Shape Healthier Futures: Education Meets Coaching

offered online only (combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning)

The MPH degree in Health Education/Wellness Coaching equips students with the skills and knowledge to promote health and wellness for individuals and communities. This program integrates health education and wellness coaching courses, providing students with cutting-edge expertise in health and wellness, health education, health coaching, and whole-person care.

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Connect with Dr. Anna Nelson, Program Director, at anelson@llu.edu.

Key Program Highlights:

  • Individual Health Focus: Gain in-depth knowledge of lifestyle-related diseases, health, nutrition, and fitness. Develop the motivational and behavioral skills needed to help individuals achieve optimal wellness.
  • Community Health Emphasis: Learn about the educational, interpersonal, community, and legislative factors that encourage positive health behaviors. The curriculum emphasizes interventions grounded in scientific data and established behavioral and learning theories.
  • Real-World Application: Professional practice is a core component, with laboratory and field experiences in community agencies, healthcare settings, schools, and workplaces. This hands-on approach ensures students can effectively assess community needs, design and implement health education interventions, and organize health promotion efforts.

Career Opportunities:

Graduates are well-prepared to become workplace wellness coordinators, health educators, and health coaches in various public and private settings. They are equipped to:

  • Conduct community health assessments
  • Design, implement, and evaluate health education programs
  • Organize and lead health promotion initiatives
  • Assist individuals and communities in adopting healthier behaviors

Professional Certifications:

Graduates are eligible to sit for several prestigious certifications, including:

  • CPH – offered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners, https://www.nbphe.org
  • Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) or MCHES— offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., http://www.nchec.org/
  • Physical Activity in Public Health Specialist (PAPHS), offered by American College of Sports Medicine, https://www.acsm.org/get-stay-certified
  • National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach – offered by National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching, https://nbhwc.org/

National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching Logo

Program Details

Learner Objectives

Graduates of the program with a major in health education and wellness coaching will have the skills necessary to:

  • Accurately assess individual lifestyle-related risk factors for chronic diseases in culturally diverse populations
  • Administer and manage health education
  • Plan, implement and evaluate health intervention programs
  • Demonstrate empathetic coaching skills when delivering wellness counseling to clients
  • Conduct culturally competent wellness coaching assessment, counseling and evaluation for individuals and groups

Educational Effectiveness Indicators

Achievement of program learner outcomes will be evidenced by:

  • Signature assignments linked to course and non-course requirements
  • Applied Practice Experience
  • Comprehensive Examination

Public Health Core (PCOR)

PCOR 502Public Health for Community Resilience5
PCOR 502Public Health for a Healthy Lifestyle5
PCOR 503Public Health and Health Systems5

Major Courses

HPRO 526Lifestyle Diseases and Risk Reduction3
HPRO 568*Wellness Coaching I3
HPRO 569*Wellness Coaching II3
HPRO 573Exercise Physiology3
NUTR 529Health Aspects of Vegetarian Eating3
HPRO 530*Fundamentals of Research in Health Education3
HPRO 535Health Education Administration and Leadership3
HPRO 696Directed Study14
HPRO 538*Health Education Program Development & Eval.13
HPRO 589*Qualitative Research Methods3
STAT 515Grant- and Contract-Proposal Writing3
HPRO 539Policy & Issues in Health Promotion & Education3
RELR 540Wholeness and Health3
HPRO 570Wellness Coaching Laboratory1

1 HPRO 696 and HPRO 538 to be started concurrently.
* Synchronous courses requiring online attendance

Total Units

  • 56 units

You can view details about the list of units and courses here.

Application Deadlines

Domestic and International
Quarter SOPHAS: All Applicants Deadline Secondary: All Applicants Deadline
Spring 2025 February 1, 2025 February 15, 2025
Summer 2025 May 1, 2025 May 15, 2025
Fall 2025 August 1, 2025 August 15, 2025
 

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Admission Requirements

  1. Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  2. Transcripts from all universities attended
  3. Three letters of reference
  4. Official GRE scores (note: if your cumulative undergraduate GPA is a 3.2 or higher, the GRE requirement can be waived)

Required Prerequisites

Social science (two courses, which may include psychology, sociology, or cultural anthropology)

Financial Aid, Scholarships, & Assistance

Program Cost

Get details on the standard cost of attendance on the LLU website.

Meet the Program Director

Anna Nelson