degree or diploma for a new entrant?
Hi. Your location definitely changes my answer in that I’m not quite sure about the market or marketablilty of a 4-year degree in something like Exercise Science versus a Certification only, or a Certification and 2-year Associates. If you are located in India and are planning to practice there as well, I think that you are better served by researching the local requirements in India and also by checking with a few Certified and experienced Personal Trainers in the locale that you are interested in working in.
The viability of your fitness education and the need to obtain a certain level of classroom or book education in the field is very locale specific, so before you take the time, effort and expense of taking either track that you mention in your question, if I were you, I’d check what the local trainers there in India do and what the general requirements are there.
I hope that this helps, and good luck!
LaRue, CSCS
www.lecfitness.com
[email protected]
Thanks a ton guys! As mentioned to each I do have a experience in Marketing, PR and Communication and a good knowledge to push my way thru but the issue is between doing a degree or diploma and got some great advice.. 🙂 Need to re-think! I am from India where education in fitness is not as evolved as compared to countries like Australia, UK.. US or Canada for the matter of fact so among the options Canada looks better so i could also have my husband with me.
But the degree would be 4 years.. wondering if i could do the 2 year diploma and in the other 2 years get work experience and certifications.. else you guys still feel 4 year degree is more worth it??
I agree with LaRue, Byant and Susan, they both have some great points. Try to expose yourself to as many different subjects and ideas in the fitness industry as well. There are new concepts, training methods and ideas that are presented in our indusrty all the time. Classroom education is great, but also learn as much as you can on the field too. If you already have experience in business and marketing, then use that knowledge to get your career going because you will need it. Knowing the secrets of the fitness idustry alone is not good enough if you don’t know how to implement them in the real world.
Good luck!
Hi. Since you asked which of the two choices is best, I would say in my opinion it would be the degree. The reason I say this is two-fold. First, most, if not all of what you will get in a diploma would be covered or subsumed in the longer degree program so doing both might be duplicative and expensive. Second, with the movement of several States to possible licensing of fitness professionals, you may be ahead of the curve by obtaining a degree in the field since this MAY become a requirement in the near future (I like to be proactive rather than reactive 🙂
I hope that this helps.
LaRue, CSCS
www.lecfitness.com
[email protected]