Message From the Department Chair

Public Health Education. Students take a common core of courses and do further study in the behavioral and biological sciences, education and public health.

The mission of the Public Department of Health Education is to prepare students, academically and professionally, to assume leadership positions in public health. The Department provides students with proficiency in the application of theory, content and skills to promote, support and enable healthy communities. The health education program is designed to prepare professional health educators for practice in a variety of settings such as official public health agencies, voluntary health agencies, healthcare agencies, corporate and business work-sites and community-based settings.

A secondary mission is to promote the health and well being of communities through departmental course offerings, faculty research and community service. The Public Health Education Curriculum will provide students with:

1. Basic preparation for entry-level practice of health education
2. Sound preparation for graduate study in health education and related disciplines
3. Approved course work and experiences leading to eligibility to take certifying examinations, e. g. Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).

Additionally, students are provided with opportunities to gain knowledge and skills to:

1. Promote self-directed behaviors and lifestyles conducive to health
2. Assist communities in identifying and defining health issues, designing and implementing effective strategies to address those issues, and securing resources to successfully implement those strategies
3. Advocate for policies supportive of health and a more equitable distribution of the resources necessary for health.

The student majoring in health education can select one of two areas for concentration: community health education or school health education with licensure. A combination of these areas of study may be selected; however, the combination will require considerable additional time for completion.

The community health education concentration prepares the student for baccalaureate level work as a community health educator. Advisors in the department will counsel the student in selecting an area of concentration and in planning his/her program of study.



Lahoma S. Romocki, Ph.D
Interim Chair, Public Health Education Department