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Oct. 11, 2006
Contact: Gordon Ovenshine:
724-738-4854; gordon.ovenshine@sru.edu
SRU’S
GROWING EXERCISE SCIENCE PROGRAM ACCREDITED
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. -- Slippery Rock
University’s Exercise Science Program is one of six
schools in the nation to receive the maximum five-year
accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs, the largest programmatic accreditor in the
health-sciences field. It is the program’s first-ever
accreditation from CAAHEP.
The Florida-based organization examined the
program’s curriculum, faculty, laboratory facilities and
advisory committee consisting of professionals in the health,
wellness and fitness occupations.
CAAHEP accreditation through 2011 means the
program meets the highest national standards of quality and serves
the public interest by assuring a well-qualified workforce, said
SRU’s Dr. Patricia Pierce, professor of exercise and
rehabilitative sciences and department chair.
“Accreditation in the
discipline of exercise science is a significant trend which
promotes quality academic programs leading to more opportunities
for students and greater recognition in the health care
field,” she said.
The most recent accreditation adds even
more prestige: SRU’s Exercise Science Program was the first
in the nation to be accredited by American Society of Exercise
Physiologists and is endorsed by the American College of Sports
Medicine and the National Strength and Conditioning
Association.
“The exercise science major at SRU is
well-known for its excellent curriculum and successful
graduates,” said Dr. Susan Hannam, interim dean of the
College of Health, Environment and Science.
Enrollment has tripled to 515 over a
three-year period due, in part, to the emphasis of health and
wellness to society.
“Our graduateswork as professionals
in the health and fitness fields,” Pierce said. “They
evaluate health behaviors and risks factors, conduct fitness tests
and develop and implement safe and effective exercise prescriptions
for improving and maintaining positive
lifestyles.”
Other unique aspects of SRU’s
program include the opportunity to take several national
certification exams on campus, student-faculty research and
mentoring programs for first-year students,” Pierce
said.
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