BS in Health Education and Health Promotion

Why Choose Saint Leo's BS in Health Education Degree?

The Bachelor of Science (BS) Health Education and Health Promotion degree program is designed to prepare graduates for careers as health education specialists. The program prepares students with the foundation to design, implement, and evaluate interventions that advance the health of the community through application of evidence-based approaches within a Culture of Health framework.

The program design aligns with standards essential for entry-level health educators and positions graduates to pursue the voluntary national certification as Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) offered through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

The degree will prepare students for careers in health education and health promotion in healthcare, government, university, business, community/non-profit, and school settings.

View Degree Requirements

Availability

Our BS in Health Education degree program is offered at university campus with a start date in August.

Accreditation

Saint Leo University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), http://www.sacs.org/.

Program Features & Differentiators

• A unique feature of the program is its’ interdisciplinary focus on health education and health promotion with a strong emphasis on teaching and learning best practices.
• Experiential learning is emphasized to prepare students for future employment.
• Faculty have expertise in health education and health promotion.
  
  

Course Highlights

Please review the following documents for the BS in Health Education and Health Promotion curriculum plan and course descriptions:

View BS in Health Education and Health Promotion Curriculum Plan (PDF)

View BS in Health Education and Health Promotion Course Descriptions (PDF)

Learning Outcomes

Program graduates will be able to:

• Advocate for health promotion in the role as health educator and resource person in support of a Culture of Health.
• Apply evidence-based practices in assessing needs, resources, and capacity in planning, implementing, and evaluating health education and health promotion initiatives and programs.
• Communicate with the desired audience to deliver health promotion messages incorporating principles of health literacy and developmentally and culturally appropriate information, learning strategies, teaching methods, and materials.
• Advocate for personal, family, and community health and the health education profession.
• Demonstrate professionalism consistent with the Saint Leo University Core Values while leading and managing health education and health promotion initiatives and programs.
  
  

Professional Development Opportunities

The BS in Health Education degree program builds on arts and sciences course content to extend prior learning. Individual courses may be taken for professional development.

Career Focus

The program is for students with an interest in the educator (rather than the clinician) role in health care. Completion of the Health Education degree program positions graduates for entry level employment in a variety of settings.

Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in the community health education field is projected to increase dramatically through 2026, with demand for community health workers and health educators increasing 16%, more than twice the average for all occupations. Growth will be driven by efforts to improve health outcomes and to reduce healthcare costs by teaching people about healthy habits and behaviors and utilization of available healthcare services.

Saint Leo Graduates

Graduates work as health educators in non-profit, community, and health care institutions. Our Health Education degree also positions students with a desire to pursue an advanced degree.

Resources

Applicants interested in learning more about the role of the health education specialist and potential areas of employment and job titles can consult https://www.nchec.org/guide-to-health-education-careers

Information on the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) examination, a national competency-based examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. is located at https://www.nchec.org/ches https://www.nchec.org/ches