Kinesiology: study the science of movement and the future of wellness
Kinesiology at Cornell is where your curiosity about the human body meets real‑world impact. Whether you’re drawn to exercise science, physical activity and health promotion, physical education, or coaching, you’ll dive into a science‑driven curriculum that connects movement to lifelong health and performance. In small classes and labs, you’ll analyze how people move, why they move (or have problems getting moving), and how to help them move better—skills that translate directly into today’s rapidly expanding health, fitness, and wellness fields.
The demand for experts who understand human movement and wellness continues to grow across healthcare, education, athletics, and community health—making kinesiology an exceptional foundation for a future centered on helping people thrive.
You’ll gain hands‑on experience that prepares you for the next step—whether that’s leading a classroom, motivating athletes, guiding clients toward healthier lives, or advancing into graduate study. Our students explore biomechanics, training principles, behavior change, and professional practice with faculty who know their names and invest in their success. Along the way, you’ll find meaningful opportunities to apply what you’re learning through campus jobs, research projects, internships, and individualized mentorship.
Get practical experience in our campus labs
Exercise physiology lab
Our exercise physiology lab gives you access to a range of technologies that you can use in classroom experiments as well as in undergraduate research projects.
Movement analysis lab
Our movement analysis lab uses state-of-the-art technology to study biomechanical aspects of human movements, including motion tracking, ground reaction forces, and wireless EMG monitoring.
Sport and exercise psychology lab
Our sport and exercise psychology lab enables you to work with people to understand social forces that shape exercise and sports behavior.
Psychomotor learning and development lab
Our psychomotor learning and development lab introduces students to the acquisition and development of fine and gross motor skills as the foundation for lifetime physical activity skills.
Anatomy lab
Our anatomy lab is uniquely designed to help students immerse themselves in learning human anatomy and physiology through cadaver-based dissection and human physiology data acquisition systems.
Cornell Summer Research Institute: Movement in Action
The Cornell Summer Research Institute is a great opportunity to satisfy your curiosity about all things kinesiology. Does pre-workout actually do anything? Is there a relationship between how high an athlete can jump and their risk factor for ACL injuries? Do local playgrounds have equipment that will actually help kids become physically fit? There are plenty of interesting topics for you to immerse yourself in at Cornell.
Your student research project can help propel you into your future career with experience applying your classroom knowledge to direct problem solving.
Kinesiology course and degree requirements
Your kinesiology coursework is designed to give you a strong scientific foundation while allowing you to shape your studies around your interests and career goals. As you move through the major, you’ll explore the core principles of human movement, health, and performance, then dive deeper through one of three concentration areas that let you specialize in what inspires you most.
Exercise science concentration
As an exercise science major, you will explore a broad range of courses, including anatomy and physiology, and exercise testing and prescription.
Physical activity and health promotion concentration
As a physical activity and health promotion major, you will learn about how physical activity can lead to a healthier society. You will take courses in the areas of anatomy and physiology.
Health and physical education teaching concentration
As a health and physical education major, you will learn about methods for teaching health education; elementary foundational motor skills; and secondary individual, dual, team sports, and fitness activities. In addition, you will take education courses, including three blocks of student-teaching at both elementary and secondary levels during your senior year.
Get your coaching endorsement or authorization certification
You will learn about coaching methods and strategies for preventing athletic injuries. If you want to pursue the coaching endorsement or authorization certification, you will also complete your CPR and First Aid certifications.
Bringing your kinesiology studies to life
Want real-world, hands-on experience? Cornell offers plenty of opportunities for you. As a kinesiology major, you will have the chance to work closely with faculty to complete both independent and collaborative research projects. You may choose to work with the Athletic Training department on campus as a sports medicine assistant and support your fellow Rams. You can also apply for the Cornell Summer Research Institute or work with professors independently during the academic year.
Internships for kinesiology students
If you’re interested in a high-profile internship, you’ll be glad to know our students have worked with NBA clinics, University of Iowa Athletics, the Iowa Sports Festival, Special Olympics Iowa, Grant Wood Area Education Agency, Iowa public schools, and a wide range of prominent hospitals and physical therapy clinics—to name just a few.
Andrea Niola '27 shares her journey interning with alumn Nicole Cook at Saint Anthony Hospital in Chicago in our internship blogs. Read her story and more:
Career opportunities kinesiology
Recent graduates have gone on to have successful careers putting their kinesiology knowledge into practice. Our alumni have gone on to work in roles such as:
Fitness trainer and physical wellness coach Physical therapist Certified personal trainer Clinical psychologist Lab assistant Athletic trainerIf you see yourself furthering your education, Cornell offers excellent graduate study preparation.
Physical therapy
If you’re interested in physical therapy and other health-related professions you can work with our Dimensions Program for Health Professionals. You can learn more about careers at the American Physical Therapy Association (ATPA) website.
Sports medicine
Seventy percent of sports medicine professionals possess graduate degrees. Through sports medicine assistantships and other opportunities, Cornell students are provided opportunities to prepare for graduate programs in sports medicine.
Alumni perspectives
We love to see our alumni return to campus, whether it's to gather with their friends from their time at Cornell or share their life experiences with our current students. Here's one alumna's story about her kinesiology career.