Online Schools for Fitness and Nutrition Degrees: How to Choose

There are a number of schools that offer fully online or hybrid fitness and nutrition certificate and degree programs. Depending on a student's particular area of interest, he or she can choose to complete a certificate program in personal training or pursue a degree in an area like health fitness or nutrition.

Selecting an Online Fitness or Nutrition School

Degree Level

When deciding on what type of program is best, an individual must consider his or her specific interests and career goals in the fields of nutrition and fitness. For instance, those interested in working as personal trainers either through a gym or independently may benefit from obtaining an online certificate in personal training. Others who are more interested in diet and health might choose to earn an online degree in nutrition.

Program Type

Individuals should then decide how much flexibility their schedules demand. Another factor to consider is how much time and money they're willing and able to dedicate to their schooling. Since fully online programs can often be more costly, students might consider hybrid programs - in which only certain classes are required to be completed online, with the rest taken on-campus - if their daily schedules allow.

List of Common Online Fitness and Nutrition Programs

Online Certificate in Personal Training

Through an online personal training certificate program, students learn the fundamentals of developing fitness programs for clients, including how to start and maintain a business. Coursework typically covers entrepreneurship in personal training, program design, anatomy and nutrition. Students enrolled in an online personal training program also receive instruction on fitness assessments and risk factor screenings, stretching techniques, helping clients lose or gain weight, reaching out to clients and setting rates.
In addition to one-on-one personal training programs, some schools allow students to specialize in group fitness. These programs offer very similar coursework to a personal training certificate program, along with instruction on class design, cueing and instructional techniques. Online personal trainer and group fitness instructor certificates can be completed in anywhere from four weeks to six months.

Online Bachelor's Degree in Health Fitness

The online Bachelor of Science in Health Fitness is designed to provide students with in-depth instruction on health and fitness to prepare them for careers in fields like personal training, youth athletic coaching or community recreation. This program can be particularly beneficial to individuals who want to teach physical education. Coursework, which is sometimes delivered through online videos, may include classes like exercise prescription and fitness analysis. While courses can be taken online, many programs will require clinical externships in which students work with qualified trainers and fitness instructors in their local area.

Online Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition

An online Bachelor of Science in Nutrition program aims at preparing students for careers as nutritionists, dietitians or holistic healthcare providers. Through this type of program, students study topics like nutritional science, pharmacology and research methods. They also receive instruction on ethical and administrative skills required to succeed in the field. Specific course topics can include biochemistry, nutrition for special populations, eating disorders, physiology, obesity, sports nutrition and health education.

Online Master's Degree in Nutrition

For those seeking to pursue higher positions in the healthcare field related to diet, health and nutrition, there is an online Master of Science in Nutrition available. This type of program includes more advanced course topics like pathophysiology, metabolic diseases, nutrition and culture, botanical medicine, nutritional intervention and vitamin deficiencies. Students will also have different opportunities to participate in nutritional research while pursuing a master's degree in nutrition, such as an original project or thesis; students communicate frequently with their online instructors for research guidance.