Fitness and Lifestyle Management Program (S114) 2012-2013

Student success in college requires well developed learning skills and attitudes (such as being able to work independently, participate in a team, be well-organized, 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.

*Please note: The Fitness and Lifestyle Management program at George Brown is currently being revised into a two year, four semester format. The newly organized program is expected to begin in September 2012 at our new Waterfront campus. Building on our ongoing success in graduating well prepared and highly-employable fitness experts, the two year program will continue to provide the knowledge and skills that employers and industry certification require. In addition, there will be increased emphasis on health promotion, fitness for an aging population, and interprofessional collaboration. Graduates from the George Brown Fitness and Lifestyle Management program will continue to be not only well trained but also well positioned to meet the evolving needs of the fitness industry, the healthcare sector, the community, and individual clients. Details of the 2 year program will be announced as they are finalized.

OUR PROGRAM

This three-year, six-semester advanced diploma* is delivered over two calendar years and has been preparing the most qualified fitness professionals for over 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 prepares graduates to further their education in related university programs.

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.

Program faculty work closely with industry and professional associations to prepare fitness professionals for employment in the clinical, rehabilitative, private, community, commercial and corporate sectors. Students have the opportunity to become Ontario Fitness Council (OFC) certified Basic Fitness Leaders and Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP) – Certified Personal Trainers (CPT) by taking a combination of theory and practical examinations. These skills, along with organization and management skills, are practiced while providing client services to members of our Fitness Centre: an excellent living lab experience.

Students enter their sixth semester placement with both OFC and CPT certifications. These certifications are offered through external governing bodies and require additional examination/membership fees. Staff provide additional clinical help, as well as individual and small group academic tutoring. In the final semester, students apply their knowledge and skills in placement settings 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.

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

“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 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      Physiology of Exercise
COMP1082     Computer Skills and Applications
COMM1007   College English
GNED             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 Lifestyle Change
PHSL1002      Muscle Physiology
GNED            General Education Elective

SEMESTER 3
HLTH2033     Guidelines for Exercise Prescription
HLTH2034     Clinical Practice for Fitness and Active Living
HLTH1019     Health Promotion: Counselling for Healthy Active Living

SEMESTER 4
HLTH2002     Fitness Marketing and Computer Applications
HLTH2031     Personal Training Certification 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
HLTH2027     Fitness and Wellness Management Internship II
HLTH2029     Personal Training Certification II
HLTH2032     Exercise Prescription for Special Populations
HLTH2010     Exercise Class Leadership III
HLTH2021     Injury Prevention and Treatment
HLTH1106     Health 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 2012-2013

Health & Wellness