Health and Fitness Program

The Health and Fitness Program is designed to foster healthy and physically active life-styles.: Health and Fitness and Basic/General Physical Education. Health and Fitness is the required academic base of the program. Students generally use Exercise and Sport Science activity courses as an elective.

Students must satisfy a three credit requirement in Health and Fitness. The requirement may be met by the successful completion of one of the courses offered under the Option I Group section of the program. The courses carry three clock hours and three credits and are taught in a lecture/laboratory manner. The basic course offered in this section is that of Health and Fitness. Between 10 and 14 sections are offered each semester. These classes are taught within designated parameters set by instructor prerogative. Two basic approaches are utilized within selected context combinations. The first approach is health and fitness oriented, wherein the subject matter covered includes that of body build, body composition, physical fitness, motor learning, nutrition, weight control, and heart disease. The second approach is health and wellness oriented and covers the areas of health and wellness, mental health, stress management, nutrition, exercise and fitness, human sexuality, substance use and abuse, and communicable and non-communicable diseases. There is also a third approach that combines both of the others within a broader range of material coverage. The remaining courses under this option group are generally offered in single sections during the academic year and cover similar areas of study. The goals of this sub-program are to increase student knowledge, understanding, and competency in the fields of health and fitness.

Under the Option II Group section of the program, a greater variety of courses are offered in number as well as in topic designation. These courses carry one academic credit and are also taught in a lecture/laboratory manner. The requirement may be met by the successful completion of three of these courses. Specific areas of study are covered in greater depth pertinent to the field of health and fitness. These study areas are drawn from the larger Option I Group content and developed to cover both the theories and practices inherent in the nature of the subject matter taught. The goals of this sub-program are similar to those of the Option I Group relative to the increase of student knowledge, understanding, and competency in the fields of health and fitness.

Under the Option III Group, students can elect only one course relative to requirement satisfaction. The course may be taken in conjunction with two Option II Group classes to meet the requirement. The classes offered generally include: physical conditioning, sport, recreational, dance, and outdoor adventure activities. The goals of this sub-program are to provide opportunities for students to participate in a variety of physical activities for the development of physical fitness and skills for present and future use. Six to eight credits may be taken and when successfully completed can be applied to the liberal arts and sciences requirements as free electives. A number of activities are offered through which students can selectively develop physical fitness and recreational skill levels within the given course. Course offerings range from competitive to non-competitive, from individual to team from self defense to recreational, and from dance to outdoor adventure. The recent addition of a number of outdoor adventure and dance classes have stimulated a greater interest in these course offerings.

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