The PhD in Health Education is an ideal program for individuals interested in helping people and communities to adopt healthy behaviors and healthy lifestyles through leadership and research. This nationally recognized program has been specifically designed for those who want to work as faculty members/professors in academic settings, researchers in health or governmental agencies, or professionals interested in serving as leaders in community health settings, health departments, nonprofit agencies, wellness centers, hospitals, corporate wellness programs, and health organizations. The program offers courses in all the major areas of health promotion and health education.
Graduates of this program have primarily obtained faculty and academic positions throughout the US in health promotion and health education. This degree can also be beneficial for individuals who want to attain a PhD and build a vita of quality teaching and research. Students are prepared through a program grounded in current research and evidence-based practices in the field of health promotion and health education to become certified health educators.
The Health Education faculty are student-oriented and possess a broad range of experience, skills, and knowledge in the field of health promotion and health education. Faculty members provide much research expertise in such health areas as substance abuse prevention, violence and suicide prevention, minority health, mental health promotion, women's health issues, nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, health program planning, implementation, and evaluation, and various other health issues.
Students in the program attend classes both in the traditional face-to-face delivery method, as well as experience some classes delivered online via Canopy – UC's advanced course development and delivery software. Graduates of the program have applauded the program's commitment to excellence in teaching and research.
Prior to this PhD program, students must have earned a master's degree. Students with master's degrees from a variety of health-related or social science-based disciplines are accepted into the program. Master's level students from non-health education-related disciplines may need to complete additional master's level coursework in addition to the PhD requirements. In some cases, it may be preferable to complete the MS as a second master's degree in route to the PhD All decisions concerning the transfer of credit and remedial work will be decided by the student's program committee upon admission to the program. No more than 30 semester hours may be transferred into the PhD program from previous graduate work. For additional information, please contact Rebecca Vidourek via email.