Personal Trainer


  • STEM

Personal trainers work to assess, instruct and motivate individuals and groups in exercise activities including cardiovascular training, resistance exercise and flexibility, and core training.

What Will I Learn?

The coursework in the program is transferable, and may be applied toward a bachelor’s degree for those students interested in kinesiology, teaching physical education, sports management and coaching, athletic training, and physical therapy. Additionally, employees already working in the fitness field have the opportunity to further their education to retain or possibly upgrade their job skills and marketability.

Courses specific to this program include laboratory and work experiences in skills required in the field of personal training. These classes require hands-on active learning including oral presentations and demonstrations. Skills required for fitness professionals include both oral and written techniques, motivational techniques, deductive reasoning, time management, social perceptiveness, leadership and decision making.

Candidates for the National Board of Fitness Exam (NBFE), the exam to become a licensed Personal Trainer, must meet minimum requirements by submitting official transcripts from an institution of higher learning showing coursework in the following areas: Human Anatomy and Physiology, Exercise Science (Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology), Basic Nutrition and General Business or hold a current certification from a national organization that is an affiliate of the NBFE. The courses in this program will fulfill these requirements.

What Certificate Will I Receive?

What is Unique About Our Personal Trainer Program?

The program includes instruction in teaching group exercise classes, resistance training, fitness assessment and program design for individuals, nutrition for health and fitness, fitness industry management, and exercise science, including both the physiology of exercise and biomechanics. An internship to gain experience in the field is included in the program.

What Are My Career Opportunities?

The program consists of courses designed to prepare a student for certification in the area of personal training, including the academic knowledge and hands-on experience of tangible skills.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of fitness trainers and instructors is projected to grow 10 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than 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.