Exercise and Sport Science
If you’re energized by sports, human performance, and helping people live healthier lives, you’re in the right place.
In the Exercise and Sport Science (EXSS) track, you’ll dive into four EXSS degree paths: Exercise & Sport Science (BS), Exercise & Sport Science (BA), Fitness Professional (BA), and Sport Administration (BA). You’ll explore course options and discover the high-impact experiences (like research, internships, and study abroad) that help EXSS students prepare for exciting futures. You’ll meet faculty, current students, and alumni; tour state-of-the-art facilities including research labs, the sports medicine center, and campus recreation spaces; and even sit in on a real EXSS summer school course to experience what it’s like to be an EXSS student.
Instructor: JD DeFreese
J.D. DeFreese, PhD, is a Teaching Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science (EXSS) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. DeFreese grew up in Indiana and completed his undergraduate degree at Indiana University and doctorate in kinesiology, with a specialization in sport & exercise psychology, at Purdue University. He also completed a postdoctoral research experience at UNC-Chapel Hill before joining the EXSS faculty in 2016. Dr. DeFreese serves in research, teaching, and service roles at UNC-Chapel Hill. He is also the Director of Undergraduate Studies for EXSS. This role involves overseeing the undergraduate curriculum, providing major/career guidance to undergraduate students, and being a member of the EXSS Leadership Team and Curriculum Committee.
Dr. DeFreese’s research examines the associations among current and former athlete mental, physical, and social functioning including athlete burnout experiences. His recent work has focused on understanding how the transition from sport to non-sport activities is specifically associated with important biopsychosocial outcomes for athletes. Dr. DeFreese teaches courses on sport and exercise psychology and research methods in the EXSS Department. He also provides service to the UNC-Chapel Hill campus as a member of the Faculty Athletics Committee and is a member of the Provost Distinguished Faculty Leaders Program at UNC-Chapel Hill. Outside of UNC-Chapel Hill, Dr. DeFreese serves his profession as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology and the President-Elect for the American Psychological Association’s Division 47 (Sport, Exercise, & Performance Psychology).