Health Sciences (Healthy Lifestyles and Fitness Science) ,BS
ALLIED HEALTH, Advocacy, Behavioral Health, Chronic Diseases, Coaching, Community Health, Corporate Fitness, Exercise Science, Health Education, Health Promotion, Holistic Health, Lifestyle Medicine, Personal Trainer, Wellness, worksite wellness
Help people improve their daily lives and coach them on how to build and maintain healthy habits. Gain the well-rounded knowledge you need to help people and communities enhance their health.
The Bachelor of Science in health sciences with a concentration in healthy lifestyles and fitness science is a dynamic program that blends multidisciplinary coursework with hands-on training, providing a strong foundation in promoting healthy lifestyles. Students gain expertise in nutrition, fitness, stress management, substance abuse prevention, behavior change, health coaching and health promotion program management.
Students are equipped to make a meaningful impact on individual and community health, addressing challenges related to social determinants of health.
The program offers three academic tracks that prepare students for nationally accredited certifications:
Fitness science: Students learn to assess clients and create personalized exercise programs to optimize health. Courses cover physical activity planning, exercise prescription, body image, wellness and injury risk assessment. Graduates are prepared for personal training certification through the American College of Sports Medicine. https://www.acsm.org
Health education and health promotion: Students develop, lead and evaluate health promotion programs, addressing topics such as diabetes prevention, sexual health and emergency preparedness. This track prepares graduates for the Certified Health Education Specialist exam through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. https://www.nchec.org
Health and wellness coaching: Students learn behavior change strategies and motivational interviewing techniques. Graduates are prepared for certification as Health and Wellness Coaches through the American Council on Exercise (https://www.acefitness.org) and may pursue additional credentialing through the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaches (https://nbhwc.org).
- College/school:
College of Health Solutions
- Location: Downtown Phoenix or Online , ASU Local
- Second language requirement: No
- STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
- First
required math course:
MAT 142 - College Mathematics
or MAT 117 College Algebra - Math
intensity: General
General university admission requirements:
All students are required to meet general
university admission requirements.
First-year
| Transfer
| International
| Readmission
A current ASU student has no additional requirements for changing majors.
Students should visit the Change of Major form for information about how to change a major to this program.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
It is now possible to earn an ASU degree with ASU Local, an integrated college experience in which students take advantage of in-person success coaching and programming experiences on site while completing one of 130+ undergraduate online degree programs, all of which come with online faculty interaction and tutoring support.
ASU is committed to helping students thrive by offering tools that allow personalization of the transfer path to ASU. Students may use MyPath2ASU® to outline a list of recommended courses to take prior to transfer.
ASU has transfer partnerships in Arizona and across the country to create a simplified transfer experience for students. These pathway programs include exclusive benefits, tools and resources, and they help students save time and money in their college journey.
Program learning outcomes identify what a student will learn or be able to do upon completion of their program. This program has the following program outcomes:
- Apply evidence-based concepts to promote healthy lifestyles.
- Integrate ethical standards in all aspects of health promotion.
- Design comprehensive health promotion programs to meet the health needs of individuals and communities.
With more than 300 Global Education program opportunities available to them, nutritional science students are able to tailor their experience to their specific interests and skill sets. Whether in a foreign country, in the U.S. or online, students build communication skills, learn to adapt and persevere, and are exposed to research and internships across the world, increasing their professional network.
The College of Health Solutions recommends these programs for students majoring in health sciences with a concentration in healthy lifestyles and fitness science.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for health coaches and health educators is projected to grow 7% between 2023 and 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.
Health, wellness and fitness coaches work in a multitude of professional environments. Specialty areas may include bariatric weight loss clinic counseling and management, and corporate fitness and worksite wellness.
The globally recognized credentials available through this program open doors to careers in health education, promotion and coaching worldwide and create a long-term pathway to becoming a certified diabetes care and education specialist (https://www.cbdce.org) or a lifestyle medicine professional (https://lifestylemedicine.org/certification).
Career options include positions such as:
- community health educator
- community nutrition aide for the Women, Infants, and Children program, known as WIC
- community outreach coordinator
- corporate wellness coordinator
- fitness center director
- health education specialist (program developer)
- health and patient educator
- personal trainer
- prevention specialist
- school health and nutrition program specialist
- worksite wellness coach or coordinator
Graduates are also well prepared for admission to graduate programs in health promotion, population health, lifestyle management, integrative health, health administration, psychology and medicine.
Example job titles and salaries listed below are not necessarily entry level, and students should take into consideration how years of experience and geographical location may affect pay scales. Some jobs also may require advanced degrees, certifications or state-specific licensure.
| Career | *Growth | *Median salary |
|---|---|---|
|
14.1%
|
$53,840
|
|
|
7.2%
|
$59,990
|
|
|
9.2%
|
$44,890
|
|
|
14.1%
|
$46,190
|
|
|
6.1%
|
$76,480
|
|
|
4.3%
|
$56,090
|
|
|
5.7%
|
$40,420
|
|
|
19.1%
|
$100,300
|
|
|
28.4%
|
$104,830
|
|
|
3.0%
|
$223,410
|
ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.
College of Health Solutions
|
HLTHN 401AA
chs@asu.edu
602-496-3300
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
