In our society where health care costs are soaring, obesity and diabetes rates are climbing and our population is living longer than ever before, the emphasis on adapting a healthy lifestyle has become a multi-billion dollar industry. The role of the Health Promotion and Recreational Programming major is to help educate and advise our youth, working adults, and a growing senior citizen population on how they can tailor a proper diet and exercise program to fit into their lifestyle.

Our majors can find jobs as personal trainers or wellness directors at YMCA’s and other fitness facilities, in corporate fitness with a large company, and in city recreation departments. Their duties might include giving personal fitness assessments to middle aged adults, aspiring high school athletes, and leading aerobic, spinning, and weight training classes. Along with their duties dealing with the fitness assessments of their clients they may also be in charge of recreational programs for either youth or adults in a variety of sports such as baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, football, volleyball, racquet sports, and others.

The course work at Tri-State University of the Health Promotion and Recreational Planning major is designed to give the student the knowledge and experiences they need to become effective role models and leaders of a wellness lifestyle. With a strong emphasis on health related subjects the student will gain knowledge of biology, anatomy, kinesiology, exercise physiology, lifetime wellness, athletic training, nutrition, drug education, health problems, and fitness assessments. This course work lays the foundation for the students capstone experience which is writing a major paper related to this field and doing an internship which gives the student valuable work experience at a health club, corporate fitness facility, or with a city recreation department.