Health Education Specialist & Wellness Coaching
The Health Education Specialist and Wellness Coaching program merges the worlds of health promotion and health behavior change to meet the core competencies to become both a Health Education Specialist and Health and Wellness Coach. Students who successfully graduate from this program are prepared to work in a variety of settings, including health advocacy, education, programming, and coaching in community, clinical, corporate, and campus health and wellbeing.
The Health Education Specialist and Wellness Coaching applied program is a two-year, full-time program. Each academic year will include classes and practical field experience. Students in the program will be considered for graduate assistantship opportunities.
Summer enrollment is not required, although many students use this time to take elective courses, work on their Master’s project, or accumulate additional field experience.
Program Information
In order for you to be successful in our program it is highly advantageous for you to have the following background knowledge:
- Human physiology (e.g., *BIOL 2420) or Exercise Physiology (e.g., *KINES 3091)
- College algebra (e.g., *MATH 1050)
- Foundations of Health Education (e.g., *HEDU 4200)
- Anatomy and Physiology (e.g., *HEDU 4650)
- Scientific Foundations of Human Nutrition and Health (e.g., *NUTR 1020)
* or equivalent
The coursework and other program requirements will be aligned with four focus areas:
Core Health & Wellness Content
Learn essential knowledge related to all eight domains of health – emotional, environmental, intellectual, financial, physical, occupational, social, spiritual – all components of optimal well-being.
Program Development & Research Skills
Develop critical skills in health program planning, program evaluation, and research interpretation.
Coaching & Communication
Master the art of health and wellness coaching through the development of individual and group behavior change facilitation and transferable communication skills and strategies.
Hands-On Field Experience
Engage in practical experiences each semester, working with field professionals to gain valuable hands-on experience that sets the stage for success upon graduation.
To our knowledge, we are the only program in the country offering an applied MS degree with a combination of training where students are:
- Trained as National Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Coaches
- Eligible to sit for both the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam and the National Health & Wellness Coach certification exam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) are those who have met the standards of competence established by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc. (NCHEC) and have successfully passed the CHES® examination.
CHES certification is important if you desire to be a health educator. Health education specialists are professionals who design, conduct and evaluate activities that help improve the health of all people. These activities can take place in a variety of settings that include schools, communities, health care facilities, businesses, universities and government agencies. Health education specialists are employed under a range of job titles such as patient educators, health education teachers, health coaches, community organizers, public health educators, and health program managers.
Certified Health and Wellness Coaches partner with clients seeking self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well-being.
In the course of their work, health and wellness coaches display unconditional positive regard for their clients and a belief in their capacity for change, and honoring that each client is an expert on his or her life, while ensuring that all interactions are respectful and non-judgmental.
Our program is based on the knowledge, standards, and skills put forth by the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). Our graduates are prepared to work as a health/wellness coach in a variety of settings such as private practice, corporate wellness, university health and wellness programs, and in hospital or other health care settings.
In addition to CHES and NBHWC, as part of the curriculum students complete the requisite training to become a Certified Lifestyle Coach for the CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program.
A Lifestyle Coach Helps individuals with prediabetes make positive changes, such as eating healthier and staying physically active, in order to delay or prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes. Potential employment includes healthcare settings, workplaces, and community-based organizations.
Contact Us
Co-Directors of Graduate Studies
Julie Lucero, PhD
Genevieve Albouy, PhD
Coordinator, Health Education Specialist and Wellness Coaching Program
Program Manager
Graduate Program Resources