Overview
The Health Promotion and 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 promotion and 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 Education Specialist are 'professionals who design, conduct and evaluate activities that help improve the health of all people.'
The Health Promotion and Education program at the University of Cincinnati is designed to prepare graduates for a variety of health promotion and education job opportunities. Health Education Specialists work to improve the health of individuals or communities, depending on their work setting and job responsibilities. For example, Health Education Specialists 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 Education Specialists 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 eight basic responsibilities of the Health Education Specialist 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
Advocating for health and health education
Communicating for health and health education
Leadership and Management
Ethics and Professionalism
Career
Depending on preparation and interest, graduates of the baccalaureate program in health promotion and education may find employment in community health agencies, departments of public health, business and industry, health care settings, sports medicine centers or schools. Health Education Specialists 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 Education Specialists, 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