Human Performance
Career Opportunities
In combination with the general education component of the undergraduate experience, the Human Performance curriculum has been designed to prepare students for work in a variety of health fitness contexts. The following program categorizations and descriptions are referenced from Grantham, W.C., Patton, R.W., York, T.D., & Winick, M.L. (1998). Health Fitness Management. Champaign , IL: Human Kinetics.
Commercial Programs. Commercial programs include those health fitness facilities that share the common primary objective of generating profit through various departments or program areas, such as fitness, racquet sports, food bar, retail outlets, and personal training (Grantham, et al., 1998, p. 18). These types of facilities generally offer a wide range of services for clients and related career opportunities for Human Performance graduates in the areas of exercise leadership, personal training, membership sales and marketing, facility management, and so forth. The Fitness Management specialization is most ideal for students planning to pursue careers in commercial fitness.
Corporate Programs. In contrast to commercial programs, corporate health fitness programs target the employees of a specific company or organization rather than the general public. Human Performance graduates who are employed in work site health promotion settings typically engage clients in a number of intervention strategies (e.g., health risk appraisals, exercise programming, smoking cessation, nutrition education) for the purpose of improving overall employee health and productivity. The Fitness Management or Health Promotion specialization would be appropriate for students who have a specific interest in workplace health promotion.
Community Programs. Community health fitness programs serve clients in community settings, including voluntary health agencies (American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, YMCA, YWCA, JCC, American Red Cross, etc.), schools, churches, and private social service agencies (Grantham et al., 1998, p. 20). While community programs vary considerably in their specific goals, programming generally emphasizes the role of regular physical activity in the promotion of healthy lifestyles. Human Performance graduates working in community settings plan and implement physical activity promotion programs for various groups within the community (e.g., children, teenagers, adults, older adults, families). The Fitness Management or Health Promotion specialization would be appropriate for students who anticipate working in a community-based program.
Clinical Programs. Clinical health fitness programs share many of the same characteristics as commercial, corporate, and community programs. Clinical programs are usually operated in a hospital and/or health care setting. Clinical programs are associated with outpatient services, such as physical therapy, sports medicine, and cardiac rehabilitation and frequently provide both types of programs in the same facility (Grantham et al., 1998, p. 10). Human Performance graduates who are employed in clinical settings also spend time engaged in community outreach programs related to various aspects of health promotion. The Health Promotion specialization would be ideal for students who plan to seek employment in a medically-based fitness setting. The Pre-Professional specialization is the best option for students who are planning to pursue graduate study in a clinical area (e.g., physical therapy, chiropractic, occupational therapy, exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation).
Strength and Conditioning Programs. Strength and conditioning programs are more highly specialized than the previously described types of facilities in that they target athletes and/or vigorously active clients who are interested in improving sport performance. University athletic departments, professional sports teams, and commercial facilities regularly employ Human Performance graduates who work in the field of strength and conditioning. The Sport Performance specialization is clearly the best choice for students who are interested in strength and conditioning.
Visit the following websites to search for specific career opportunities in Human Performance:
