Preparation of wellness professionals : an exploratory study of wellness degree curriculums in U.S. universities and colleges

Abstract

As the demand for wellness programming increases in various organizational and community settings, wellness degree programs have emerged in higher education. This study was designed to assess how students are being prepared to work in wellness professions. Universities and colleges offering wellness majors at the undergraduate and/or graduate level were identified by the 1993-1994 National Wellness Information Resource Center Survey. The subjects, generated from the National Wellness Information Resource Center Survey, were contacted by a telephone follow-up survey to explore the components of the wellness degree programs including: demographics, administration, theory, program of studies, learning experiences, resources, evaluation, and future directions. A quantitative analysis of the data collected from the telephone survey provided a status profile of the wellness degree curriculums. The results and discussion suggest that existing wellness degree programs have various curricular designs, although many required courses were similiar within the programs. Some of the more frequently required courses were physiology, exercise leadership, health risk appraisal, nutrition, and program planning. This study can facilitate curriculum planners in the development, maintenance, and evaluation of wellness degree programs.