HFPR-207 Health and Fitness Center Operations

Credits 3 / 3 Contact Hours
Pre-requisite: Placement into ACRD 080; HFPR 100.
This course will introduce students to the operational and managerial aspects of fitness facility operations. Topics will include facility/program marketing, membership issues, budgeting, hiring practices, staffing and program scheduing, facility design, equipment selection, standard operating procedures, and risk management. Students will be exposed to standard principles and operational guidelines as they relate to the health and fitness industry. During class, students will also be introcuded to liability concerns, membership/client privacy, and professional responsibilities. Topics and coursework align with standards and practices outlined by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).

Course Outcomes
1. Students will identify and describe administrative issues specific to the health and fitness facility environment including: membership records and privacy information, personnel issues, professional credentials, and environmentally specific liability concerns 2. Students will demonstrate an understanding of operational budgeting and its effect upon facility operations as it relates to equipment maintenance and purchasing, program/facility marketing and staffing 3. Students will recognize and evaluate processes and best practice recommendations related to facility management as they apply to hiring, training and maintaining qualified staff within the Health & Fitness environment 4. Students will create, explain and defend a facility needs assessment based on established standards and practices 5. Students will identify and apply a minimum of three approaches to data collection while utilizing valid and reliable sources and assessment instruments while creating and evaluating a needs assessment 6. Students will identify and describe the use of needs assessments as they relate to the development of programs and offerings within the health and fitness facility 7. Students will describe and demonstrate supervisory procedures, including conflict resolution, related to staff, membership and facility management 8. Students will define and determine potential legal considerations related to the operating of health and fitness facilities by completing various activities during class 9. Students will identify and describe the  core elements of a business plan as it relates to the health and fitness industry, including an organizational summary, description, goals, market analysis and financial/investment requirements by completing a business plan design project.