Major in Kinesiology
Academics
Admissions
Tuition & Cost
Student Life
About
Eaglenet
Applicant Portal
Catalog
Calendar
News
Registrar
Library
Bookstore
Campus Safety
Student Services
Give
Alumni and Parents
John Brown University
2000 W. University St.,
Siloam Springs, AR 72761
479-524-9500
jbuinfo@jbu.edu
Apply Now
Request Info
What are you looking for?
Back to Majors
Schedule a Visit
Major
Minor
B.S.
Major in Kinesiology
Learn how to help others • Gain practical experience • Prepare for your career or graduate school
Learn to improve others' well-being.
In the kinesiology major, you'll learn how to help others by understanding the movement of the human body. With a kinesiology degree, you can become an athletic trainer, an educator or enter graduate school for physical therapy.
Start your application
Go hands-on
Kinesiology students have many spaces and outlets to train and practice, from athletics labs to the Walton Lifetime Health Complex. They'll also gain incredible field experience through local partnerships and JBU's athletics program.
Serve others
JBU's curriculum doesn't just seek to inform and educate students on the technical skills and practices they'll need to help people and athletes in the field, but it also encourages students to minister and serve others in Christ-like ways no matter where they end up.
Graduate prepared
Given the number of opportunities and training kinesiology students have access to, they will graduate equipped to start in any field they desire.
Train athletes and encourage wellness at JBU.
About kinesiology
Kinesiology students have multiple opportunities and spaces to learn the hands-on training and the technical knowledge they'll need to be excellent trainers, physical therapists and coaches in the field.
Start your application
What to expect as a kinesiology student at JBU
Specialize your program
You can focus your study on health and wellness or sports medicine. The course requirements are tailored to each emphasis, so students are prepared for their field of choice.
Establish a great foundation
JBU lab classes are capped to 20 students so professors can give student-specific guidance and recommendations.
Learn the human body
Students interested in the pre-professional program can explore the inner workings of the human body in the classroom and in the human anatomy cadaver lab. JBU is one of only two Arkansas universities that make cadaver dissection available to undergraduate students.
Program requirements
Example 4-year plan
On my first day of college, I nervously entered the classroom unsure of what I was about to walk into. The not-so-scary professor, Todd, began class by telling us that the most important thing we could learn studying kinesiology is that ‘we treat people, not injuries.’ From that day on, my mindset changed. At JBU, yes, I have learned how to treat injuries, but most importantly, I have learned how to help people holistically.
Anna Stoesz '25
Kinesiology
What can you do with a kinesiology degree?
Kinesiology students have the resources to engage in several areas of the field through local partnerships and the versatility of the kinesiology department.
Trainer
Whether you become a personal trainer or a team trainer, use the skills you learned as a kinesiology major to help get and keep others in top physical condition. Many JBU students have worked with athletes at top-rated schools and facilities both during school and upon graduation.
Physical therapist
Help people recover from injuries and maintain their health throughout their life. Physical therapists are vital in the field for being able to initiate preventive care, rehabilitation and treatment for patients, whether they have sports-related injuries or chronic illnesses.  JBU prepares students to excel in the graduate studies required to become a PT.
Dietitian/nutritionist
Help people develop and maintain good eating habits so they can experience the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Students take classes like wellness for life and nutrition for health and human performance to prepare for careers in this field.
Massage therapist
Help your patients relax and feel good again via healing massages. Massage therapists aid patients primarily by relaxing muscle tissue to reduce nerve compression, painful contractions and spasms.
Key kinesiology courses
First Aid, Safety, and CPR
Instruction in basic first aid, safety, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to help the student develop the knowledge necessary to be an effective first responder to accidents or injuries.
Medical Terminology
Directed self-study in the use of the basic prefixes, suffixes, and roots of medical terminology. The course assists the student in utilizing medical terms appropriately in both written and verbal forms.
Exercise Physiology
A study of physiological responses and adaptations of the human body to physical activity.
Management in Health and Sport
Provides a study of the foundational principles and practices of personnel leadership, planning, budgeting, scheduling of facilities and events, purchasing, and other topics related to programs in the field.
Meet our kinesiology professors
Beschta finished second in program history in both career points (2,138) and career triples made (432) during his undergraduate at Bryan College. Beschta also served as team captain for two seasons and earned All-Conference accolades on a trio of occasions while landing a pair of NAIA All-America Honorable Mention honors. In 2000 he led the Lions to the program's first-ever Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament title and appearance in the NAIA National Championships. Beschta finished his degree in Exercise & Health Science, graduating cum laude, before earning his graduate degree from Baylor University in Sports Pedagogy in 2004.
Beschta and the Golden Eagles posted an incredible 2019-20 season that including a No. 9 national ranking entering the NAIA National Championships, which JBU qualified for the second-straight season, tying the program single-season record of 28 wins. On Jan. 30, the Golden Eagles knocked off No. 2 Mid-America Christian (Okla.), ending the Evangels' program record 20-game winning streak. John Brown completed a perfect 17-0 regular season record inside Bill George Arena, a program first, and finished as the Sooner Athletic's regular season and tournament runner up. For the first time in program history, Beschta produced two All-Conference first team selections in Luke Harper and Densier Carnes. Harper was later selected to the NAIA All-America third team, Beschta's first All-America production.
Besides Harper, Beschta has produced five NAIA All-America honorable mentions as JBU bench boss in Max Hopfgartner, Jake Caudle, Josh Bowling and Densier Carnes (twice).

Beschta and his wife, Becca, reside in Siloam Springs with their four children: Gage, Henley, Hudson and Weston.
Jason Beschta
Head Men's Basketball Coach
Instructor of Kinesiology
Ken Carver
Head Women’s Volleyball Coach; Instructor of Kinesiology
Mrs. Robyn Daugherty served JBU as the Women's Volleyball Coach beginning in 1989, joining the JBU faculty in 1999.  She currently serves as the JBU Director of Athletics and Instructor of Kinesiology.  Mrs. Daugherty instructs activity sections or independent study when needed.  She enjoys working with the students at JBU – getting to know them and encouraging them to “stay active” and to get involved.
She also enjoys traveling, the outdoors, and being with family.
Robyn Daugherty
Athletic Director; Instructor of Kinesiology
Since 2016, Dr. Guizar has maintained her certification as a Personal Trainer with the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and attended their national conferences annually.
In 2018, she developed UAM’s new Exercise Science program: securing funding to implement a well-equipped Exercise Science/Kinesiology Lab, creating and updating courses for students, and guiding her Exercise Science Major advisees to professional schooling at a 100% acceptance rate.
Her ongoing research interest is in Body Composition, and she collects data using the seca mBCA 554 which includes 1) Segmental Multifrequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (SMF-BIA); 2) Phase Angle (PA); 3) and Bioelectrical Impedance Vector Analysis (BIVA) from athletes, nonathletes, and members of the community.
Dr. Guizar teaches Biomechanics, Exercise Prescription, and Health and Wellness in the Kinesiology department at JBU, and she serves as an academic advisor for students interested in Sports Medicine and Health and Wellness fields.
Suzanna Guizar
Associate Professor of Kinesiology
Sydni Webb
Head Women's Basketball Coach, Instructor of Kinesiology
Sign up for personalized information and deadline reminders
Loading...
The future you starts here.
Equip yourself for a successful career and a life of purpose.
Schedule a visit
Apply Now
Request Info
John Brown University
2000 W. University St., Siloam Springs, AR 72761
479-524-9500
jbuinfo@jbu.edu
Apply Now
Request Info
Undergraduate
Majors
Admissions
Financial Aid
Visit JBU
Student Life
Request Information
Apply
Online Undergraduate
Degrees
Admissions
Tuition & Financial Aid
Apply
Graduate
Degrees
Admissions
Tuition & Financial Aid
Apply
Athletics
JBUAthletics.com
Watch & Listen Live
Parents
Parent FB community
Alumni
Alumni Events
Homecoming
Giving
Scholarship Fund
Estates & Planned Giving
Endowed Scholarships
Give Now
About
Employment Opportunities
News & Media
Visitor Information
Contact Directory
Resources
Bookstore
Calendars
Eaglenet
Campus Safety
Library
Student Accounts
Tickets
Transcript Request
Community Events
Policy Information
Title IX Policies
Consumer Info
John Brown University
2000 W. University St., Siloam Springs, AR 72761
479-524-9500
jbuinfo@jbu.edu
JBU does not unlawfully discriminate based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, military status, or age in the administration of its educational policies, admissions, financial aid, employment, educational programs, or activities.
John Brown University is a leading private Christian university, training students to honor God and serve others since 1919. Arkansas’ top-ranked regional university (U.S. News) and No. 2 private university (The Wall Street Journal), JBU enrolls more than 2,500 students from 34 states and 43 countries in its traditional undergraduate, graduate, online and concurrent education programs. JBU offers over 50 undergraduate majors, with top programs including business, nursing, visual arts, engineering, teacher education, psychology, computer science, construction management, graphic design, family and human services, and engineering. Twelve graduate degrees are available in business, counseling and cybersecurity.
Copyright 2026 John Brown University. All rights reserved.
)}}