Welcome to the world of Personal Training! As third-year students, you probably already know quite a bit about helping others live healthier lives, how our bodies move, and what good nutrition looks like. Still, one of the biggest challenges in this field is getting clients to see just how crucial exercise is for their overall health. That’s exactly what we’ll focus on: not just giving solid advice, but helping you get clients truly on board and motivated.

This minor is all about learning how to build personalized exercise plans that really make a difference. Together with your clients, you’ll work toward their unique goals. You’ll get hands-on experience helping people facing real-world issues like obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, or joint pain—always acting with professionalism, empathy, and encouragement. You’ll also become confident leading small group sessions focused on strength and endurance for a wide variety of people—from kids and teenagers to older adults.

We want you to have a fantastic, growth-filled six months—both as a student and as a person. There’s real demand for well-trained personal trainers here in Amsterdam, so by the end you’ll be ready to jump into a lively job market. We're here to give you the knowledge, skills, and confidence you’ll need along the way.

Above all, we hope you really enjoy this journey! We’re excited to see how you grow and what you’ll accomplish. The future is wide open, and we’re with you every step.

We’ve worked hard to redesign this course so you’re learning exactly what the fitness industry is looking for—skills, knowledge, the right attitude, and strong values. Our teaching, assignments, and activities are carefully planned to help you reach your goals, and your feedback will always be welcome to help us make the course even better.

PROGRAMME OUTLINE

During this program, you'll learn lots of skills that are really important for being excellent personal trainers. From knowing a lot about how muscles and bones work to motivating people, and from learning different exercise methods to helping people with medical issues like obesity and diabetes, you'll be ready to give expert advice and support to your clients, both in fitness and personal training.

To help you succeed, this program starts with learning the basics and then moves on to practical lessons in different exercise methods. You'll have lots of chances to use this knowledge during multiple internships where you'll help and guide fellow students, inner circle clients and people on their fitness journeys from a fitness company you choose.

This minor, delivered in English, spans 30 ECTS and is designed to combine theory with hands-on experience.

Structure of the Minor:

First part: You will engage in both theoretical lessons and practical skill development focused on training principles. you will train fellow students and inner circle clients.

Second part: Apply your knowledge during a 15-week internship (approximately three days per week), gaining real-world experience.

The curriculum is built around the book NSCA’s Essentials of Personal Training (3rd Edition, ISBN: 978-1-4925-9672-1), a comprehensive resource from the National Strength and Conditioning Association of America (NSCA).

During the initial phase, you will develop a strong theoretical and practical foundation, enabling you to contribute effectively from the very start of your internship. The second phase will emphasize your professional development, as your primary focus shifts to the internship experience.

There is a FAQ document available for further information:  FAQ

You will learn all the skills you need as a starting professional personal trainer; from the musculoskeletal system to motivational strategies and from training skills to medical issues such as obesity and diabetes in conjunction with training. The main learning outcomes of this minor are:

• To perform an intake with a client with the goal of receiving as much relevant information as possible which forms the basis of the design of a training program;
• To test and assess clients on their original starting point in relation to their goal(s);
• To develop or adjust an appropriate training schedule on an individual basis to enhance one or more performance factors like maximal strength, muscle endurance, or muscle hypertrophy;
• To take into account illness/complaints from customers with specific needs (e.g. obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems);
• To guide customers in a motivational and professional manner;
• To set up and lead small group training (4-10) for certain performance-determining factors like strength and endurance (also aimed at children, adolescents, and the elderly).

To achieve these goals, you first get an introduction to the theory, after which you will apply this knowledge during the internships.

You are expected to live a healthy lifestyle, be familiar with exercise or training, and be comfortable in sports scenes in general and in particular the fitness scene. In addition, you are expected to have an affinity towards coaching clientele.

Required reading:

NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training. 

NSCA is the National Strength and Conditioning Association. 

https://www.nsca.com/

Make sure you buy the 3rd edition. ISBN 978-1-4925-9672-1

Education:
Time spend on lectures: 158 hours

21 days divided over the whole semester on average  ± 5 hours per day.

2 exams, first one 2 hours, second one 3 hours, in total 5 hours of exam time.

Within the time frame of twenty weeks:

-lecture weeks at school; both theory and practice

- 7 lecture weeks of theory and practice 3 days per week Monday, Thursday and Friday

- 1 week of preparation and presentation, practical PT mid term exam and thereafter theoretical mid term exam

- ± 14 weeks - Internship Approx. 3 to 4 days per week

- 1 d/w lecture AUAS Thursdays
- completing internships plus exam preps
- NSCA CPT exam
- Start Individual assessments

 

Internship:
375 hours of internship divided over 13 – 15  weeks depending on start and end time internship.

Within those hours on average ½  hour per week of guidance from the internship guide

Visit internship by lecturer/guide from school is on average 1 hour

Internship is divided over three parts; training fellow students, training inner circle clients and training clients from a fitness company.

Semester 1: Internship/Start Date/End Date/Description/Hours

Fellow Student[s] / September – November / Easy start, safe environment / 35
Inner Circle Clients / September - December / Bring theory into practice / 40
Company clients / October – January / The real deal / 300
Total 375

Semester 2: Internship/Start Date/End Date/Description/Hours

Fellow Student[s] / February - April / Easy start, safe environment / 35
Inner Circle Clients / February - May / Bring theory into practice / 40
Company clients / March - July / The real deal / 300 
Total 375

Internship 1: Peer Training
You will be paired with two fellow students from our group. Together, you will train and be trained by one another. This internship provides the opportunity to set your own personal goals while also supporting your peers in achieving theirs. Training sessions may take place at the facility next to our school, or you may need to arrange your own venue. We expect you to actively work on the physical goals set collaboratively during these training sessions.

Internship 2: Inner Circle Clients
Identify two clients from your personal network—this could include friends, family, neighbors, or connections made through social media. Training sessions with these individuals can be conducted live in a park, online, or at a gym. Having gained experience working with a peer during the first internship, you will now be well-prepared and confident in training your inner circle clients effectively.

Internship 3: Company Placement
This is the real-world application of your skills from start to finish. You will independently work with five assigned clients, focusing on their individual physical goals.

The challenges and cases you encounter across these three internship types must be documented in your portfolio. This portfolio will serve as the foundation for your final assessment.

- completing all parts of the internship
- Sit for the NSCA-CPT exam
- Individual assessment based on your internships

Preparation:
The average student will spend an approximate of 300 hours on preparation time.

Within those hours are included: email contact, personal contact, phone contact and extra personal guidance when found necessary.

The lessons during the minor as well as the examinations are all in English.

Internship will be finalized with an assessment that can be held either in English or in Dutch.  

METHODS OF ASSESSMENT

• Mid-Term Exam: 5 ECTS [based on the first 16 chapters from the NSCA-CPT book]

• Internship: 15 ECTS [practical part of training at least 5 but preferably 7 clients at your internship place. Finalized by an individual assessment which is based on your portfolio in which you describe your development during the whole course of this minor]

• Final NSCA-CPT exam: 10 ECTS  [consists of 155 MC questions based on the complete NSCA-CPT book]

 

Resit opportunities:

This minor consists of three SiS parts on which students are tested and scored:

• Mid term exam, MC and open questions exam ; score at least a 5.5;
  A re-sit is available on location within the time frame of this minor.

• Internship (product + process, both score sufficient) + assessment (a minimum score of  5.5 is required);
  A re-sit possibility is available, but not within the time frame of this minor.
  A re-sit of the assessment is possible at the end of the next block.

• Theoretical final exam, NSCA-CPT (score sufficient to get your CPT certificate)
  A re-sit of this exam is possible after 100 days of the first attempt.
  Re-sits can be taken worldwide, however, there are extra costs involved.

Questions about the minor?
Contact Nils Swidde via n.swidde@hva.nl

Questions about the Kies op Maat procedure?
Contact Yvonne Reuvecamp-van Zijl via sisfbsv@hva.nl

Applications will be processed in order of receipt signed learning agreements.

ADDITIONAL COSTS Costs study book: approximate € 105,-.
The minor will lead up to an international standard and certification of the NSCA.
The theory and practice incorporated during classes specifically prepares you for this NSCA-CPT exam. The Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (school of sports and nutrition) delivers you a great opportunity to get one of the best-accredited certificates in the world in the field of personal training! This NSCA exam is recognized worldwide and can be seen as the gold standard.

There are costs related to becoming a NSCA member and sitting for the CPT examination: Cost indication for 2025: 1 year NSCA membership as a student : = $ 80 To sit for the NSCA-CPT exam as a member = $ 300

Additional costs Medic First Aid might apply. Some of our students already have this certificate but most of you do not. You can get your own MFA certificate. Ask your own health insurance company if they provide a MFA course [EHBO cursus].