Arizona State University Exercise and Wellness degree

by Anthony
(Tucson, AZ)

I'm interested in getting a bachelors in Exercise and Wellness from Arizona State University. I was wondering if you could take a look at their program and let me know what you think of it. Hey, you never know, you might want to add this to your list. Thanks for your time.

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Can anybody help Anthony on this?
by: Katie - Admin

If you have been to ASU and got a Exercise and Wellness degree, let us know what you thought of it.

Another option Anthony is to contact the school and ask them to give you contact info for current or past students.

Katie

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Save your money?
by: JB

I just graduated from ASU with a BS in Exercise and Wellness. It is a great program and I really enjoyed most of the instructors. I did have a couple of problems with the counseling staff, it seemed like every time I visited they wanted me to take more credits!

The degree does not necessarily give you any clout in the fitness industry...I've found that out by personal experience.

It all depends on what you want to do as a career. If I didn't plan on going on to grad school I would have skipped the degree and just gone for a certificate.

Take a certification training course instead...ACSM, ACE, AFPA, etc, pass the exam, and work as a personal trainer.

It won't take as long, you'll earn the same as a graduate, you'll learn almost the same things, and you'll save THOUSANDS!!!

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Don't do it
by: Anonymous

I have a BS in Exercise and Wellness from ASU and I have to say that the degree is just bs. While the wellness classes were interesting and provided useful information on health behavior change, the exercise portion of the program was a waste of time, energy, and money. The instructors are more interested in their own research than in providing education to undergrad students. In fact, most of these classes are not taught by the professors, but rather my masters students, some of which do not have an undergrad in exercise and many of them have no teaching experience and are not certified in any fitness associations. Also, most of them are interested in only working with athletes, not the general population and do not provide applicable information on how to assist the general populaiton.
You would be better off going to a community college for exercise/fitness education (but NOT Chandler-Gilbert since they are under ASU. There are plenty of colleges that have much better programs - do your research.

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What type of jobs can this degree land you?
by: Anonymous

Does anybody know what type of jobs the Exercise and Wellness degree can land you? My ultimate goal is to work at Life Time Fitness in Arizona and I'm finding out that a four year degree in this field is preferred. Does anybody know anything about this?

Thank you!

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B.S. EXW
by: Anonymous

I also got my B.S. in EXW and like the previous comments can't say I'm satisfied with my education. It is a fun degree to earn, just the opportunities afterwards, in my experience are limited unless you're gonna live in the east valley, and then I've only seen a few related job openings. My best advice is general to everyone and about every industry... if you want to be a personal trainer, surround yourself with personal trainers or gym staff, etc. If you wanna be a doctor, surround yourself with nurses, doctors, etc. I've come to find out that it's EXPERIENCE not neccessarily education that is gonna take you places.
Still considering the EXW degree? Seriously consider the health promotion concentration or even the additional golf/spa management certification the program offers.
I hope this helps! :)

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ASU EXW program is alligned for health care professionals
by: RG

Whoever recommended to only get ACSM certified, and the Bachelors of Science degree in Exercise, Wellness and Health Promotion doesn't have any "clout within the personal training industry" clearly doesn't know much about "clout", or where it matters. ASU's Exercise Science program is rated #3 in the United States, and their Masters in Kinesiology is ranked #1. There is a big difference between knowing the actual science, physiology, psychology and mechanics of the human body, and only knowing how to instruct people to "do 3 sets of 15 reps on that machine, that machine, and that machine, then go drink a protein shake." While an uneducated, and untrained personal trainer who recieved their PT certification because they had a hair up their butt and an extra $300.00 that day to spend on an online certification may not respect the degree program, but the medical and health promotion industry does. And those are the industries that graduates of that program work in. They devolop health and wellness programs and initiatives for municipalities (big word, google it), work as corporate health and wellness coordinators, health teachers, work as Exercise Physiologists (big word again) OR go on to get their Masters in physical therapy or medical science to become physicians assistants. So do we care if the bodybuilder that wouldn't know human anatomy or disease prevention from a hole in his head doesn't think the degree has "clout"? No, we don't, because someday, that personal trainer who doesn't have the proper education will lose his clients to those of us that do =)

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AGREE with R.G.
by: ST

I was going to write a huge long message against what the above person said about "just getting a certification," but then saw R.G.'s comment about the importance of actually knowing and understanding the human body in order to properly train it and I just want to SECOND his comment! There is MUCH MORE to exercise and health and wellness than just instructing a person on machines... Anyone can do that, but they can also seriously injure someone or not understand the unique needs of that specific individual due to his/her genetics, specific needs, illnesses, disease, etc. This is stuff you learn in schooling, as well as how the human body functions and works, both healthy and with the various injuries/illnesses. Should you get the degree? If you want to be a GREAT trainer and TRULY want to help a person and not just half-ass your job, than OF COURSE. If you want to go on to bigger and better things, and have bigger and better jobs consider you and top notch companies, than HECK YES. Take the time and get the degree. I have it and found an amazing career job shortly after... one that I wouldn't have gotten without the degree. I wouldn't trade or change the degree for the world!

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EXW
by: Anonymous

I concur with the above two comments. I am currently in the EXW program at ASU. I was a personal for a short amount of time at 24 hr fitness, I quit because I felt unlearned. I have learned a great deal since I have been in the program and I watch how personal trainers train there clients now, closely. I watch how they have there clients performing exercises incorrectly as well as watch the personal trainers train their clients incorrectly, which will ultimately cause injury to the clients. In the EXW program you learn all about: flexibility, muscular strength and conditioning, the cardiovascular system, exercise prescription, exercise physiology, basic nutrition, exercise testing. You learn how to assess an individual and design a program for the individual. I also was given a student as a client in which I interviewed, assessed and design a program for as well as trained for 8 weeks. This EXW program educates you to properly prescribe exercise for people with a variety of conditions and ailments. I think its a great program. Unless your a trainer that educates him/herself through multiple certification, text books, journals and research papers you don't need this degree.

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EXW program meh
by: Anonymous

The program is great if you want to learn about working with the general public or in corporations but don't expect to learn anything about strength training that is actually going to be useful towards athletes unless you take extra courses that would specialize in that or go for your masters in strength and conditioning or athletics etc. If you love fitness go for it just don't set your expectations to high for what you're going to get out of the program. At the end of the day it's just a piece of paper that gets you places in life because what you learn is pretty common knowledge in the fitness industry for anyone who knows what they are actually talking about. Disregarding a few classes that I actually respected like exw315 and 330 because I actually learned something. Now that I'm writing this I would actually go for a kinesiology degree instead of a EXW degree if I could do it all over again because I feel like I would have learned more. Though with that said unless you plan on going to grad school don't get the kinesio degree. If you want just a bachelors that will make you decent money in the fitness industry try Corporate Wellness or whatever the health professional degree is, I can't think of what it's called, and this is my opinion as a senior in the program with a 3.96 gpa so I'm not a fool throwing around his opinion. Oh and by the way, The RG person talking up the degree got way to defensive and needs to get over themselves so take their opinion with a grain of salt.

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