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2025-2026

Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science in Health Sciences (Brightpoint Community College)
Brightpoint Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science in Health Sciences

Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.

Program description
The Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences offers programs that prepare students to pursue careers that utilize exercise interventions for both healthy and diseased populations and/or careers designed for students who wish to enter a health care-related field (that does not require licensure, certification or registry status). The department offers one undergraduate degree program, the Bachelor of Science, with either the exercise science concentration or the health science concentration.
Career opportunities

Depending on the concentration, the major is designed for students who wish to enter a health care-related field that does not require licensure, certification or registry status such as corporate wellness, human services, nonprofit health promotion and medical and pharmaceutical sales, or exercise physiologist, corporate fitness director, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation specialist, strength and conditioning specialist and wellness director.


Graduates can also be qualified to enter either graduate or professional health science programs, such as public health, health education and promotion, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, nursing, speech-language pathology, audiology, radiation safety, clinical laboratory science and health care administration. Additionally, the exercise science concentration prepares students for graduate study in exercise science or athletic training.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Exercise Physiologist 
  • Fitness and Wellness Coordinator
  • Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors
  • Health Educator
  • Recreation Worker
  • Recreational Therapist
  • Sports Coach or Scout
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physical Therapist
  • Sports Medicine Doctor
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:

  • Completion of the associate degree
  • Minimum GPA of 2.5
  • All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • MATH 151
  • STAT 210
Science required
  • 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0 to graduate, grade of C or better required in all major and concentration courses
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science with concentration in Exercise Science, Health Science

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Science in Health Sciences)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Explore the two concentrations of the HPEX degree: exercise science and health science.
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience Year 2
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
  • Register for SDV 100.
  • Schedule an advising appointment with your Brightpoint advisor.
  • Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring to get ahead.
  • Cultivate relationships with your professors.
  • Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
  • Explore the two concentrations of the HPEX degree: exercise science and health science.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Create a weekly and monthly budget.
  • Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2025-2026

Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science, Bachelor of Science (NEXT STEP Pathway)

Brightpoint Community College (Associate of Science in Health Sciences)

Brightpoint Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I UNIV 111 3 General education
MTH 161 Precalculus l MATH 141 3 General education
BIO 101 General Biology I BIOL/Z 151 4 Major
PSY 230 Developmental Psychology PSYC 304 3 Major
BIO 141 Human Anatomy and Physiology I Note: both BIO 141 and BIO 142 must be completed to transfer as VCU equivalents BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 4 Major
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
MTH 162 Precalculus ll MATH 151 3 Major
CHM 111 General Chemistry I CHEM/Z 101 4 Major
BIO 142 Human Anatomy and Physiology I Note: both BIO 141 and BIO 142 must be completed to transfer as VCU equivalents BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 4 Major
HLT 143 Medical Terminology I HPEX 250 3 Major (Major elective)
HLT 110 Personal and Community Health HPEX 1XX 3 Elective
Humanities Elective (select one): PHI 220, PHI 100, ART 101, ART 102 VCU equivalent 3 General education
PSY 200 Principles of Psychology PSYC 101 3 Major
History Elective (select one): HIS 111, HIS 112, HIS 121, HIS 122 VCU equivalent 3 General education
HLT 230 Principles of Nutrition BIOL 217 3 Major (Major elective)
PHY 201 General College Physics I PHYS 201 4 Major
Literature Elective (select one): ENG 245, ENG 246, ENG 255, ENG 258, ENG 275, ENG 225 VCU equivalent 3 General education
SOC 200 Introduction to Sociology SOCY 101 3 General education
Brightpoint credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Concentration in Exercise Science
HPEX 300 Health Care Delivery in the U.S. 3 Major
HPEX 310 Fitness and Health 3 Major
HPEX 395 Clinical Experience I 3 Major
HPEX 495 Clinical Experience II 6 Major
HPEX 350 Nutrition 3 Major
HPEX 371 Psychology of Physical Activity 3 Major
HPEX 374 Musculoskeletal Structure and Movement 4 Major
HPEX/Z 375 Physiology of Exercise + Laboratory 4 Major
HPEX 380 Resistance Training for Health and Performance 3 Major
HPEX 440 Chronic Disease and Exercise Management 3 Major
HPEX 441 Assessment and Exercise Intervention in Health and Disease 3 Major
HPEX 470 Exercise Programming and Leadership 3 Major
HPEX 475 Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 3 Major
HPEX 480 Professional Certification Seminar 1 Major
STAT 210 Basic Practice of Statistics 3 Major
HPEX electives 12 Major
Credits completed at VCU 60
Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree 120
The accelerated B.S. and M.S. program allows qualified students to earn the B.S. in Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science (either concentration) and M.S. in Gerontology OR the B.S. in Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science (exercise science concentration) and M.S. in Health and Movement Science in a minimum of five years by completing approved graduate courses during the senior year of their undergraduate program. Minimum qualifications for entrance to the accelerated M.S. (Gerontology) program include completion of 84 undergraduate credit hours including HPEX 300 and HPEX 310; an overall minimum GPA of 3.0; and a GPA of 3.0 in ancillary requirements, and HPEX concentration core course work. Minimum qualifications for entrance to the accelerated M.S. (health and movement science) program include completion of 84 undergraduate credit hours including HPEX 375, HPEX 440 and undergraduate courses specific to the complementary graduate courses offered in the student’s senior year (HPEX 350 prior to HEMS 604; HPEX 371 prior to HEMS 605; HPEX 441 prior to HEMS 610; HPEX 475 prior to HEMS 675); an overall minimum GPA of 3.0; and a GPA of 3.0 in ancillary requirements, HPEX core and exercise science core course work.