{"id":3694,"date":"2026-02-06T17:52:57","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T17:52:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/?page_id=3694"},"modified":"2026-02-06T18:38:00","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T18:38:00","slug":"information-session","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/information-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Information Session for the Exercise Science Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><strong>Welcome to the Exercise Science Program online information session.<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The information session is designed to supply applicants to the Exercise Science program with accurate information and guide them through the application process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Successful completion of an information session is a mandatory step in the application process and must be completed before applying to the program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">At the end of the presentation, there is a post-test to be completed as verification of reading the informational session material.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Objectives<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Upon completion of this informational session, you should be able to:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Define\/Describe Exercise Science Program<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Understand the job market.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Describe your educational options for the Exercise Science Program<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">List the requirements for being admitted to the Exercise Science Program<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The goal of this information session is to define the Exercise Science Program, explain the difference between the two Exercise Science certificates and the Associate of Applied Science degree, give you a brief overview of the roles and responsibilities that you should expect as a Personal Fitness Trainer, and provide you with information about the job market and application process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What is the Exercise Science Program?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Exercise Science program prepares students for a variety of careers within the rapidly growing fitness and wellness industry. In general, students will use their knowledge of fitness, exercise, and a proper diet to help individuals or groups improve their health and well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Graduates are qualified to work with gyms, corporations, or individuals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Areas of Study for the Exercise Science Program<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Aerobic Training<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Strength Training<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fitness Assessment<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exercise Prescription<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Equipment Use and Safety<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wellness Concepts<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Students in the Exercise Science program receive skilled instruction in aerobic training, strength training, fitness assessment, exercise prescription, equipment use and safety, and wellness concepts which deal with issues such as smoking cessation, stress management, and weight control.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The Program goals are to:<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Produce students who are to produce students who are competent and knowledgeable in both the concepts of fitness and health, as well as skilled in the application of training methods on a healthy individual.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Actively train individuals with a focus on safe and effective programs that result in a healthier client.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Optimize employment opportunities for the graduates of our program. Students will be prepared to work in gyms, corporations, or with individuals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Help students prepare for national certification exams.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><b>Why Choose ACC?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Qualified Faculty<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Graduate degrees in Exercise Science\/Health Promotion<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">All faculty are nationally certified\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Excellent pass rate for national exams<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">90% pass rate for ACE-PT exam<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">92% pass rate for NSCA-CPT exam.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">100% pass rate for ACSM-CPT exam<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Focus on practical learning:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Approximately half of the FITT courses have labs.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Students in the one-year certificate and two-year associate\u2019s degree are placed at a fitness facility in their final summer semester for true \u201chands-on\u201d guided learning. Although not a guarantee, many of the interns are offered a position at the end of their internship.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Why is this Job Market so Lucrative?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Aging baby boomers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> &#8211; are concerned with staying healthy, physically fit, and independent. They have become the largest demographic group of health club members.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Reduction of physical education programs and childhood obesity &#8211; <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The reduction of physical education programs in schools, combined with parents\u2019 growing concern about childhood obesity, has resulted in rapid increases in children\u2019s health club membership.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Youth athletes and young professional adults<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> &#8211; Increasingly, athletic youth are hiring personal trainers, and weight-training gyms for children younger than 18 are expected to continue to grow. Health club membership among young adults has grown steadily, driven by concern with physical fitness and by rising incomes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In addition, the job market continues to expand and diversify in areas that are not so typical.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Wedding market<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Modeling agencies\/acting schools<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Faith-based fitness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Physical therapy centers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Medical community marketing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">School\/day care centers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Corporate fitness<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Hospital community<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Cruise ships<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Job Expectations<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What are common job expectations for the Trainer?<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Many jobs are part-time, but trainers may work at multiple sites to help increase income. Full-time employment is more difficult for beginners to obtain.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Night and weekend working hours are common for the person fitness trainer.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Pay Expectations<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bls.gov\/ooh\/personal-care-and-service\/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Median pay at national levels\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wages of fitness trainers and aerobics instructors in can be found at the US Department of Labor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>The Exercise Science program offers three plans that an individual can apply to.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Fitness Specialist: seventeen-hour certificate<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www6.austincc.edu\/cms\/site\/www\/awardplans\/awardplan.php?year=2019&amp;type=CC&amp;group=PCPFT&amp;nid=23556&amp;apid=4932\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Click here to view the certificate plan<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Employment expectation for this certificate<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Fitness Specialist certificate can be completed in one semester. This certificate is designed to train individuals who seek employment as a support staff member in a fitness facility, but not as a personal trainer. Included in the 17-hour certificate are instruction in fitness evaluation, wellness concepts, facility operation, and human anatomy and physiology.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Personal Fitness Trainer: Thirty-five-hour certificate<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www6.austincc.edu\/cms\/site\/www\/awardplans\/awardplan.php?year=2019&amp;type=CC&amp;group=PCPFT&amp;nid=23556&amp;apid=4934\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Click here to view the certificate plan<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Employment Expectations for this certificate<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The certificate is designed to train individuals who seek employment as a Personal Trainer. This certificate is designed to offer focused instruction in the field of exercise science with specific training in fitness evaluation and testing, program design and implementation, and advanced training methods and nutrition. Along with appealing to individuals who want to learn the skills and knowledge to be a Personal Trainer, this is also an excellent choice for current professionals wanting to update their skills.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>CPR<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Students must hold current adult CPR\/AED certification to be awarded the Certificate.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Associate of Applied Science<\/b><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www6.austincc.edu\/cms\/site\/www\/awardplans\/awardplan.php?year=2019&amp;type=CC&amp;group=PCPFT&amp;nid=23556&amp;apid=4933\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Click here to view the degree plan<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Sixty-hour degree program<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Associate of Applied Science is a 60-hour, two-year degree program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Employment Opportunities<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The degree may offer more employment opportunities in facilities that require a higher level of education.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>CPR<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Students must hold current adult CPR\/AED certification to be awarded the Personal Fitness Associate of Applied Science Degree.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Degree versus certificate<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The degree is designed to integrate the educational and practical training skills needed to be an exercise professional, as well as cater to the individual who may have plans to continue his\/her education at a four-year institution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">National Certification<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The program incorporates material specific to national certification preparation for exams such as those offered by the American College of Sports Medicine (C-PT), National Strength and Conditioning Association (C-PT), and the American Council on Exercise (PT)<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acsm.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">American College of Sports Medicine<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nsca.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">National Strength and Conditioning Association<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.acefitness.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">American Council on Exercise<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Requirements for Exercise Science Associate of Applied Science Degree (AAS)<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The prospective student interested in the Associate Degree must meet with the Department Chair to develop a degree plan. Course suggestions will vary greatly depending on the individual student&#8217;s college transcript. Please note that an associate degree pursuant can begin with a Fitness Specialist Level 1 Certificate, move on to the Personal Fitness Trainer Level 1 Certificate, and then complete the Exercise Science Associate of Applied Science degree.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Technical Standards<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Exercise Science program establishes technical standards and essential functions to ensure that students have the abilities required to participate and potentially be successful in all aspects of the respective programs, with or without reasonable accommodations due to a documented disability.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Fitness experts must have a variety of personal attributes and abilities to be successful in this challenging field. Technical Standards are required to be met by applicants to the program. Please review the technical standards located on page 2 of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/document\/d\/1kEIGV1GO_2c6Gov-DfqSKpcrw3ngxmdM\/edit?usp=drive_web&amp;ouid=105528366230898976719&amp;rtpof=true\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Exercise Science Student Handbook<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Students are required to meet technical standards and essential functions for the Exercise Science<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">program as indicated above. If an applicant or student is unable to meet all of the outlined standards, he\/she may be withdrawn from the program.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Personal Factors for Acceptance<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Priority for acceptance is given to individuals who:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Have displayed academic success previously to applying to the program, and can pursue either the certificate or the AAS degree as a full-time student. Although part-time status does not exclude a student from the program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Application Requirements<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No criminal background check required<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No immunization records required<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No drug screen required<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Application Process\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Apply to ACC: <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.austincc.edu\/discover\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">http:\/\/www.austincc.edu\/discover\/ <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">(NOTE: IF YOU ARE ALREADY AN ACC STUDENT, PLEASE SKIP THIS AND GO TO THE NEXT STEP)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Complete the Information Session (which you are doing at the moment).<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Submit the departmental application. The Department Chair or a faculty advisor will contact you to schedule an individual consultation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Please NOTE: Acceptance into ACC does not guarantee acceptance into the Program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>You have concluded the informational session for the Exercise Science program.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Application<\/b><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Please continue to the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLScqlBpyYf-yYoyTLGw-UJRGuWayvkED4QXVSPkxhHMfHHSsng\/viewform?usp=sharing&amp;ouid=105528366230898976719\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Application<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to the Exercise Science Program online information session. The information session is designed to supply applicants to the Exercise Science program with accurate information and guide them through the application process.\u00a0 Successful completion of an information session is a mandatory step in the application process and must be completed before applying to the program.\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3694","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"layouts":false,"hero_content":false,"sidekick":""},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3694"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3694\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/education.austincc.edu\/exercise\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}