B.S. Health & Fitness

 

 

Do you have a passion for helping people improve their physical fitness for health or athletic performance? Then why not promote public wellness and physical education by earning a B.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

Positions such as personal trainer, wellness coach, fitness consultant, and athletic coach involve 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

  • The average employment growth rate of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 13% between 2018 and 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 a B.S. in Health and Fitness, you will be prepared to work with people to improve their physical fitness for health and athletic performance.

Professions

  • Personal Trainer
  • Health Club Manager
  • Wellness Coach
  • Athletic Coach
  • Fitness Consultant
  • Physical Therapist
  • Healthcare Communications
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Epidemiologist

19%
Expected employment growth of athletic trainers 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.

Faculty Profiles

Vesa Naukkarinen, Ph.D.

Department of Kinesiology
Professor
Email:

Chad Hutchinson, MS

Department of Kinesiology
Assistant Professor
Email:

Paulino Santos-Andino, Ed.D.

Department of Kinesiology
Associate Professor & Department Chair
Email: