WSU Spokane Earns Gold-Standard Certification in Health & Fitness

SPOKANE, Wash. – The Exercise Physiology and Metabolism bachelor’s degree program at Washington State University Spokane is now one of a select number of programs endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), widely considered the gold standard in health and fitness certifications and professional memberships.

Known as ExMet, the degree program is the only one of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, offering an interdisciplinary degree integrating concepts and principles of exercise science and nutrition. The integration of the two concepts is achieved by focusing on the biological and social/psychological interrelationships and the effect of this interaction on the health of individuals. The program provides health care professionals the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to prepare students for the ACSM Exercise Specialist® certification examination.

ACSM is the largest sports medicine and exercise science organization in the world. More than 20,000 international, national, and regional members are dedicated to advancing and integrating scientific research to provide educational and practical applications of exercise science and sports medicine. ACSM endorsed the ExMet degree program’s curriculum as meeting the academic standards needed to prepare students for health, fitness and /or clinical exercise training and positions.

The ACSM Exercise Specialist® is a healthcare professional certified by ACSM to deliver a variety of exercise assessment, training, rehabilitation, risk factor identification, and lifestyle management services to individuals with or at risk for cardiovascular, pulmonary, and metabolic disease(s). These services are typically delivered in cardiovascular/pulmonary rehabilitation programs, physicians’ offices or medical fitness centers. The certified exercise specialist is also competent to provide exercise-related consulting for research, public health, and other clinical and non-clinical services and programs.

About Washington State University Spokane
WSU Spokane is the urban campus of Washington State University, a land-grant research university founded in 1890. The campus features advanced studies and research in health sciences and health professions, the design disciplines, education, social and policy sciences, and science and technology. WSU is one of just 78 public and private research universities in America with comprehensive doctoral programs coupled with human or veterinary medicine, according to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching classifications. In addition, U.S. News & World Report ranks WSU as one of the top public research universities in the nation.

Related Web sites:
Exercise Physiology & Metabolism Degree Program:  www.spokane.wsu.edu/academic/exercisemetabolism/
WSU Spokane: www.spokane.wsu.edu
American College of Sports Medicine:  www.acsm.org/certification/UCEP.htm