Master of Science in Health Science
Sports Performance
At RMU, you can develop an individualized degree plan in strength and conditioning or sport performance, tailored to your career goals and the challenges of the populations you serve.
Rigorous Curriculum.
Hall of Fame Faculty.
Next Start: May 8, 2023
Sports Performance Program Overview
The Sports Performance concentration track of the Master of Science in Health Science is intended for individuals who have a desire to increase their exercise science knowledge, with a focus on strength and conditioning or sports performance. The curriculum is designed to increase the student’s abilities to identify best practices built on evidence-based decision-making and affords students an interactive environment focusing on the designing of health learning for individuals across the human lifespan.
The program is ideal for athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, sports performance specialists, personal trainers, owners of gyms or performance training centers, and other sports and fitness professionals. Through this program, students deepen their knowledge base; develop more unique, specialized skills; set themselves apart from their peers; and better prepare them for the populations they serve.
Students in this concentration track are encouraged to work with faculty to develop a degree plan that aligns with their career goals. We look at what populations you want to work with and then tailor your educational plan around the knowledge and skills you’ll need to best serve their needs and unique challenges.
The expert faculty in this program understand where the gaps are between a bachelor’s education and sports performance experience and knowledge needed for real-world settings. Through classes in biomechanics, motor control, advanced program design, nutrition, advanced applied exercise physiology, and performance technology application, you’ll bridge those gaps and become prepared to take theoretical concepts and apply them in your world. You’ll also be presented with challenging lab work that you’ll complete as an online student.
Courses are lab intensive to equip the learner with tools for immediate integration into their current practice setting in order to better maximize client outcomes.
The instructors not only teach, but they also publish, present, and remain active in their respective fields of practice.
Certification Eligibility
The course Program Design for Sports Performance (SP 620) prepares students to sit for the National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification exam.
Kristen Allen
Head Athletic Trainer, North Shore Country Day School, Chicago, IL
“The Master of Science in Health Science program at RMUoHP is engaging, challenging, and hands-on (yes, you read that correctly). Each class asks you, the professional, to put into practice what you’re learning and see what unfolds. This program looks at the holistic picture of EBP (clinical judgment, research, and patient values), not just certain aspects. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to partake in this program and am a much better clinician on the other side of it.”
Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts jobs for Coaches and Scouts to grow by 26% between 2020 and 2030, which is much faster than the average. There are a number of careers graduates of the program can pursue, including:
- Strength Coach
- Sports Performance Specialist
- Performance Coach.
Institutional Accreditation
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.
Curriculum
Health Sciences Core Curriculum (12 Credit Hours)
HS 504 Research Methods (3 credits)
Introduction to general research principles and research ethics. The student will be introduced to the following topics in the research process: problem statement, question formulation, principles of measurement, basic design and methodological features, issues of reliability and validity, and fundamentals of conducting a literature review. Quantitative article critiques will be conducted in class and outside of class. The class format will include lecture, small group discussion, and practice.
HS 506 Data and Decision-Making (3 credits)
This course will focus on the use and application of statistics commonly found in the field of exercise science. Topical areas include but are not limited to determining appropriate statistical tests to perform, interpreting results and determining appropriate follow-up tests as needed. Emphasis is on design of experiments and appropriate statistical test usage, and interpretation of results.
HS 507 Evidence-Based Practice (3 credits)
This course is designed to prepare health care professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to make independent judgments about the validity, results, and application of clinical research and to implement evidence-based clinical practice in their careers. This course will focus on the concepts of evidence-based practice with emphasis on forming answerable clinical questions and effective literature search strategies.
HS 602 Applications of Education Practice (3 credits)
This course will explore best practices of the application of educational instruction and delivery for individuals working in a variety of employment settings with diverse populations including clients, patients, students and community learners. This course will include topics associated with generational learning, learning styles, learning design for groups and individuals along with various styles of delivery.
Sports Performance (15 Credit Hours)
HS 509 Integrated Biomechanics (3 credits)
In this course, students will develop an understanding of the concepts of movement integration and assessment to possess a general appreciation of biomechanical relationships. The body as an interconnected unit will serve as the foundational framework for learning and application. Students will recognize and apply treatment restoration to enhance movement quality for various client/patient populations. This course will emphasize the need for continual study and sourcing of various biomechanical information.
HS 630 Motor Control & Movement Analysis (3 credits)
Discussion and analysis of scientific principles related to the mechanical understanding of motor control and the human body in motion. Review of related literature and research in motor learning and control. The focus of this course will be on qualitative analysis of motor assessment as related to musculoskeletal assessment and corrective exercise interventions.
SP 522 Applications of Strength & Conditioning (3 credits)
In Sports Performance, This course will focus on the foundational nature of strength and conditioning. Topics will include exercise physiology, biochemistry, anatomy and biomechanics. Special consideration will be placed on how principles of strength and conditioning relate to various areas.
SP 615 Advanced Sports Performance Technology (3 credits)
This course will focus on technologies that have been developed to reach human interests or goals related to a particular sports. It will focus on the types, and appropriate selection and use of technology by which sports performance coaches attempt to improve training and competitive surroundings and enhance overall athletic performance. The course will provide knowledge and application of using specialised equipment and the latest modern technologies to perform tasks more efficiently, such as equipment, athletic sports gear (clothing and footwear), advanced computer stimulations and motion capture.
SP 620 Program Design for Sports Performance (3 credits)
This course will examine the outcomes associated with differential resistance training regimens. Emphasis is placed on training principles centered around periodization, variation, and progression of the acute program variables of frequency, intensity, volume, and rest across cycles of training to prevent overtraining and promote optimization of performance in various areas. This course also requires that the student participates in a practicum/internship based on the application of program design.
Elective (3 Credit Hours) or Thesis (6 Credit Hours)
Elective course (3 credits)
OR
HS 686A Health Science Thesis (3 credits)
HS 686B Health Science Thesis (3 credits)
Program Faculty
Webinars
Webinar on Sports Performance and Rehabilitative Science
Join Dr. Kim Isaac, PhD, AT, LAT, on Wednesday, March 29 at 12:00 p.m. ET for an in-depth exploration of the Sports Performance and Rehabilitative Science concentration tracks of the MS in Health Science at Rocky Mountain University.
Webinar on the Functional Nutrition Track
Join Dr. Denise Pickett-Bernard, on Monday, March 27 at 12:00 p.m. ET for an in-depth exploration of the Functional Nutrition concentration track of the MS in Health Science at Rocky Mountain University.
Webinar on the Health Promotion and Wellness Track
Join Dr. Mary Shotwell on Tuesday, March 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET for an in-depth exploration of the Health Promotion and Wellness concentration track of the MS in Health Science at Rocky Mountain University.
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
Tuition & Financial Aid
Financial Aid: This program is eligible for Federal Student Financial Aid. Available to those who qualify.
Tuition: $590 per credit hour
Optional Thesis: $1770
Thesis Committee Fee: $1050
University Resource Fee: $36 per semester