Health Education Specialist
Requirements
Do you want to reduce health disparities and help people improve their lives? Develop the skills it takes to become a certified health education specialist and protect the health of individuals and communities.
Description
Health education and health promotion professionals fill a critical role as they teach individuals how to stay well by living healthy lifestyles. They also help mobilize communities to advocate for and create healthy environments, and they champion health equity through policy, advocacy and environmental change.
In this concentration, students learn how to plan, implement, manage and evaluate health promotion programs that improve health outcomes and prevent chronic and infectious disease.
This concentration does not meet the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) requirements, and thus does not qualify a student to apply for a Dietetic Internship.
This certificate enables students to sit for the certified health education specialist exam through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (https://www.nchec.org/). CHES is a globally recognized credential for health professionals. Having CHES certification gives graduates a competitive edge in the job market, and individuals who have earned the CHES credential can identify themselves as a certified health education specialist.
Requirements
- Students must complete a minimum of 27 credit hours including 12 of upper division hours for this concentration.
- All courses must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.00) or higher.
- In order to receive the certificate, students must complete their bachelor's degree at ASU along with all certificate requirements.
- Incompatible concentrations: Wellness Foundations, Nutrition and Healthy Living, Food and Nutrition Management, Human Nutrition
- Prerequisite courses may be required in order to complete the requirements of this concentration.
Required courses -- 18 credit hours
HEP 102: Foundations of Health Education and Health Promotion 3
HEP 348: Methods of Health Education
or
HEP 386: Assessing Strengths and Needs for Health Education and Promotion 3
HEP 361: Digital Health Communication and Education 3
HEP 452: Health Advocacy in Health Education 3
HEP 454: Health Promotion Program Planning and Implementation 3
HEP 466: Health Promotion Program Management and Administration 3
Elective courses -- 9 credit hours
CHS 340: Health Theory
HEP 100: Introduction to Health and Wellness (SOBE)
HEP 241: Health Education Methods for Injury Prevention and Preparedness
HEP 251: Preventing HIV and Substance Misuse
HEP 303: Human Sexuality for Health Education
HEP 348: Methods of Health Education
HEP 350: Substance Use and Addictive Behaviors
HEP 355: Population Health and Climate Change (SUST)
HEP 371: Conflict Management and Mediation and Violence Prevention
HEP 380: Body Image and Wellness
HEP 386: Assessing Strengths and Needs for Health Education and Promotion
HEP 394: Diabetes Prevention & Management
HEP 410: Obesity Perspectives and Prescriptions
HEP 443: Emotional Health and Interpersonal Relationships
HEP 444: Epidemiology
HEP 456: Health Promotion Program Evaluation
HEP 476: Community Health
HSC 210: Cultural Aspects of Health (GCSI)
MED 417: Impact of Violence on Health
YEAR
2025-26
CAMPUS
Downtown Phoenix
ADVISING
Interdisciplinary Studies Advising
cisa.asu.edu/advising
All appointments:
480-965-4464
Downtown Phoenix
Arizona Center, Suite 380
Polytechnic
Santa Catalina Hall
Tempe
Urban Systems Engineering
Online
480-965-4464
DARS CODE
NHHEDSEMP
COLLEGE/SCHOOL
College of Health Solutions
CONCENTRATION CONTACT
College of Health Solutions | HLTHN 401AA
chs@asu.edu
602-496-3300