Instructor Qualifications
If you are looking for a Pilates studio in Aiken, SC you might be confused by some Pilates studios’ instructor qualifications. In fact, some Pilates teacher training programs offer diplomas, others award certificates, a few offer a certification, but none offer degrees.
Let’s take a closer look at how subtle differences between these terms differ from one another:
Degree
A degree represents a broader scope of knowledge. It requires a more general education; a student who pursues a degree in literary studies, for example, is required to include math and science in their curriculum of courses. A degree is offered at universities and colleges and covers a wide range of subjects. Presently, it is not applicable to the Pilates profession, although some teachers may be in possession of a degree in kinesiology, the study of human movement.
Diploma
The other terms, “diploma” and “degree”, are more easily recognizable; however, they warrant some clarification as they apply to the Pilates profession. A diploma is the document which can be awarded when a student has successfully terminated the completion of a school’s program in its entirety (450 hours of comprehensive Pilates education, for example). It represents a more in-depth body of knowledge than that of a certificate. Therefore, it would be correct for a Pilates teacher training school to award their students a “diploma” at the conclusion of their projected program of study.
Certificate
A certificate is a document awarded by an educational institution at the conclusion of a specific program of study. It can refer to a specific subject matter, such as a 90-hour mat work program or 15-hour program of movement modifications for elderly clients, for example. If the program is assessment-based, then the student can be awarded a “certificate of competency”; otherwise the document is more accurately called a “certificate of attendance”.
Certification
A certification, on the other hand, provides assurance to the public that the holder who has achieved a credential from a third-party certification program (therefore, not the educational institution with whom they have done their program of study) possesses the knowledge, skills, and competency for quality practice of a particular specialty or profession. This is measured through an assessment process which is periodically reviewed.
The table below is offered to clarify at a quick glance:
DEGREE | DIPLOMA | CERTIFICATE | CERTIFICATION |
Offered at university or college | Awarded by the school | Awarded by the school | Awarded by a third party |
Represents a broader scope of knowledge | In-depth body of knowledge | Subject-matter specific | Assessment of knowledge, skills, and competency |
Example: degree in kinesiology | Represents completion of school's curriculum | Can be assessment based OR attendance based | Verifies that the certified individual has provided evidence of necessary knowledge and skills to established standards |
What is the National Pilates Certification Program?
The National Pilates Certification Program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA); initially under the name "PMA Pilates Certification Program." The exam is available to any candidate who meets the following eligibility requirements:
18 years of age
Verification of having completed comprehensive training in Pilates
Verification of comprehensive training is obtained from the school or mentor that provided the education. Completion of training includes all necessary coursework and assignments, including final exams required by the school or mentor. In cases where a candidate receives training through multiple schools over a period of years, one school or trainer must verify the education based on review or assessment of comprehensive competency.
Comprehensive training must be minimally 450 hours in length and cover mat Pilates and the following apparatuses:
Reformer
Trapeze Table
Wunda Chair
Ladder Barrel
Spine Corrector
Magic Circle
How can you find out if your Pilates Instructor is a Certified Pilates Instructor?
Head to NPCP and see if your instructor has earned his/her stripes:
https://nationalpilatescertificationprogram.org/NPCP/Directory/CertifiedTeachersList.aspx
Does Aiken have a NPCP Pilates instructor?
YES! Pilates Mastery’s very own, tiffany page, is a certified Pilates Instructor.
To learn more about Equine Bodywork, Horse Bodywork, Canine CranioSacral, Equine CranioSacral, CranioSacral for horses, Horse Speak®, Equine Pilates and/or Reformer Pilates for Humans here in Aiken, head to Pilates Mastery. If you’re looking for Pilates near me, Pilates Mastery also offers virtual Pilates sessions if you are not local to Aiken, SC. You may book an Equine Pilates or a Horse Speak® session at: pilatesmastery.org