Who We Are

As an SPU Health and Fitness Education major, you will benefit from outstanding faculty members who have years of experience working in the exercise industry. They have experience both in academic settings and experience with recreational and elite populations. They have also been coaches and trainers for individual athletes and teams.

In this major, which emphasizes information delivery and includes pedagogy, your foundational courses include “Human Anatomy and Physiology,” “Motor Learning and Development,” “Biomechanics,” “Sport Injury Management,” and “Exercise Physiology,” in addition to classes in teaching methods. Whether you plan to enter the workforce after graduation or attend graduate school, a Health and Fitness Education major provides you with a solid foundation.

Whether you plan to teach in a school, coach on a sports field, or serve in another movement-related profession, the Health and Fitness Education major gives you the knowledge base and experience necessary to educate various age groups about fitness and health.

Our Mission

In September 1914, Seattle Pacific added physical education to its curriculum, advising that “courses consist of classes both in theory and in practice.” The forerunner of today’s Health and Human Performance Department, these new courses established the importance Seattle Pacific placed on health and fitness education.

Today, HHP faculty are experts and active professional practitioners in their fields. This gives students access to the most up-to-date training and equipment in those disciplines. Dedicated educators, HHP faculty care about their students and — with SPU’s exceptional faculty-to-student ratio — work closely with them to help them succeed.

Learning Outcomes

Eight, key learning outcomes frame our curriculum.  By studying Health and Fitness Education you will be able to:

1. Articulate the significance of physical activity, sport and exercise in the context of overall wellness.
2. Engage effectively in regular, personal leisure time physical activity.
3. Support or initiate public policy that encourages physical activity within diverse communities.
4. Model interest in physical activity as a priority in life.
5. Articulate a view of physical activity and wellness from the context of a Christian worldview.
6. Gain practical and applied experience through practicum and clinical internships.
7. Demonstrate introspective analysis of the critical issues facing professionals and participants in wellness, physical activity and sport through research and presentation of senior colloquium.
8. Engage in service and leadership on behalf of physical activity, sport, and exercise in their community and with relevant professional organizations.