Master’s Degree Programs in Healthcare Education Overview
Majors Overview August 9, 2015This article talks about master’s degree programs in healthcare education and their education requirements, coursework, career choices, job and wage outlook, and continuing education choices.
Master’s Programs in Health Care Education
While few schools, if any, offer healthcare education as a master’s degree level discipline, health education master’s programs are available for enrollment by bachelor’s degree holders. The focus of this degree program is on health promotion and community health through treatment and prevention.
Students are taught to raise awareness of public health issues by imparting education; schools offer degree programs as Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Arts (M.A.), or Master of Health Education. Students may also be trained to perform the roles of health advocates in higher, secondary and elementary education institutions. Program graduates will become adept at promoting community health at government agencies, volunteer organizations, schools, workplaces and community healthcare centers. Coursework may incorporate a graduate thesis as well as an internship experience. Through the thesis, students can demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the field of health education.
Education Requirements
Admission criteria typically require incoming students to hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field from an accredited school. In some programs, applicants are also required to have a multiple or single subject teaching credential and a year’s prior teaching experience.
Coursework
Coursework varies by school, but commonly focuses on community health promotion. Core coursework may cover topic areas such as:
•Lifestyle disease and prevention
•Marketing strategies
•Addiction studies
•Epidemiology Introduction
•Strategies for intervention
•Assessing communities
•Writing grants
Career Choices
Program graduates may seek jobs in numerous settings, including academic and clinical sites. They may choose from possible job positions such as:
•Corporate wellness director
•Health teacher
•Community health researcher
Job and Wage Outlook
In 2012, health educators brought in an average annual wage of $41,830 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Over the 2012 – 2022 decade, a faster-than-average job growth of 21% has been predicted for these professionals (BLS).
Continuing Education Choices
Program graduates can seek professional certification as offered by the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing. Passage of a written examination will enable them to obtain a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) certification. In order to renew the CHES certification, these professionals have to complete 75 hours of continuing education credits every five years.
