A.S. Health & Fitness
A.S. Health & Fitness
Do you have a passion for healthy living and physical activity? Then why not promote public wellness and physical education by earning an A.S. in Health and Fitness. Small class sizes mean lots of hands-on, active learning with professors who take a personal interest in your well-being and success.
Career Field
With a degree in Health and Fitness, you will be prepared to excel in the healthcare field at a hospital or corporate or private fitness industry.
The A.S. Health and Fitness degree is a two-year program aimed to help you get started in the health and fitness career field. Much like with a B.S. in Health and Fitness, you will be able to work as a personal trainer, wellness coach, fitness consultant, and athletic coach which involves working directly with individuals to help them to improve their physical fitness for health or athletic performance. Health club managers and fitness club owners are business-related positions in which the work is mostly administrative.
Job Outlook
- According to the BLS, fitness trainers and instructors employment is projected to grow 13% between 2018-2028.
- As businesses, government, and insurance organizations continue to recognize the benefits of health and fitness programs for their employees, incentives to join gyms or other types of health clubs are expected to increase the need for fitness trainers and instructors.
Careers
With an A.S. in Health and Fitness, you will be prepared to work directly with people to improve their physical fitness for health or athletic performance in hospitals, health clubs, or private fitness centers.
Professions
- Personal Trainer
- Health Club Manager
- Wellness Coach
- Athletic Coach
- Fitness Consultant
- Physical Therapist
- Healthcare Communications
- Occupational Therapy
- Epidemiologist
13%
Expected employment growth of fitness trainers and instructors between 2018-2028
Educational Qualifications
Wellness and fitness programs include a combination of theory-based courses, laboratory experiences and internships in the fitness industry intended to provide students with practical, career-focused skills.
Common courses include:
| Human Anatomy and Physiology Nutrition Fundamentals of Kinesiology | Fitness Promotion among Special Populations Stress Management Exercise Physiology |
Certification requirements in the fitness industry vary widely, with many certifying organizations offering a variety of credentials. For those interested in further education, master's degree programs are common in wellness and fitness, exercise science and kinesiology.
| Required Courses | ||
| Item # | Title | Credits |
| KINA 112 or KINA 212 | 1 | |
| KINA 115 or KINA 215 | 1 | |
| KINA 116 | Fitness Walking | 1 |
| KINA 233 or KINA 234 | 1 | |
| KINT 110 | Fundamentals of Kinesiology | 3 |
| KINT 216 | Nutrition | 3 |
| KINT 241 | Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries | 3 |
| KINT 252 | ACSM Certified Personal Trainer | 3 |
| KINT 260 | First Aid, CPR, and First Responder Training | 2 |
| KINT 280 | Internship | 3 - 6 |
| Sub-Total Credits | 21 | |
| Required Cognate | ||
| Item # | Title | Credits |
| BIOL 101 | Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| Sub-Total Credits | 4 | |
| Total Credits | 25 | |