Yoga Teacher Training - 200-hour

The Yoga Teacher Training - 200-Hour certificate fulfills the requirements of the Yoga Alliance 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200)which serves as the minimum credential required by many employers of yoga teachers. This program integrates lecture, laboratory, and internship experiences to prepare students to be effective yoga instructors. Topics include yoga techniques including postures, breathing exercises, and meditation,teaching methodology, anatomy and physiology, philosophy, business aspects of yoga, and ethics.

To earn a certificate of achievement, students must complete each course used to meet a certificate requirement with a “C” grade or higher.

Upon successful completion of this certificate the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate correct technique in yoga practices including asanas (postures), pranayamas (breathing practices), and meditation.

2. Develop a personal teaching style that includes effective class management, communication, and addresses multi-level needs and special populations within a group setting.

3. Apply principles of human anatomy, physiology, and energy anatomy to yoga practices.

4. Analyze yoga philosophy, values,and ethics through yogic texts, and incorporate them into yoga practices.

5. Design and execute, as a lead teacher or assistant,safe and effective yoga sequences and classes.

This program will address three of the four college missions: providing career and technical education; supporting the economic development of the region; and promoting personal growth and lifelong learning.

This certificate program is intended to fulfill the requirements of the Yoga Alliance 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.Yoga Alliance is the nationally recognized organization that regulates yoga teaching standards. Students who complete their training at DVC may register online with Yoga Alliance upon fulfillment of their certificate.

This certificate is needed to respond to yoga’s exponentially growing popularity, which has increased the need for yoga instructors. The number of Americans who reported practicing yoga in 2016 (36.7 million) nearly doubled since the same research was conducted in 2012. This has created more employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for yoga instructors. Locally,teachers work in diverse settings including studios, health/fitness clubs,recreation departments, parks and beaches, colleges, school districts, athletic departments, health-care facilities, spas, wineries, and as retreat leaders.

 LMI data (attached) indicates the need for all types of fitness instructors, which includes yoga instructors, and the prediction is nearly 15%job growth between 2018 and 2028 in the state and nearly 7,000 job openings in the East Bay. The median salary in the East Bay is nearly $70,000/year.

 There are no other programs in our service area and only one community college in the entire Bay Area (College of San Mateo).  While there are 2 private yoga schools who offer a RYT 200 credential these start at $3,000 and can be as expensive as $4000. Diablo Valley College students will have the opportunity to enroll in a yoga teaching certification for under $500.

 Santa Rosa Junior College launched their yoga teaching certificate program in 2017and have had consistent enrollment with 22-30 students in each cohort. Because of demand, a second cohort was even added. Santa Rosa Junior College also has two private yoga instructor schools in their service area, but less than half the population of DVC/ CCCCD. This indicates that we will have the demand and should have a successful program like Santa Rosa.