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NCAA Accreditation Granted to Cooper Personal Training Program

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01/22/2007

The Cooper Institute Earns National Accreditation for its Personal Trainer Certification Examination

The Cooper Institute was recently notified that following an intensive application process, its Personal Trainer Certification (CI-PTr) program has been granted accreditation by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) for a five-year period. NCCA accreditation is considered the "gold standard" of quality for fitness-certifying organizations.

The NCCA evaluates organizations on 21 standards within four program areas including purpose, governance and resources; responsibilities to stakeholders; assessment instruments; and recertification. These standards represent the essential elements of a quality professional credentialing program.

"We are honored to receive this accreditation from NCCA," said Susan Campbell, vice president of The Cooper Institute Education Division. "The accreditation gives qualified certification programs the opportunity to demonstrate legitimacy and credibility to individuals seeking personal training certification and their employers and clients."

Campbell also stated that The Cooper Institute is pleased to work with the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) and fellow members of the fitness industry to raise the bar for organizations providing personal training certifications. IHRSA made the recommendation that its member facilities hire personal trainers who hold at least one current certification from an organization that has accreditation from an independent and nationally-recognized agency.

The Cooper Institute is one of only seven organizations to achieve NCCA accreditation and the only Texas-based organization with this accreditation.

About The Cooper Institute
The Cooper Institute was founded as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) in June 1970 by Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH Located in Dallas on the grounds of Cooper Aerobics Center, it focuses on preventive medicine research and health education, promotion and certification. Areas of research include epidemiology, exercise physiology, behavior change, cancer prevention, children's health, obesity, nutrition, aging, diabetes, hypertension, weight management, health communication and other health issues. Certification programs and training courses are delivered worldwide to thousands of health and fitness professionals each year. For more information about The Cooper Institute, visit www.cooperinst.org.