Sport Science and Fitness Management Degree Program

The Sport Science and Fitness Management degree will prepare undergraduate students for careers in a variety of sport, fitness or recreation environments. Graduating seniors apply their knowledge and skills to real-world problems through internships in a variety of health, wellness, sports and other recreational settings.

Graduates of the program possess the knowledge and skills needed to conduct and interpret assessments of health and fitness, as well as to determine safe and effective exercise programs.  Employment opportunities for the SSFM major may include:

  • Personal Trainer
  • Wellness Coach
  • Fitness Instructor
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach
  • Fitness Specialists in cardiac rehabilitation facilities
  • Sales Representatives in pharmaceuticals and medical and fitness supplies

Certifications

ALL SSFM graduates complete select courses that prepare them for nationally recognized certification exams.  These courses include principles of strength and conditioning, fitness leadership, anatomy and physiology, applied anatomy,  exercise physiology, sports nutrition, and fitness testing and prescription. Certification exams are offered by organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Sport Science and Fitness Management Degree Options 

In addition to the core coursework required for a degree in Sport Science and Fitness Management, students also take courses in other areas of interest including Business Administration, Leisure Studies, or Physical Therapy prerequisites (Pre-Physical Therapy). Course requirements are different for each option, so students must identify their desired option when admitted to the university.
 
Students in the Business Administration option take additional courses such as marketing, management information systems, and entrepreneurship. Employment opportunities for the Business Administration option include:

  • Fitness Club Manager
  • Personal Training Studio Owner
  • Corporate Wellness Management
  • Fitness, Personal training, or Wellness Director

Students in the Leisure Studies option take additional courses in recreation such as camp administration, outdoor recreation, and programming and planning in recreation.  Employment opportunities for the Leisure Studies option include:

  • Parks and Recreation
  • Youth Leadership
  • YMCAs
  • Convention and Business bureaus

Students in the Pre-Physical Therapy option take additional courses in preparation for future graduate study in physical therapy.  These courses include chemistry, physics, statistics, psychology, and medical terminology.  (Courses in this option may not meet all the required prerequisites for a particular physical therapy program). Students in the Pre-Physical Therapy option may also pursue other allied health professions requiring further study and training such as: 

  • Physical Therapy Assistant
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Athletic Trainer
  • Chiropractic Assistant
  • Medical Assistant

 

HPLS F.I.T. Living Learning Community

Newly admitted freshmen students who have declared Sports Science and Fitness Management (SSFM) as their degree program are eligible to participate in the HPLS Facilitating Interpersonal Transformation (F.I.T.) Living Learning Community. 
The purpose of the F.I.T. LLC is to provide structured academic, social and professional experiences for first and second year SSFM students as a means for them to examine exercise and/or related disciplines leadership models, develop a practical understanding of sport organizational administrative functioning and to participate in collaboratively planned leisure activities. Moreover, the F.I.T. LLC will afford SSFM first and second year students the opportunity to become familiarized with the University’s values, while fostering an environment for personal development.

PHI EPISILON KAPPA (PEK) ETA DELTA Chapter

Within the department of HPLS, both undergraduate and graduate students are afforded the opportunity to obtain membership in Phi Epsilon Kappa Honor Society, given that they meet the following requirements:
  1. Must be enrolled at North Carolina A&T State University as a full-time student;
  2. Must be declared as a sports science fitness management major for at least one academic semester; and
  3. Must have a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale at North Carolina A&T State University.
Some of the  advantages of membership in PEK are:
  1. Provides unique opportunities to work with peers;
  2. Offers socio-cultural opportunities;
  3. Fosters lasting friendships and fraternal spirit;
  4. Provides opportunities for  professional growth and leadership development;
  5. Develops a feeling of mutual interest and responsibility, both personally and professionally; and
  6. Helps to  instill a healthy professional spirit among the members and other students in the department and/or school.
With regard to the latter, the PEK Honor  Society within the Department of HPLS developed and implemented a program entitled: Students Promoting Physical Activity (Exercise is Medicine), Healthy Eating, Exemplary Grades, and Community Engagement (SPHEC) to help fight against the obesity epidemic (through increased physical  activity and a healthy diet) to promote academic success and community engagement. 

Sport Science and Fitness Management Majors’ Club

Sport Science and Fitness Management (SSFM) majors are all encouraged to join and actively participate the SSFM majors’ club within the Department of HPLS. In particular, the purpose of the SSFM Majors’ Club is to promote the personal, professional, and social well-being of its members through participation in community service, state and national memberships, and the representation of student participation of campus activities. The SSFM Majors’ Club meets once each month during the fall and spring academic semesters.
Additional Information
 

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