Group Fitness Instructor Certificate

Program Overview:

The Group Fitness Instructor Certification program explores teaching fitness in a class setting, and addresses the skills required to assist others for improving personal fitness and overall quality of life. The Group Fitness Instructor Certification program will prepare students to work in class settings to lead groups of clients in a variety of fitness-based activities.

This coursework will expose students to the resources and professional networks that they will require to stay current in their profession over the length of their career. Upon completion of the coursework required, an internship experience allows students to see how their skills are applied in the workplace.

Program Outcomes:

Upon completion of the Group Fitness Instructor program at RCTC, students will achieve the following outcomes:

• Demonstrate effective professional communication skills with clients and professional networks.
• Apply critical thinking skills in program planning and development, and perform responsible decision making in ethical and legal situations.
• Develop fitness prescriptions for both individual and group clients based on their abilities, goals, and motivations.
• Describe the characteristics, structure, and function of human anatomy, as well as, the understanding of basic exercise physiology, and prevention and care of sports injuries.
• Identify the many certification tools available throughout the fitness industry for continued improvement, re-certification and expansion with industry trends.

Additional Information:

Group Fitness Instructor opportunities are available in almost every community in our nation through programs offered at recreational venues, public/private fitness clubs, or as independent businesses. Group Fitness Instructors can implement and lead programs for persons of all ages to meet all fitness needs in any classroom or community setting. Group Fitness Instructors are found at every level, from youth recreation to interscholastic, intercollegiate, amateur and senior populations.

GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATE

MINNESOTA TRANSFER CURRICULUM (MnTC)/GENERAL REQUIREMENTS (4 CREDITS)

GOAL 3: NATURAL SCIENCES (4 CREDITS)

• BIOL 1107 – Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (4 cr) OR BIOL 1110 – Human Biology OR BIOL 1217 – Anatomy & Physiology I (4 cr)

PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS (20 CREDITS)

• HLTH 1108 – Weight Management through Nutrition and Fitness (3 cr)
• HLTH 1114 – Responding to Emergencies (3 cr)
• PHED 2240 – Methods of Group Fitness Instruction (3 cr)
• PHED 2242 – Essentials of Strength and Conditioning (3 cr)
• PHED 2249 – Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries (3 cr)
• PHED 2270 – Intro to Physical Education, Health, Rec, Coaching, Fitness & Sport Mgmt (2 cr)
• PHED 2293 – Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor Field Experience (2 cr)

PROGRAM ELECTIVES (3 CREDITS)

Any PHED/REC course

RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES

PART-TIME

• Semester 1 (13 CREDITS): BIOL 1107 OR BIOL 1110 OR BIOL 1217, Elective, HLTH 1108, HLTH 1114
• Semester 2 (14 CREDITS): PHED 2240*, PHED 2242*, PHED 2249*, PHED 2270*, PHED 2293

*Spring only

Course descriptions can be found at: RCTC course descriptions