Overview
The Personal Fitness Trainer Certificate prepares students to develop safe fitness programs focused on health maintenance for healthy individuals. Graduates may be employed by health clubs, fitness centers, or wellness centers. Job activities may include fitness testing, identifying risk factors, conducting individual and group exercise programs, counseling clients in behavior modification, and designing individualized fitness programs.
Graduates are prepared to take the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Certified Personal Trainer exam.
Related Programs
Exercise Science (EXS)Corrective Exercise Specialist Certificate (CESC)Group Fitness Instructor Certificate (GFIC)Health and Fitness Special Populations Certificate (HFSPC)Yoga Teacher Training Certificate (YIC)Contacts
Program Chair
Career Outlook
Graduates Are Prepared To
- Take the American Council on Exercise Certified Physical Trainer exam. Graduates who earn the ACE certification may be employed by health clubs, fitness centers, or wellness centers.
Representative Job Titles For Graduates
- Personal Trainer
- Fitness Instructor
Graduate Employment Outlook
Employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow by 13 percent through 2022, about as fast as the average for all occupations. 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.
$15.25/hour (median pay)
Graduate Starting Salary Projections
Contacts
Program Chair
Curriculum
Effective 2022-2023 academic year
Personal Fitness Trainer Certificate (PFTC)
Program Prerequisites: ENG 085 and MAT 093 (minimum grade of C for both) or appropriate placement scores, and meet with Program Chair.
| First Year | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Lec | Lab | Credits | |
| FYE 1XX First Year Experience Elective | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| EXS 130 | Foundations of Health and Wellness Programs | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| EXS 151 | Principles of Exercise Assessment and Prescription | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| DT 120 | Nutrition for a Healthy Lifestyle | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| EMS 100 | CPR and First Aid for the Health Care Professional | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| ENG 101 | English Composition 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Semester 2 | ||||
| EXS 152 | Exercise Programming | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| EXS 156 | Establishing a Personal Training Business | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| EXS 182 | Personal Fitness Trainer Practicum | 1 | 7 | 2 |
| EXS 255 | Anatomical Kinesiology | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| PE 132 | Resistance and Cardiorespiratory Training | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| COMM 1XX Communications Elective | 3 | 0 | 3 | |
| Total Credits: | 24 | 15 | 29 | |
Electives
| First Year Experience Elective | ||
| FYE 100 | College Success Strategies: Overview | 1 |
| FYE 105 | College Success Strategies: Overview and Application | 2 |
| FYE 110 | College Success Strategies: Practice and Application | 3 |
| Communication Elective | ||
| COMM 105 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMM 110 | Public Speaking | 3 |
• This curriculum displays only course numbers without the added letter.
• The alternative version, when available, meets the requirements of the course version without the added letter.