Certification Courses and Trainings for Fitness Professionals
Campus Recreation values the importance of student development through preparing students to become certified as group fitness instructors, personal trainers, and/or attend specialty certifications/workshops. We offer semester long, weekend long, and sometimes one day long certifications, workshops, and courses. We often get questions about how to become an instructor or trainer. These steps are outlined below.
NOTE: To teach or train for Campus Recreation you must be an accredited certified instructor or trainer. This means, if you are not an accredited certified instructor or trainer, please go through the steps below before applying to interview with us.
The cost can be a barrier for many talented and aspiring fitness professionals. If this is the case for you, see the Financial Support tab below.
- Get certified in CPR, AED, and First Aid with Red Cross or American Heart Association.
- Register to take the training UVM Campus Rec offers and become an accredited* Group Fitness Instructor or an accredited* Personal Trainer. A student could also select to train on their own by selecting one of the companies listed below.
- Take part in additional specialty training if needed (Cycling, Mat Pilates, Zumba, Les Mills, Barre, Kickboxing, Functional Movement Testing)**
- Apply and audition for a position with Campus Rec.
- The interview process requires a audition of teaching a fitness class or assessing/training a mock client.
- Secure your own classes and clients.
* Accredited means the exam is proctored.
** Getting a specialty certification like Cycling without an accredited Primary Group Fitness Certification will leave you with a lack of knowledge in the essential science and education needed to implement a safe and effective class.
Instructor: Sarah DeGray
Semester Offered: Fall 2026, Nov 14-15
Location: Studio 117
If you want to improve your skills or learn the techniques of coaching indoor cycling, this weekend intensive is for you. We begin with basic principles of counting and using the beat and music to anchor your ride, and journey into form, technique, playlist making and drill selection. You’ll learn how to craft an accessible class and hold space for all levels of ridership. Practice and refine your leadership skills and the art of stage presence and performance. We also recommend this course for people looking to improve their public speaking, leadership skills and confidence. Student discounts available. Please email for pricing and registration details.
Please note that completion of this course does not guarantee any position as a cycling instructor.
Instructor: Andrea Giardino
Semester Offered: Fall 2026, October 17-18
Location: Group Fitness Hub, Patrick Gym; Studio 114A
The Barre Teacher Immersion is a two-day, hands-on training designed for anyone curious about becoming a confident and impactful barre teacher. Participants will learn the five pillars of exceptional teaching - structure, movement, communication, connection, and presence - before putting those skills into action through supported teaching practice and feedback. After completing the immersion, participants may choose to pursue opportunities teaching barre at UVM, become more involved with the Pure Barre Vermont community, or explore the longer-term pathway toward official Pure Barre teacher training. This immersion is where the journey begins.
Please note that completion of this course does not guarantee any position as a Barre instructor.
Instructor: TBD
Semester Offered: TBD
Location: Group Fitness Hub, Patrick Gym
Are you ready to take the next step in your fitness career? Our 10-week Personal Trainer Certification Course is designed to set you up for success as a nationally certified personal trainer. Using the gold-standard ACE (American Council on Exercise) curriculum, this course will not only prepare you for the ACE Personal Training Certification Exam (included with registration) but also provide you with the practical tools and confidence to begin working with clients.
This in-person course blends lecture-based learning with hands-on experience in Campus Recreation’s fitness facilities.
- You’ll explore key topics such as:
- Anatomy, physiology, and body mechanics
- Client assessment techniques
- Program design and goal setting
- Building rapport and effective communication
- Coaching for long-term behavior change
- Whether you're pursuing a career in fitness or simply want to deepen your knowledge of the human body and training principles, this course offers a supportive, high-impact learning experience.
- Course Details:
- 33 total hours of instruction, including 27 in-person hours of hands-on learning
- Meets over 10 weeks
- Includes ACE textbooks, access to the ACE Online Learning Platform, and a voucher for the ACE NCCA-accredited Certification Exam
- Upon passing the certification exam, UVM students may participate in an optional 8-week mock client experience with mentorship from a certified personal trainer by registering for an independent study through EXSC 2993
- This course is ideal for students, recreation staff, or community members passionate about helping others move better and feel stronger. Start your journey to becoming a personal trainer today!
- Registration: Opens TBD
- Program Fee:
- UVM Students: $650
- Campus Rec Members: $750
- Community Members: $850
- Meeting Dates/Times:
- Sunday, TBD, 11am-4pm
- Sunday, TBD,, 11am-5pm
- Sunday, TBD,, 11am-5pm
- Sunday, TBD,, 11am-5pm
- Sunday, TBD, 11am-4pm
- Sunday, TBD,, 11am-4pm
Instructor: TBD
Summer or Fall Semester
Location: Group Fitness Hub, Patrick Gym
This hands-on lab is designed for certified personal trainers who are ready to elevate their skills from memorization to mastery. Through guided mentorship and real-world practice, students will refine their critical thinking and coaching abilities by engaging in client intake, assessment, personalized program design, and effective training strategies. Emphasis is placed on meeting clients where they are, physically, emotionally, and motivationally, to deliver results that feel personal and impactful.
By developing these essential skills, trainers will become more marketable in the competitive health and wellness industry. Students with practical experience and advanced coaching capabilities are better positioned to enter the field at higher pay rates and with greater confidence in their ability to create meaningful client outcomes.
Throughout this course, students will be mentored through the process of working with clients hands-on, from assessment to personalized training program design and implementation.
Key focus areas include:
- Building rapport and trust with clients
- Conducting physiological and functional assessments
- Designing, implementing, and modifying personalized programs
- Facilitating meaningful behavior change
- Applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world coaching scenarios
- Students will apply these skills in real-world settings at the UVM Campus Recreation Gucciardi Fitness Center, working with actual clients in a supportive environment.
Course Details:
- Must be a Certified Personal Trainer
- Max 10 students
- EXSC 2993 Independent Study CRN: 96295
- 1 Credit / 6 Weeks
- Wednesdays 8-915am
Registration: Register with UVM Summer Registrar. Email: connie.tompkins@med.uvm.edu for an override
Expectations:
- Attend all in-person classes
- Dedicate 3–5 hours per week outside class for client assessment, programming, and training
- Dress appropriately for physical activity and maintain professionalism
- Actively participate and take initiative in all lab sessions training two clients
Evaluation:
- Pass/Fail
- Assignments (Equipment Orientation, Client Intake, Assessment, Programming, Training Session): 50%
- Class Engagement: 25%
- Training Engagement (Lab): 25%
- Important Note: Credit for hands-on activities will only be awarded to students present in class; there are no make-up opportunities for missed in-class activities. Early departures, late arrivals, late assignment submission are worth a maximum of 70% credit.
Program Fee:
- Lab fee $30 for a Personal Trainer shirt and name tag for training clients
UVM Campus Recreation hosts an affiliated Yoga Teacher Training program called First See the Good Yoga School. This is open to students in the UVM or wider community. The training is a unique opportunity for UVM students to receive a Yoga Alliance 200-Hour Teacher Training while making a deeper connection to their college learning experience. Registration opens in December and closes in April. Perspective students must complete an interview with the Yoga Director and apply to be accepted to the program. Click here for more info.
Financial Support is available through the State of Vermont to assist qualifying students to help pay part or all of the programs we offer. Vermont has an "Advancement Grant" specifically designed to help pay for training courses like these certifications courses and trainings. Please click here for more information. If you do choose to use an Advancement Grant to help pay for the training, you will be required to first pay tuition in full by the registration deadline and then be reimbursed when your grant funds are released.VSAC disbursement typically takes place within a month of the start of the training.
We also provide students with an opportunity to access funds through the Campus Rec RECQUITY FUND.
- If a participant decides to withdraw from the training, any payments made will not be refunded.
- If the student has a medical condition that makes it impossible to complete the training, the student may appeal for a partial refund. The refund may include the tuition less the cost of the hours the student completed in the training and the 25% nonrefundable deposit. In order to be refunded, the student must submit a physician's written statement to Justina Reichelt.
- Students may not attend the training if they have an unpaid balance.
- Under no circumstance does payment ensure certification. All certifications are merit-based only. We do not sell certifications.
- The Campus Recreation Fitness Program reserves the right to remove any students from this program if they do not meet the program expectations without a refund.
