Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Spring Semester 2026

Intro to Exercise Science (Online)

KIN 2000-31I

Course: KIN 2000-31I
Credits: 1
Term: Spring Semester 2026
Department: PEHP
CRN: 11139

Course Description

This exploratory course will introduce students to the field of Exercise Science by providing a curriculum overview, an explanation of the subdisciplines, professional organizations and certifications, and potential careers in the field of Exercise Science and related Allied-Health professions. (Fall, Spring, Summer) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

Required material will be available on Canvas (e.g., modules, readings, videos, assignments). There is no textbook for this course.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
  1. Examine personal characteristics, values, skills and goals.
  2. Define and describe kinesiology and exercise science, and the disciplines that contribute to it.
  3. Identify the nature and demands of professional occupations, the career options available to students graduating in kinesiology/exercise science, and the qualifications associated with each.
  4. Reflect on graduate school options and requirements associated with career options related to exercise science.
  5. Describe resources available through SUU and other sources that help students successfully navigate their college experience.
  6. Examine and demonstrate an ability to honestly self-assess personal strengths, interests, values and goals as they relate to career selection.

Course Requirements

Participation in Readings and Course Material

Your participation in this class will include reviewing content and resources posted on Canvas and then reflecting on and discussing what you are learning. As you read, watch, and view material provided on Canvas, you must mark the page as done to advance to the next lesson or assignment. I expect you to read and view all course material; however, it will not be "assessed" as part of your final grade. You will be graded based on your understanding of the assigned content as demonstrated in online discussions and reflection papers. In addition, you will need to answer any embedded questions. For your final exam you will write a culminating reflection, read the culminating reflections of a few peers, and discuss the reflections online.

a. Discussions (10 pts each)
  • You will be required to participation in four (4) discussions throughout the course. You will receive points for your discussion involvement, which includes an initial post (100 word minimum) and effectively responding to at least two (2) of your peer's post (50 word minimum, each).
  • In the same way that your own posts should be substantive, response posts should be meaningful and advance the discussion of the issues, ideas, questions that were raised in the initial posts. While you can be supportive of your peers by saying, "I agree" or "Wow, I never thought of that", these statements alone are not sufficient. 
  • Kinesiology is a helping profession that requires good communication skills; you are required to actively participate small-group discussions. Everyone’s voice counts! As a preprofessional, you are expected to be respectful of others; inappropriate or disrespectful comments will not be tolerated. 
  • Those who do not actively participate in these discussions will not receive full points for the discussion (5 pts for the initial post, 5 pts for completing both replies).
b. Reflections (20 pts each)
  • There are five (5) reflections throughout the semester. The assignments will vary in content and examples for each assignment will be provided.  Please use the examples as template for your assignments.  
  • For each assignment, you will be utilizing course material and external sources.  You will also be searching the internet for information, therefore, ensure that you use reliable and valid information. 
  • Assignments should be well-written, edited for grammatical and spelling errors, use 12 pt. Times New Roman font, be double spaced, and your name should be in the upper right-hand corner. Please submit your assignments as a Word file. Reflections will be assessed on the content and the quality of the assignment.
c. Final Paper and Peer Review Discussion (60 pts)
  • In the final paper (30 points), you will submit your career plan, include a detailed discussion of your professional goals, how your characteristics, values, and skills align with your professional goals, and specific requirements necessary to attain your professional goals. This reflection should demonstrate an understanding of what you will need to do to be successful in your chosen profession. The final paper should be well-written, edited for grammatical and spelling errors, use 12 pt. Times New Roman font, be double spaced, and your name should be in the upper right-hand corner. Please submit your final paper as a Word file. 
  • After submitting your final paper, you will be assigned to a group of peers. You will read a few of your peers' papers and discuss them in a small group online (30 points).

Assessment/Evaluation/Grading

Discussions 40 pts
Reflection Assignments 100 pts
Final Reflection and Peer Review Discussion 60 pts
TOTAL 200 pts

The following grading standards will be used in this class:
94 – 100% = A           80 – 82%  = B-          67 – 69%  = D+
90 – 93%   = A-          77 – 79%  = C+         63 – 66%  = D
87 – 89%   = B+         73 – 76%  = C           60 – 62%  = D-
83 – 86%   = B           70 – 72%  = C-          0 – 59%    = F



Course Outline

Module 1 (February 23-March 1): Introduction to KIN 2000 and Self-Assessment
Assignments due:
  • Discussion #1 Initial Post -- Thursday 2/26
  • Discussion #1 Replies -- Saturday 2/28
  • Commenced Attendance Quiz -- Sunday 3/1
  • Reflection #1 -- Sunday 3/1
Module 2 (March 2-8): Exploring the Exercise Science Major and Disciplines within Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Assignments due:
  • Discussion #2 Initial Post -- Thursday 3/5
  • Discussion #2 Replies -- Saturday 3/7
  • Reflection #2 -- Sunday 3/8
**Spring Break March 9-13**
Module 3 (March 16-22): Exploring Careers Related to Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Assignments due:
  • Discussion #3 Initial Post -- Thursday 3/19
  • Discussion #3 Replies -- Saturday 3/21
  • Reflection #3 -- Sunday 3/22
Module 4 (March 23-29): Learning About Graduate and Professional Schools
Assignments due:
  •  Reflection #4 -- Sunday 3/29
Module 5 (March 30-April 5): Improving Your College Experience
Assignments due:
  • Discussion #4 Initial Post -- Thursday 4/2
  • Discussion #4 Replies -- Saturday 4/4
Module 6 (April 6-12): Exercise is Medicine
Assignments due:
  • Reflection #5 -- Thursday 4/9
  • Final reflection paper -- Wednesday 4/15
Week 7 (February 16-22): Wrap Up, Session 2
Assignments due:
  • Discussion #5: Peer Papers -- Sunday 4/19

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

All assignments must be completed by the scheduled date and time (see tentative schedule & Canvas Calendar for specific due dates & time), unless PRIOR consent is given by the instructor. Exceptions to this policy will only be made if the student misses: 
  1. For school-excused activities that are made known to the instructor PRIOR to the due date.
  2. For extreme medical or family emergencies (proper evidence may be requested; e.g., physician note, funeral program). Arrangements should be made as soon as possible but must happen within a week of occurrence
I do not offer individual make-up or extra credit assignments. Please note that this is an online course, and therefore, there is an understanding that discussions and assignments can be completed while isolated for illness or during travel.

Attendance Policy

To ensure you understand and are able to apply the materials covered in this course, online attendance and active participation are expected. Common misconceptions of online asynchronous courses are that they are easy to complete or take less time than traditional college classes. Online education can be quite labor intensive. You should expect to spend just as much time on an online course as you would for an in person class. Typically this means about 2-3 hours out of class for every hour spent in class. For an online class, we replace the in-class activities with individual learning activities.
KIN 2000 Introduction to Exercise Science is a 1-credit course structured for a 7-week session. If this were an in-person class, it would meet 2 hours per week for 7 weeks. Therefore, you should expect to spend 4-6 hours a week on course work for this class. Commit now to dedicate several hours each week on assignments, reading and studying, and you will stay on top of the course work and avoid falling behind.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.