Rehabilitation Science
UWEC's rehabilitation science degree, the first in the UW System, is for those interested in physical therapy, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, and chiropractic care among other health care fields.
You Can Help Better Minds and Bodies
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's rehabilitation science degree is an excellent choice for those interested in kinesiology and providing care for clinical populations, such as older adults, individuals with disabilities, and those with chronic health conditions.
Throughout the program, you'll learn the physiological basis of human movement and the functional changes in body systems. Comprehensive coursework, presentations and projects will introduce you to special topics and areas of focus within the field, such as corrective exercise programming, clinical exercise physiology, exercise physiology laboratory assessment, research, and adapted physical activity for populations with disabilities.
The Kinesiology Department prides itself on providing students with opportunities to apply what they've learned in the classroom to real-world situations. As part of the program's curriculum, you'll participate in various practica at local hospitals and clinics, gaining real, professional experience along the way. Work with P.R.I.D.E (Physical Activity and Recreation for Individuals with Disabilities in the Eau Claire Area), Community Fitness, Parkinson’s Exercise Program, or Cancer Recovery and Fitness outreach programs offered on campus will further provide you with critical skills and valuable connections.
Graduates leave the program prepared to demonstrate and teach patients how to best care for themselves and to promote physical activity as an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Equipped with the knowledge, tools and experience necessary to provide effective health care, you'll graduate ready to improve the quality of life for all your future patients.
Program Details
UW-Eau Claire is one of only a few schools of its size with a career center dedicated to supporting pre-professional health studies. The William J. and Marian A. Klish Health Careers Center offers one-on-one advising, opportunities to meet with professional school admissions representatives, connections to health-related clinical research, and volunteer opportunities and workshops designed to build effective tools for career development and competitive applications.
On-campus student organizations — like the KINS Club — connect students like you who are also interested in careers in health and rehabilitation. These extracurriculars are an excellent way to volunteer, job shadow and learn about potential graduate schools and employers.
A master collaborative research agreement between UW-Eau Claire and Mayo Clinic Health System provides unique research opportunities for rehabilitation science majors. Previous students have gone on to submit their findings to scholarly journals, like the International Journal of Research in Exercise Physiology and the International Journal of Exercise Science — two peer-reviewed journals founded for the purpose of publishing undergraduate student research.
Meeting potential employers and gaining a better understanding of the different types of careers available to you is a critical component of all kinesiology programs. To help you explore career paths, we host an annual Nursing & Health Care Professional Fair, an on-campus career fair specific for those looking to enter the healthcare field. This event is an excellent opportunity to make connections and submit your resume for current and future job openings.
Blugold Stories
Athletic training at UWEC — and as a career path — is so much more than you'd expect. It's more than taping ankles and monitoring athletes. It's a holistic approach to medicine. It's preparedness to do extreme interventions. It's a commitment to activate emergency plans. And it's a promise to deliver top-notch, frontline healthcare.
From fascinating courses to volunteering with children and adults with disabilities to lab work, there are countless opportunities to grow and make a positive impact on others. And it's experiences like these that have helped Jenna to feel like she has changed lives.
Going on exchange in New Orleans allowed me to continue my academic studies while simultaneously experiencing a culture and area completely different from what I had grown up in. I was able to experience Mardi Gras parades, a cooking class that focused on foods traditional to New Orleans, crawfish boils, ziplining over a swamp, visiting the National World War 2 museum, and so much more — all while advancing my education at the same time.
They say home is where you make it, and I have definitely made a forever home in Eau Claire. Thanks to the Rehabilitation Science program and the professors who always had my back, I was able to find my place, my passion, and, most importantly, myself. I will forever be grateful for the people I have met and the experiences I have had at UWEC.
Justthe
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Where can the rehabilitation science program lead me after graduation?
The rehabilitation science major provides a clear path for students to continue their education in graduate or medical school. Coursework within the rehabilitation science program prepares students for professional certification in the fields of chronic disease management, senior fitness, or physical activity programming for populations with disabilities. Students typically pursue certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine, National Strength and Conditioning Association, National Academy of Sports Medicine, or American Council on Exercise.
Graduates also have the option to immediately enter the workforce, pursuing careers in medical-based fitness centers, cardiac rehabilitation programs, gerontology/senior fitness programs, and community centers.
Example Careers
- Physical therapist
- Occupational therapist
- Chiropractor
- Certified prosthetist/orthotist
- Rehabilitation technology specialist
- Certified special population specialist
Rooted in kinesiology and physiology, our comprehensive curriculum will prepare you for responsibilities involving the development of physical activity programs for individuals of varying ages, disabilities and special needs. Coursework provides a broad, liberal arts education with classes in chemistry, biology, physics, and psychology. Faculty experts will also help you learn best practices and keep up on the industry's latest techniques.
Those wishing to declare a pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy or pre-chiropractic career path may find that majoring in rehabilitation science is beneficial. Graduates of the program find they are well prepared for the unique challenges and demands of a career in rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise.
Here are a few courses in Rehabilitation Science at UW-Eau Claire.
KINS 294
Anatomical Kinesiology
Introduction to human anatomy and the basic structure of the body's major systems. An emphasis will be placed on the musculoskeletal system and an understanding of its relationship to human movement.
KINS 308
Exercise Physiology
The physiological basis of human movement and the functional changes in body systems as a result of exercise.
KINS 426
Motor Development Across the Lifespan
A study of changes in motor behavior across the lifespan, the processes that underlie these changes, and factors that affect them.
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