Montgomery County Community College

Health and Fitness Professional AAS

Purpose

The Health and Fitness Professional program provides a comprehensive curriculum and educational experience for students who wish to enter the health and fitness field. The program provides graduates the opportunity to meet eligibility requirements for taking the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certified Personal Trainer Examination. Each student will earn and must maintain the American Red Cross certification in First Aid and Adult Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. In addition to these certifications, the program provides the student with a strong theoretical base as well as practical experience via service learning and an experiential practicum in an educational fitness setting.

The breadth and depth of information in the Health and Fitness Professional Program of Study is supplemented by each student choosing electives to support a directed study course in one area of Health and Fitness. These areas include holistic health, adapted/therapeutic recreation, fitness for older adults, women’s health issues, personal health and wellness, or coaching. Graduates will have the competencies for employment in an entry-level position in the fitness/health industry and allied fields such as personal trainer, corporate wellness, YMCA, commercial recreation and fitness centers, recreational therapy, retirement homes and communities. Upon successful completion of the Health and Fitness Professional program, students also have the option to continue their education in this field at a four year college or university.

Program Mission

The Health and Fitness Program has a mission that reflects the mission of Montgomery County Community College. At the core of this mission is providing a quality educational experience to each student through a variety of instructional techniques. Experiential learning will be emphasized by students conducting fitness/health promotions within the College and greater communities. The focus is to produce graduates who are prepared to be successful in an entry-level position within the health and fitness field.

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• apply the written Skill Component that includes health appraisals, fitness testing, and personal documentation of goals, results, and client programming.
• apply the exercise science Knowledge Component that includes anatomy and physiology, exercise physiology, human development, aging, risk factors, human behavior and psychology.
• apply the Ability Component that addresses applying knowledge and skills to Exercise prescription.

Curriculum

First Semester

Second Semester

Third Semester

Fourth Semester

TOTAL SEMESTER HOURS CREDIT: 61-62 CREDITS