Fitness and Lifestyle Management Program (S114) 2010-2011

Student success in college requires well developed learning skills and attitudes (such as being able to work independently, participate in a team, be well-organised, develop good work habits, and show initiative). These skills are as important as prior academic achievement. Applicants should have thoroughly developed these skills and attitudes before beginning their college programs.

OUR PROGRAM

The Fitness and Lifestyle Management three-year, six-semester advanced diploma program at George Brown College is delivered over two calendar years and has been preparing the most qualified fitness professionals for 35 years. The employment rate is nearly 100 per cent in many career sectors. Graduates are prepared to meet the multi-dimensional demands of a dynamic market for fitness and preventive health care as well as the growing areas of exercise rehabilitation and personal training.

There is an increased demand for highly qualified exercise specialists to provide client-centred, individual or small group exercise/activity sessions in various settings. The curriculum also reflects the growing demand in the areas of orthopedic rehabilitation, chronic disease management and health promotion, where a fitness graduate would work with a team of specialists to provide exercise therapy as part of the rehabilitation process. In addition, the depth and scope of the curriculum better prepare graduates for further university education.

Employers continue to see hiring our graduates as a way of ensuring high-quality, productive staff. An industry poll found the Fitness and Lifestyle Management graduates, with their personal training, leadership and assessment certifications and their superior practical competencies, the best-trained post-secondary graduates. The prestigious American College of Sports Medicine, upon whose standards the George Brown program was built (1973), suggests that a program should be judged by three criteria:

Our vision is to be the leader in preparing fitness professionals with applied and academic skills and competencies.

Semesters 1, 2 and 3 introduce exercise sciences, exercise techniques, health promotion and fitness, health and lifestyle assessment skills. In semesters 4, 5 and 6, students develop further skills and knowledge in nutrition counselling, fitness assessment and exercise prescription for apparently healthy and special populations, as well as exercise leadership. Options have been introduced in semester 6 allowing students to specialize in areas of interest.

Students have the opportunity to become Ontario Fitness Council (OFC) certified Basic Fitness Leaders. These skills, along with organization and management, are practiced while providing client services to members of our Fitness Centre, an excellent living lab opportunity. Students take practical and written examinations for the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology – Certified Personal Trainer, a nationally recognized certification. The program faculty works closely with the industry and professional associations to prepare fitness professionals for employment in clinical, rehabilitative, private, community, commercial and corporate settings. Staff provide additional clinical help and individual and small group academic tutoring. In the final semester, students apply their knowledge and skills in a placement setting of their choice.

Gina had thought about going to university, but chose George Brown instead because she wanted to gain practical skills that could help her find work right away. She acquired not only those skills, but also a comprehensive knowledge of the science behind fitness, a passion of hers since high school. Today she is the owner of a successful health and fitness studio, Serenity Valley.

She credits this combination of theoretical and practical learning for the high quality of fitness training she can provide her clients. She explains, “I’m a better yoga and pilates instructor because I have that fundamental understanding of the body I learned at George Brown.”

With the experience and contacts she gained through the program, Gina was ready to begin working the day after graduation. “It was a good starting point for me,” recalls Gina.“It got me in the door at just about any place I needed to be. Employers knew the reputation of George Brown students and that we had the practical skills and knowledge base required.”

Gina Faubert (1998 graduate, Fitness and Lifestyle Management)

YOUR FUTURE STUDY OPTIONS

Students who successfully complete this program may qualify for significant exemptions in some university physical education and kinesiology programs. York University provides 30 credits toward the required 120 and eight specific course waivers leading to an honours B.A. or B.Sc. in Kinesiology.

After a summer bridging semester, qualifying graduates have the opportunity to complete the Kinesiology program at the University of Guelph in two years.

Other articulations are available through Acadia University and Sheridan College.

“We are very pleased with the quality of graduates from the George Brown Fitness and Lifestyle Management program. They are very well prepared in areas of quality and care, lifestyle health issues and personal training.”

Dr. Lu Barbuto, D.C.
President and CEO
AIM Health Group

“The City of Vaughan has hired superbly qualified students from the George Brown Fitness and Lifestyle Management program for over two decades. By providing a program that evolves with industry change, George Brown ensures that students are prepared to meet an employer’s needs.”

Paul Compton
Area Recreation Manager
City of Vaughan

“The continued success and growth of our organization is going to depend on our ability to attract the most talented people. We recruit George Brown’s Fitness and Lifestyle Management graduates for this reason – and for the opportunity to work with high-calibre people.”

Darren Katz
President
Body + Soul Fitness

YOUR CAREER

Graduates find employment in a variety of commercial fitness facilities, high performance centres, community centres, recreation centres, corporate fitness centres, private gyms, hospitals and rehabilitation clinics, as health promotion specialists, exercise therapists, fitness programmers, facility managers and personal trainers.

With the increasing emphasis on personal and preventive health care, career opportunities will expand in these areas and new markets will develop as more individuals adopt an active lifestyle.

COURSES

YEAR 1

SEMESTER 1
KINE1001       Kinesiology I
GSCI1045       Nutrition
GSCI1069       Health Promotion: Fitness, Health and Wellness
HLTH1003      Applied Exercise Techniques I
PHSL1005       Exercise Physiology
COMP1082     Computer Skills and Applications
COMM1007   College English
ELECT            General Education Elective

SEMESTER 2
KINE1004       Kinesiology II
HLTH1006      Fitness Assessment and Counselling
HLTH1007      Exercise Class Leadership I
HLTH1005      Cardiovascular Assessment
HLTH1004      Applied Exercise Techniques II
HLTH1018      Health Promotion: Strategies for Behavioural Change
PHSL1002       Muscle Physiology
ELECT            General Education Elective

SEMESTER 4
HLTH2002      Fitness Marketing and Computer Applications
HLTH2031      Personal Training Certificate I
HLTH2023      Fitness and Wellness Management Internship I
HLTH2006      Exercise Prescription
HLTH1015      Client-centred Exercise Techniques
HLTH2025      Advanced Fitness Assessment
HLTH1009      Exercise Class Leadership II
NUTR2001      Perspectives in Nutrition

SEMESTER 5
HLTH2008      Exercise Prescription for Performance
HLTH2026      Biomechanics and Ergonomics
HLTH2012      Advanced Fitness Techniques (option 2/3)
HLTH2027      Fitness and Wellness Management Internship II
HLTH2029      Personal Training Certification II (option 2/3)
HLTH2032      Exercise Prescription for Special Populations
HLTH2010      Exercise Class Leadership III (option 2/3)
HLTH2021      Injury Prevention and Treatment
HLTH2016      Fitness and Wellness Placement Preparation
HLTH2035      Health Promotion: Group Presentation Skills

SEMESTER 6
HLTH2016 Fitness and Wellness Placement
COMP2101 Computer Applications in Health Promotion

For updated information and course descriptions, call 416-415-2000 (TTY 1-877-515-5559) or long distance 1-800-265-2002.

George Brown College is continually striving to improve its programs and their delivery. The information contained in this calendar is subject to change without notice. It should not be viewed as a representation, offer or warranty. Students are responsible for verifying George Brown College admission, graduation, and fee requirements as well as any requirements of outside institutions, industry associations, or other bodies that may award additional designations concurrently with, or after completions of, a George Brown College program.

GEORGE BROWN FULL-TIME PROGRAMS GUIDE 2010-2011

Health & Wellness