MS in Health Education And Promotion

With today’s increased focus on encouraging healthy behaviors and preventing illness in individuals and communities, the need for qualified health education specialists is on the rise, with a 16% growth in employment anticipated over the next 10 years.*

Meet the demand for qualified professionals in this field by furthering your education with an online MS in Health Education and Promotion. Explore the latest health behavior theories, trends, and practices and develop the skills to design health communications; plan, implement, and evaluate prevention programs; or serve as an educator on public health issues in a variety of settings. Study individual and population health as well as the social science aspects of health and gain a basic understanding of core public health principles. Discover how you can empower individuals to adopt and maintain healthy behaviors and help create social and physical environments that support those behaviors.

One of the few universities to offer an online master’s program in Health Education and Promotion, Walden has designed this program to reflect the Seven Areas of Responsibility for Health Educators outlined by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) and to prepare you to sit for the national Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) exams.

Walden’s master’s in health education and promotion is part of one of the largest suites of public health programs available online today. Along with a BS in Public Health, a Master of Public Health (MPH), a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), and a PhD in Public Health, Walden provides public health professionals with a continuous path for career growth.

Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be prepared to:

1. Examine historic milestones, current challenges, and future trends related to health and health education.
2. Analyze biological, social, political, cultural, environmental, and behavioral factors that impact individual and population health.
3. Assess community needs and capacity for health education.
4. Develop culturally tailored health education programs and communication using health behavior theories and models.
5. Evaluate the effectiveness of health education programs, communication, and research.
6. Apply key leadership concepts and skills to effectively administer health education programs and services.
7. Utilize best practices of health communication to promote and advocate for individual and population health.
8. Apply research principles and methods to address 21st-century health challenges.

Career Impact

The health education profession is dedicated to excellence in the practice of promoting individual, family, organizational, and community health.

The MS in Health Education and Promotion program will help prepare you to advance in the field, working as a health educator in academic, clinical, community, or corporate settings.

Health educators work to promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health. They do this by:

• Assessing needs
• Planning, implementing, and evaluating health education programs
• Coordinating health education services
• Serving as resource people
• Advocating for specific health issues

An MS in Health Education and Promotion can help you gain the skills and experience to work within a wide range of settings to promote healthy lifestyles. These settings include, but are not limited to:

Master’s-level health education specialists may also serve as consultants, teach at the college or university level, or work as researchers.*

In light of initiatives such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Healthy People 2020 and its goal to “increase the quality, availability, and effectiveness of educational and community-based programs designed to prevent disease and injury, improve health, and enhance quality of life,” the demand for skilled health education specialists is growing. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), this field has a 21% anticipated growth in employment over the next 10 years.^†

Fast Facts: Salary and Employment

According to the BLS^‡

• The mean annual wage for this occupation is $53,100.
• The states with the highest employment level in this occupation are California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
• The top-paying states are:
  • Maryland: $79,510
  • District of Columbia: $73,950
  • Georgia: $72,050
  • Delaware: $67,390
  • Rhode Island: $66,520

*Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this degree program.

†Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014–15 Edition, Health Educators and Community Health Workers, on the Internet at www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm (viewed online January 22, 2014). National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211091.htm#ind (viewed online February 14, 2014). National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Note on Certification:
The MS in Health Education and Promotion has been designed to reflect the Seven Areas of Responsibility for Health Educators outlined by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) and to prepare students to sit for the national Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) exams. Walden enrollment advisors can provide information relating to national certification exams; however, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to national certification exams for the state in which he or she intends to practice. Walden makes no representations or guarantee that completion of Walden coursework or programs will permit an individual to obtain national certification. For more information about the CHES and MCHES exams, students should visit http://www.nchec.org.

Find detailed information for the general specialization of this program, or all other specializations of this program, including possible occupations, completion rate, program costs, and median student loan debt.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016–17 Edition, Health Educators and Community Health Workers, on the internet at www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm. National long-term projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions, do not guarantee actual job growth, and are subject to change.