DYC Featured Program

Exercise and Sports Studies Debuts Fall 2004

Please note: This article was written in June of 2004 and some program-specific details may no longer be accurate. Please refer to the Exercise and Sports Studies program pages for current information.

In addition to the new doctoral programs and other recent exciting developments at D’Youville College, the Fall 2004 semester marked the introduction of a new undergraduate major: Exercise and Sports Studies. The new program was created by faculty members from several disciplines in response to an increasing level of interest by students who want to pursue careers in the sports- and exercise-related professions.

Under the leadership of Dr. John Donohue, then Vice President for Academic Affairs, the program was designed with three different tracks to accommodate the widest possible range of student interests in this rapidly growing field.

Exercise and Sports Studies (ESS) at D’Youville is a true interdisciplinary program combining the social sciences, natural science, computer science, math, and the humanities with several new courses, including an Exercise & Sports Studies Internship. The course of study is intimately related to the strong group of health-related programs currently offered at the college at both undergraduate and graduate levels. These include occupational therapy and physical therapy as well as a focus on health and wellness in our sociology major.

"This curriculum will attract students who love sports," says Dr. Donald Sabo. "It's in their blood, it's in their guts, it's in their identity. They're looking for a way to capitalize and translate that passion for sports and exercise and fitness into their college education and career. And we're going to teach them how to do it."

Dr. Sabo is one of the architects of the ESS program, a professor of sociology and the program director of the college's Center for Research on Physical Activity, Sports, and Health. Working with athletes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Dr. Sabo observed firsthand the importance of a thorough grounding in several disciplines for a career in sports and exercise.

"The physical therapists and athletic trainers were highly sensitized not just to the physical needs but the athletes' psychological and social needs," explains Dr. Sabo. "With a sports sociologist and a sports psychologist on the team, they recognized that the injured knee is attached to the recovering psyche, that the herniated disk is linked to the cultural identity of an athlete. In order to function effectively in sports medicine and sport research, an interdisciplinary approach hits the mark squarely in preparing our students to be competitive in this larger market."

The ESS program comprises three tracks: Exercise Studies, Sports Studies, and a Health Professional curriculum. For students aiming for a master's in Physical Therapy, the Exercise Studies track will provide excellent preparation as an undergraduate ESS major. Students interested in sports medicine or a career in sports psychology or sports research will get a solid grounding in the natural sciences in the Health Professional track. The Sports Studies track offers a broad introduction to many aspects of sport and fitness for students who wish to explore the increasing number of career opportunities in this burgeoning field. This could also lead to a graduate program in sports management, counseling, or a doctoral program in the sociology of sports.

For all tracks, a practicum early in the second year is designed to help students explore the institutional possibilities and opportunities in the universe of sports. Working under the guidance of a professional in the field, each student can research various career pathways through first-hand observation at internship sites in educational, community, and corporate settings. In their final semester, all ESS majors will spend approximately 15 hours per week working as an intern in a professional environment in their area of interest.

"By their junior year students should be developing a clear idea of what area they want to specialize in," says Dr. Donohue. "We've built several electives into the sports track to give students the flexibility to decide what direction they want to go. If they decide they want to become a sports writer, we have a writing program they can complete. Or if they like marketing and promotion, we'll steer them toward those components of the business program. As they fine-tune what they want to do, they'll be able to add courses to their portfolio."

Students interested in sports research also have a vast field to explore since scholars are only beginning to delve into the social and psychological issues surrounding sports in our culture. The relationship of sports and gender. The different ways men and women perceive risk and injury. Cultural ideas surrounding links between sports, masculinity, and femininity. This, of course, is one of the reasons for the existence of the Center for Research on Physical Activity, Sport and Health, a nationwide resource located at D’Youville College.

"There has been five times as much research done in the area of girls health, sports and physical fitness as there was just seven years ago," says Dr. Sabo. "So it's an explosive area. With the obesity epidemic, the country and the public health sector are waking up to the fact that we need evidence-based practices in terms of public health utilization of sports and exercise. There's a broader transformation at work here and I think our program is poised to produce researchers."

For more information on any aspect of the Exercise and Sports Studies program at D’Youville College, contact the Office of Admissions at (716) 829-7600.