About Personal Training 

The City College of San Francisco Personal Training Certificate of Achievement program will provide the skill and knowledge needed to prepare students for entry-level positions within the fitness industry as personal trainers/instructors and as group fitness instructors. Students will gain an understanding of the physiology of exercise, fitness assessment procedures and methodologies, sports nutrition, and designing exercise programs. The program includes a hands-on experience with an exercise population. Program graduates will be qualified to be personal fitness trainer and/or group exercise instructor. This program also prepares students for industry standard personal trainer examinations, including the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), American Council on Exercise (ACE), and the National Strength & Conditioning Association Certified Personal Trainer (NSCA-CPT) certification exams.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Explain basic exercise science, and various techniques and models of fitness training. 
  • Design personal health and wellness programs that address body fitness and lifestyle modifications.
  • Integrate technology in personal training plans for a diverse client population.
  • Determine health and safety concerns and apply appropriate procedures.

Explore Potential Careers

The Personal Training program will prepare you for work in a variety of occupations and career paths, including:

  • Fitness and Wellness Coach 
  • Personal Trainer
  • Fitness Instructor 
  • Strength and Conditioning Coach  
  • Corrective Exercise Specialist 
  • Sport Coach

Earning a certificate of achievement in Personal Training can improve your job prospects and earning potential.

Program Options

Click on the degree or certificate you're interested in earning to see a sample map of courses to take to complete your goal from start to finish.

Please note that the course maps provided are just an example to help you get started. Please meet with a counselor to personalize the plan to you and your Academic goals.

Personal Training Program Brochure

View Requirements in College Catalog

Required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Yr/Sem
PE 8 Introduction to Personal Training 3 Y1 S1
PE 9 Fitness, Food, Managing Weight: Navigating Wellness 2 Y2 S1
PE 26 Introduction to Kinesiology 3 Y1 S2

Total Units: 8

Choose one of the following courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Yr/Sem
EMT 14 First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation 3 Y2 S1
PE 20 Sports Nutrition 3 Y1 S2 or Y2 S1

Total Units: 3

Choose 3 units from the following movement/flexibility courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Yr/Sem
PE 217A Beginning Stretching and Flexibility Development 1 Y1 S1 or Y1 S2
PE 217B Intermediate Stretching and Flexibility Development 1 Y2 S1
PE 219A Beginning Yoga 1 Y1 S1 or Y1 S2
PE 219B Intermediate Yoga 1 Y2 S1
PE 252A Beginning Water Aerobics 1 Y1 S1 or Y1 S2
PE 252 Intermediate Water Aerobics 1 Y2 S1

Total Units: 3

Choose 4 units from the following fitness courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Yr/Sem
PE 200C Fitness Center Super Circuit 2 Y1 S1
PE 204A Beginning Physical Fitness 1 Y1 S2
PE 204B Intermediate Physical Fitness 1 Y2 S1
PE 205A Beg. Running and Conditioning 1 Y1 S1 OR Y1 S2
PE 206A Beginning Walking for Fitness 1 Y1 S1 OR Y1 S2
PE 207A Boot Camp Fitness 1 Y2 S1
PE 256A Beginning Fitness Swimming 1 Y1 S2 OR Y2 S1

Total Units: 4

Choose 3 units from the following strength development courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Yr/Sem
PE 210A Beginning Boxercise 1 Y2 S1
PE 212B Beginning – Intermediate Olympic Weightlifting 1 Y1 S2 OR Y2 S1
PE 214A Beginning Weight Training 1 Y1 S1
PE 214B Intermediate Weight Training 1 Y1 S1
PE 215A Beginning Strength and Interval Training 1 Y1 S2
PE 215B Intermediate Strength and Interval Training 1 Y2 S1

Total Units: 3

Overall Total Minimum Units: 21

At least 14 units need to be completed at CCSF.

The minimum time for completion of this certificate is 3 semesters.

 

Example of a course sequence for the Personal Training Certificate

First Semester Courses:

Course Number Course Title Units
PE 8 Introduction to Personal Training 3
PE 200B Fitness Center Super Circuit 2
PE 214A Beginning Weight Training 1
PE 219A Beginning Yoga 1

Year 1, Semester 1 Total Units: 7

Second Semester Courses:

Course Number Course Title Units
PE 26 Introduction to Kinesiology 3
PE 204A Beginning Physical Fitness 1
PE 215A Beginning Strength and Interval Training 1
PPE 217A Beginning Stretching and Flexibility Development 1

Year 1, Semester 2 Total Units: 6

Third Semester Courses:

Course Number Course Title Units
PE 9 Fitness, Food, Managing Weight: Navigating Wellness 2
PE 207A Boot Camp Fitness 1
PE 210A Beginning Boxercise 1
PE 252A Beginning Water Aerobics 1
EMT 14 First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation 3

Year 2, Semester 1 Total Units: 8

Overall Total Units: 21

Transfer Options

The program coursework you complete at City College of San Francisco will satisfy lower-division requirements for related majors at various college and universities.

The certificate coursework sets the stage for the Kinesiology A.A. Degree for Transfer, which students could receive by completing additional science courses and GE courses. The Kinesiology for Transfer(AA-T in Kinesiology) is designed to prepare students for transfer into four year colleges to complete a bachelor's degree in Kinesiology or similar major.

Students pursuing careers in personal training typically enroll in four-year bachelor's degree programs with one of the following majors:

  • Kinesiology (including courses in Leading Group Fitness Activities,  Psycho/Social Aspects of Physical Activity and Managing Kinesiology Programs)

  • Exercise Physiology (including courses in Exercise Testing and Prescription, Sports, Epidemiology and Nutrition and Physical Fitness)

  • Education Exercise Science(including courses in Applied Biomechanics, Statistics in Human Movement Science and Cardiopulmonary Aspects of Health-Related Exercise Programs)

  • Physical Education or Coaching 

  • Nutrition 

  • Biology or Human Physiology

  • Sports Medicine

Have questions about transfer? Visit the Transfer Center for help, transfer information, and/or to speak with college representatives.