UW-Stout's Kinesiology, Health, Food and Nutritional Sciences Department's Bachelor of Science in Health, Wellness and Fitness (HWF) offers two concentrations to provide you with the skills and expertise to build a rewarding career as a health promotion specialist, health educator, community health workers, health educator, corporate wellness coach and health researcher.
According to U.S. News & World Report, there is a growing demand for fitness and wellness coordinators with the knowledge and skills to help people develop and sustain healthier lifestyles. We prepare you to help people implement their health goals, sustain life-changing behaviors and manage healthy progress.
Program Overview
Concentrations
Our multi-disciplinary approach includes two field experiences and allows you to focus your studies in a particular area of interest. Both concentrations offer hands-on experiences and business management skills that will give you a competitive edge when entering the profession or pursuing a masters degree.
The Health and Wellness Promotions concentration will prepare you to:
- establish health education and nutrition programs within businesses, fitness organizations and community organizations.
- consult within the health insurance industry on corporate health and wellness programs.
- effectively address public healthcare issues, disease prevention and health issues related to the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol.
- prepare for Health Promotion Specialist certifications.
The Fitness Professional concentration will prepare you to:
- understand the psychological dimensions of fitness and wellness and help individuals cope with stress and other common life adjustments throughout their lifespan.
- manage a health and fitness organization and inspire people to make a health-generating change.
- develop a career as a head athletic trainer, resident athletic trainer or sports medicine coordinator for fitness programs, health clubs and community recreation programs.
- become eligible for certification as a strength and conditioning professional or as an individual and group fitness instructor.
Our unique program offers undergraduate courses and supporting programs based on curriculums developed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and American Council on Exercise (ACE).
Use the Request Information form to receive a program summary and learn more about the Bachelor of Science degree in Health, Wellness and Fitness.
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Preventative Healthcare
The Health, Wellness and Fitness program will prepare you to enter the healthcare arena as a preventative healthcare worker. You'll become knowledgeable about the causes of the major controllable health care issues in society today as well as those we face in the future. You'll gain the skills needed to help others develop healthier lifestyles to combat major controllable health issues such as obesity and diabetes, as well as various coronary diseases and conditions.
While you learn about these preventable problems, you'll also learn business management skills that will give you a competitive edge when entering the profession. The program integrates the professional areas of nutrition, fitness, health education, business procedures, management and community health to prepare you to become a prevention specialist.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with my choice to attend UW Stout in 2011. The programs are designed to lead you to success, not only in your career but in the life skills needed to pursue your dreams and everyday life. My four years as a student-athlete were extremely rewarding in more ways than one."
B.S. Health, Wellness and Fitness graduate
“My time at Stout as a student-athlete was one of the best chapters of my life. The coaches and professors provide a family atmosphere, they understand what it takes to set you up for success in your future. The HWF program provided me with the tools needed to serve elite athletes from all over the nation.”
B.S. Health, Wellness and Fitness graduate
“I attended UW-Stout for 4 years and LOVED it. My major was HWF which is something I had always been passionate about. After graduation, I moved to Minnesota in June & I was able to find a job within a great corporate wellness company in about 2.5 months after I graduated."
B.S. Health, Wellness and Fitness graduate
Program Objectives
At the completion of the Health, Wellness and Fitness program, graduates will be able to:
- Distinguish common motivation and barriers to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Use health, wellness and fitness assessments or technologies to inform professionals and clienteles in the development of healthy lifestyles.
- Evaluate factors associated with health risks and disease.
- Prescribe management concepts to health and wellness-related programs.
Concentration Objectives
Health and Wellness Promotions Concentration objectives include:
- Develop knowledge of public health issues and disease prevention.
- Create awareness of health issues related to the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol.
- Recognize the development of individual and common influences across the lifespan and be prepared to address issues of aging.
- Develop knowledge of common health care issues and how these issues are dealt with by individuals and families.
- Recognize the impact of leisure activities on families, culture and society.
- Recognize the individual and cultural implications of nutrition and patterns of nutrition within communities.
- Develop knowledge and skill to establish health education with fitness organizations and communities.
Fitness Professional Concentration objectives include:
- Understand the health and fitness industry.
- Develop knowledge and skills to manage a health and fitness organization.
- Develop knowledge of group and individual fitness techniques.
- Recognize the need for specific nutrition and hydration strategies for athletes and those wishing to become more athletic.
- Understand the psychological dimensions of fitness and wellness and develop the skills to help individuals cope with stress and other common life adjustments.
- Develop knowledge and skills to assist individuals with health and fitness throughout the lifespan.
Fitness workers, personal trainers, group exercise instructors and fitness directors are increasingly called upon to serve more complex sets of the American population. The professional arena is demanding more highly trained and knowledgeable staff than ever before. Fitness centers, medical centers and corporate health and fitness programs require staff that have knowledge of fitness, nutrition, motivational strategies, management of injuries, legalities of injured worker systems, and risk management. The world of health, wellness and fitness is changing and is requiring greater skill sets with fitness assessments, club management, nutrition assessments and fitness programs tailored to the needs of an increasingly diverse population.
2022-23 HWF Advisory Board
| Michael | Bird | Health & PE | UW-Stout |
| Michael | Bizel | Headquarters Performance Executive | ETS |
| Kristal | Gerdes | Associate Dean CEHHHS | UW-Stout |
| Laura | Knudsen | Clinical Dietitian | Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire |
| Mary | LaRue | Program Director | UW-Stout |
| Susan | Lew | Head Athletic Trainer | UW-Stout |
| Ann | Parsons | Professor-Biology | UW-Stout |
| Kerry | Peterson | Professor, Food and Nutrition | UW-Stout |
| Kyle | Steiner | Health & PE | UW-Stout |
| Mackenzie | Stutzman | Director, Health & Fitness Center | UW-Stout |
| Emily | Boettcher | Wellness Program Manager | Health Source Solutions |
