Hauptfach Gesundheitserziehung und -förderung

Helping people become healthier individuals—that’s what you can expect from a career as a community health educator. Ball State’s major in health education and promotion is excellent preparation for entry into this field.

As a student, you’ll learn how to teach people about behaviors that promote wellness and encourage them to make healthy decisions. You’ll also learn to promote the application of scientific health principles to human life, primarily through health education in community health agencies, health-care facilities, and worksites.

Graduates of the Health Education and Promotion Program are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam. The CHES designation signifies an individual who has met required academic preparation qualification, has successfully passed a competency-based examination, and satisfies the continuing education requirement to maintain the national credential.

What You Will Learn

The curriculum for our bachelor’s degree in health education and promotion is comprised of core requirements and electives in health, anatomy, and health education. Students enrolled in this program will also gain hands-on, real-world experience through an internship, to be completed prior to graduation.

Our students take courses where they learn how to perform the seven competencies of health educators:

• Assess needs, assets, and capacity for health education
• Plan health education
• Implement health education
• Conduct evaluation and research related to health education
• Administer and manage health education
• Serve as a health education resource person
• Communicate and advocate for health and health education

We are committed to delivering an exceptional educational experience to our students and advancing our respective disciplines through research and scholarship. We engage in service to the university, the profession, and the community. We value health and wellbeing throughout the lifespan, interprofessional education and scholarship, community engagement for the advancement of evidence-based and best health practices, lifelong learning, and the unique qualities associated with a diverse population.

The faculty in Nutrition and Health Science are accomplished researchers in their respective fields, and have a track record of success not only in teaching, but in field practice. They take pride in providing Ball State students with a comprehensive education in and out of the classroom.