Health Promotion & Exercise Sciences
Bachelor of SCIENCE
PUBLIC HEALTH - FITNESS & WELLNESS
This program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Fitness, Performance, Instruction and wellness
The Fitness & Wellness option is designed for students interested in pursuing a career in fitness training, human performance, exercise instruction, and wellness coaching.
Degree Requirements:
All degrees at WCSU require 120 semester hours (SH). This includes major requirements, general education requirements, and electives. This structure provides room for minors, internships, and study abroad.
General Education: All students must complete the General Education curriculum which includes both competency and breadth requirements. For a complete description of the General Education program, Go to the academic programs and degrees page.
Semester 1
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| Gen Ed: First Year Experience | 1 |
| PSY 100 Intro to Psychology | 3 |
| SOC 100 Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| COMP 101 Into to Composition | 3 |
| Gen Ed: Speech Communication | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
Semester 2
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| HPX 103 Introduction to Public Health | 3 |
| MAT 115 Biostatistics OR MAT 120 Statistics | 3 |
| Gen Ed: Personal Wellness | 2 |
| Gen Ed: Writing & Information Literacy | 3 |
| Gen Ed: Arts | 3 |
Semester 3
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| HPX 200 Intro to Community Health Assessment | 3 |
| HPX 254 Exercise Testing and Prescription | 3 |
| BIO 105 Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| PHI 223 Ethical Issues in Healthcare | 3 |
| SW 220 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | 3 |
Semester 4
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| HPX 270 Health Education Theory & Application | 3 |
| BIO 106 Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| HPX 202 Epidemiology of Disease | 3 |
| HPX 255 Group Activity Instruction OR HPX 313 Principals of Personal Training | 3 |
| Gen Ed: Arts or Humanities | 3 |
Semester 5
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| HPX 370 Health Program Planning & Intro to Evaluation | 3 |
| HPX 371 Health Communication Methods & Materials | 3 |
| HPX 203 Intro to Human Nutrition | 3 |
| HPX 348 Principles of Wellness Coaching | 3 |
| CHE 102 Everyday Chemistry | 4 |
Semester 6
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| HPX 470 Health Program Implementation & Evaluation Methods | 3 |
| HPX Fitness & Wellness Elective | 3 |
| PSY 260 Health Psychology | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
Semester 7
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| PSY Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 2 |
Semester 8
| Course | SH |
|---|---|
| HPX 490 Public Health Practicum | 12 |
| HPX 491 Public Health Senior Seminar | 1 |
Career Options
- Health Coaching
- Personal Training
- Wellness Programs
- Exercise Science
- Fitness Class Instruction
- Fitness Testing
- Strength & Conditioning
- Athletic Training
- Health Program Design
Internship Opportunities/Field Placements
- Pure Physique, Danbury
- RedZone Cross Fit, Newtown
- HighLife by Tom, Ridgefield
- University Athletics – WCSU, Yale, Quinnipiac, Post, Fairfield
- Xceleration, Deer Park, NY
- Golf Performance Center, Ridgefield
- Camp Herrlich, Patterson, NY
- Waterbury Parks and Recreation, Waterbury
- Regional YMCA, Waterbury
- Middletown YMCA, Middletown, NY
- Advanced Therapy and Performance, Stamford