What Can I Do with a Degree in Health Promotion and Wellness?
“I thought, ‘I could do anything I want with this,’” says Nikia Moukendi, '19.
After earning her bachelor's in the Health Promotion and Wellness program online, Moukendi worked for an NGO and a state agency.
Students graduate from the program ready to succeed, whether their goal is to go straight into the workforce or attend graduate school.
“It gave me that opportunity to really sit down with myself and see what I’m really interested in,” says Payton Phares, ’22.
“I can work in a gym; I could work in consulting; I could further my education and go get my master’s. I can do all these things.”
What is Health Promotion and Wellness?
In the program, students learn about the ways health and wellness are unique to each person.
“My advisor, Lisa LeBlanc, helped me tremendously throughout my college journey. She showed me it's all about public health; informing and helping others,” says Drake Bourgeois, ’22.
Bourgeois currently fills that role as an agricultural specialist for the State of Louisiana.
Students dive into courses on nutrition, environmental health, stress management, occupational safety, epidemiology, and the social mechanisms of substance abuse.
The curriculum builds on these subjects and helps students develop analytical and critical thinking skills.
Their skillset is rounded out with classes on communication, marketing, organization funding strategies, and specialized writing.
“I’ve learned marketing skills, people skills, networking, collaboration,” says Faith Boudreaux, associate director of marketing and fan experience for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns.
Potential Careers
Community Health Educator
Community health educators promote healthy behaviors through educational programs. This may mean providing CPR or First Aid training, safe childcare, nutrition and meal planning, or substance abuse prevention.
It may also mean coordinating preventative services such as blood pressure, vision and hearing screenings as part of a targeted campaign.
Most community health educators are employed through health care organizations, nonprofits, or government agencies.
Madeline Cassedy started working as a community education coordinator before graduating with her degree in 2022. She says seeing the impact of her work is a special highlight.
“The best moments as a community education coordinator are when students tell us how much they learned from our programs,” says Cassedy.
Social or Community Services Manager
Social services managers and community services managers use their skills to support organizations and public wellness programs.
Some roles focus on outreach, awareness campaigns, resources for senior and low-income populations, while others facilitate recreation and community enrichment.
These professionals must be strong communicators and strategic leaders to see projects through each stage, from start to implementation.
Social and community service managers often work with nonprofit organizations and government agencies in office settings, clinics, and shelters.
Occupational Health and Safety Analyst
Health and safety officials are needed to evaluate a workplace for OSHA compliance, risk mitigation measures, and accident prevention.
Health Promotion and Wellness students take courses on health and safety, stress management, and behavior and organization management. These courses teach them about different workplace conditions and how they affect employee health, quality of life, and productivity.
While many positions in this field do not require a graduate degree, extra certifications are recommended for advancement.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor forecasts growth among these health education jobs through 2031.
Bonus: Credentials
The Health Promotion and Wellness online program prepares students to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam.
The CHES exam is a rigorous metric and, according to Kailey Hanks, ’17, an accurate reflection of the skills program graduates will need in their work.
While working at The Family Tree, Hanks collaborated on a breastfeeding education program.
“What made me proud about that is it was a direct implementation of the CHES core competencies,” she says. “Looking at the population to build a plan, implement it, then re-evaluate the approach according to what's working.”
Explore careers in health promotion and wellness where your interests align with workforce demands. Learn more about the B.S. in Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Wellness online program today.
