Program Overview

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Program Overview

The Fitness and Nutrition BS program from The University of Southern Mississippi is designed to turn your passion for health and wellness into a career. This fully online program combines your interests in kinesiology, fitness, and nutrition to give you a well-rounded knowledge base, enabling you to make a bigger impact in the fitness and nutrition space.

Program-at-a-Glance

• Credit Hours: Total Hours: 120
• Cost per Credit Hour: $433.59
• Completion Time: 2-4 years
• Special Requirements: None

Program Description

The Fitness and Nutrition BS program will develop the skills necessary for you to immediately join the workforce and make a difference in the health of your community. Our classes will also prepare you for professional certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and/or the American Council on Exercise.

Career Opportunities

A Fitness and Nutrition degree can open up various employment opportunities in wellness centers, corporate wellness, recreation, personal training, and community wellness. Graduates of the program are qualified to work in fitness and wellness centers, corporate wellness facilities, public and private recreation centers, hospitals, or become personal trainers.

Curriculum Requirements

Written Communication

• Composition One | 3 hrs.
• Composition Two | 3 hrs.

Natural Science

Select 2 courses with labs:

• General Astronomy I * | 3 hrs.
• General Astronomy II * | 3 hrs.
• Biology and Society * | 3 hrs.
• Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology * | 3 hrs.
• Principles of Biological Science I * | 3 hrs.
• Principles of Biological Science II * | 3 hrs.
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I * | 3 hrs.
• Human Anatomy and Physiology II * | 3 hrs.
• Chemistry and Our Environment * | 3 hrs.
• General Chemistry I * | 3 hrs.
• Fundamentals of General, Organic and Biochemistry * | 3 hrs.
• Weather and Climate * | 3 hrs.
• Land and Water * | 3 hrs.
• Physical Geology * | 3 hrs.
• Historical Geology * | 3 hrs.
• Introduction to Ocean Science * | 3 hrs.
• Introductory Physics * | 3 hrs.
• General Physics I * | 3 hrs.
• General Physics II * | 3 hrs.
• General Physics I with Calculus * | 4 hrs.
• General Physics II with Calculus * | 4 hrs.
• Living in a Material World * | 3 hrs.

Humanities

• World Literature | 3 hrs. Select 2 courses, 1 History required:
• World Civilizations: Beginnings to 1500 C.E. | 3 hrs.
• World Civilizations: 1500 to the present | 3 hrs.
• Colloquium on the Pre-Modern World | 3 hrs.
• Colloquium on the Modern World | 3 hrs.
• Introduction to Philosophy | 3 hrs.
• Ethics and Good Living | 3 hrs.
• Comparative Religion | 3 hrs.

Aesthetic Values

Select 1 course:

• Art Appreciation | 3 hrs.
• Dance Appreciation | 3 hrs.
• The Enjoyment of Music | 3 hrs.
• Theatre Appreciation | 3 hrs.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Select 2 courses:

• The Human Experience: A Global Perspective on Human Diversity | 3 hrs.
• Introduction to Cultural & Linguistic Anthropology | 3 hrs.
• Basic Economics | 3 hrs.
• World Geography: Dynamics of a Changing Earth | 3 hrs.
• Concepts of Wellness | 3 hrs.
• American Government | 3 hrs.
• General Psychology | 3 hrs.
• Understanding Society: Principles of Sociology | 3 hrs.
• Introduction to Language | 3 hrs.

Mathematics

Select 1 course:

• Quantitative Reasoning | 3 hrs.
• College Algebra | 3 hrs.
• Higher-level MAT course
• ACT Math sub score of 24 or higher
• SAT Math score of 560 or higher

Writing-Intensive Requirement

• Community Nutrition | 3 hrs.
  • ENG 101 and ENG 102 prerequisites

Speaking Intensive Requirement

Select 1 course:

• Public Speaking | 3 hrs.
• Interpersonal Communication | 3 hrs.
• Professional Communication | 3 hrs.
• Small-Group Communication | 3 hrs.

Capstone Requirement

• Current Trends in the Fitness and Nutrition Industries
  • Must be taken Senior Year: ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

Major Area of Study Requirements

• Exercise Testing and Prescription | 3 hrs.
• Nutrition and Performance | 3 hrs.
• Motor Development | 3 hrs.
• Lifestyle Management for Chronic Disease | 3 hrs.
• Methods of Strength and Conditioning | 3 hrs.
• Exercise Psychology | 3 hrs.
• Cooking for Wellness | 3 hrs.
• Nutrition | 3 hrs.
• Nutrition and Weight Control | 3 hrs.
• Movement and Sport Skill Analysis | 3 hrs.
• Community Nutrition | 3 hrs.
• Anatomy and Movement | 3 hrs.
• Foundations of Fitness and Nutrition | 3 hrs.
• Creating and Implementing Exercise Programs | 3 hrs.
• Management Practices for the Fitness Professional | 3 hrs.
• Current Trends in the Fitness and Nutrition Industries | 3 hrs.
• Exercise Specialist Certification Preparation | 3 hrs.

Additional Requirements

• Concepts of Wellness | 3 hrs.
• General Psychology | 3 hrs. Select 1 course:
• Principles of Marketing | 3 hrs.
• Sport Marketing | 3 hrs. Select 1 course:
• Counseling Theory and Practice | 3 hrs.
• Health Psychology | 3 hrs.
• Multicultural Counseling | 3 hrs.
• Group Procedures | 3 hrs.

Electives

Choose electives as needed. (See hours to Degree below).

Hours to Degree

120 hours are needed to graduate with a BS in Fitness and Nutrition. Of the total hours applied to this degree, 30 hours must be in courses numbered at the 300 level or above. The student must earn at least 21 of the last 30 hours of course work and at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss.

Admission Requirements

The following is required from all undergraduate applicants:

• Application for Undergraduate Admission
• $45 non-refundable application fee
• An official high school transcript for freshman (high school) applicants OR official transcripts from institutions attended after high school for transfer applicants
• Submission of ACT or SAT scores for freshman (high school) applicants

Program Academic Policies and Requirements:

• See University Academic Policies and Requirements
• Students must earn a minimum grade of C in all program curriculum courses.
• Students desiring to transfer from other schools or colleges within the University must be in good academic standing and possess a minimum GPA of 2.0 to be admitted to a degree program

Tuition

Estimated Tuition for the Fitness and Nutrition BS program:

• Total Credit Hours Per Semester: 12
• Tuition Per Semester: $5,563.00