Studies & Degrees in Health Education
Health Education Study Programs
Health education is the field that teaches people, groups and communities how to protect and improve their health. It belongs to the wider area of health promotion, which the World Health Organization defines as "the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health". Health promotion became an international policy field with the first International Conference on Health Promotion, held in Ottawa in 1986.
A health education specialist does not treat patients. The work is to find out what a community needs, design a programme, deliver it and measure whether it worked. Students therefore combine health sciences with education and social sciences. Typical subjects are:
- human health, nutrition, physical activity, mental health, sexual health and substance use
- epidemiology and basic statistics
- behaviour change and health communication
- planning, delivering and evaluating health programmes
- teaching methods for schools, workplaces and community groups
- health policy and advocacy
Qualifications and levels
The subject is most clearly defined in the United States, where it is a degree in its own right. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health education specialists typically need at least a bachelor's degree in health education or health promotion, and some positions require a master's or doctoral degree. Graduate programmes carry names such as community health education, school health education, public health education or health promotion.
There are two main routes at bachelor's level. School health education prepares future teachers of health classes in middle and high schools and normally leads to a state teaching licence. Community or public health education prepares graduates for work in health services, public agencies and non-profit organisations.
The profession in the United States has chosen certification, not a licence, as its individual credential. The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam is run by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). It has 165 multiple-choice questions, lasts 3 hours and is offered in the United States and internationally on computer. Eligibility is based only on academic qualifications: a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from an accredited institution, with either a major in health education or at least 25 semester credits (37 quarter hours) of relevant coursework.
In Spain and Latin America, health education (educación para la salud) is rarely a separate degree. It is taught inside degrees such as nursing, medicine, nutrition, psychology, social work and teacher training, and as a subject or specialisation in master's programmes in public health and health promotion.
Where to study
SpainExchange lists 31 active schools for health education. The United States has 22 of them and Spain has 3; Canada, Guatemala, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Zambia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have one each. Most programmes are therefore taught in English, with Spanish-language options in Spain and Latin America.
SUNY Cortland, a public university in the state of New York, is an example of the American model. Its Health Department offers majors in Health Education, Healthcare Management, Human Service Studies and Public Health and Wellness, and it recommends the health education major to students who want to work in public schools. The department encourages its health majors to look into the CHES credential. Other American universities on the list include Illinois State University, Kean University and the University of Scranton; the University of Sunderland is the British entry.
From Spain, the Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana (FUNIBER) offers a Maestría en Salud Pública by distance learning. It has 90 credits and takes between 12 and 24 months, depending on the student's dedication. The degree is issued by the university in which the student is enrolled, so ask which university that is and what recognition its degree has in your country.
Careers
Health education specialists work for public health departments, hospitals and clinics, non-profit organisations, schools and universities, and company wellness programmes. Typical tasks are assessing the health needs of a community, running campaigns on topics such as immunisation or nutrition, training community health workers and evaluating programmes.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health education specialists held about 70,400 jobs in the United States in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035. Government was the largest employer, with 24% of the jobs. These figures refer to the United States only. In other countries the same work is often done by nurses, public health technicians, teachers or social workers with additional training.
Frequently asked questions
Is health education the same as public health?
No. Public health is the wider field, which also covers epidemiology, health policy and environmental health. Health education is the part that deals with teaching and communication to help people look after their health.
What is the CHES certification?
It is the Certified Health Education Specialist credential of the NCHEC in the United States. Candidates need a university degree with enough health education coursework and must pass an exam of 165 multiple-choice questions.
Can I become a school health teacher with this degree?
Only through a school health education programme that includes teacher preparation and the teaching licence of the state or country where you want to work. Check this before you choose a programme.
Can I study health education in Spanish?
Yes, usually as part of another degree or as a master's programme in public health or health promotion, such as the distance master's offered through FUNIBER.