OverviewThe Health Education (Pre) program is an associate degree program designed for students who, after obtaining the associate degree, plan to transition to the baccalaureate program in health education in UC's College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH). According to the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC), health educators are "professionals who design, conduct and evaluate activities that help improve the health of all people."
The health education program at the University of Cincinnati is designed to prepare graduates for a variety of health education job opportunities. Health educators work to improve the health of individuals or communities, depending on their work setting and job responsibilities. For example, health educators working in health departments often are concerned with the health of the community they serve and may develop programs to impact people living in the community.
Health educators working in business/industry may be working one-on-one with individuals to help them modify and improve their diet, increase their physical activity, reduce their stress levels, stop smoking, etc.
The seven basic responsibilities of health educators include:
- Assessing individual and community needs for health education
- Planning health education strategies, interventions and programs
- Implementing health education strategies, interventions and programs
- Conducting evaluation and research related to health education
- Administering health education strategies, interventions and programs
- Serving as a health education resource person
- Communicating and advocating for health and health education.
Success
Health educators must be good communicators and like working with people. They need to be able to comfortably speak to individuals and groups and must have excellent writing skills. Furthermore, those majoring in health and education are usually committed to their own health and are excited about helping others improve theirs.
Creativity is a real plus for health educators, as it often takes creative thinking to motivate and help individuals or communities to change health behaviors. Both the behavioral and biological sciences form the foundation for health education. Course work is required in such areas as psychology, sociology, human growth and development, human anatomy and physiology, statistics and speech/communications. Basic business classes in marketing, economics and accounting are also required.
Career
Depending on preparation and interest, graduates of the baccalaureate program in health education may find employment in community health agencies, departments of public health, business and industry, health care settings, sports medicine centers or schools. Health educators may be involved in such diverse areas as stress management, weight control, physical fitness, improved nutrition, smoking cessation, environmental health, family life and more.
A variety of professional organizations represent health educators, depending on interest area and employment site. Some organizations are:
- Association for the Advancement of Health Education
- Society for Public Health Education
- American Public Health Association
- Association for Worksite Health Promotion
- American School Health Association.
