Benedictine University’s online health education degree gives you the skills to foster awareness of positive health behaviors and promote behavior change. Through a curriculum aligned with national health education competencies, you’ll learn to develop sustainable health solutions that drive health equity in local and global communities.
Graduate eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) exam and take the next step in your career.
Online Health Education Degree Courses
Our bachelor’s degree takes a comprehensive approach to health education and health promotion. Course subjects include food systems, health coaching, health education planning, nutrition science and wellness. You’ll gain the educational expertise and credentials required to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) exam.
Course Highlights
- HLED 3271 Health Education Planning
- HLED 3363 Management of Health Initiatives
- HLED 4369 Health Coaching Techniques
- NUTR 2364 Food Systems and Policy
Educate and Inspire Others About Improving Their Health
The health education and health promotion major prepares you to pursue roles in community and public health, corporate wellness, medical institutions, school health services and other wellness-focused organizations.
Benedictine University’s unique curriculum also offers insight into nutrition as a preventative tool for public health.
Explore Health Education and Promotion Jobs
- Health Education Specialist
- Public Health Educator
- Wellness Director
Admission Requirements
Benedictine University offers a simple, supportive admissions process for the online B.A. in Health Education and Promotion program. There is no application fee, and you can transfer your previously earned credits to earn your degree on a faster schedule. Eligible students can also receive credit for up to 12 semester hours for work/life experience.
The admission requirements include:
- Online Application Form: Apply now at no cost
- Degree and Minimum GPA: An associate degree is preferred but not required. A cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or better from all colleges and universities previously attended is required.
- Transcripts: Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities.
- Transfer Credits: Students can transfer their previously earned credits to this online program.
- Credits to be transferred from other institutions are evaluated based on their equivalents at Benedictine University. Awarding of credit is determined through the process of transfer credit evaluation and program/departmental approval.
- Note that students transferring to Benedictine University’s undergraduate programs must have at least 12 transferable semester credit hours. If a student has fewer than 12 semester credit hours of transfer credit, freshman requirements apply.
- Credit for Work/Life Experience: Students can submit Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) portfolios for a maximum of 12 general elective semester credit hours.
- Students must complete all requirements of the PLA program within one year of starting their degree program.
- Only portfolios that demonstrate sufficient mastery of a course’s learning outcomes can earn credit.
What You’ll Learn
In the online health education degree program, you’ll not only learn how to develop and implement health education programs to groups in need, but you will also learn to promote and coordinate health education services and act as a resource for communities and organizations. This major also provides insight into nutrition for disease risk reduction.
Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the bachelor's degree in health education and health promotion, you’ll be able to successfully:
- Assess, plan, design, implement and administer health education and promotion programs.
- Demonstrate evaluation and use of scientific information and research for evidence-informed practice.
- Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the beliefs, values and behaviors for professional practice.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills.
Requirements for Earning Your B.A. in Health Education and Promotion
Students must meet these requirements to graduate from the health education bachelor’s degree:
- A student must earn at least 120 semester credit hours to be considered for graduation and maintain a C average (2.0) for all Benedictine University coursework.
- At least 30 semester credit hours must be completed at Benedictine University, and at least 12 semester credit hours of the minimum 30 semester credit hours at Benedictine must be at the 3000 level or above and in the major.
- At least 54 of the 120 semester credit hours for graduation must be completed at a four-year regionally accredited college.