Health and Fitness Management, BS

The Health and Fitness Management major provides students with a solid foundation concerning the management and clinical sides of preventative health care. Students will be prepared for entry and mid-level management positions in organizations providing health and fitness services, such as within:

  • Commercial Fitness Centers,
  • YMCA,
  • Corporate Fitness/Wellness Centers,
  • University Wellness/Adult Fitness Centers,
  • Hospitals/Clinics with specialties in Cardiac and/or Pulmonary Rehabilitation,
  • Municipal/City Recreation/Family Centers,
  • Activity Centers for Older Adults,
  • Community Centers and
  • Worksite Health Promotion Programs.

Graduates may also pursue employment as salespersons, administrators, and managers of all types of fitness/wellness facilities. Additional opportunities exist for those who aspire to become entrepreneurs in the field and pursue health and fitness coaching/consulting.

The main objectives of the degree program are to:

  • provide content/discipline foundation for careers in health and fitness management within corporate wellness centers, hospital-based fitness facilities, traditional health clubs, resorts, and others;
  • enhance students’ abilities to acquire and synthesize health and fitness information in a critical, scientific, and effective manner through detailed, intensive analysis and evaluation of texts and other research materials;
  • provide students with relevant strategies of health promotion, illness/injury prevention, and illness/injury rehabilitation to maximize healthy outcomes of individuals, families and communities in a multicultural society;
  • develop students’ critical thinking and research skills to levels of excellence expected of bachelor’s prepared health and fitness professionals;
  • prepare students for national certification exams in the field of health and fitness; and
  • enhance the preparation of students for graduate study (exercise physiology, exercise science, management, business administration, gerontology and other related fields).

The Health and Fitness Management major will include foundation courses such as anatomy and physiology I and II, survey of health and fitness professions, first aid and CPR, and introduction to management. This major will also provide students with a solid base in business and management principles by requiring courses in accounting, economics, marketing, finance, legal, ethical issues in health care, and applied human resource management. The program features courses specific to the health and fitness arena including:

  • kinesiology,
  • exercise physiology,
  • sports psychology,
  • personal health and wellness,
  • prevention, care and rehabilitation of injuries,
  • personal nutrition,
  • principles of fitness across populations,
  • substance use in fitness,
  • exercise testing and prescription.

Finally, the program will involve capstone courses to ensure the students are able to synthesize all of their undergraduate coursework into meaningful application of their acquired knowledge, skills, and abilities. These courses include health and fitness management, a capstone course, and an internship.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Identify and portray ethical behaviors and values consistent with the profession especially as they relate to risk management and injury prevention.
  2. Effectively communicate in writing and through oral presentations (clear, concise and coherent) on topics in health & fitness management.
  3. Integrate and apply knowledge to analyze current industry issues and recommend solutions and/or strategies in organizational and human performance.

Program Requirements

Freshman - Sophomore Years
Core Curriculum (Areas A-E)
All Core Curriculum requirements for Health and Fitness Management degree are shown under Core Curriculum in the Graduation Requirements section of the Undergraduate Catalog.42
Subtotal42
Lower Division Major Requirements (Area F)
ACCT 2101Principles of Financial Accounting3
BIOL 1151
1151L
Human Anatomy and Physiology I
and Human Anatomy & Phys. Lab I
4
BIOL 1152
1152L
Human Anatomy & Physiology II
and Human Anatomy & Phys Lab II
4
ECON 2105Principles of Macroeconomics3
HFMG 1101Survey of Health and Fitness Professions1
HFMG 2110First Aid & CPR3
Subtotal18
Junior - Senior Years
Program Core Requirements
MGMT 3101Mgmt. Prin. & Org. Behavior3
HFMG 3101Kinesiology3
HFMG 3102Exercise Physiology3
HFMG 3110Personal Health and Wellness3
HFMG 3121Injury Prevention & Rehab3
HFMG 3130Principles of Fitness3
HFMG 3140Exercise Testing & Prescript.3
HSCI 3520Legal Issues in Health Care3
MGMT 4101Human Resource Management3
MGMT 3520Negotiation and Conflict Mgmt.3
or MGMT 4102 Organizational Behavior
Subtotal30
Upper Division Requirements
MKTG 3101Principles of Marketing3
FINA 3100Personal Financial Management3
HLTH 3341Cultural Diversity in Health and Illness3
HFMG 3382Substance Use in Health Fitness3
HSCI 3550Ethical Issues in Health Care3
HFMG 4060Personal Nutrition for Health3
Choose one from the following:3
Exercise and Sport Psychology
Entrepreneurship
Practicum in Health & Fitness
Subtotal21
Program Capstones
HFMG 4110Health Fitness Management3
HFMG 4970Health & Fitness Internship/Pr3
HFMG 4999Health & Fitness Mgmt Capstone3
Subtotal9
Total Credit Hours120

Please Note: This is a suggested course sequence and assumes a starting freshman with no prior college credit who intends to complete their degree in four years. Students should consult with their academic advisor and review the course prerequisites and minimum grade requirements as seen in the Academic Catalog. 

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
First SemesterCredit Hours
ENGL 1101 English Composition I Core Area A1 3
MATH 1101 Intro to Mathematical Modeling Core Area A2 3
CRIT 1101 Critical Thinking Core Area B1 3
POLS 1101 American Government Core Area E1 3
Behavioral Science Core Area E4 3
CSU 1000 First Year Seminar * 0-1
 Credit Hours15-16
Second Semester
ENGL 1102 English Composition II Core Area A1 3
Communication or Foreign Language Core Area B2 3
Science Course with Lab Core Area D1 4
ACCT 2101 Principles of Financial Acct. 3
HFMG 1101 Survey-Health & Fitness Prof. 1
 Credit Hours14
Second Year
First Semester
ECON 2105 Principles of Macroeconomics 3
Literature, Philosophy, or Foreign Language Core Area C1 3
BIOL 1151
1151L
Human Anatomy and Physiology I
and Human Anatomy & Phys. Lab I
4
HIST 1111
Survey-PreModern World History Core Area E2
or Survey of Modern World History
or Critical Trends and Issues
or Intro to Global Issues
3
HFMG 2110 First Aid & CPR 3
 Credit Hours16
Second Semester
Fine Arts or Intermediate Foreign Language Core Area C2 3
Math, Science, or Technology Course Core Area D2 3
HIST 2111
Survey of US History to 1877 Core Area E3
or US HIST Since Reconstruction
3
HFMG 3110 Personal Health & Wellness 3
BIOL 1152
1152L
Human Anatomy & Physiology II
and Human Anatomy & Phys Lab II
4
 Credit Hours16
Third Year
First Semester
Science Course without Lab Core Area D1 3
HFMG 3101 Kinesiology 3
MGMT 3101 Mgmt. Prin. & Org. Behavior 3
MGMT 4101 Human Resource Management 3
HFMG 3102 Exercise Physiology 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
MKTG 3101 Principles of Marketing 3
MGMT 4102
Organizational Behavior
or Negotiation and Conflict Mgmt.
3
HFMG 3121 Injury Prevention & Rehab 3
HFMG 3382 Substance Use in Hlth Fitness 3
HSCI 3550 Ethical Issues in Health Care 3
 Credit Hours15
Fourth Year
First Semester
HSCI 3520 Legal Issues in Health Care 3
HLTH 3341 Cultural Diversity Health/III 3
HFMG 4110 Health Fitness Management 3
HFMG 4400 Exercise & Sport Psychology 3
HFMG 3140 Exercise Testing & Prescript. 3
 Credit Hours15
Second Semester
HFMG 4060 Personal Nutrition for Health 3
HFMG 3382 Substance Use in Hlth Fitness 3
HFMG 4970 Health & Fitness Internship/Pr 3
HFMG 4999 Health & Fitness Mgmt Capstone 3
FINA 3100 Personal Financial Management 3
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours121-122
*

First-time traditional students enrolling in 9 or more semester hours are required to enroll in CSU 1000 First Year Seminar