2025-2026 Undergraduate Catalog

KNS 434 Health Coaching Practicum

This course is a one credit Practical Application Course taken in conjunction with or after completing KNS 433 Health Coaching (lecture based course). This course will provide an avenue for students to practice their coaching skills as well as practice performing fitness assessments and creating exercise prescriptions for fitness members at the Foss Wellness Center or a local fitness center. The practical experience of working with clients is a valuable experience that helps to foster professionalism and communication skills. 

Credits

1

Corequisite

KNS 433

Offered

Spring

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Students will practice the skills in the profession of Health Coaching including techniques for developing rapport with clients including motivational interviewing, active listening skills and goal setting.
  2. Student will conduct pre-activity screening, health appraisal, exercise history forms and create safe, appropriate fitness assessments and exercise prescriptions.
  3. Students will employ additional assessment tools such as food frequency questionnaire, food diary, as well as physical activity and psychosocial assessments .
  4. Students will create SMART goals for their clients.
  5. Students will employ techniques to design wellness or fitness programs associated with exercise training in apparently healthy participants and those with controlled disease.
  6. Students will create a plan for each specific client to meet their goal (e.g., sport specific training, performance, health, lifestyle, functional ability, balance, agility, aerobic, anaerobic).
  7. Students will be able to implement a weight management program as indicated by personal goals that are supported by pre-activity screening, health history, and body composition/anthropometrics.
  8. Students will employ skills to design healthy eating patterns based on nutritional guidelines (e.g., MyPyramid, USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans) and behavior modification skills to assist clients.
  9. Students will execute steps to create and reach Wellness goals and techniques for clients including: goal setting, behavior modification, active listening and the client centered approach.