Associate of Science/Associate of Applied Science in Personal Fitness Training (ASPFT/AASPFT)

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(Please see the Undergraduate Program Offerings by Campus chart in the catalog or on the Herzing Website at www.herzing.edu/career-programs/downloads for a list of Herzing campuses offering this program.)

Program Description

This program prepares students for entry level jobs in the personal training industry. The program provides a solid background in the basic science and theory related to the development and discipline of personal training, nutrition, and client support, with the general education component of an associate’s degree to become a well-rounded graduate. After passing the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) certification exam, the graduate will be qualified for entry-level work in health clubs, gyms, and wellness centers, or they may become self-employed by going into private practice.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of this program students should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

Articulate biological and physiological components of the human body
Perform all components of an initial client consultation and assessment.
Develop and implement safe and appropriate exercise programming for a client informed by client data analysis
Design effective educational approaches necessary to teach, engage, instruct, and motivate clients.
Apply ethical business and marketing strategies within a personal fitness training context.

Potential Occupational Titles

Potential occupational titles for this program include, but are not limited to, personal fitness trainer and exercise instructor.

Program Content

A minimum of 67.00 semester credit hours is required for graduation.

Required Courses

All courses, 41.00 semester credit hours, are required.

FT 100 - Essentials of Personal Training 3.00 semester credit hours
FT 102 - Essentials of Human Movement 4.00 semester credit hours
FT 103 - Exercise Physiology 4.00 semester credit hours
FT 104 - Exercise Testing and Prescription 3.00 semester credit hours
FT 105 - Exercise Psychology and Lifestyle Coaching 4.00 semester credit hours
FT 200 - Business Principles and Health Service Management 4.00 semester credit hours
FT 201 - Nutrition 4.00 semester credit hours
FT 202 - Program Design 3.00 semester credit hours
FT 203 - Group Exercise Training 3.00 semester credit hours
FT 204 - Exercise Prescriptions for Special Populations 3.00 semester credit hours
FT 205 - Performance Conditioning 3.00 semester credit hours
FT 210 - Personal Fitness Training Externship 2.00 semester credit hours
FT 211 - Certification Exam Preparation 1.00 semester credit hour

Required Courses in General Education

Students enrolled in this associate’s degree must complete a minimum of 24.00 semester credit hours in general education distributed among the following disciplines. Refer to the General Education section of the catalog for Herzing University courses that would satisfy these requirements. *

4.00 Semester Credit Hours in Computer Applications ♦
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in English Composition
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in General Education Electives ♦
1.00 Semester Credit Hours in Information Literacy
4.00 Semester Credit Hours in Mathematics (College Algebra or Above)
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Science or Humanities With a Critical Thinking Focus **▲ ♦
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Social or Behavioral Science
3.00 Semester Credit Hours in Speech

* Transfer students may transfer courses that are within 1.00 semester credit hour of the courses listed above to meet these discipline requirements. Any resulting deficiency in the total of 24.00 semester credit hours required in general education may be made up with general education electives from any of the listed disciplines.

** A course with a critical thinking focus would be a course that addresses the theories and application of critical analysis with an emphasis on developing sequential reasoning skills. Examples may be courses in critical thinking, philosophy, logic, or science.

▲ Students in the state of Georgia must take a science course to fulfill this requirement.

♦ The state of Minnesota requires a minimum of 20.00 semester credit hours of general education for associate’s degrees, not counting computer applications. However, all Herzing University students in the AASPFT program must complete a minimum of 24.00 semester credit hours in general education, including computer applications, to complete the requirement for graduation from this associate’s degree program. Minnesota students must complete at least 2.00 semester credit hours of general education in the humanities.

Personal and Professional Development Courses

2.00 semester credit hours are required.

PD 121 - Professional Development I (Semester Credit Hour Course) 1.00 semester credit hour
PD 202 - Professional Development II (Semester Credit Hour Course) 1.00 semester credit hour