Physical Education Major with Emphasis in Exercise Science (B.S.)

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for admission to the Exercise Science emphasis area within the Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, a student must be accepted as a student by the University of North Georgia and meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Complete 40 semester hours of earned credit and have an overall grade point average of 2.75 or higher by the end of the upcoming spring semester;
2. Complete all courses in Area A (Essential Skills), BIOL 2120K and BIOL 2130K with a grade of “C” or better. All prerequisite courses must be successfully completed no later than the conclusion of the upcoming spring semester;
3. Complete an application for admission to the Exercise Science emphasis area including an up-to-date copy of your college transcript, a letter of intent, and a personal resume. Applications will be received in December of each year for the following fall semester admittance (application deadline information is posted on the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation - Exercise Science web site).
4. Complete an interview with the Exercise Science Admissions Committee.

All students entering into the Exercise Science emphasis area must be accepted before beginning any professionally-based coursework. A completed application must be submitted during the sophomore year and approved prior to admission to the Exercise Science emphasis area. Also, a copy of your current college transcript, your resume, and a letter of intent must be included with the application. An unofficial or “student” transcript copy is sufficient. Furthermore, admission is required prior to enrollment in the following upper division classes:  PHED 3350, PHED 3380, PHED 3380L, PHED 4420, PHED 4430, PHED 4430L, PHED 4470, PHED 4480, and PHED 4490.

Once a year in December, complete applications will be accepted for the following fall semester admittance. Candidates whose applications have met all admissions criteria will be contacted to schedule an interview with the Exercise Science Admissions Committee. After all interviews are completed, the Admissions Committee will select approximately 30 qualified students for admittance into the program. All applicants will receive a letter indicating their status, whether it be accepted, provisionally accepted, or denied. Qualified students not selected for admittance will be ranked and placed on a waiting list. Provisionally accepted students that fail to meet the qualifications will have their acceptance letter withdrawn and the first qualified applicant on the waiting list will be considered for admittance.

Retention in Exercise Science Emphasis Area

One important aspect of the Exercise Science emphasis area is the constant vigilance exercised by the faculty involved to ensure that standards of quality are maintained. The following standards must be maintained for continued retention in the emphasis area:

1. Compliance with rules and regulations prescribed for all students at North Georgia;
2. Adherence to the Code of Ethics of the Professional Practices Commission;
3. Completion of all courses in the academic major with an academic grade of “C” or better;
4. Demonstration of competence in the use of oral and written language; and
5. Maintenance of an overall grade point average of 2.75 as required for emphasis area admission as well as for graduation.

Probation and Suspension

Students may be placed on probation and/or suspension if they fail to comply with the standards for retention in the Exercise Science emphasis area. Two consecutive semesters or sessions on probation will result in suspension from the Exercise Science emphasis area. In addition, a student will not be allowed to register for PHED 4490 (Internship: Exercise Science) until the standards for retention in the Exercise Science emphasis area are met. Due to the sensitive nature of working with both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals in various fitness settings (i.e., clinical, corporate, commercial, and community), this policy will be strictly enforced.

Appeals

Students denied admission to or continuance in the Exercise Science emphasis area may appeal the decision. Appeals must be made in writing to the Dean of the College of Education and should clearly state why an exception should be made. A student must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.65 to be considered for admission. The College of Education’s Student Admissions and Recognition Committee will review the student’s appeal. An adverse decision by the Dean may be appealed in writing to the Associate Provost for Academic Administration, whose decision shall be final.

Caveat

For the most recent information on current Exercise Science policies and procedures, please review the North Georgia Exercise Science emphasis area web site (under Academics/Degree-Programs/Physical Education – Emphasis in Exercise Science).