1 |
| HSCI 141 and 141L - Human Anatomy with Lab | 4 |
| PHY 011 - General Physics I | 4 |
| PSY 001 - Intro to Psychology | 4 |
| ENG 037 - Public Voices | 3 |
The information in this catalog does not constitute a contract between the university and the student. The university reserves the right to make changes in curricula, admission policies and processes, tuition and financial aid, academic standards and guidelines, student services and any other regulations or policies set forth in this catalog without giving prior notice.