Health, Fitness, and Exercise Studies (A.S.)

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Official Title of Major: Health, Fitness, and Exercise Studies, A.S.

Award: Associate of Science degree, A.S.

Code: AS.HEA.FIT.EXERCISE

Total Credit Hours: A minimum of 60

Learn more about the Health, Fitness, and Exercise Studies Program

Purpose: This program is for students to pursue career options in the health fitness industry including commercial/corporate fitness, personal training, kinesiology, sports medicine, sports conditioning, sport management and recreation and parks. Student may transfer to a four-year institution in exercise science, kinesiology, sport management, sports medicine, and recreation and parks.

Range of Occupations

Personal trainer
Fitness specialist for corporate/commercial, private, or municipal and community recreation
Health coach
Sport management
Strength and conditioning coach
Recreation and parks

Additional Program Requirements

Students must earn a grade of C or better in all program requirements. Consult with an academic advisor to ensure the most effective choice of courses to prepare for transferring to a four-year institution. Elective credits must be chosen with the approval of the academic chair or faculty adviser.

Honors Program Courses

If you qualify for the Honors Program, you may take honors versions of some courses (such as ENG 101H , ENG 102H , etc.).

Graduation Requirements

See Academic Regulations for college-wide Graduation Requirements .

Planning Tool: Two-Year Sequence of Courses

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General Education Requirements: 35 credits

An approved list of general education courses can be found in the General Education and Diversity, Technology and Wellness Requirements section of the catalog. Choose general education courses from the following topics:

English Composition: 6 credits

ENG 101 - Academic Writing and Research 1 3 credit hours
ENG 102 - Academic Writing and Research 2 3 credit hours
ENG 101A and ENG 101 are equivalent courses. Students may take ENG 101A -ENG 102 or ENG 101 -ENG 102 to meet their English Composition General Education requirement.

Arts and Humanities: 6 credits

Select one course from COM and select one course from a different Arts and Humanities.

Biological and Physical Sciences: 8 credits

BIO 101 - Fundamentals of Biology 4 credit hours
BIO 233 - Anatomy and Physiology 1 4 credit hours

Mathematics: 3 credits

(Must choose a general education mathematics course. See General Education Mathematics Requirements for a list of approved courses. Transfer students should consult with an academic advisor or with their transfer school before choosing a math course.)

Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6 credits

Select PSY 111 and one SOC from SOC 111, 105 or 150.

PSY 111 - Introduction to Psychology 3 credit hours
AND
SOC 111 - Introduction to Sociology 3 credit hours
OR
SOC 105 - Exploring the Future 3 credit hours
OR
SOC 150 - Introduction to Aging Studies 3 credit hours

Additional General Education Requirements: 6 credits

HEA 100 - Assessment and Theory of Fitness and Health 3 credit hours
This course meets the General Education Wellness Requirement.
Technology Requirement 3 credit hours
See General Education Technology Requirements for list of approved courses.

Program Requirements: 25 credits

BIO 234 - Anatomy and Physiology 2 4 credit hours
HEA 101 - Foundations of Health, Exercise and Sport 3 credit hours
HEA 111 - Personal and Community Health 3 credit hours
HEA 150 - Advanced First Aid, CPR and AED 3 credit hours
HEA 295 - Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries 3 credit hours

Program Electives (consult with an advisor): 9 credits

Must be chosen from the following (due to a variety of transfer requirements at four-year schools, students should consult with an academic advisor or with their transfer school before choosing their electives):

HEA 113 - Women’s Health 3 credit hours OR
GSS 113 - Women’s Health 3 credit hours
HEA 117 - Healthy Aging For Women 3 credit hours OR
GSS 117 - Healthy Aging for Women 3 credit hours
HEA 137 - Weight Management: Utilizing Healthy Approaches to Diet and Physical Activity 1 credit hour OR
BIO 137 - Weight Management: Utilizing Healthy Approaches to Diet and Physical Activity 1 credit hour
HEA 138 - Nutrition for Fitness and Sport 1 credit hour OR
BIO 138 - Nutrition for Fitness and Sport 1 credit hour
HEA 230 - Personal Trainer Fundamentals 4 credit hours
HEA 231 - Health Coach 3 credit hours
BIO 135 - Principles of Nutrition 3 credit hours
SPT 123 - Sports in America 3 credit hours
SPT 232 - Sport Psychology 3 credit hours
ESI 103 - Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3 credit hours

Diversity Requirement

Satisfied by SOC 111 or SOC 105 or SOC 150 .

Technology Requirement

All students in associate degree programs must satisfy the Technology Requirement . In many cases, students may satisfy this requirement simultaneously as they satisfy a general education course requirement or with an elective.

Wellness Requirement

Satisfied by HEA 100 .

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

Design and instruct individualized exercise programs for healthy adults and special populations.
Apply current technology in the health, fitness and exercise industry.
Identify aspects of diversity as they relate to health and wellness.
Identify and critique health-related lifestyle behaviors including national fitness and nutritional guidelines, as they relate to the dimensions of wellness.
Apply legal and ethical issues and professional responsibilities within their scope of practice.
Demonstrate basic injury prevention techniques and perform first aid and basic life support procedures.
Identify how the skeletal and neuromuscular structures of the human body adapt and contribute to human performance.

This program aligns with all the college’s core competencies.

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