Graduate students in the MHPSS program will have the opportunity to learn and train other athletes using state-of-art exercise equipment and sports science technologies.

Sports Science Technologies

• Kinetisense – movement analysis
• CoachMePlus – athlete management system
• GymAware – velocity based training
• Keiser 400 series multi-trainers
• Hawkins Force Plates
• Output Sports Sensors
• Dashr Timing System

Sports Science Preparation

• Three course science series
• Practicum experiences provide opportunities to learn and use sports science technologies
• Utilization of sport analytics to make data driven, athlete centered decisions
• Experience the high-performance team model

Human Performance and Sports Science (MS) Fifteen-Month Master’s Degree Plan

The North Carolina Wesleyan University Master of Science in Human Performance and Sport Science is 38 credits in total.  The curriculum features:

• A three-course sports science series
• Three exercise science courses
• Two specific strength and conditioning courses
• A series of internship and practicum experiences

For students continuing on from the undergraduate program, the program will be 30 credits during the 15 months that they are in the graduate program since they can take the two four-credit strength and conditioning courses senior year.

The curriculum is specifically designed to meet the standards defined by the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE) with the intension of the program attaining future CASCE accreditation.

The three sports science courses will cover the material in the NSCA Essentials of Sport Science text which prepares students to take the NSCA Certified Performance and Sports Scientist (CPSS) certification on their own after they graduate.  Sports Science 1 will focus on sports science data collection (research methods aspect of sports science) and statistics/analytics.  Sports Science 3 will serve as the capstone course integrating the completion and presentation of capstone projects.

The student capstone project is woven through the three sports science courses.  This project will emphasize the application of sports science by utilizing data gathered from training athletes and interpreting data using sport analytics.  Results will be presented to demonstrate how data can be used to drive informed decision-making in a high-performance training model (collaborative model where all stakeholders are involved).

The exercise science sequence will include the more traditional exercise science courses.  Advanced exercises physiology, biomechanics, the topics course make up the exercise science sequence.  The topics course will cover the sports nutrition and sports psychology CASCE requirements.

The strength and conditioning coaching sequence will include a coaching course, two strength and conditioning-specific theory/application courses, and a corrective exercise course.  The coaching human performance course will cover best practices in coaching and how to design and operate strength and conditioning facilities.  The advanced corrective exercise course will train students in how to utilize the functional movement screen and original strength system to assess and enhance movement.

The two strength and conditioning courses will be designed to coordinate with the undergraduate courses.  This will allow for the courses to be transferred into the graduate program by students who want to continue their education at Wesleyan by moving directly from the undergraduate exercise science program into the master’s program.  The undergraduate courses will be three credits and the graduate courses will be four credits.  They would share two credits of common practical and basic programming content.

The undergraduate course will have a series of classroom sessions as touch points to reinforce information from virtual lectures for the one-credit lab or module.  The graduate students will have a two-credit lab or module where additional advanced content is covered.  The Advanced Methods of Strength and Conditioning will incorporate more advanced programming methods and the USAW level 1 certification will be integrated into the course.  Advanced Conditioning Methods will add HIIT science to the undergraduate material.  Both courses will feature assignments that are designed at a higher level for the master’s students than the undergraduate students.

The internship / Practicum series will include eight credits of internship/practicum experience to meet the 300-hour CASCE accreditation requirement.  One-credit practicum experiences will be included in each of the three fall and spring semesters, and a five-credit internship will be required in the summer.  The one-credit practicums which would focus on running twice a week conditioning circuits for athletics will be under the supervision of the program faculty.  By faculty running the practicums, the internship could be done at Wesleyan, assisting with summer programming, supervised by the university’s head strength and conditioning coach summer programming if a student was not able to travel off campus.  This would meet the two-placement accreditation requirement since the practicums and internship would have different supervisors and the experiences would be significantly different.

MS in Human Performance and Sports Science Course Descriptions

Sports Science / Research Sequence

EXS 510 Sports Science 1
This course introduces students to the foundational aspects of sports science.  Students will gain an understanding of the high-performance team model and how to identify key performance indicators while how to profile and establish benchmarks in sports.  An analytical approach to decision-making will provide sports scientists with useful tools for making sense of data.

EXS 610 Sports Science 2
Students will be exposed to a variety of ways to collect external and internal load data.  How to examine and interpret data to make evidence-based decisions in a high-performance team model will be emphasized.

EXS 620 Sport Science 3
An appreciation of complementary methods that are vital to optimizing training will be introduced.  This will include recovery, nutrition, neuroscience, motor performance, sports science of injury, and nutrition.  Students produce a written paper and oral presentation of work on data from sports performance training demonstrating a deep understanding of sports science principles and practice.

Exercise Science Sequence

EXS 550 Advanced Exercise Physiology
This is an advanced course focusing on integrative physiology and physiological responses to exercise. The course includes sections on energetics, metabolism, and endocrine exercise physiology; skeletal muscle excitation, contraction, and fatigue; cardiovascular and hemodynamics regulation; and respiratory exercise physiology. The course builds on principles and concepts learned in undergraduate courses in the area of physiology and exercise physiology.

EXS 650 Biomechanics
This course will assist human movement professionals (e.g., sports medicine clinicians, exercise scientists, strength and conditioning specialists, etc.) to understand the nature of the structure and function of the human body through quantitative analysis of human motion.  It will provide future clinicians/researchers with the necessary knowledge base to objectively evaluate human movement and to understand the theory, concepts, and application of conducting analysis of humans in motion. Students will expand their knowledge regarding quantitative analysis of human motion and the concepts and equipment to collect objective quantifiable data to be used for clinical or research purposes. Lecture and laboratory concepts will be utilized to instruct students on the foundations of biomechanical data collection.  Major emphasis will be placed on using 2-D and 3-D motion analysis, force plates, and electromyography.

EXS 660 Special Topics in Human Performance and Sports Science
Contemporary research from a variety of areas related to exercise science and human performance is discussed and explored in this course. Students will focus on relevant issues in the areas of sports nutrition and sports psychology. The course challenges students to analyze and synthesize current and relevant topics and offer solutions to benefit exercise science research and related industries.

Strength and Conditioning Coaching Sequence

EXS 520 Coaching Human Performance
This course will focus on the art and science of coaching by exploring leadership strategies and the development of interpersonal skills.  Specific emphasis will be placed on instructional skills related to coaching human performance.

EXS 530 Advanced Methods in Strength and Conditioning
Develop, implement, and analyze exercise techniques, advanced training program designs, organization and administration, and testing and evaluation using scientific principles of strength and conditioning.

EXS 531 Advanced Conditioning Methods
This course will focus on advanced training programs, which will optimize individual and team adaptations in hypertrophy, force production, power development, speed, and agility. The theory of plyometrics, energy system development, and SAQ techniques will be covered as well as the development of annual programs for individual and team sports. 

EXS 635 Advanced Methods in Corrective Exercise
Classroom and laboratory experiences that provide an introduction to functional assessment and corrective exercises. Specific topics will include an analysis of common biomechanics of movement and the evidence-based application of functional assessment and assignment of corrective exercises. Students will be introduced to Functional Movement System (FMS) and Original Strength (OS) corrective exercise systems.  The course includes FMS Level 1 and 2 and OS certified pro (OS Level 1 & 2 coach) credentials (course fee covers cost of credential).

Practicum / Internship Sequence 

EXS 570, EXS 670, and EXS 680 Graduate Practicum 1 – 3
The one-credit practicum courses permit students to apply their academic training under the direction of certified strength and conditioning faculty on campus with university intercollegiate athletes. While classroom input is inherent in educational programs at North Carolina Wesleyan University, the application of academic theory gives the students experiences that will add to their personal and professional maturity. The practicum provides the student with the opportunity to ask pertinent questions, make observations, and supervise.   Students must complete a minimum of 50 clock hours per practicum experience.

EXS 681 Graduate Internship
The practicum courses permit students to apply their academic training under the direction of certified strength and conditioning professionals.  While classroom input is inherent in educational programs at North Carolina Wesleyan University, the application of academic theory gives the students experiences that will add to their personal and professional maturity. The internship provides the student with the opportunity to ask pertinent questions, make observations, and participate in agency activities.  All internship experiences must be undertaken in an agency that guarantees to provide the student with supervision by an exercise specialist or other professional possessing appropriate academic and certification credentials.  Students must complete a minimum of 200 clock hours.

The MS in Human Performance and Sports Science program has academic partnerships with the many nationally know organizations. Upon graduating from NC Wesleyan’s MSHPSS Program, students can acquire the following certifications:

• USA Weightlifting Level 1 >

• National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES) >

The program is designed to meet CASCE accreditation standards, once accredited students will be eligible to sit for the NSCA CSCS exam once the 2030 accreditation requirement is in effect.

• National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exams

• NSCA CPSS – (MSHPSS program prepares students for the exam but the certification is not included)