Sample Courses
- Sports medicine looks at exercise as a physical stressor and resulting
bodily adaptations. - Physiology of exercise examines the physiological effects of muscular
exercise, physical conditioning, and training and the significance of these effects in terms of health and performance. - Biomechanics emphasizes developing abilities to analyze human movement quantitatively.
- Human physiology I: nerve, muscle, senses studies physiological principles as they operate in normal function including neuronal resting and action potentials, muscle contraction, synaptic transmission, sensory transduction, special senses, neural reflexes, and central processing of information.
- Human physiology II: homeostatic mechanisms focuses on circulatory, respiratory, digestive, metabolic, immune, endocrine, and reproductive physiology.
- Human anatomy I: bones, muscles, nerves is the study of gross human anatomy including the skeletal, muscular, and neural systems.
- Human anatomy II: systems of the body focuses on the circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and urogenital systems.
Hands On Learning
Human physiology and movement science is, by nature, a hands-on learning experience. In fitness labs you’ll analyze human movement and exercise. Many undergraduates work in research labs for upper division credit or other compensation. Gain first-hand knowledge about physical therapy while interning at the Athletic Training Center or take a rotation at the Sports and Wellness Center, both on campus. Eugene’s Sacred Heart Hospital, the largest hospital between Portland and San Francisco, offers practicum opportunities at the Oregon Heart Institute. Many of Eugene’s fitness businesses cooperate with UO to provide students with experience in exercise prescription and personal training. Don’t forget human physiology faculty members, who often encourage students to assist with their research.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
Human physiology students take classes in chemistry, physics, and biology that apply to their work in human physiology. In addition to training in the fundamental sciences, students also learn to questions critically, think logically, communicate clearly, and participate in quality scientific research and clinical endeavors.