Health Careers
Health Educator
Professional Activities
Health educators use educational processes to promote health and influence human well-being in a variety of school, community, workplace, and medical care settings. They promote good health by educating the public about the causes of disease and the means of prevention on a community-wide level. Health educators may also provide counseling, plan and evaluate programs, and organize community efforts.
The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. adopted seven responsibility areas that a health educator should possess:
- Assess individual and community needs for health education;
- Plan effective health education programs;
- Implement health education programs;
- Evaluate the effectiveness of health education programs;
- Coordinate the provision of health education services;
- Act as a resource person in health education; and
- Communicate health and health education needs, concerns and resources. Additional competencies may be necessary, depending on the health educator’s responsibility area.
Health educators in Alaska are employed by public health departments, schools, Native health corporations, and community, government, or voluntary agencies.
Educational Requirements
The minimum educational requirement is usually a four-year baccalaureate degree, with a minimum of 25 semester hours (or 37 quarter hour credits) for a health education emphasis. The transcript will typically indicate a major degree program in community health education, health education, public health education, or school health education.
- Graduation from high school with coursework in English, science, and math.
- Completion of a four-year college degree with an emphasis in health education.
- Some health educators complete a one or two year Master’s degree program in health education.
Academic Programs
The University of Alaska Anchorage currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences. This degree currently has a physician assistant tract, but other tracts in the health promotion field are under development.
The University of Alaska Anchorage also has a Master of Public Health Practice program that is offered through distance delivery. All courses are offered via internet-based instruction, allowing early and mid career professionals to advance their knowledge and skills while continuing to work in their home communities. Preference for admission is given to Alaska residents with strong academic records and commitment to improving the health of communities and individuals in the state.
For more information on either one of these programs, contact:
Rhonda Johnson, DrPH, MPH, FNP
Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Health Sciences
Department of Health Sciences
University of Alaska, Anchorage
Diplomacy Bldg #405
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508
Phone: (907) 786-6545
Email: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://health.uaa.alaska.edu/dept/degrees.htm
Contacts
State Contacts:
Alaska Health Education Consortium
PO Box 100563
Anchorage, AK 99510
Web site: http://www.ahecalaska.org/
Alaska Health Education Library Project- (AHELP)
AHELP is an electronic clearinghouse of current health promotion and health education resources that are specific to and available in Alaska. It contains information on health promotion programs, projects and materials and more.
Website: http://www.ahelp.org/
For more information on AHELP, contact:
Alaska Health Education Library Project (AHELP)
Section of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Alaska Division of Public Health, DHSS
P.O. Box 110616
Juneau, AK 99811
Phone: (888) 465-3140
Fax: (907) 465-2770
Email: (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
National Contacts:
The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
1541 Alta Drive, Suite 303
Whitehall, PA 18052-5642
Phone: (484) 223-0770
Toll free: (888) 624-3248
Fax: (800) 813-0727
Web site: http://www.nchec.org/
Member Organizations of the Coalition of National Health Education Organizations (CNHEO)
American Public Health Association (APHA) [http://www.apha.org]
American College Health Association (ACHA) [http://www.acha.org/]
American School Health Association (ASHA) [http://www.ashaweb.org/]
American Association for Health Education (AAHE) [http://www.aahperd.org/aahe/template.cfm]
Directors of Health Promotion and Education (DHPE) [http://www.dhpe.org/]
Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) [http://www.sophe.org/]
International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUPHE) [http://www.iuhpe.org/]
This page was last updated by Janice Troyer on June 16, 2009
