Occupation · SOC 25-1193
Recreation and Fitness Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
Teach courses pertaining to recreation, leisure, and fitness studies, including exercise physiology and facilities management. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Median wage
$75,890
$44,150–$158,240
Projected growth
+1.9%
Slower than average
Annual openings
40
per year
Employed (US)
12,680
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
800 mapped
Core skills
SpeakingInstructingWritingReading ComprehensionLearning StrategiesActive ListeningCritical ThinkingTime ManagementMonitoringJudgment and Decision MakingComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningSystems AnalysisSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionCoordinationSystems EvaluationService OrientationNegotiationManagement of Personnel ResourcesOperations AnalysisScienceMathematicsManagement of Financial ResourcesQuality Control AnalysisManagement of Material ResourcesTechnology DesignOperations MonitoringTroubleshootingProgrammingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Education and TrainingEnglish LanguageComputers and ElectronicsPsychologyBiologyCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementMathematicsTherapy and CounselingCommunications and MediaMedicine and DentistryPersonnel and Human ResourcesPublic Safety and SecurityAdministrativeChemistrySociology and AnthropologyEconomics and AccountingSales and MarketingPhysicsEngineering and TechnologyPhilosophy and TheologyLaw and GovernmentTransportationTelecommunicationsFine ArtsMechanicalHistory and ArcheologyDesignBuilding and ConstructionGeographyFood ProductionProduction and ProcessingForeign Language
Technology & tools
Blackboard LearnCalendar and scheduling softwareCollaborative editing softwareCourse management system softwareDOC CopDartfish ProSuiteDesire2Learn LMS softwareEmail softwareFacebookGoogle DocsImage scanning softwareLearning management system LMSMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft ProjectMicrosoft WordPrologSakai CLESoftworks Global PESoftOneStudent record softwareWeb browser softwareiParadigms Turnitin
Representative tasks
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsTraining and Teaching OthersGetting InformationUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesCoaching and Developing OthersOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsWorking with ComputersAnalyzing Data or InformationJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleThinking CreativelyDocumenting/Recording InformationPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesProcessing InformationCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesDeveloping and Building TeamsPerforming Administrative ActivitiesScheduling Work and ActivitiesAssisting and Caring for OthersResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsStaffing Organizational UnitsSelling or Influencing OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationHandling and Moving ObjectsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesControlling Machines and ProcessesRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical EquipmentOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Course syllabi and homework assignments — draft and format under faculty mentorship for undergraduate recreation or fitness studies courses.Student attendance records and grade logs — maintain accurately using institutional learning management systems with supervisor guidance.Classroom discussions on recreation and fitness topics — facilitate introductory sessions under the direction of a supervising professor.Assigned readings and current literature in kinesiology or therapeutic recreation — review and summarize to support preparation for course delivery.Lectures on foundational topics such as anatomy or conditioning theory — deliver to small undergraduate sections using provided instructional materials.Multiple-choice and short-answer examinations — compile and administer following departmental templates and assessment protocols.Word processing and office suite software — use to produce course handouts, assignment sheets, and correspondence in a postsecondary academic environment.Student class work and written assignments — evaluate using provided rubrics and grading criteria under close faculty oversight.Professional conferences and departmental colloquia — attend and document key developments to build familiarity with the recreation and fitness field.Active listening and note-taking protocols — apply during instructional team meetings to support lesson planning in a university recreation studies program.
developing
Undergraduate lecture series on topics such as therapeutic recreation and sport conditioning — prepare and deliver with reduced oversight in a postsecondary classroom setting.Course materials including syllabi, handouts, and multimedia resources — revise and update each term to reflect current scholarship in recreation and fitness studies.Student performance data including grades and attendance — maintain and analyze using spreadsheet software to identify at-risk students in a postsecondary program.Seminar and laboratory discussions — facilitate and moderate with growing independence, applying active listening and social perceptiveness skills in a university context.Written examinations and practical assessments — compile, administer, and grade with limited supervisory review for recreation and fitness undergraduate courses.Learning management and calendar scheduling software — use proficiently to organize course timelines, post resources, and communicate with students.Current peer-reviewed literature in kinesiology, sport science, and counseling — read and integrate into course content to keep instruction current.Individual student writing assignments and research papers — evaluate with constructive written feedback using established rubrics in a university recreation program.Instructional strategies aligned to diverse learner needs — select and apply in familiar classroom and laboratory contexts within a postsecondary fitness studies department.Video creation and editing software — use to produce supplemental instructional content for hybrid or online recreation studies course sections.
proficient
Undergraduate and graduate lecture curricula on anatomy, sport psychology, and conditioning theory — design, deliver, and continuously refine autonomously across a full academic year.Course content, methods of instruction, and learning outcomes — plan, evaluate, and revise systematically using evidence-based curriculum review processes within a postsecondary recreation studies department.Complex non-routine student performance issues — diagnose and resolve through critical thinking and judgment, applying appropriate academic support strategies in a university setting.Scholarly literature, conference presentations, and professional networks — engage with regularly to sustain expertise and translate emerging developments in recreation and fitness into classroom instruction.Graduate-level research papers and thesis chapters — evaluate with sophisticated written and oral feedback that advances students' scholarly development in recreation and fitness studies.Comprehensive examination programs including written, oral, and practical components — compile, administer, grade, and analyze for validity and reliability across multiple course sections.Classroom discussions integrating multidisciplinary knowledge from biology, psychology, and counseling — initiate and moderate to promote higher-order thinking among advanced postsecondary students.Web-based course environments and information retrieval systems — manage and optimize to deliver effective online and hybrid instruction in recreation and fitness studies programs.Inductive and deductive reasoning frameworks — apply to guide students through systems analysis of fitness program design and therapeutic recreation planning in applied settings.Student learning outcomes and program-level assessment data — monitor, interpret, and act upon to improve instructional quality across recreation studies course offerings.
advanced
Departmental curriculum for recreation and fitness studies — lead comprehensive redesign initiatives that align program content with accreditation standards and emerging professional competencies.Faculty development initiatives and peer mentoring programs — design and lead to build instructional capacity across a postsecondary recreation, kinesiology, or sport science department.Strategic research agenda in recreation, fitness, or therapeutic recreation — set and direct, integrating findings into graduate program development at the institutional level.Institutional assessment and program evaluation frameworks — develop and champion to ensure continuous improvement of undergraduate and graduate recreation studies offerings.Interdisciplinary academic partnerships with health sciences, psychology, and community service sectors — cultivate and sustain to advance the department's scholarly and professional mission.Scholarly and professional discourse at national conferences and in peer-reviewed publications — lead through keynote presentations and high-impact research that shapes the recreation and fitness studies field.Graduate student dissertation and capstone committees — chair and guide, exercising expert judgment to develop the next generation of recreation and fitness scholars and practitioners.Departmental policies for grading, academic integrity, and student records management — author and oversee to ensure compliance and equity across all course sections.Institutional technology strategy for instructional innovation — influence by modeling advanced use of video, OCR, and web authoring tools in a postsecondary academic environment.Cross-institutional and community stakeholder relationships — forge and lead to position the recreation and fitness studies program as a regional and national leader in professional preparation.
Also known as
39 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Adjunct InstructorAdjunct ProfessorAquatic InstructorAssistant ProfessorAssociate ProfessorAthletic InstructorCollege Faculty MemberCollege ProfessorEducation Programs ProfessionalExercise InstructorExercise Science InstructorExercise Science ProfessorExercise TeacherFitness and Wellness InstructorFitness InstructorFitness Studies TeacherGymnasium TeacherHealth and Human Performance ProfessorHealth and Physical Education Instructor (HPE Instructor)Health and Physical Education Professor (HPE Professor)Health Fitness ProfessionalHealth ProfessorHealth, Physical Education, and Recreation Professor (HPER Professor)Human Performance ProfessorInstructorKinesiology ProfessorLeisure Studies ProfessorPhysical Education Instructor (PE Instructor)Physical Education Professor (PE Professor)Physical Education Teacher (PE Teacher)Physical Fitness TeacherProfessorRecreation ProfessorRecreation TeacherSports Management ProfessorTeacherUniversity Faculty MemberWellness and Activities InstructorWellness Instructor