UG Biomechanics course: Required or Elective

[Chris Hass]

Good day Colleagues,
Our kinesiology department is reviewing our undergraduate curriculum. We are interested in knowing if your undergraduate biomechanics course is a required course or if it is an elective?

[Andy Karduna]

Re: UG Biomechanics course: Required or Elective

At the University of Oregon, we shifted it to an upper division elective class several years ago.

- Andy

[Tim L. A. Doyle]

Re: UG Biomechanics course: Required or Elective

Compulsory for us at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

While our course is not accredited (Exercise and Sport Science Australia), for those that are it is also compulsory.

Cheers,
Tim.

[Herman van Werkhoven]

Re: UG Biomechanics course: Required or Elective

Biomechanics is a required course at Appalachian State University.

I must say, I was somewhat taken aback by the question, but based on responses so far, I guess it is not unheard of. In a kinesiology (def: study of <human> motion) department, it seems to me that biomechanics is certainly a fundamental course (if not the most fundamental course) any student should take. At Appalachian State University (Health and Exercise Science Department), apart from students interested in sports science in general, many of our students want to go on to become physical/occupational therapists with their degree in Exercise Science. Biomechanics is a critical course for anyone who wants to study humans and how they move (or get injured during movement, or rehabilitate through controlled movement, ...). As faculty we occasionally debate about requiring biomechanics at masters level, but certainly not at undergraduate level.

Regards,
Herman

[Brian Umberger]

Re: UG Biomechanics course: Required or Elective

In the School of Kinesiology at the University of Michigan biomechanics is a required course for Movement Science, Athletic Training, and Applied Exercise Science. There are actually two introductory undergraduate biomechanics courses, one calculus-based and the other not. MVS and AT students take the former and AES students take the latter.


Brian