Health and Human Performance
Division III Chair: J. Blythe
Program Chair: K. Ambrose
Faculty: T. Ambrose, M. Beagle, N. Cahill, S. Downs, M. Johnson, J. Lasslo, M. Moesberg (Visiting Danish Faculty), A.J. Mortara, M. Srsic, S. Woodie, and S. Williams
http://www.berea.edu/hhp/
The mission of the Health and Human Performance Program is to encourage, inspire, and empower students, through knowledge and experience, to actively pursue growth and development in all dimensions of wellness. The program teaches all students through the General Education program and prepares majors in Health and Human Performance minors in Health Studies, Health Teaching, and Dance.
The goals of the Health and Human Performance Program are:
- To guide and mentor students toward independence and personal responsibility for healthy and active lifetime habits.
- To prepare majors to impact the future health and physical education needs of individuals and communities through leadership and service to learners of all ages in many settings, particularly in the Appalachian region.
- To create opportunities to apply skills and knowledge through hands-on experiences in Health and Human Performance majors courses.
- To lay a foundation for continued growth and development toward self-actualization and a sense of purpose for one’s life.
- To provide opportunities for the pursuit of excellence in performance in athletics and dance.
The Health and Human Performance Major provides a broad and solid foundation for pursuit of a variety of professions, such as medical careers, physical therapy, athletic training, teaching, wellness promotion, recreation leadership, and sports management. The Program promotes in the Health and Human Performance student the desire to fully develop the ability to constructively use all of his/her potential capacities for movement, movement analysis, and movement education. Training and experiences are provided that will enhance the student’s skills and knowledge in exercise science, communication, creative self-expression, critical reflection, research, and leadership in the classroom and activity settings.
The Health and Human Performance major requires the student to complete a series of core courses in addition to electives chosen in consultation with an academic adviser. The Health and Human Performance: Teaching P-12 has an established curriculum leading to teaching certification. Students interested in the Health and Human Performance major or the Health and Human Performance: Teaching P-12 major should contact a program faculty member as early as possible in their College career to explore areas of concentration.
The Program also offers minor programs in Dance, Health Studies, and Health Teaching. Certain classes offer the opportunity for applying for certifications such as: Kentucky Teacher Certification in Physical Education and Health (after a 1-year internship following graduation); First Aid; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED); First Aid and CPR Instructor; Water Safety Instructor; Lifeguard; Scuba; Aquatics Fitness Instructor; Coaching; Dance (Kentucky Department of Education Permission as an Arts and Humanities teacher).
All Berea College students are required to complete the Lifetime Wellness requirement of the General Education curriculum. A sequence of three courses totaling one full credit is designed to develop knowledge and skills and to establish habits and patterns of healthy choices for a lifetime. In this sequence, the dimensions of wellness are addressed including: emotional, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, physical, and social/interpersonal health. HLT 100: Introduction to Lifetime Wellness is one-half (1/2) course credit, preferably taken the first year of enrollment. Following successful completion of this course, two 1/4-credit HHP activity courses at the 200 level are required. These two courses may be selected according to the individual’s need and/or interest. Adaptations allow participation of students with special needs. If the student’s swimming skills are below a minimal safety/survival level at the conclusion of HLT 100, one of the two 1/4-credit activity courses must be HHP 200. (Also see “Course Descriptions—200-level, 1/4-credit "HHP Activity Courses” in this section. )
All Health and Human Performance majors will be able to:
- Assess fitness, prescribe exercise, develop appropriate programs, demonstrate exercise science knowledge
- Understand the importance of integrating all dimensions of wellness into healthy behaviors
- Demonstrate competency in a variety of movement activities
- Analyze movement
- Identify cultural, social, psychological, and historical impacts on profession
- Understand and apply principles of motor learning (how people learn movement)
- Generate activities (skill progressions) that are developmentally appropriate and safe
- Interpret research relevant to the field
- Demonstrate quantitative competency relevant to our field
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills in ways relevant to the field
- Develop confidence in working with diverse populations
- Develop skills in leadership and professional networking
Please be aware that the table below represents current planning and is subject to change based on faculty availability and student interest. It is not meant to represent any guarantee to the student that the courses will be offered in the term in which they are currently planned.
* Offered as student interest and faculty availability permit