Personal Training (Academic Minor)
24
Total credit hours
16
Required credit hours
8
PHED activity hours
All
Majors welcome
Coursework and hands-on training that prepare you for professional personal training certification.
The College of Health and Human Sciences offers a 24-credit-hour minor in Personal Training, open to students across campus. You move between didactic, lecture-based courses and kinesthetic, physical activity courses to build a working understanding of how training actually works.
Why This Minor
The curriculum is built around the material covered on professional personal training certification exams, so the coursework does double duty — it counts toward your degree and prepares you to sit for the credential.
The range of physical activity courses also broadens your understanding of group fitness, an area in high demand. If you are looking for part-time work as a personal trainer or fitness instructor during your studies or after, this minor is built for you.
Coursework
The minor requires 24 credit hours across three groups.
Required (16 credit hours)
| Course | Hours | Title |
|---|---|---|
| ESMS 2015 | 3 | Resistance/Aerobic Training Applications |
| ESMS 3405 | 3 | Kinesiology |
| HLSC 3505 | 3 | Principles of Health Fitness Instruction. Prerequisites: BIOL 2010/2011 and BIOL 2020/2021. |
| ESMS 3700 | 3 | Introduction to Exercise Physiology |
| PHED 3001 | 1 | Personal Training Exam Prep. Permit required; all other coursework must be completed first. |
Choose one option (3 credit hours)
| Course | Hours | Title |
|---|---|---|
| HLSC 2100 | 3 | Wellness Concepts and Practices |
| NUTR 2202 | 3 | Nutrition |
PHED activity courses (8 credit hours, including one aquatic course)
Each PHED course listed is worth 2 credit hours. Choose from either group, but at least one must be aquatic.
General options
1003 Aerobics1004 Jogging1007 Yoga1008 Walking1009 Cross-Training1015 Stationary Cycling1016 Pilates1020 Fitness for Beginners1141 AbLab1302 Free Weights & Machines1305 Kettlebell1444 Kickboxing1744 PiYo/Pilates/Yoga1932 Zumba
Aquatic options
1006 Water Aerobics1711 Beginning Swimming I1713 Intermediate Swimming1722 Swim-Lifeguarding1742 Conditioning Through Swimming2703 Teaching Swimming & WSI3406 Lifeguarding Instructors
CPR certification. You must show proof of current CPR certification to take the Exam Prep course. You can certify through an outside agency, or complete HMSE 2102 or ESMS 3050 within the college, both of which provide it.
Course availability. Not every PHED course runs each semester, and new ones are added periodically. If you see a course on the schedule that is not listed here, ask your advisor whether it can be substituted.
Ask about the minor Meet the faculty
