EXSC 505 Foundations of Human Performance

This entry level graduate course will examine the physiological, biomechanical, measurement and evaluation, and program design theories and principles that are associated with numerous aspects of human performance.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Course Guide

View this course’s outcomes, policies, schedule, and more.*

*The information contained in our Course Guides is provided as a sample. Specific course curriculum and requirements for each course are provided by individual instructors each semester. Students should not use Course Guides to find and complete assignments, class prerequisites, or order books.


The purpose of this course is to provide students with theoretical and practical knowledge of the physiological, biomechanical, measurement and evaluation, and administrative aspects of designing, implementing, and supervising strength training and conditioning programs for various populations. Students who have not completed prerequisite courses for EXSC 510, EXSC 520, and EXSC 550 have the option of completing this course in place of completing the required undergraduate prerequisite course(s). The completion of this course will provide students access to the relevant human performance academic content necessary for taking the higher level courses in the Human Performance and Exercise Science and Wellness graduate degrees.


Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussion assignments are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each of the 2 assigned discussions. Each thread must be no less than 350 words, no more than 700 words, demonstrate course-related knowledge, and include 1 citation in current APA format. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be no less than 200 words, no more than 600 words, and include 1 citation in current APA format.

Quizzes (5)

Each quiz will cover the Learn materials for the assigned Module: Week, be open-book/open-notes, and contain 30 multiple-choice and 2 essay questions.

Program Design Assignment

Each student will prepare a program design with major emphasis on Strength/Weight/Resistance Training, appropriate for a “self-selected” hypothetical client who has never participated in a resistance training program before. The program design must be no fewer than 5 and no more than 8 pages, double-spaced, with 12-point, Times New Roman font, and in APA format.


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