Health and Exercise Sciences (Kinesiology) - UBC | Undergraduate Programs and Admissions

Discover how human movement impacts health. As a graduate of this program, you will be an adaptable leader with the knowledge and skillset to enhance the health and well-being of various populations.

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Program information

Campus: Okanagan
Faculty: School of Health and Exercise Sciences
Degree: Bachelor of Health and Exercise Sciences (Kinesiology)

Length 4 yrs
Co-op Yes
You can combine your studies with full-time, paid work at top local and international organizations.
Honours Yes
You can study intense specialization in a single field.

Help people lead healthier, more active lives. Health and Exercise Sciences will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of human movement and its impacts on health.

You’ll examine the interdisciplinary nature of human health, including the psychological, physiological, neuromechanical, and socio-cultural aspects of movement. Together, these will equip you with practical skills to work with individuals across their lifespans.

At the end of your second year, you have the option to complete one of three concentrations: Kinesiology and Allied Health, Health Behaviour Change, or Clinical Exercise Physiology. Each concentration offers a strategic career focus to best prepare you to be a leader in your field.

Upon graduation, you may start a career as a kinesiologist or clinical exercise physiologist, with a focus on the role of exercise in improving health, fitness, and performance. You could also go on to pursue graduate studies in research or in a variety of health professions, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, athletic therapy, public health, or medicine.

Experiential learning and research

Your Health and Exercise Sciences degree includes skill-building labs, practicum opportunities, independent research, and co-op placements in order to create a broad foundation for your career potential. Within each concentration you will complete a community practicum with an agency, business, or industry, where you’ll gain experience in a supervised health-related work setting.

You can also complete an Honours Thesis with the supervision of a faculty member.

To get involved on campus, you can join the Health and Exercise Sciences Student Union to connect with your peers, get involved in advocacy, and gain better access to career resources.

What can you do with this degree after graduation?

Your Health and Exercise Sciences career options

HES 120 - Introduction to Human Anatomy
Introduce students to the basic structure and functional relationships of human anatomy in relation to movement. Specific structures include neural, muscular and skeletal systems.
HES 130 - Determinants of Health
Examining the relationships between biological, psychological, social, and economic factors to understand inequities in health outcomes for different individuals and populations. Formerly offered as HEAL 200.
HES 105 - Exercise Physiology I
Acute and chronic changes observed in physiological systems as a result of exercise and exercise training. Aerobic and anaerobic metabolism during exercise and cardiovascular, respiratory and muscular responses to physical activity. Formerly offered as HMKN 200.
HES 131 - Exercise Psychology
Psychological theories and research related to exercise adoption, maintenance, and avoidance. Psychological antecedents and consequences of exercise behaviour. Formerly offered as HMKN 201.

HES 203 - Lifespan Physical and Motor Development
Principles governing physical growth and motor development related to physical activity. Lifespan changes, including aging, and their impact on physical activity participation and performance. Formerly offered as HMKN 203.
HES 231 - Exercise Counseling and Behaviour Modification
Application of evidence-informed behavior change techniques to help individuals adopt and adhere to health behaviors. Credit will only be granted for one of HES 231 or HMKN 316.
HES 211 - Exercise Testing
The theory, practice and analysis of safe and effective health, fitness, physiological and lifestyle assessments, including the design, implementation and analysis of standard protocols.
HES 201 - Exercise Prescription
Exercise prescription and testing for both the healthy adult population and for special populations or persons with a disability. Credit will only be granted for HES 201 or HMKN 311.

HES 371 - Professional Practice in Health & Exercise Sciences
Key considerations for safe, effective and professional practice for health and exercise specialists including legal, ethical and client-care standards.
HES 351 - Clinical Exercise Physiology
Integrative approach to normal and abnormal responses to exercise as well as the physiological effects of chronic conditions and their clinical management in exercise physiology.
HES 333 - Health Program Evaluation
Introduction to the key concepts and methods used in evaluation of health programs. Formerly offered as HMKN 303.
HES 320 - Functional Anatomy
Functional aspects of human anatomy with special attention to musculoskeletal, vascular, and neural systems that support integrated human movement. Credit will only be granted for one of HES 320 or HMKN 391.

HES 493 - Community Practicum
Practical work experience in a supervised health, fitness or performance work setting with a community-based partner.
HES 490 - Project in Human Kinetics
Provides opportunities to perform research pertaining to a chosen area of Human Kinetics as agreed upon by a faculty member and student. No more than 6 credits in total of HES 490.
HES 481 - Pediatric Exercise Physiology
Investigation into the physiological responses of children and adolescents to exercise. Formerly offered as HMKN 406.
HES 433 - Knowledge Translation in Health and Exercise Sciences
Methods for knowledge mobilization, implementation, theory and practice in knowledge translation for healthcare professionals. Formerly offered as HMKN 408.
HES 471 - Professional Ethics in Health & Exercise Sciences
Ethical and legal responsibilities of allied health practitioners in care and service to clients, patients and public relating to codes of conduct, consent, trust, confidentiality, standards of care, negligence, record keeping, beneficence, least harm, dignity and scope of practice.

Your future

A UBC education will introduce you to people and ideas from around the world, open doors to new opportunities, and take you places you never imagined. You’ll graduate not only with expertise in your chosen field, but with the skills you need to continue growing, learning, and evolving with your career over time.

Program requirements

Canadian high schools
International high schools
International baccalaureate

English-language requirements

English is the language of instruction at UBC. All prospective students must demonstrate English-language competency prior to admission. There are numerous ways to meet the English Language Admission Standard.

General admission requirements

IB Diploma Programme

Completed IB Diploma, including at least three Higher Level courses.

IB Certificate Courses

IB Certificate courses (Standard and Higher Level) may be used in an admissions average if you are graduating from a recognized high school curriculum that can be used as your basis of admission.

IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, do not satisfy the math requirement for admission to UBC’s science-based programs, the Faculty of Management, the UBC Sauder School of Business, or the Vancouver School of Economics.

Degree-specific requirements: Health and Exercise Sciences

One of:

IB Math Analysis and Approaches SL or HL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. (IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL, or IB Math Studies, are not acceptable.)
IB Biology
IB Chemistry
IB Physics

Related courses

The following subject categories are particularly relevant for this degree. Consider taking courses in these areas in your junior year and senior year.

Language Arts
Mathematics and Computation
Sciences
Social Studies