• Health and Wellness (Minor)

Columbia College’s academic programs are designed to create a total educational experience for women. An important part of this experience is the many opportunities students have to focus on their physical well-being and to enjoy a variety of recreational activities.

Through the Department of Physical Education & Health Promotion (PEHP), students learn to develop realistic concepts of the role of physical activity in their lives, and to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to meet their individual health and fitness needs. Students interested in careers related to physical education or health also have the opportunity to gain the knowledge, skills, and certifications necessary to pursue their professional goals.

Courses offered by the department are categorized into three areas:

• Lifetime Activities/Sports. Examples include golf, weight training, scuba diving, beginning ballet and modern dance, and aerobics
• Health Education, including such topics as nutrition, human sexuality and drug education
• Special department offerings, including certification for Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard Training.

As part of their general education requirements, students must take and complete either PEHP 100 The Women’s Health Seminar (3 sh) or PEHP 102 Wellness and Lifetime Fitness (2 sh). A limit of eight semester hours in Lifetime Activities/Sports (one credit hour PEA courses) may count toward a student's graduation requirement.

Minor in Health and Wellness

The minor in Health and Wellness is designed to prepare students to work in companies that offer personal health/fitness activities and/or wellness programs for their employees. Additional goals are:

• To satisfy the personal health interests and needs of students.
• To provide a means by which student will develop leadership skills including competence and confidence in helping others to adopt and maintain a positive lifestyle.
• To help prepare students to study in advanced degree programs in related fields such as health administration, wellness programming, exercise science, physical/occupational therapy, recreation therapy, psychology, pharmacology, and nutrition science.

The Requirements for the Minor in Health and Wellness include:

Fifteen semester hours beyond the General Education Requirement. Required courses are Lead 201 and PEHP 399LS and eleven semester hours chosen from  Psy 186, PEHP 101, PEHP 262, PEHP 263 (or Psy/Soc 240), and PEHP 264.

The Sequence of Course Offerings is:

• Lead 201 Leadership (offered every third semester)
• PEHP 399LS Leadership in Health Promotion and Wellness Programming.   (1 sh) (offered every semester)
• PEHP 101 First Aid (2 sh) (1-2 sections are offered every semester)
• Fall 2008 PEHP 263 Drug Education (3 sh)
• Spring 2009 PEHP 264 Nutrition for Wellness (3 sh)
• Fall 2009 PEHP 262 Human Sexuality (3 sh)
• Spring 2010 PEHP 263 Drug Education (3 sh)
• Fall 2010 PEHP 264 Nutrition for Wellness (3 sh)
• Spring 2011 PEHP 262 Human Sexuality (3 sh)

Student Wellness and Personal Fitness Opportunities

The Fitness Center located near the rear entrance of the Godbold Center offers free weights, weight machines, elliptical trainers, stationary bicycles, treadmills and other fitness equipment. Student hours are posted outside the lab each semester.  A 15 minute orientation session is required by all persons who plan to use the equipment.

The Godbold Center also has a junior Olympic-sized indoor swimming pool that is open for free swim each semester.  There are also six tennis courts, a gymnasium, a fitness trail, and an athletic field (behind the residential cottages) are available daily upon request through the PEHP department.

Fitness courses (PEA) such as Pilates, yoga, high and low impact step, dance and water aerobics are offered each semester through the PEHP department for one hour of credit. Courses may only be taken one time.  On occasion, the Campus Wellness Program will offer group exercise classes for a minimal fee.

Leadership Opportunities in PEHP

The PEHP department provides interested students the guidance and opportunity to become certified in the community in order to teach group fitness classes. Certifications for First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation are offered in PEHP 101 to help prepare students to teach aerobics classes.  For additional information or assistance, you may contact the PEHP Department Chair at (803) 786-3892.