Public Health & Community Health Education program
Undergrad majorDo you want to help build healthier communities?
With a career in public health, you can help make communities a better place to live while addressing major health issues affecting society from infectious disease to depression.
UWL's program prepares students to improve the health of individuals, groups, and communities on a local, regional, national and global scale. We prepare students to use evidenced-based strategies in program implementation, communication, and advocacy to reduce preventable illness and promote a high quality of life for all people.
UWL is the only school in the UW System with a Public Health and Community Health Education undergraduate program that is nationally accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). It is also the first undergraduate program in the nation to become accredited.
Since graduating in 2019, I’ve worked for two Wisconsin health organizations, both stating they hired me because I graduated from the UWL Public Health & Community Health Education Program! When our professors say they have a public health undergraduate program like no other, they are absolutely right.
Rebecca Shirley
Public health jobs
Public Health & Community Health Education is a broad field that allows students to explore a variety of career paths and use a range of skills. Some students use their PHCHE degree as a foundation for future education in the medical field or advanced degrees in public health, but most are able to obtain a job in PHCHE with an undergraduate degree. Public and community health professionals work in health departments, community-focused non-profits, non-governmental organizations, schools, private companies, and at all levels of government.
They might disseminate credible health communications; design social marketing campaigns of positive health behaviors; develop wellness programs or interventions for schools, worksites and communities; write grants; or participate in advocacy efforts for health policy change, health equity, and social justice.
Entry-level public health jobs
- Health education specialist
- Communicable disease consultant
- Community health educator
- Education program manager/programmer
- Community organizer
- Health promotion educator
- Prevention specialist
- Public health educator/worker
- Public health inspector
- Worksite health promotion
- Family services specialist
- Alcohol and other drug abuse educator
- Diabetes educator
- Health and wellness coach
- Wellness consultant
- Grant writer
- Biometric screener
- Health policy and legislative assistant
What is public health?
Public and community health professionals work to address the many factors that determine overall health status in the population. From addressing disease outbreaks to promoting clean air to supporting individuals' mental health, public health encompasses all aspects of a population's well-being. Public health is everything, and everything is public health.
What distinguishes UWL's Public Health and Community Health Education program?
The Bachelor of Science in Public Health program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is currently accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) as a standalone baccalaureate program (SBP). UWL is the only institution in the UW System with a Public Health and Community Health Education undergraduate program that has been nationally accredited by CEPH. UWL's program was the first undergraduate program in the country to become accredited in 2007.
Program graduates are eligible to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). The exam is a competency-based tool used to measure acquisition, application, and interpretation of knowledge in the Eight Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists.
Graduates of the UWL PH-CHE program consistently have high pass rates on the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam, exceeding the national average.
Students gain hands-on experience through a 15- week, 560-hour preceptorship at an agency designed to serve as a student’s transition from the university curriculum to the profession. Agencies may include government health departments, voluntary health organizations, hospitals, clinics, worksite health organizations, and others.
Students are encouraged to gain experiences outside the classroom to build their skill set and collaborate with faculty and community partners. These experiences may include: grant writing for organizations, attending advocacy summits, studying abroad, conducting undergraduate research, presenting or attending conferences, or volunteering to lead or serve in a health education professional organization.
Employment of Health Education Specialists is projected to grow by 11% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will be driven by efforts to improve health outcomes and to reduce healthcare costs by teaching people healthy behaviors and explaining how to use available healthcare services.
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