Concordia University-Saint Paul Online Master of Science in Exercise Science

Concordia St. Paul's online M.S. in Exercise Science is a general-purpose master's: 33 credits, $475 per credit, three starts a year and a capstone instead of an internship. It fits people who want the graduate credential and maybe a doctorate later. But nine of its eleven courses match the school's strength and conditioning master's, and only one course is clinical, so it isn't a clinical exercise physiology route.

This is a private Lutheran university's online master's, delivered through CSP Global. You study exercise physiology, exercise testing, exercise prescription, biomechanics, nutrition and the psychology of sport. Admission asks for a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited school with a 3.0 cumulative GPA, and there's no application fee.

You don't need an exercise science undergraduate degree. CSP says a related field or professional experience helps but isn't required. That makes the program open to career changers, though you'll be reading graduate-level physiology from the first course.

Tuition is $475 per credit, and the school totals it at $15,675 for 33 credits. Textbooks, supplies and loan fees are extra, and CSP lists $2,000 partnership scholarships for some students.

Active-duty, Guard and Reserve members and their spouses pay $350 per credit, or $11,550 over 33 credits. You'll need proof of status, and discount holders aren't eligible for the Military Service Scholarship.

33 credits at $475 a credit comes to $15,675 in tuition, before fees.

Who It Fits

• Working professionals who want a broad master's with no lab and no placement. The only hands-on requirement is the capstone project, and the pages list nothing that has to happen in person.
• Future doctoral students. CSP's own Ph.D. and Ed.D. in Kinesiology may accept up to 24 transfer credits from this master's. Add the master's to the doctoral remainder and the totals come to $45,345 for the Ph.D. or $41,205 for the Ed.D., if the transfer is granted.
• Military members, Guard, Reserve and current spouses. The rate is $350 per credit, which makes the degree $11,550, and CSP lists GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon support.

Who Should Skip It

• Anyone aiming at the ACSM clinical exercise physiologist credential. The master's route asks for 600 clinical hours, and this program has one clinical course and no supervised practice. Browse online clinical exercise physiology master's programs instead.
• Coaches whose goal is athletic performance work. The sister degree swaps in two courses built for that. See the online strength and conditioning degrees.
• Anyone who wants a full-time faculty job on a master's alone. CSP's own FAQ says adjunct work at community colleges is open, and tenure-track jobs at four-year universities typically require a doctorate.

All 33 credits are required, in eleven three-credit courses. KHS 600 Exercise Physiology covers cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic responses and how activity affects weight, diabetes and mental health. KHS 595 Clinical Exercise Assessment teaches fitness testing and screening for people with different work capacities. KHS 615 Exercise Prescription applies guidelines to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. KHS 605 Nutrition and Metabolism follows nutrients through energy pathways.

The rest are KHS 585 Advanced Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics, KHS 580 Mechanisms of Skilled Neuromuscular Behavior, KHS 590 Psychology of Sport and Exercise, KHS 570 Ethics and Sociology in Sport and Exercise Science, KHS 513 Scientific Principles of Strength and Conditioning and KHS 610 Research Methods. KHS 620 is the Master's Capstone, where you analyze a real-world problem or trend.

Courses the School Names

• KHS 513 Scientific Principles of Strength and Conditioning
• KHS 570 Ethics and Sociology in Sport and Exercise Science
• KHS 580 Mechanisms of Skilled Neuromuscular Behavior
• KHS 585 Advanced Functional Anatomy & Biomechanics in Exercise Science
• KHS 590 Psychology of Sport and Exercise
• KHS 595 Clinical Exercise Assessment
• KHS 600 Exercise Physiology
• KHS 610 Research Methods

Standout Features

• Optional graduate study abroad course
• Broader clinical/wellness/research focus than the sister M.S. in Strength and Conditioning; includes Clinical Exercise Assessment
• Doctoral pathway: students can move to CSP's online PhD/EdD in Kinesiology (Master's in Exercise Science from CSP may qualify for up to 24 transfer credits)

CSP describes a flexible online degree with a cohort of working professionals and industry-experienced faculty. You can start in January, May or September. The pages don't describe term length or live sessions, so ask.

The school says two years, or 5.5 semesters. The catalog's plan of study shows three semesters a year with two courses each, and the last semester holds the capstone alone. An optional graduate study abroad course is listed as a benefit but isn't in the required list, so ask what it costs and when it runs.

CSP is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. No programmatic accreditation appears on the program pages, and the degree isn't on the CAAHEP list we pulled on September 29, 2026. The school says the program prepares you for ACSM certifications without naming which.

The ACSM-CEP (Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist) master's route calls for a master's in clinical exercise physiology or equivalent plus 600 hands-on clinical hours, so ask ACSM whether this degree counts. From August 15, 2027, ACSM-EP and ACSM-CEP candidates must graduate from a CAAHEP-accredited program or one that has started the process. CSCS eligibility rests on your bachelor's, not this master's.

Where this degree can lead: Exercise Science Jobs.

The full rubric is on the methodology page. A factor marked Peer Median had no published input, so it counts at half weight.

• The pages disagree about scope. The FAQ calls this version the broader one, with special populations included, but the course named Advanced Program Design for Special Populations appears only in the strength and conditioning master's. The two degrees differ by just two courses.
• Clinical content is a single 3-credit class. There's no practicum, so you finish without supervised hours.
• The courses page says 5.5 semesters 'although your transfer credits and general education coursework will vary,' which reads like bachelor's text. This degree has no general education.
• Transfer into the doctorate is 'up to 24' credits and students 'may qualify.' That's not a guarantee.

• Which ACSM certifications does the program prepare me for, and does it meet ACSM's CAAHEP rule after August 15, 2027?
• Can clinical hours from my current job count toward ACSM's 600-hour master's route, and will CSP document them?
• How long is each term, and do classes meet live or run asynchronously?
• How much graduate credit will CSP accept from a previous program?
• Does admission require a GRE?
• What does the study abroad course cost, and does it replace a required course?
• If I plan to go on to the doctorate, can I get the 24-credit transfer confirmed in writing when I enroll?

Concordia University, St. Paul is a private Lutheran university in Saint Paul, Minnesota accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1967. Its online arm, CSP Global, runs a full online exercise science ladder from a B.A. through master's degrees to a PhD/EdD in Kinesiology.

• Best Online Exercise Science Degrees Rank 59 of 99, master's
• Best Online Master's Programs Rank 59 of 99, master's
• Best for Military Students Rank 15 of 35, master's
• Best for Personal Trainers Rank 26 of 32, master's
• Best Christian Programs Rank 20 of 27, master's
• Best 100% Online Programs Rank 48 of 78, master's
• Best Online Programs in Minnesota Rank 2 of 2, master's

• Bachelor of Arts in Exercise Science

  B.A., Bachelor's

  Online With Campus Requirements $420 per credit Score 52.0

• Master of Science in Strength and Conditioning

  M.S., Master's

  Fully Online $475 per credit Score 57.9

• Doctor of Education in Kinesiology (emphases: Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, Exercise and Sport Nutrition, Strength and Conditioning)

  Ed.D., Doctorate

  Fully Online $690 per credit Score 44.5

• Doctor of Philosophy in Kinesiology (emphases: Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology, Exercise and Sport Nutrition, Strength and Conditioning)

  Ph.D., Doctorate

  Fully Online $690 per credit Score 44.5

• Lindenwood University

  Strength and Conditioning, MS

  Missouri $595 per credit Score 50.6

• Lenoir-Rhyne University

  Exercise Science, M.S.

  North Carolina $550 per credit Score 50.2

• Southern Nazarene University

  Master of Science in Exercise Science - Health and Human Performance

  Oklahoma $629 per credit Score 51.9

• University of North Georgia

  Kinesiology, M.S. (Exercise Science concentration)

  Georgia $320 per credit Score 52.0