Recent Thesis Topics

Below is a listing of selected thesis topics of past CEP students.  One of the goals of the program is to conduct theses topics that are suitable for publication, as well as presentation at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) or American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation (AACVPR) annual meetings.  Our experience is that students who have conducted, presented and published research are more competitive on the job market compared to students who do thesis projects that do not ‘stand alone’.

University grants are available to help support the costs of conducting many research projects as well as to support travel to professional meetings to present their research.

  1. Predicting maximal heart rate through submaximal exercise tests
    Winner of 2005 National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  2. Comparison of Bruce and modified Bruce treadmill protocols.
    Finalist in 2005National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  3. Physiological effects of 8 weeks of yoga training
    Finalist in 2005 National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  4. The effect of handrail support on oxygen uptake during stead state treadmill exercise.
    Winner of 2006 National AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  5. The placebo effect on exercise performance.
  6. Metabolic and perceptual responses to indoor cycling
  7. Effect of placebo on 6-min walk performance in cardiac patients
  8. Effect of musical tempo on physiological responses to chair aerobics
  9. Time scalar responses during cycle time trials
  10. Effect of exercise training on the linkage between the Talk Test and ventilatory threshold
  11. Effect of gender on correspondence between coach intended and athlete executed training loads
  12. Effect of exercise intensity and duration on post exercise hypotension
  13. Effect of blood donation of linkage between the Talk Test and ventilatory threshold
  14. Comparison of the 6-minute walk test with the 6-minute Nu Step test
  15. Changes in complaint index in athletes during hard training
  16. Translation of exercise test responses to exercise training
  17. Perception of fatigue during cycle time trials
  18. Energy cost of Spinning classes
  19. Energy cost of the Wii cycling program
  20. Energy cost of walking 10,000 steps per day
  21. Physiological and psychological effects of NIA exercise
  22. Breaking away: The effect of non-uniform pacing during cycling
  23. Effect of pre-exercise hypoxia on time trial performance
    Finalist in AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  24. Learning effects in 6-min walk performance
  25. The effects of auditory input on RPE during cycling
    Finalist in AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  26. Energy expenditure and relative intensity of Dancetown
    Finalist in AACVPR Beginning Investigator Award
  27. Heart rate responses associated with waterfowl hunting in males
  28. Gender differences in response to resistance training in cardiac patients
  29. The process of learning pacing strategy in various age groups
  30. The effect of music tempo vs. percussion vs. beat frequency on exercise intensity
  31. The acute physiological effects of interval training vs. steady state training
  32. Exercise responses during a maximal Krankcycle and cycle ergometer test
  33. Effect of PDE5 inhibitors (Viagra) on post-exercise blood pressure
  34. Translation of the Talk Test to exercise prescription
  35. Effects of EMS on perceived body satisfaction & tone of the gluteal muscles
  36. Effects of EMS training on strength/endurance of the gluteal muscles
  37. Relative exercise intensity of a Krankcycle workout
  38. Relative exercise intensity and caloric expenditure of Hooping
  39. Electromyographic analysis of eight different triceps exercises: Which is best?
  40. The effectiveness of the Shake Weight in comparison to traditional dumbbells
  41. A comparison of running mechanics and ground reaction forces when wering running shoes, Vibram fivefingers or going barefoot
  42. The energy expenditure ad relative exercise intensity of using the Streetstrider
  43. The energy expenditure and relative exercise intensity of four P90X workouts
  44. Gender differences in cardiac rehabilitation outcomes
  45. Does ethnicity effect outcomes in cardiac rehabilitation?
  46. The effects of music on time trial performance
  47. Rating of perceived exertion drift during steady state treadmill exercise
  48. Growth of RPE during resistance training
  49. Effect of running experience on pacing strategy
  50. The physiological effects of participating in Zumba
    51.