Bachelor of Health and Exercise Sciences

Bachelor of Health and Exercise Sciences (BHES)

Current students of the Bachelor of Human Kinetics please visit the undergraduate resources or Academic Calendar for degree requirements. 

Explore the study and practice of human health and movement, and its impact on quality of life. Help people lead healthier, more active lives.

Why study Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC’s Okanagan campus?

HANDS-ON lEARNING 

Build a solid foundation through skill-building labs, practicums, and Co-op placements that are the cornerstones of our curriculum.

RESEARCH CONNECTIONS

Work alongside a faculty member to conduct research. Our undergraduate students engage in projects designed to advance an understanding of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, projects designed to examine how the science of behaviour change can improve people’s lives as well as projects designed to increase our understanding of the role the brain and muscles play in the control of human movement and balance.

CAREER OPPORtunitiES 

Satisfy the growing demand for professionals who can research and promote effective health strategies. Our graduates find opportunities in private enterprise, health care, and government.

CO-OP EXPERIENCE 

Put your classroom learning to the test with Co-op job placements throughout the region and beyond. Co-op helps you to gain beneficial skills such as how to build your resumé, apply for jobs, expand your professional network and earn money to pay for tuition.

what you need to know

Complete your UBC degree in Health and Exercise Sciences, a discipline focused on interdisciplinary nature of human health that includes psychological, physiological, neuromechanical and socio-cultural aspects of movement. During your second year you can apply for a concentration.

The Kinesiology Allied Health concentration focuses more generally on the role of exercise and physical activity in improving health, fitness and performance as well as the prevention and rehabilitation of injuries. The program can lead to careers in kinesiology, personal training, and post-graduate degrees in a variety of allied health professions, such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy, athletic therapy and medical school.

The Health Behaviour Change concentration involves studying behaviour change theory and techniques to help individuals and communities adopt and adhere to a number of health behaviours. This concentration focuses on the role of nutrition, exercise programs, and informal activity in population health promotion. Potential careers include health promotion program officers, health-care consultants, corporate health programmers, health educators, lifestyle coaches, and active living coordinators. Graduates of this program also pursue graduate programs in research, knowledge translation, and public health.

The Clinical Exercise Physiology concentration focuses on incorporating exercise, activity education, and clinical skills into human performance, patient rehabilitation and chronic disease management programs. The program focuses on the advanced study of applied physiology and how exercise, movement, and fitness intersect with health, disease, fatigue, and disability. The program can lead to careers in kinesiology, exercise therapy, clinical exercise physiology, rehabilitation and personal training, among others.

 

UBC Okanagan’s Health and Exercise Sciences program emphasizes interdisciplinary and interprofessional approaches to the study of physical activity and health. The curriculum gives students a common foundational knowledge, as well as the opportunity to complement their choice of specialization with courses of personal interest.

Sample courses (Kinesiology Allied Health):

  • HES 201 – Exercise Prescription
  • HES 305 – Exercise Physiology II
  • HES 420 – Advanced Functional Anatomy

Sample courses (Health Behaviour Change):

  • HES 231 – Exercise Counselling and Behaviour Modification
  • HES 332 – Advanced Theories of Health Behaviour Change
  • HES 433 – Knowledge Translation

Sample courses (Clinical Exercise Physiology):

  • HES 351 – Clinical Exercise Physiology
  • HES 311 – Pathophysiology
  • HES 353- Clinical Exercise Prescription

Browse Health and Exercise Sciences (HES) courses and descriptions.

The Bachelor of Health and Exercise Sciences (BHES) is a 120-credit degree program, with third- and fourth-year concentrations in Clinical Exercise Physiology, Health Behaviour Change, and Kinesiology Allied Health.

  • The Kinesiology and Allied Health concentration involves studying the role of exercise and physical activity in improving health, fitness and performance as well as the prevention and rehabilitation of injuries.
  • The Health Behaviour Change concentration involves studying the concepts of evidence-informed behaviour change theory and techniques to help individuals and communities adopt and adhere to a number of health behaviours.
  • The Clinical Exercise Physiology concentration focuses on incorporating exercise and activity education and skills into patient rehabilitation and recovery programs for the management of chronic diseases.

In addition to the three concentrations of study available, the School of Health and Exercise Sciences offers a Co-op Program and Undergraduate Honours Thesis.

For your application to be considered, you’ll need to do three things: Meet general requirements (e.g., graduate from secondary school), demonstrate a certain level of English competency, and meet specific requirements for the degree. Then, we’ll take a closer look at your application. We’ll read your Personal Profile to get a sense of who you are and what you’ve achieved to date. We’ll also look at all of your Grade 11 (junior level) and Grade 12 (senior level) courses, paying special attention to the courses that relate to the degree you’re applying to.

Find your specific requirements.

Application Deadlines

Plan ahead to ensure you meet important deadlines and other target dates listed at you.ubc.ca.

Tuition Fees

UBC Okanagan’s fees compare favourably with universities of the same high calibre. See Financial Planning for helpful resources, and add up your first-year costs with our Cost Calculator.

Apply to UBC at you.ubc.ca—there are just five steps in the application process. Soon you could be studying at one of the world’s top universities.

Check out the steps to apply to UBC, and be sure to choose “Okanagan campus.”

Or let our Student Recruitment & Advising experts guide you: call 1-877-807-8521.

Your Career Options

Earn a UBC degree respected by employers around the globe. Build a broad foundation and great career potential with undergraduate studies in Health and Exercise Sciences. Job opportunities range from nutritionist to kinesiologist. The professional training you get as part of your research activities will position you for many career options.

  • Chronic Disease Rehabilitator/Rehabilitation Specialist
  • Exercise Physiologist
  • Exercise Therapist or Trainer
  • Kinesiologist
  • Medical Doctor/Sports Medicine*
  • Nutritionist*
  • Occupational/Recreational Therapist*
  • Physical Therapist*
  • Rehabilitation Program Director
  • Health & Social Policy Director
  • Health & Wellness/Return to Work Coordinator
  • Life Coach (nutrition & fitness)
  • Managers/Coordinator in Community Centres
  • Program Coordinator (e.g. Parks & Recreation Dept.)
  • Public Health Director

*Additional education or certification may be required for some fields and occupations (e.g. completion of association registration, a professional program, or other specialized studies).

Learn and earn with Co-op, a paid opportunity for students to enrich their education with work experience. At UBC’s Okanagan campus, sign up for Co-op to:

  • build your resumé with professional experience
  • learn valuable tips on how to successfully apply for jobs
  • expand your network of industry contacts
  • earn money to pay for tuition

Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 or by email.

With a Health and Exercise Sciences degree, many of our graduates have entered professional schools to pursue careers in a diverse array of fields including:

  • Physiotherapy
  • Athletic therapy
  • Occupational therapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Dentistry
  • Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Optometry
  • Pharmacy
  • Speech Language Pathology
  • Masters of Health & Exercise Sciences (Research based)
  • Hospitals and primary health care settings
  • Post-secondary education institutions
  • Sport governing bodies
  • Sports and fitness centres
  • Regional health authorities
  • Rehabilitation and occupational health departments
  • Professional and amateur sport organizations
  • Governmental departments and organizations
  • Community, social, and correctional services
  • Government services (for example, penitentiaries, outpost nursing, the foreign service, the Canadian Armed Forces)

Gain Valuable Experience

Learning experiences beyond the classroom help prepare you for a career and life after university. Expand your horizons while studying abroad, conducting meaningful research, or working in the community with your UBC colleagues.

  • See the world through Go Global, a UBC program that allows students to complete courses or conduct research at one of more than 150 international partner institutions in 45 countries worldwide.
  • Build your own collaborative network with regional and global partners in the Co-op Program, which formally integrates a student’s academic studies with valuable, relevant, paid kinesiology related work with approved work sector organizations.
  • Apply your knowledge and investigate career options through skill-building labs and practicum opportunities.
  • Whether you’re working with active, clinical, or other populations, a certification can enhance your degree and experience.

Follow your ideas and jump-start your career:

  • The BHK Honours Thesis enables high-achieving students in Health and Exercise Sciences to gain additional research experience through the completion of an honours thesis.
  • Co-op puts your classroom learning to the test, allowing you to explore career options while earning money. Inquire about Co-op by phone at 250.807.9623 or by email.
  • Fourth-year students from the School of Health and Exercise Sciences are extending the walls of their classrooms into the community with Practicum & Co-op placements.
  • Learn through doing, create strong connections, and develop professional skills with a campus job arranged by UBC’s Work Study Program.
  • Meet a community need and get practical experience by volunteering for a Community Service Learning project—a life-changing experience.

WELCOME TO UBC’S OKANAGAN CAMPUS

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the 40 best universities in the world. In the Bachelor of Health and Exercise Sciences program at UBC’s Okanagan campus, you gain all the benefits of attending a globally respected university while studying in a close-knit learning community.

  • Get a glimpse into life on UBC’s Okanagan campus at you.ubc.ca.
  • Take a virtual tour of our state-of-the-art labs, modern facilities, campus residences.
  • Visit the campus for a personal guided tour led by a student ambassador.
  • Tour the campus, city and lake with this interactive 360-degree Kelowna From Above* video.
    * Best viewed in Chrome and Firefox 

On the first day of university, faculties offer “Meet the Faculty” sessions where you can get to know the Dean, professors, and the staff who provide student support. It’s all part of UBC Okanagan’s new student orientation: CREATE.

Attend an orientation tailored to your needs as an aboriginal student, domestic student, international student, or student living in residence. You can even register your parents for an orientation that includes a workshop and campus tour.

  • Peer mentors are a great resource — ask questions and learn from students who’ve been there, done that.
  • Navigate your studies with the help of a professor, your Program Advisor.
  • Use the library which offers print, audiovisual and electronic research materials, a leisure-reading collection and loaner laptops. It also offers research consultations, instruction and workshops.
  • The library’s Writing and Resource Centre can help you articulate your ideas. Pursue your research in a range of subject areas and scholarly genres, including essay writing, grammar, presentation skills, punctuation, thesis development, and coursework.
  • Familiarize yourself with resources designed to help you succeed. Student Services offers a variety of academic supports, from study sessions to tutoring and writing workshops.

Take advantage of the many opportunities to get involved and stay active—from workout space in the new Hangar Fitness Centre, to athletic courts, intramurals, fitness classes, and varsity athletics.

Learn more at Sports and Recreation, which includes links to fitness facilities, sport clubs, intramurals and recreation programs, as well as the nationally ranked UBC Okanagan Heat varsity teams that compete in the Canada West Universities Athletics Association.

  • Branch out, get involved in student life, and have fun by joining various campus clubs.

Meet new people while living in a study-oriented environment with easy access to academic and personal support.

UBC Okanagan offers modern residence living surrounded by hiking and biking trails. One of the newest residences, Purcell, includes a rooftop patio that offers a panoramic view of the campus and the Okanagan Valley.

Find out more about living in residence at you.ubc.ca.

UBC’s Okanagan campus borders the dynamic city of Kelowna, a hub of economic development with a population of more than 150,000 people—the fourth fastest growing population in Canada. In fact, the Okanagan Valley is rated one of the best communities in Canada to grow your business.

More than 160 buses travel daily from campus to key locations such as Kelowna’s cultural district and thriving downtown waterfront. The campus is two minutes from the Kelowna International Airport, one of the Top 10 busiest airports in Canada.

UBC Okanagan is situated within the First Nations territory of the Okanagan Nation, whose spirit of stewardship for the land is reflected in the university’s respect for sustainability.

A diverse natural region with sandy beaches, beautiful farms, vineyards and orchards, and snow-capped mountains, the Okanagan Valley features sweeping stretches of lakeside and endless mountain trails for biking and hiking.

Explore the Okanagan lifestyle at you.ubc.ca.