If you are passionate about promoting health and wellness through exercise, you must enroll in one of the world’s best health and fitness schools.
With your certification, you can apply for a job in a school as a fitness instructor or health educator. In fact, with your license, you can set up your own fitness center or even train people through online platforms like YouTube.
We will connect you with the world’s best health and fitness schools that offer degree programs, including online schools. Before we look at the available fitness programs, let’s quickly glance at what this profession is all about.
Table of contents
- Overview of Health and Fitness
- Why Health & Fitness?
- How Long does it take to get Health and Fitness degree?
- What Jobs can you get with a health and fitness degree?
- Health and Fitness degree Salary
- Health and Fitness degree Salary
- What are the Best Health Fitness Schools In The World?
- Health And Fitness Schools In the USA
- Online Schools For Health And Fitness
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- Reference
- We Also Recommend
Overview of Health and Fitness
It is a fact that regular exercise improves our health and well-being. We are going to discuss health and fitness as a profession. So, let’s quickly look at the meaning of health and fitness. They also demonstrate how to perform each activity safely and effectively, monitor their client’s progress, and offer advice about dietary choices to help their clients benefit from their workouts.
Health
According to Wikipedia.org, Health is a living organism’s functional or metabolic efficiency. In humans, individuals or communities can adapt and self-manage when facing physical, mental, or social challenges. Health is not just the absence of illness; it is a state of complete mental, physical, and social well-being.
However, the most generally accepted definition of health according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Constitution says that: “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (World Health Organization, 1946).
Fitness
Physical fitness is a state of health and well-being. It is the ability to meet the demands of the environment such as the ability to perform aspects of sports, occupations, and daily activities.
Additionally, health and fitness professionals work directly with individuals and groups. They help them meet their physical goals through exercise and good nutrition. The role of these trainers is to develop customized exercise plans that often include cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and stretching.
Why Health & Fitness?
Health and fitness coaching is very important because, without health, you’re dead or maybe a working corpse. Also, it is impossible to carry out any task if you are not physically fit. Below are the reasons why people devote time to health and fitness training.
- Health professionals specialize in developing nutritional treatments that are safe and effective for older adults and the elderly.
- They help athletes regulate diets that help produce high energy, body build, muscle growth, and body composition.
- Guide people through consuming whole and organic plant-based foods free of pesticides, additives, and chemicals.
- They help children manage illnesses through diets that promote a strong immune system.
- Provide all of the necessary building blocks for healthy growth and mental development.
- A Health professional creates nutritional plans for acute or chronic kidney disease patients.
How Long does it take to get Health and Fitness degree?
There are varieties of options when it comes to health and fitness certification. So it’s usually best to find out what the employers or clients in your location prefer.
Suppose you are interested in majoring in fitness studies. You have to consider a bachelor’s degree at a fitness institution to demonstrate competency to potential clients.
Certification will take about two to four years to acquire a bachelor’s degree. You may need certification in CPR and using AEDs (automated external defibrillators).
What Jobs can you get with a health and fitness degree?
You can play many roles as a certified health and fitness trainer. Most Health and fitness trainers are employed as physical education teachers in a high school or college. Others work as personal trainers, health coaches, Athletic coaches, and fitness consultants.
Additionally, suppose you complete the Health Promotion and Fitness Management program. In that case, you can qualify for jobs in private companies offering employees health promotion and fitness programs to reduce health risks and improve productivity.
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Health and Fitness degree Salary
Data from the BLS shows that the median annual wage for fitness trainers and instructors was $39,820 in May 2018.
However, you can make over $44,580 / over $76,090 annually with the right credentials. Most Instructors who run private training centers make over $80,000 annually.
A fitness and health instructor can become a certified personal trainer. Click here to learn.
Health and Fitness degree Salary
Data from the BLS shows that the median annual wage for fitness trainers and instructors was $39,820 in May 2018.
However, you can make over $44,580 / over $76,090 annually with the right credentials. Most Instructors who run private training centers make over $80,000 annually.
Also, with the growing interest and awareness of the roles that food and exercise play in preventing disease and promoting overall wellness, there will always be a need for health instructors.
What are the Best Health Fitness Schools In The World?
We have made a list of 10 Health fitness schools In the World. So, you can choose a school that fits your demands. Each of the schools has received full accreditation from the appropriate accrediting bodies. The basis of our selection of these schools are; the number of programs, accreditation, tuition, student-faculty ratio, acceptance, and graduation rates.
Nevertheless, you must remember that different programs prepare students for different careers. Some programs focus on scientific principles research, while others are designed to prepare students for jobs in education. So, you must choose a program that best fits your educational needs and career goals.
Here is the list of the best health fitness schools in the world
- University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
- Texas A&M University
- Purdue University
- The University of Pittsburgh in PA
- The University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign
- Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
- University of Georgia
- University of Texas
- Michigan State University
- Temple University
#1. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
Talking about health and fitness programs without mentioning the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor is impossible. The school is one of the best health and fitness schools in the United States.
This college’s phys ed program graduates earn around $42,911 in their early career salary and $61,878 in their mid-career salary. In addition to the academic programs, the school’s location is nice for young people trying to find adequate options for social networking, excitement, and discovery.
The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor ranks #25 in the 2023 edition of Best Colleges and National Universities. Usually, the school runs a trimester-based academic calendar, and the tuition is $15,558(in-state) and $51,200(out-of-state ).
#2. Texas A&M University
Data from the US university ranking shows that Texas A&M University ranks #70 in the 2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities. Its in-state tuition and fees are $11,232; out-of-state tuition fees are $37,726.
If you want to study Health and Physical Education, consider this school. Texas A&M University – College Station offers bachelor and graduate degrees in Phys Ed. The Applied Exercise and Health program prepares students to become leading professionals in the health and fitness industry.
#3. Purdue University
This school offers a core science-based nutrition program. The coursework covers exercise physiology, fitness assessment, and exercise prescription.
Usually, courses in Athletic Training prepare students for entry-level athletic training jobs. Students in the program learn through an extensive curriculum of didactic and clinical experience and are prepared to sit for and pass the Board of Certification (BOC) exam.
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Meanwhile, students who complete the Movement and Sport Sciences major can qualify for jobs in Exercise Physiology, Sport Psychology/Sport Sociology, Intercollegiate Athletic Administration, Product Research and Development, and Physical Therapy, among others.
In addition to the academic programs, Purdue University ranks #57 among National Universities based on the US news ranking.
#4. University of Pittsburgh in PA
This school makes the list of best health and fitness schools worldwide. It ranks #68 among the best national universities, according to US News & World Reports.
The Department of Health and Physical Activity offers a program in exercise science and wellness through its program. Students who enroll in the Bachelor of Science in Wellness program can concentrate on aerobics, aquatics, dance, or fitness.
A Master of Science in Health and Fitness can be completed in a research or practitioner track. Additionally, the school has a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Exercise Philosophy.
#5. University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign
Only a few schools compete with the University of Illinois for studying Health & Physical Education. The college was established in 1867 and had over 20,00 students. The physical education graduates at this school earn around $39,722 at the beginning of their careers.
The institution comprises 17 colleges and offers over 150 undergraduate and 100 graduate programs of study. At the school, students meet one-on-one with a trained fitness professional at SportWell.
During the training session, they are exposed to topics including; Developing exercise prescriptions, Strength equipment demonstrations, and Personal fitness assessments that include body composition, resting heart rate, blood pressure, and strength and flexibility measurements.
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#6. Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ
Rowan University ranks #21 among the best regional universities in the North based on US News & World Report. The school is also listed among the world’s top 10 best fitness and health schools.
The school Wellness Center is fully equipped with a student health and wellness facility. The clinical services provided within the Wellness Center are Student Health Services (SHS), Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), Alcohol and Other Drugs Services (AOD), and Emergency Medical Services (EMS).
The Health Promotion and fitness management undergraduate specialization received a Distinguished Undergraduate Program award in 2010 from the National Wellness Institute. It is also among the three selected schools from 278 health promotion undergraduate programs by the Award committee.
Upon graduation, you can apply for a job in the clinical setting, working alongside medical professionals to help patients recover from illness and injury.
In addition, there are also job opportunities in community settings. They work as professionals who offer programs and services targeting children, teenagers, seniors, and other special populations to improve the health and well-being of community members.
#7. University of Georgia
University of Georgia’s ranking in the 2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities #50. Its in-state tuition and fees are $12,080; out-of-state tuition and fees are $31,120.
This institution is a great choice for students pursuing a fitness & health Education degree. The UC’s Center for Physical Activity and Health offers programming for a variety of populations, with an emphasis on the prevention and management of chronic diseases and conditions that benefit from physical activity.
The center is also home to the Department of Kinesiology’s Disabilities Wellness class, which pairs students with members of the community who have disabilities and trains them to work with modified exercises to create a personalized fitness plan for their clients.
In addition to the academic program, the school’s location is perfect for young people seeking opportunities for networking, excitement, and life.
#8. University of Texas
UT is among the best fitness and health school in the world. The University of Texas at Austin offers graduate degrees in phys ed for those interested in an advanced degree. The University of Texas at Austin is among the largest schools in Texas.
The phys ed department of the school has healthcare facilities that offer students general medicine, women’s health, urgent care, sports medicine, allergy and immunization clinics, radiology, nutrition services, and more.
#9 Michigan State University
MSU has a total undergraduate enrollment of 39,423. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. MSU ranks #84 in the 2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities.
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The fitness and health program at Michigan State University is offered under the Physical and Health Education department. Graduates from Michigan State University earn about 12.8% above the average earnings of health and physical education graduates.
#10. Temple University
TU is a great choice if you are pursuing a fitness and health education degree. Graduates from this university’s health & physical education major get 7.1% above the average graduate in this field. Temple University is a public institution that was founded in 1884. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 29,484,
The health & physical department education features fitness facilities, including weight rooms, climbing walls, indoor tracks and courts, pools, and more.
At Temple, you’ll find everything you need to develop your mind and body. Usually, employee Health Services offer many primary-care services, including allergy shots, immunizations, and physicals.
Also, one way that Temple promotes healthy living is through a rewarding partnership with Independence Blue Cross. Additionally, TU operates a semester-based academic calendar. The university ranks among the top 100 in the 2023 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities.
Health And Fitness Schools In the USA
Schools that offer Health and Fitness programs in the USA are;
- Virginia Tech University
- George Washinton University
- Ball State University
- The Evergreen College
- Felician University
- Governor’s State University
- Saint Louis University
Online Schools For Health And Fitness
Here are the best online schools to offer health and fitness programs
- Georgetown University
- Post University
- Full Sail University
- Purdue University
- American University
- Southern New Hampshire
- Northcentral University University
- Ashford University
Frequently Asked Questions
Individuals who choose a state school or traditional university to become personal trainers typically earn a bachelor’s degree in sports medicine, exercise science, physical education, kinesiology, or a related field.
The personal trainer certifications with an option for NCCA accreditation are the most respected in the industry. The NCCA is the gold standard for third-party personal training certifications. These certs include NASM, ACE, Fitness Mentors, and ISSA.
Fitness involves activity of some sort that stimulates various systems of the body and maintains a certain condition within the body. On the other hand, health involves every body system and is only achieved through a lifestyle supporting health.
Conclusion
Our bodies need for absolute wellness and fitness cannot be overemphasized. Usually, Health and fitness studies prepare one for a career as a physical and health education teacher, Yoga trainer, fitness instructors, and manager at recreation centers.
Becoming a fitness and health instructor requires good communication skills, commitment, creative thinking, and a strong passion for health and well-being.
So, to be a fitness trainer or health instructor, you must recognize and understand the various causes of bad posture, physical weakness, etc.
This broader understanding will inform you on the approach to helping people overcome their unique challenges and craft new solutions to ongoing problems.
However, most Heath Instructors often work in schools as physical education teachers. Others work in recreation centers. There are so many institutions across the world that offer fitness and health programs. However, most schools feature it as a course under Physical and Health Education.
You can become a fitness trainer without a degree but need certification and licensure to improve your earnings.
Reference
- bls.gov – Fitness Trainers and Instructors
- study.com – Top Schools for Health and Fitness
- trade-schools.net – Fitness & Nutrition Certification Training
- learn.org – Online Health and Fitness Degree Programs
- hotcoursesabroad.com – 257 Universities in the USA offering Health and Fitness degrees and courses
- collegefactual.com – 2023 Best Health & Physical Education Schools
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