Wellness and Health Education Minor
The Wellness and Health Education minor includes an examination of disease determinants, theories and strategies for behavior change, methods for effective delivery and evaluation of health education programs, and design and implementation techniques for health education and promotion in diverse communities. The minor prepares students for a variety of careers in public or private agencies, local health departments, volunteer organizations, hospitals, health insurance companies, worksite/corporate health promotion and wellness programs, and a variety of community-based organizations and projects such as:
- Smoking Cessation Programs
- Health and Cancer Associations
- Substance Abuse Agencies
- Nutrition Interventions
- HIV/AIDS Prevention Programs
- Injury Prevention Initiatives
Health Educators work to encourage well-being by engaging individuals and communities in learning and improving access to behaviors that promote balanced living and prevent health risks. The minor content is shaped by nationally recognized competencies (possession, application and interpretation of knowledge) in the 7 areas of responsibilities of health educators, preparing students to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam (www.nchec.org). The program focuses on preparing students to:
- Assess individual and group needs for health education
- Plan, implement and evaluate effective health education programs
- Coordinate provisions for health education
- Act as a resource person in health education and work with communities
- Communicate health education needs, understand concerns and use resources effectively
For more information and questions about the minor or course of study please contact Dr. Erica Thomas at ethomas25@elon.edu.
Minor Requirements
Required courses: 16 sh
WHE 230 is taken before WHE 240 and WHE 350. WHE 230 and WHE 285 can be taken concurrently. Junior or Senior standing needed to take WHE 350.
| WHE 285 | PERSPECTIVES IN PERSONAL AND GLOBAL HEALTH | 4 sh |
| WHE 230 | PERSPECTIVES IN HEALTH PROMOTION: FOUNDATIONS TO FUNCTION | 4 sh |
| WHE 350 | PROGRAM ASSESSMENT, EVALUATION AND DESIGN | 4 sh |
| WHE 240 | Materials and Methods in Community Health Education and Promotion | 4 sh |
Note: Students planning to sit for the Certified Health Specialist (CHES) exam should take a research course related to the field.
Community Health Electives: 4 Sh
Select four credits from the Community Health electives. These courses contain content about how to understand and change the health behavior and well-being of others in a community.
| COR 326 | HUMAN SEXUALITY | 4 sh |
| COR 406 | WOMEN'S HEALTH ISSUES | 4 sh |
| COM 337 | HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS | 4 sh |
| EDU 211 | EDUCATION AND SOCIETY | 4 sh |
| PEH 211 | FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH | 2 sh |
| PEH 324 | NUTRITION | 4 sh |
| COR 324 | SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR | 4 sh |
| WHE 116 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN WELLNESS: FUNDAMENTALS OF WELLNESS COACHING | 2 sh |
| WHE 235 | INACTIVITY: THE THREAT OF A MODERN LIFESTYLE | 4 sh |
| HSS 213 | WORKING WITH GROUPS AND COMMUNITIES | 4 sh |
| SOC 220 | SOCIAL ISSUES AND PROBLEMS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY | 4 sh |
| PSY 318 | COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY | 4 sh |
| PSY 356 | HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY | 4 sh |
Students must obtain prior approval from Program Coordinator to substitute electives not listed.
Personal Wellness Electives: 2 Sh
Select one 2 credit Personal Wellness course. These courses contain content related to student's own personal wellness and health behavior change.
| WHE 111 | CONTEMPORARY WELLNESS ISSUES | 2 sh |
| WHE 112 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN WELLNESS: HEALTH RELATED FITNESS | 2 sh |
| WHE 114 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN WELLNESS: PERSONAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT | 2 sh |
| WHE 115 | CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN WELLNESS: STRESS AND WELL-BEING | 2 sh |
These courses cannot be substituted.
Total Credit Hours: 22