Advance your career in athletic performance training.
Gain skills in exercise training and recovery, testing and evaluation, and optimizing performance for your clients.
Affordable
Among the lowest tuition cost per credit hour in the U.S.
Attainable
No entrance exams. All bachelor's degrees accepted.
Flexible
100% fully online with several start dates available.
High quality
Our graduate programs are nationally ranked for excellence.
Online Certificate of Advanced Studies in Strength and Conditioning
The Strength and Conditioning Certificate of Advanced Studies is a graduate-level credential designed for students who want to advance their expertise in athletic performance training and evidence-based program design.
The certificate may be earned as a standalone credential or completed alongside a master’s degree.
The graduate strength and conditioning program coursework explores advanced strength and conditioning concepts including exercise physiology, training adaptations and recovery, sports nutrition planning, mental performance, exercise technique and instruction, performance testing and evaluation, periodization, and program design. These courses are designed to help students strengthen their professional skillset and prepare for the NSCA’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) exam.
Fast facts
Delivery format: Fully online
Total classes: 5
Total credit hours: 15
Questions? Contact:
Dr. Ron Loggins
Dean, School of Science, Health, and Criminal Justice
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 402-375-7030
Estimated program cost
Credit hours:15
Cost per credit hour: $412 (includes fees)
*Based on 15 credit hours at the current online tuition rate for 2025-26. Does not include indirect costs. For more information on costs of graduate tuition, visit the Cost of Attendance page.
Get started today!
Our free application can help you decide if Wayne State College is the right choice for you and your career goals. You can apply up until the first day of the term!
Next term starts: Monday, July 13, 2026 (5-week summer session)
Upcoming start dates:
- Aug. 24, 2026 (8- and 16-week fall sessions available)
- Oct. 26, 2026 (8-week fall session)
- Jan. 11, 2027 (8- and 16-week spring sessions available)
Credit hours: 3
Description: This course will address nutritional training plans and foundational nutritional principles associated with sport and exercise.
Credits: 3
Description: The advanced study of the physiological adaptations encountered by the human body as it reacts to exercise, physical training, and conditioning. This course will emphasize application of the acute and chronic effects of exercise and training to a variety of settings to include strength and conditioning as well as the field of health and wellness.
Credit hours: 3
Description: The course is a comprehensive study of strength training and conditioning for athletic or elite physical performance. Emphasis is given to the following areas of strength training and conditioning: 1) scientific principles, 2) testing and evaluation, 3) practical demonstration and instruction of exercise techniques and prescription, 4) program design, 5) facility organization and administration. The course content includes knowledge, skills, and abilities related to the NSCA’s Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist certification and other leading certifications of strength training and conditioning.
Credits: 3
Description: This course will examine the foundational science and practical applications of common periodization models as well as associated programming strategies utilized in the field of strength and conditioning. Completing an undergraduate or graduate foundational course in the principles of strength and conditioning prior to taking this course is recommended.
Credits: 3
Description: The course is a study of theoretical concepts and applications of activities for sport performance enhancement from various areas of sport science. Performance testing, evaluation and training, and psychology will be explored for the purpose of development of the athlete/individual/ and or team to optimum performance potential.
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