Since its inception, the Health Fitness Program at Westfield State College has been housed in the Department of Movement Science, Sport and Leisure Studies as part of the Movement Science major. While the Department began offering only a Physical Education degree, by the early 1990’s, the Department began offering four concentrations (health fitness, sports medicine, athletic training and wilderness leadership). At this time, the Major’s Core was developed which all students in the Movement Science Major were required to complete. Curriculum for each specific concentration was added to provide students with professional preparation in their desired field.
In 2003, the curriculum was revised to reflect the guidelines developed by the American College of Sports Medicine. The Health Fitness Program was endorsed through the University Connections Program by the American College of Sports Medicine in Spring 2004.
The most recent development for the department is moving to a new facility in May 2004. The MSSLS and Athletic Departments are now housed in the newly built Woodward Center. The Woodward Center is an 82,000 square foot building which includes: a field house containing a performance court, two practice courts, and a four-lane indoor competitive track; a state-of-the art athletic training facility, a weight conditioning room; an aerobics/dance studio; four classrooms; exercise physiology, biomechanics, and motor learning laboratories; a multi-media computer lab; a student lounge; conference rooms; as well as faculty and athletic staff offices.