Sports Medicine, minor

Sports Medicine, minor

Program Overview

What causes common athletic injuries, and how can they be prevented? What role does rehabilitation play in long-term athletic performance? How can I help athletes recover and return to play safely and effectively? If these types of questions interest you, or if you're passionate about human performance, injury prevention, and recovery, consider adding a minor in sports medicine.

The Sports Medicine minor at PLNU offers a focused study of the anatomical, physiological, and biomechanical foundations of injury, movement, and rehabilitation. Through coursework in kinesiology, injury prevention, and therapeutic exercise, students gain a strong foundation that complements majors such as health science, kinesiology, or sport science. You'll also benefit from courses that combine scientific theory with hands-on learning to prepare you for careers or graduate study in athletic training, physical therapy, or other allied health professions.

Stories of Success

Cultivated for Care: Lauren Quinn Treats Women’s Tennis Athletes
Breaking Barriers of Pain Within the Inmate Population
Never Stop: How Landis Sims’ Athletic Journey Guided Him to the Point
PLNU’s Athletic Training: Hands-on Experience for a Hands-on Career

Scenes from Sports Medicine

Shaped for the Next Steps

"Prepared for PA School"
"High Standards at Loma"
Videos (2)
Articles (9)
Quotes (2)
Cultivated for Care: Lauren Quinn Treats Women’s Tennis Athletes Alumna Lauren Quinn shares about her career as a healthcare provider for the athletes at the Women’s Tennis Association. Discover
Breaking Barriers of Pain Within the Inmate Population Alum Colin Bowles is changing lives as a physical therapist for the inmate population in Southern California. Discover
Never Stop: How Landis Sims’ Athletic Journey Guided Him to the Point Landis Sims is a limb deficient baseball player who continues to defy the odds. Discover
PLNU’s Athletic Training: Hands-on Experience for a Hands-on Career The PLNU Athletic Training Clinic is a state-of-the-art facility where students receive the clinical experience they need to become successful athletic trainers. Discover
Discover
8 Impactful Healthcare Jobs You May Not Know About Learn about promising lesser-known healthcare jobs like prosthetist, sonographer, anesthetist, clinical lab technician, and more. Discover
What Degree Should I Get to Become a Health Coach Discover how PLNU’s Master of Science in Kinesiology, Integrative Wellness can help you gain the work experience and skills necessary for a career in health coaching. Discover
Physician Assistant or Occupational Therapist: Which Career Should I Choose? Physician assistant or occupational therapist: which career should you choose? Topics include diagnosing, prescribing, long-term recovery, and more. Discover
What is Occupational Therapy? If you’re looking for a career involving active movement, out-of-the-box thinking, and helping others, a career in occupational therapy (OT) might be for you! Learn more about this career rising in popularity. Discover
Prepared for PA School
"My time at PLNU really prepared me for PA school because they provided me with lots of opportunities to get hands-on experience within the healthcare field. They helped me build my resume, they helped me with my applications. We had one class in particular that was a pre-PA internship class and so we actually got to be interns doing various healthcare things and we got to see patients and interact with them and kind of have like mock cases as well and write mock notes and that's something that you usually don't get in undergrad that I think now being in PA school really prepared me for what was to come."
Sophie Mirth Applied Health Sciences B.S.
High Standards at Loma
"I was held to a really high standard at Loma, and it set the bar high for grad school. "
James Salassi Exercise Science B.S.

Course List

For information about the courses required for the Sports Medicine, minor program, view the PLNU Catalog.

Course information coming soon

Start Application

Are you ready to take the next step to begin your PLNU journey? Whether you’re a high school senior, college transfer student, or international student, find out what we’re looking for in our applicants and how you can apply.

Apply Now

Student Support

For most students, the transition into college life is one full of adjustments. There is the excitement of newfound freedoms, but also some uncertainty as you begin to make choices and take responsibility for your own future. 

At PLNU, we’re committed to supporting you — academically, professionally, spiritually, personally — so that you may be successful both in your time as a student and beyond. That’s why we offer a holistic support system that focuses on your unique experiences, particular needs, and personal and professional goals — resulting from our deep concern for you, our student.

With a focus on authentic relationships and personalized attention, our goal is to help transform you so you can follow your calling in your own career and life.

Student Support

Career Opportunities

As awareness of injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization continues to grow, so does the demand for professionals with specialized training in sports medicine. PLNU’s Department of Kinesiology prepares graduates who are passionate about improving physical health and supporting recovery through evidence-based care.

A minor in sports medicine is an excellent complement to a variety of careers and graduate school pathways, including:

  • Physical Therapist
  • Athletic Trainer
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physician Assistant (with a focus in orthopedics or sports medicine)
  • Medical Doctor (Orthopedics or Sports Medicine focus)
  • Sports Rehabilitation Specialist

Department Faculty