As a health and wellness student, you will have a strong academic foundation that combines classroom and real-world learning. You’ll also gain valuable perspectives in social science, exercise science, and business – all of which will help you excel in your career after graduation.
Want to educate and inspire elementary and secondary students to be physically active for life? At Westminster College, you will develop the knowledge, skills, and instructional competencies to be the mentor these students need. Graduates receive Missouri DESE certification to teach K-12 physical education.
As a health and wellness student, you’ll study principles of nutrition, holistic health, and exercise training. You'll learn how to test health and activity status, prescribe safe exercise, prevent exercise injury, and assess client progress toward health and fitness goals.
Beyond the classroom, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in service learning with local schools, the YMCA, and senior and assisted-living facilities. You’ll have the chance to conduct research. And you’ll be able to gain real-life experience as Westminster College Peer Health Educators (PHE). If you want to pursue an internship, many are available.
“I left each class better informed of the field and with an understanding of how to critically think about such topics that I know I will be facing at the graduate level.”
Tarah Bechtold Physical Therapy Student
Develop your leadership skills through service-learning opportunities with local schools, the YMCA, and senior and assisted living facilities.
Westminster health and wellness students also have the opportunity to travel abroad to learn, serve others, and expand their health and wellness experiences.
Students also gain real-life experience through internships and as Westminster College Peer Health Educators (PHE).
Students have benefitted from recent internships at YMCA Fulton, Missouri School for Deaf, and Capital Region Hospital Healthplex.
Students will receive a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness.
For students pursuing a degree in health and wellness, required courses include Human Biology; First Aid/CPR; Fitness and Wellness Concepts; Social Science in Sport; Introduction to Prevention and Care of Injuries; Sport Psychology; Introduction to Nutrition; Exercise Prescription; History and Philosophy of PE; Kinesiology; Exercise Physiology; Test and Measurement; Management in PE; and 4 PED activity courses.
From Greece to Rwanda to Tanzania, our health and wellness students have worked and studied abroad, gaining valuable life-enriching experiences along the way.
Since 1992, Westminster health and wellness students have participated in this important service mission with the World Health Empowerment Project (WHEP).
Many students are active in organizations such as the Education Association and Westminster Peer Health Educators.
Many Peer Health Educators attend the Meeting of the Minds Conference in spring each year.
Faculty have field experiences as athletic trainer, registered dietitian, and clinical exercise physiologist. These experiences provide students with practical knowledge in their courses.
Most students in this program will also have an internship their junior or senior year. Internship options include working with community health providers, wellness outpatient programs, child health and activity programs (after school program, YMCA, private schools), prevention programs, and women’s health organizations.
While many of our students choose to go on to graduate schools for health education, public health, and other allied health fields, there are many students that go into the workforce right after graduation. There are opportunities to work in health education, fitness programming, business industries, sports facilities. Department advisors work with students to find internships early and help with networking opportunities.
Being involved on campus is essential to building your skills in leadership. It is highly recommended to take on leadership role in Greek organization, athletics, or clubs/organizations on campus. There are many to choose from, but our majors are typically found in Peer Health Educators, Nutrition and Fitness Association, Pre-Health Care Club, and Remley Women’s Center.
