The Department of Health Sciences currently offers a Master of Science in Exercise Science with a public health emphasis. The concentration in physical activity and public health recognizes that inactivity is a major public health problem and represents a significant risk factor for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some types of cancer. Moreover, this concentration integrates key competencies for a degree in exercise science recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), including knowledge of exercise physiology and the assessment and development of physical activity and exercise programs for the general and clinical populations. Graduate students seeking this degree are members of the Bouv College of Health Sciencesa leading national model for education and research in the health, psychosocial, and biomedical sciences, which supports the university's mission of educating students for a life of fulfillment and accomplishment and creating and translating knowledge to meet global and societal needs through interdisciplinary research, urban engagement, experiential learning, and the integration of classroom learning with real-world experience. Faculty in the department are exploring a range of research topics, including acute/chronic effects of exercise, community-based exercise and nutrition interventions, nutrition epidemiology, health disparities, urban public health, and application of technology for measuring and motivating behavior change.