Fitness Professional - Certificate

Certificate | mhcc.edu/HPEAAR

Faculty Advisers

Matt Hart: 503-491-7455 | Room PE161 | Matt.Hart@mhcc.edu | Students with last name A-E
Petra LeBaron Botts: 503-491-7355 | Room  PE155 | Petra.LeBaronBotts@mhcc.edu | Students with last name F-J
Dawn Markell: 503-491-6984 | PE158 | Dawn.Markell@mhcc.edu | Students with last name K-O
Amanda Shelton: 503-491-7350 | Room PE157 | Amanda.Shelton@mhcc.edu | Students with last name P-T 
Josh Stratman: 503-491-7201 | Room PE160 | Josh.Stratman@mhcc.edu | Students with last name U-Z

The Fitness Professional certificate is designed to give individuals the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to become a fitness professional. Fitness/personal trainers guide, instruct and motivate clients to pursue goals through exercise programs as well as nutritional and lifestyle changes. These trainers can be employed by fitness and health facilities, corporations or as private contractors. The curriculum is aimed at preparing students to demonstrate proficiency in multiple fitness related domains including exercise science, considerations in nutrition, exercise technique and training instruction, health and fitness assessment, fitness program design, etc. This program will help students work towards obtaining a nationally recognized certification in the fitness industry and can help students continue their education in the exercise/sport science field. Students successfully completing this program will also earn a First Aid and CPR Certification.

All core courses must be completed within 5 years in order for the certificate to be awarded.

Program Outcomes

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

• Identify, analyze and apply behavior modification strategies to promote health and fitness to clients
• Apply advanced exercise principles in order to create responsive, adaptive, and personalized exercise programs for a diverse population
• Describe national standards of professional practice including ethical business practices, confidentiality, adherence to legal requirements and professionalism as they relate to the fitness professional
• Administer and analyze various fitness assessments including cardiovascular endurance, power, speed, body composition, anthropomorphic measurements, muscular strength, endurance and flexibility
• Identify and implement widely-accepted procedures and protocols for emergency cardiac care, airway obstruction, automated exterfinal defibrillator and basic first aid

For the most part, courses that fulfill general education requirements can be taken in any term. Students should work with the faculty adviser(s) to create a custom academic plan based on course placement levels, career goals, and full time/part time status.

Admitted students may also log on to Navigate to start the process of building an academic plan based on this major and can notify an adviser for review.