Preparing health care professionals for a world that needs them
Supportive mentors, experience in the field and a foundation in the liberal arts and sciences prepare Augustana graduates for the complex future of health care.
Looking to the future of health and wellness, Augustana introduced a kinesiology major and minor in 2019. A kinesiology focus can position you for a career in a quarter of the top 20 fastest-growing occupations (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), including medical and health professions, athletic training, fitness and exercise science.
Kinesiology is the study of human movement and physical activity, and how they affect health and quality of life. It’s a welcome addition to Augustana’s excellent programs in the health sciences, and a natural fit with the culture on campus, where both mental and physical fitness are seen as essential to learning and lifelong success.
In Augustana’s kinesiology major, you’ll focus on human anatomy and physiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology and socio-cultural approaches. You’ll gain a professional edge through internships, research and/or service-learning projects.
And your liberal arts background will deepen your understanding of the diversity of human needs and behavior — so important for practitioners in health, wellness and human performance.
What you'll learn
Disciplinary knowledge
Gain a deep understanding of your subject and how it connects to other subjects.
Critical thinking and information literacy
Judge and construct arguments, raise questions and define problems. Make a conclusion based on evidence.
Creative thinking
Combine ideas to create something new. Use imaginative ways of solving problems.
Communication competence
Read and listen carefully. Express ideas (writing or speaking) suited to the audience.
Collaborative leadership
Make decisions and act for the good of the community as a group.
Opportunities for coordinated degrees
Master of Exercise Science with St. Ambrose University in the Quad Cities, which is an option for kinesiology students at Augustana.
3 + 2.5 Doctor of Physical Therapy with St. Ambrose University in the Quad Cities; students complete a three-year sequence of coursework including biology, chemistry and kinesiology before continuing at St. Ambrose.
Master of Science in Sport Management with Western Illinois University, in which kinesiology majors complete both degrees in five years instead of the usual six years.
Distinctions
• The Department of Kinesiology is located in the college’s newest building, the Peter J. Lindberg, M.D., Center for Health and Human Performance. Here, kinesiology students have access to the latest teaching and research equipment in classes and active learning spaces, including a functional training lab and a human performance lab.
• Students shine in a balance of academics and athletics at Augustana, where more than half of our students are athletes. The college is #1 in Illinois for the number of Academic All-Americans, students who excel equally in their studies and their sport.
Recent graduates
Zaina Rumbolz-Zeigler '23 is a customer service specialist with Genesis Home Medical Equipment in Davenport, Iowa.
Justice Youngberg '22 is pursuing a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.
News
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Five more Vikings named Academic All-Americans — 183 total
Five student-athletes — from hometowns in Illinois, Hawai'i, Texas and Tennessee — are the college's most recent Academic All-Americans. Now with 183 Academic All-Americans, Augustana ranks 14th among the NCAA’s 1,100 schools in DI, DII and DIII across the country.
Frere '26 named Augustana's 179th Academic All-American
This is the second consecutive year Augustana has been represented on an Academic All-American team. Charlotte Frere, a biology and kinesiology double major from Preemption, Ill., won the national DIII title this past season in the discus and has a 3.94 GPA.