Fitness Assessment & Exercise Counselling

Certificates allow you to complete a specific group of university courses (for credit) as either part of your degree studies or separately. Additional details about certificates are available here.

This certificate program can be earned in conjunction with the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BSc) options in Kinesiology & Health Science.

Over the past four decades the research evidence underscores the health benefits of regular physical activity participation for both Health-Related and Performance-Related Physical plus Physiological Fitness.  Governments, faced with soaring medical expenses, have come to realize that physical activity interventions for both primary prevention and secondary management are a more cost effective solution to health care.  In fact, the estimated total costs of physical inactivity are approximately 4% of overall health care costs in Canada. Getting 10% of the inactive Canadian population to become more physically active, a potential savings of $2.6 billion to the health care system could be realized by 2040.  Corporations have learned that improved employee health-related physical plus physiological fitness translates into increased productivity and they are now committed to promoting healthy lifestyles for both primary prevention and secondary management of health.

Consequently, the of fitness with all of its spin-off enterprises continues to be the fastest growing industry in Canada.  With this growth there has developed an increasing opportunity for employment.  During the early years there was virtually no regulation on the qualifications of front-line fitness and exercise practitioners.  However, with increasing consumer sophistication and both public and government concerns for quality control, there was a demand for qualified fitness and exercise professionals.  Therefore, accreditation programs were developed for fitness and exercise practitioners and with the implementation of government sanctioned provincial fitness safety standards; these have become essential qualifications for persons seeking employment in the fitness industry in the private and public sectors.

The York University Certificate in Fitness Assessment and Exercise Counselling is earned concurrently with the honours degree in Kinesiology & Health Science by selecting specified courses along with the required core courses. While completing the courses in the certificate program, national and/or international accreditation can be obtained as a Fitness or Personal Trainer for Health-Related Physical Fitness and Exercise Physiologist Specialist with the Health and Fitness Federation of Canada for both Health-Related- and Performance-Related- Physical plus Physiological Fitness.  Upon degree completion, students who have completed all of the certificate program theoretical and experiential requirements can also apply to become a Registered Kinesiologist with the Ontario College of Kinesiology or a Conditioning Specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Who can take it?

This certificate is open to the following applicants:

1. current York students in the Kinesiology & Health Science degree program (BA or BSc), or
2. new applicants to York who already hold a university degree in a kinesiology-related discipline.

If your first language is not English, you must show you have an acceptable level of English by completing a language proficiency test.

If you have completed at least one full year at an accredited university in a country where English is the official language of the institution, you may be exempt from this requirement.

1. Meet minimum admission requirements
2. Meet program-specific requirements
3. Know the application deadlines
4. Submit your application
5. Submit all required documentation
6. Check on Transfer Credit for Advanced Placement