Welcome to the Level 4 Certificate in Exercise!
This programme aims to provide you with relevant content, knowledge, and practical experience to fulfil the duties and responsibilities of a personal trainer. Graduates will meet the educational requirements to register with the Register of Exercise Professionals New Zealand (REPs). It also provides a basis for further study in personal training or exercise science at Level 5.
When you successfully finish the programme, you will be awarded the New Zealand Certificate in Exercise (Level 4). This is an official document that you can show to others, like employers, so they can be confident you can:
- Deliver safe and effective exercise programmes, including pre-screening, within own scope of practice and industry code of ethics.
- Apply knowledge of anatomy and physiology to adapt and deliver safe and effective exercise programmes to individuals.
- Adapt programmes for apparently healthy people and common at-risk groups using exercise science and testing.
- Apply motivational and communication techniques to enhance individual participant commitment to a personalised exercise programme.
- Apply a health and wellness framework and evidence-based nutrition principles to support a personalised exercise programme and recommend referral pathways to allied health professionals.
- Use marketing and business tools and techniques to support business practices as an exercise professional.
| Module | Assessments | Approx learning hours |
|---|---|---|
| Behaviour Modification | - | 20 |
| Anatomy and Physiology | Skeletal System Test Nervous System Test Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems Test Muscular and Energy Systems Test |
100 |
| Exercise Prescription Part A | Exercise Needs Analysis | 40 |
| Nutrition | Nutrition Case Study Test Nutrition Home Case Study |
100 |
| Exercise Prescription Part B | Exercise Practical Observation Programme Design and Fitness Assessments |
100 |
| Special Populations and Exercise Adherence | Special Populations Case Study | 120 |
| Personal Training as a Business | Fitness Code of Ethics & Legislation Workbook Personal Training Business Plan |
120 |
About the programme
The online programme consists of 7 modules and 12 assessments, which are available to you at any time. Throughout the programme, you will work on multiple modules and assessments simultaneously.
Helpful information you won’t want to miss…
To ensure a smooth and structured learning experience, we recommend starting the modules at specific weeks. This will help you progress gradually and reach important milestones by their due dates. The due dates for assessment are detailed in the Programme and Assessment Information document provided by your online tutor in the Announcements Forum.
Each module includes an overview that provides details on your progression and important milestones. This information will help you manage your time effectively and know when to start your learning and submit your assessments. Here is a snapshot of your student journey to help guide you. Each module's top line indicates the time you should spend on online content and self-directed study (gym and theory). The lines below indicate how long your assessments are expected to take.
How will you learn?
Learning hours are asynchronous. This means you complete them in your own time. There is no set class time, and learning takes place at different times for students enrolled in the programme. You are encouraged to interact with other students through forums or group messaging. Keep in mind that not everyone likes to study when you do, so you may need to wait for a response. You can also join in Live Sessions with the online teaching team, or book a one-on-one with your tutor.
Total learning hours are 600 hours. That is about 37.5 hours per week for full-time students and 20 hours per week for part-time students. The learning hours include:
- Reading, watching, and completing the activities on the online campus
- Completing assessments
- Self-directed practical (gym)
- Self-directed theory (researching areas of interest or where you need more support)
Get qualified!
A total of 60 credits are awarded for the programme. The number of credits will be specified on assessments.
Assessments will be recorded as an achieved or not-achieved result.
- Achieved – all work/unit has been achieved to the standards set in the assessment and performance criteria.
- Not Yet Achieved – the student has yet to complete the relevant work to be awarded the assessment or unit.
All learning outcomes must be met to obtain an achieved result. In other words, all assessments must be completed in full with all answers correct, for an achieved result.
There are opportunities to resubmit assessments with a maximum of 3 attempts at any one assessment before the end date of the programme.
Get assessment ready
You will need to find suitable clients for some of the assessments. Start your search early so you are ready for the assessments.
- Module 4 Nutrition Home Case Study: Gather nutritional data from a client, then analyse and make suitable recommendations in relation to their goals, personal details, and lifestyle.
- Module 5 Exercise Practical Observation: Facilitate a group fitness or 1-on-1 session, duration of a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 30 minutes.
- Module 5 Programme Design and Fitness Assessments: Fitness testing and programme implementation for a general population client.
- Module 6 Special Populations and Exercise Adherence: Fitness testing and programme implementation for a low-risk special population client, chosen in consultation with your tutor.
You must find a REPs registered personal trainer to observe you and provide photo evidence for the Module 5 assessments.
More information about suitable clients, assessment tasks, and REPs observations can be found on the assessment pages.
We’re here to help
Firstly, it's important to remember that it's okay to make mistakes. When we make mistakes, we can learn from them by reflecting on what went wrong and how we can do things differently next time.
Secondly, we're here to help! If you're ever unsure about something or need assistance, please don't hesitate to contact your tutor. You can send them a message via email or via the Messages feature on the online campus.