Health education is a social science that draws from the biological, environmental, psychological, physical and medical sciences to promote health and prevent disease, disability and premature death through education-driven voluntary behavior change activities.
Health education is the development of individual, group, institutional, community and systemic strategies to improve health knowledge, attitudes, skills and behavior. The purpose of health education is to positively influence the health behavior of individuals and communities as well as the living and working conditions that influence their health.
OUR MISSION
- To contribute to the knowledge and understanding of health behavior through scholarly research;
- To maintain the highest standards of academic excellence in teaching and the professional preparation of future health promotion specialists at both the undergraduate and graduate levels;
- To develop leaders who will contribute to the growth of the profession and the accomplishment of societal health goals;
- To serve as a health promotion resource to the community, both regionally and nationally.
WHAT ARE THE CHES AND MCHES?
CHES is a Certified Health Education Specialist, and MCHES is a Master Certified Health Education Specialist. The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES®) exams are competency-based tools used to measure the possession, application, and interpretation of knowledge. The CHES® exam is an entry-level exam and the MCHES® exam is both entry and advanced level.