Southern’s graduate program in human performance is one of only two accredited offerings of its kind in New England — and it’s also been recognized as one of the “50 best” by the Sports Management Degree Guide. Sport science programs were evaluated on a variety of factors, including student-to-faculty ratios, tuition, graduation rates, and accreditation. After crunching the numbers, Southern’s master’s degree in exercise science with a focus on human performance program came in at number six on the list and was lauded for its research facilities, in particular. “Students have access to a state-of-the-art research/teaching laboratory with equipment designed to assess body composition, metabolism, and muscle/joint strength and stability,” notes the guide.

Furthering the program’s stellar reputation, a new Health and Human Services Building is slated to open in spring 2022. The 94,750-square-foot building will house most departments in the College of Health and Human Services, including health and movement sciences (formerly exercise science); nursing; communication disorders; public health; and recreation, tourism, and sport management. Highlights will include a new Human Performance Teaching and Research Laboratory, a Center for Adaptive Sport and Inclusive Recreation, an expanded Communication Disorders Clinic, and an Audiology Clinic — all of which will be open to the public.