Personal Trainer Diploma

Program Overview:

The RCTC Personal Trainer Diploma program will provide a broad foundation of knowledge to assist students to assess, design and prescribe individualized fitness training programs for clients. The program addresses the skills required to assist others in improving personal fitness and overall quality of life. The 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. Personal Training opportunities are available in almost every community in our nation through programs offered at recreational venues, public/private fitness clubs, or as independent businesses. 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 Personal Trainer 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.

PERSONAL TRAINER DIPLOMA

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 (4 cr) OR BIOL 1217 Anatomy and Physiology I (4 cr)

PROGRAM CORE REQUIREMENTS (31 CREDITS)

• HLTH 1114 – Responding to Emergencies (3 cr)
• PHED 2155 – Introduction to Kinesiology (3 cr)
• PHED 2240 – Methods of Group Fitness Instruction (3 cr)
• PHED 2241 – Essentials of Personal Training (3 cr)
• PHED 2242 – Essentials of Strength & Conditioning (3 cr)
• PHED 2245 – Group Fitness/Personal Trainer Certification Exam Prep (2 cr)
• PHED 2249 – Prevention and Care of Athletic Injuries (3 cr)
• PHED 2252 – Sport Psychology (3 cr)
• PHED 2253 – Sport Nutrition for Performance (3 cr)
• PHED 2270 – Intro to Physical Education, Health, Rec, Coaching, Fitness & Sport Management (2 cr)
• PHED 2293 – Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor Field Experience (3 cr)

PROGRAM ELECTIVES (3 CREDITS)

Choose three credits from the following courses:

• HLTH 1108 – Weight Management through Nutrition and Fitness (3 cr)
• PHED 1105 – Lifetime Fitness (3 cr)
• PHED 1122 – Circuit Training (1 cr)
• PHED 1124 – Tai Chi and Meditation (1 cr)
• PHED 1125 – Yoga for Life I (1 cr)
• PHED 1128 – Yoga for Life II (1 cr)
• PHED 1126 – Step Aerobics (1 cr)
• PHED 1127 – Body Toning (1 cr)
• PHED 1132 – Speed and Power Running (1 cr)
• PHED 1133 – Strength Training for Men and Women (1 cr)
• PHED 1150 – Basic TRX Training (1 cr)
• PHED 1151 – High Intensity Interval Training (HITT) with TRX Suspension Training (1 cr)
• PHED 1189 – Boot Camp (1 cr)
• PHED 1190 – Strength, Agility and Quickness Training for Football Athletes (1 cr)
• PHED 1191 – Strength, Agility and Quickness Training for Volleyball and Soccer Athletes (1 cr)
• PHED 1192 – Strength, Agility and Quickness Training for Basketball Athletes (1 cr)
• PHED 1193 – Strength, Agility and Quickness Training for Wrestling Athletes (1 cr)
• PHED 1194 – Strength, Agility and Quickness Training for Baseball and Softball Athletes (1 cr)
• PHED 2154 – Introduction to Biomechanics (3 cr)
• REC 2210 – Recreation Program Leader (3 cr)

RECOMMENDED COURSE SEQUENCES

FULL-TIME

• Semester 1 (13 CREDITS): BIOL 1107 OR BIOL 1110 OR BIOL 1217, HLTH 1114*, PHED 2155*, PHED 2252*
• Semester 2 (14 CREDITS): PHED 2240**, PHED 2242**, PHED 2249**, PHED 2253**, PHED 2270**
• Semester 3 (11 CREDITS): PHED 2241*, PHED 2245, PHED 2293, Program Electives (3 cr)

*Fall Only
**Spring Only

Course descriptions can be found at: RCTC course descriptions