Current Students

All exercise science majors have to have one of the following classes to graduate:

  • EXSC 4903 — Internship in Exercise Science
    Provides opportunities for students in Exercise Science to gain experience in clinics, hospitals, fitness centers, athletic training facilities or related settings. Pre- or corequisite: EXSC 3533. Prerequisite: EXSC 3353. See Item 1 below for details.
  • KINS 405V (3 hrs) — Independent Study
    Provides students an opportunity to pursue special study of research problems. Typically involves 150 hours of research experience. See your advisor for details.
  • KINS 498VH — Kinesiology Honors Thesis/Project
    For Honors Students — See your advisor after reviewing the college Honors Program's Program of Study.

Details about Internship

Frenklyn Piggie and Victoria Needels work as strength and conditioning interns at Train NWA in Fayetteville.1. Students sign up for the 4903 internship class in the same semester as, or anytime after taking, EXSC 3533 — Lab Techniques, as it's a prerequisite or corequisite. You need to have already completed EXSC 3353 (Mechanics) by the time you take internship, making 3353 a prerequisite. The 4903 class is offered every semester (Fall, Spring, 10-week Summer).

We suggest students taking internship in the summer after their Junior year, Fall their Senior year, or Spring their Senior year. Summer is always easier to get into. Summer session is 10 weeks long, from the end of May to the beginning of August.

If you do not get into it for your "final" semester (i.e., you need it to graduate), you can still walk in graduation with up to 6 hours left to complete. You will receive your diploma after completing all requirements. For example, some students who don't get into Spring Internship still walk in May and take Internship over the summer.

2. A few weeks before class starts, students will get an email with a survey in which they indicate their professional goals (and preference for site if they have one).

3. Here are the sites with which we have established relationships. We prefer to send all students to these sites because we know they provide a high academic experience.

4. If the student really wants to have an internship site that is outside of the list, they must show that it is a unique experience (not just another site in the same area of what we offer). Keep in mind that the site must also be in a clinic, hospital, fitness center, athletic training facility or related setting.

Establishing Your Own Internship Site

  • Sites will only be reviewed once the student is enrolled in the Internship Class.
  • The site must be approved at least 4 weeks before the start of the semester.
  • The site must be in Northwest Arkansas, but rare exceptions may be allowed; see the Intern Supervisor.
  • Complete the online form "Guidelines for Establishing an Internship Site" (PDF). After you and the internship site host read it, fill out the last page and email it to alsulliv@uark.edu. (You may wish to save the completed form for your files.)

5. Based off the survey, we do our best to match students up to their desired sites. However there is no guarantee.

6. Students should not depend on internship class for observation hours as required by physical therapy, occupational therapy etc. programs.

7. Students are assigned a week or two before the semester starts. We do not allow "switching" because it creates a nightmare for filling the needed sites. Even if students don't get their "first" choice, they still have a great experience.

8. One of the major requirements of the class is to complete 135 hours of experience. This is spread out through the semester based off a schedule established with you and your internship site. You cannot “front load” your hours and be done before the end of the semester.

9. Students are REQUIRED to attend the following 2 group meetings (NO EXCEPTIONS):

  • First Tuesday of the Semester 8-9:15 a.m. (location to be determined)
  • Last Thursday of the Semester 8-9:15 a.m. (location TBD)

All other meeting times are at your internship site (see above).

10. Students may request permission to receive payment (such as stipends, room/board/travel etc.) for formal paid internships — e.g. those offered through Apple, Nike, Mayo Clinic etc. — which would require payment for acceptance into the internship program. Interns will not be allowed to simply count their job as internship. If the student wants to do their internship at their current place of employment, it will require the intern and supervisor to clearly delineate their academic expectations of internship from their regular job responsibilities. This does not mean that none of their job tasks can be counted, but there must be objectives that are different from the regular job duties. The intern will not be paid for the hours counted towards internship.