B.S. Health Promotion: Undergraduate Degree Program
On this page:
- Program Information
- Admission Requirements
- Education Financing Opportunties
- Public Health Education Track
- Health Science Subject Matter Track
- Health Education Responsibilities and Competencies
- Career and Internship Opportunities
Program Information
Be on top of the latest health issues. Bring health information to the community. Teach teens about the risk of smoking or HIV/AIDS. Educate adults about aging. Qualify for jobs that apply your knowledge of psychology, sociology, economics, and politics to real-world health challenges.
The Health Education Program is intended to prepare students with the skills needed to plan, implement, and evaluate the educational and behavioral components of health and human service programs.
The Program contains two tracks:
- the Public Health Education Track
- the Health Science Subject Matter Track
Graduates of the Public Health Education Track find employment in public, voluntary and proprietary health and human service agencies, hospitals, organizations, industry, and professional consulting firms that provide services to various governmental and private organizations.
The Health Science Subject Matter Track enables graduates to meet the subject matter requirements of the California Single Subject Credential in health science.
With appropriate advisement, both tracks provide students flexibility in the selection of various health education career opportunities including entry to the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at CSUN.
These opportunities include:
- Health promotion and wellness
- Consumer health
- Health and human services
- Gerontology
- School health education
- Community health education
- Health education generalist
Admission Requirements:
Students entering the Bachelor of Science Degree Program may enroll in either the fall or spring semester.
Undergraduates must meet university admission and general education requirements. CSUN does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, color, religion, age, disability or veteran status and encourages application from all qualified individuals.
Education Financing Opportunities:
The University makes a full range of assistance available to students. For information, visit the Financial Aid website or call 818-677-3700.
Public Health Education Track
The Bachelor of Science Degree Program prepares the student for entry-level employment in Public Health and/or School Health Education career areas. The following two curricula prepare students for the Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science/Health Education.
Lower Division Requirements:
Biology 101 - General Biology (4)
EOH 353 Fundamentals of Environmental Health (3)
Biology 281 - Human Physiology (3)
Chemistry 105 - Principles of Chemistry (3)
Health Science 237 - Introduction to Health Education (3)
Math 140 - Introductory Statistics (3)
Psychology 150 - Principles of Human Behavior (3)
Sociology 150 - Introductory Sociology (3)
Upper Division Department Core:
Health Science 390 - Bio-statistics (3)
Health Science 390L - Bio-statistics Laboratory (1)
Health Science 488 - Epidemiology (3)
Select one of the following two courses:
Health Science 314 - Organization and Function of Community Health (3)
Health Science 345 - Issues in Public Health (3)
Upper Division Requirements:
English 306 - Report Writing (3)
Health Science 391 - Computer Applications in Health Sciences (3)
Health Science 431 - Health Behavior (3)
Health Science 437 - Strategies for Making Health Decisions (3)
Health Science 439 - Community Health Action (3)
Health Science 441 - Community Health Education (3)
Health Science 445* - Senior Seminar in Health Education (3)
Health Science 488 - Epidemiology (3)
Health Science 494C - Internship in Health Education (3)
Electives:
With the help of a Health Education Advisor, students are to select 15 units from list of approved electives (additional courses may be approved by a Health Education advisor):
Health Science 231 - Women and Health (3)
Health Science 335 - Holistic Health (3)
Health Science 336 - Health Aspects of Drug Abuse
Health Science 337 - Nutrition and Health (3)
Health Science 433 - Counseling of Health Problems (3)
Health Science 436 - Health Concerns of Adolescents (3)
Health Science 438 - International Health (3)
Health Science 440 - Family Health (3)
Health Science 442 - Health Problems of the Disadvantaged (3)
Health Science 499A-C - Independent Study (1-3)
Suggested Course Scheduling for Public Health Education:
Freshman Fall Semester
Biology 101 (GE/B) (4)
Math 140 (GE/A3) (3)
Psychology 150 (GE/D) (3)
Sociology 150 (GE/D) (3)
GE/A1 (3)
Total Units 16
Freshman Spring Semester:
GE/A2 (3)
GE/C1 (3)
Chemistry 105 (GE/B) (3)
GE/A2 (3)
GE/C2 (3)
Total Units 15
Sophomore Fall Semester:
GE/A4 (3)
GE/C3 (3)
GE/B (2)
Biology 281 (3)
Title V: Amer. History (3)
Total Units 14
Sophomore Spring Semester:
GE/D (3)
GE/F1 (3)
GE/F2 or F3 (3)
GE/F2 or F3 (3)
Title V: U.S. Constitution (3)
Total Units 15
Junior Fall Semester:
EOH (GE/E) (3)
English 306 (3)
Health Science 237 (3)
Health Education Elective (3)
Health Education Elective (3)
Total Units 15
Junior Spring Semester:
Health Science 390 (3)
Health Science 390L (1)
Health Science 431 (3)
Health Education Elective (3)
GE/B/Upper Division (3)
GE/Upper Division (3)
Total Units 16
Senior Fall Semester:
Health Science 441 (3)
Health Science 437 (3)
GE/Upper Division (3)
Health Science 488 (3)
Health Science 391 (3)
Total Units 15
Senior Spring Semester:
Health Science 445 (3)
Health Science 494C (3)
Health Science 439 (3)
Health Education Elective (3)
Free Elective (2)
Health Ed. /Elective (GE/E) (1)
Total Units 15
Health Science Subject Matter Track
Lower Division Requirements:
Biology 101 - General Biology (4)
Biology 211 - Human Anatomy (2)
Biology 212 - Human Anatomy Lab (1)
Biology 281 - Human Physiology (3)
Chemistry 105 - Principles of Chemistry (3)
Health Science 237 - Introduction to Health Education (3)
Health Science 131 - Health and Society (3)
Health Science 170 - Emergency Health Procedures (2)
Math 140 - Introductory Statistics (3)
Psychology 150 - Principles of Human Behavior (3)
Sociology 150 - Introductory Sociology (3)
Upper Division Department Core:
Health Science 390 - Bio-statistics (3)
Health Science 390L - Bio-statistics Laboratory (1)
Health Science 488 - Epidemiology (3)
Select one of the following two courses:
Health Science 314 - Organization and Function of Community Health (3)
Health Science 345 - Issues in Public Health (3)
Upper Division Requirements:
English 306 - Report Writing (3)
EOH 365 Principles of Accident Prevention (3)
Health Science 337 - Nutrition and Health (3)
Health Science 336 - Health Aspects of Drug Abuse (3)
Health Science 391 - Computer Applications in Health Sciences (3)
Health Science 431 - Health Behavior (3)
Health Science 433 - Counseling of Health Problems (3)
Health Science 436 - Health Concerns of the Adolescent (3)
Health Science 440 - Family Health (3)
Health Science 441 - Community Health Education (3)
Health Science 445* - Senior Seminar in Health Education (3)
Health Science 488 - Epidemiology (3)
Health Science 494C - Internship in Health Education (3)
Suggested Course Scheduling for Health Science Subject Matter:
Freshman Fall Semester:
Biology101 (GE/B) (4)
Math 140 (GE/A3) (3)
Psychology 150 (GE/D) (3)
Sociology 150 (GE/D) (3)
GE/A1 (3)
Total Units 16
Freshman Spring Semester:
GE/A2 (3)
GE/C1 (3)
Chemistry 105 (GE/B) (3)
GE/A2 (3)
GE/C2 (3)
Total Units 15
Sophomore Fall Semester:
GE/A4 (3)
GE/C3 (3)
Health Science 131 (3)
Biology 281 (3)
GE/E (2)
Title V: Amer. History (3)
Total Units 17
Sophomore Spring Semester:
GE/D (3)
GE/E (2)
GE/F1 (3)
GE/F2 or F3 (3)
GE/F2 or F3 (3)
Title V: U.S. Constitution (3)
Total Units 17
Junior Fall Semester:
Biology 211 (3)
Biology 211L (1)
English 306 (3)
Health Science 237 (3)
Health Science 170 (2)
Health Science 336 (3)
Total Units 15
Junior Spring Semester:
Health Science 390 (3)
Health Science 390L (1)
Health Science 431 (3)
Health Science 337 (3)
GE/B/Upper Division (3)
GE/Upper Division (3)
Total Units 16
Senior Fall Semester:
Health Science 441 (3)
Health Science 433 (3)
GE/Upper Division (3)
Health Science 488 (3)
Health Science 391 (3)
Total Units 15
Senior Spring Semester
Health Science 445 (3)
Health Science 494C (3)
Health Science 440 (3)
Health Science 365 (3)
Health Science 436 (3)
Total Units 15
Responsibilities and Competencies for Health Educators
Established by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC)
Responsibility I - Assessing Individual and Community Needs for Health Education
Competency A:
Obtain health-related data about social and cultural environments, growth and development factors, needs and interests.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Select valid sources of information about health needs and interests.
2. Utilize computerized sources of health-related information.
3. Employ or develop appropriate data-gathering instruments.
4. Apply survey techniques to acquire health data.
Competency B:
Distinguish between behaviors that foster and those that hinder well-being.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Investigate physical, social, emotional and intellectual factors influencing health behaviors.
2. Identify behaviors that tend to promote or compromise health.
3. Recognize the role of learning and affective experience in shaping patterns of health behavior.
Competency C:
Infer needs for health education on the basis of obtained data.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Analyze needs assessment data.
2. Determine priority areas of need for health education.
Responsibility II - Planning Effective Health Education Programs
Competency A:
Recruit community organizations, resource people and potential participants for support and assistance in program planning.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Communicate need for the program to those who will be involved.
2. Obtain commitments form personnel and decision makers who will be involved in the program.
3. Seek ideas and opinions of those who will affect, or be affected by the program.
4. Incorporate feasible ideas and recommendations into the planning process.
Competency B:
Develop a logical scope and sequence plan for a health education program.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Determine the range of health information requisite to a given program of instruction.
2. Organize the subject areas comprising the scope of a program in logical sequence.
Competency C:
Formulate appropriate and measurable program objectives.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Infer educational objectives that facilitate achievement of specified competencies.
2. Develop a framework of broadly stated, operational objectives relevant to proposed health education program.
Competency D: Design educational programs consistent with specified program objectives.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Match proposed learning activities with those implicit in the stated objectives.
2. Formulate a wide variety of the alternative educational methods.
3. Select strategies best suited to implementation of educational objectives in a given setting.
4. Plan a sequence of learning opportunities building upon, and reinforcing mastery of preceding objectives.
Responsibility III - Implementing Health Education Programs
Competency A:
Exhibit competence in carrying out planned educational programs
Sub-Competencies:
1. Employ a wide range of educational methods and techniques.
2. Apply individual or group process methods as appropriate to given learning situations.
3. Utilize instructional equipment and other instructional media.
4. Select methods that best facilitate the practice of program objectives.
Competency B:
Infer enabling objectives as needed to implement instructional programs in specified settings.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Pretest learners to ascertain present abilities and knowledge relative to proposed program objectives.
2. Develop subordinate measurable objectives as needed for instruction.
Competency C:
Select methods and media best suited to implement program plans for specific learners.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Analyze learner characteristics, legal aspects, feasibility and other considerations influencing choices among methods.
2. Evaluate the efficacy of alternative methods and techniques capable of facilitating program objectives.
3. Determine the availability of information, personnel, time and equipment needed to implement the program for a given audience.
Competency D:
Monitor educational programs, adjusting objectives and activities as necessary.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Compare actual program activities with the stated objectives.
2. Assess the relevance of existing program objectives to current needs.
3. Revise program activities and objectives as necessitated by changes in learner needs.
4. Appraise applicability of resources and materials relative to given educational objectives.
Responsibility IV - Evaluating Effectiveness of Health Education Programs
Competency A:
Develop plans to assess achievement of programs objectives.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Determine standards of performance to be applied as criteria of effectiveness.
2. Establish a realistic scope of evaluation efforts.
3. Develop an inventory of existing valid and reliable tests and instruments.
4. Select appropriate methods for evaluating program effectiveness.
Competency B:
Carry out evaluation plans.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Facilitate administration of the tests and activities specified in the plan.
2. Utilize data-collecting methods appropriate to the objectives.
3. Analyze resulting evaluation data.
Competency C:
Interpret results of program evaluation.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Apply criteria of effectiveness to obtained results of a program.
2. Translate evaluation results into terms easily understood by others.
3. Report effectiveness of educational programs in achieving proposed objectives.
Competency D:
Infer implication from findings for future program planning.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Explore possible explanations for important evaluation findings.
2. Recommend strategies for implementing results of evaluation.
Responsibility V - Coordinating Provision of Health Education Services
Competency A:
Develop a plan for coordinating health education services.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Determine the extent of available health education services.
2. Match health education services to proposed program activities.
3. Identify gaps and overlaps in the provision of collaborative health services.
Competency B:
Facilitate cooperation between and among levels of program personnel.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Promote cooperation and feedback among personnel related to the program.
2. Apply various methods of conflict reduction as needed.
3. Analyze the role of health educator as liaison between program staff and outside groups and organizations.
Competency C:
Formulate practical modes of collaboration among health agencies and organizations.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Stimulate development of cooperation among personnel responsible for community health education programs.
2. Suggest approaches for integrating health education within existing health programs.
3. Develop plans for promoting collaborative efforts among health agencies and organizations with mutual interests.
Competency D:
Organize in-service training programs for teachers, volunteers, and other interested personnel.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Plan an operational, competency-oriented training program.
2. Utilize instructional resources that meet a variety of in-service training needs.
3. Demonstrate a wide range of strategies for conducting in-service training programs.
Responsibility VI - Acting as a Resource Person in Health Education
Competency A:
Utilize computerized health information retrieval system effectively.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Match an information need with the appropriate retrieval system.
2. Access principal on-line and other database health information resources.
Competency B:
Establish effective consultative relationships with those requesting assistance in solving health-related problems.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Analyze parameters of effective consultative relationships.
2. Describe special skills and abilities needed by health educators for consultation activities.
3. Formulate a plan for providing consultation to other health professionals.
4. Explain the process of marketing health education consultative services.
Competency C:
Interpret and respond to requests for health information.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Analyze general processes for identifying the information needed to satisfy a request.
2. Employ a wide range of approaches in referring requests to valid sources of health information.
Competency D:
Select effective educational resources materials for dissemination.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Assemble educational material of value to the health of individuals and community groups.
2. Evaluate the worth and applicability of resources materials for given audiences.
3. Apply various processes in the acquisition of resource materials.
4. Compare different methods for distributing educational materials.
Responsibility VII - Communicating Health and Education Needs, Concerns, and Resources
Competency A:
Interpret concepts, purposes and theories of health education.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Evaluate the state of the art of health education.
2. Analyze the foundations of the discipline of health education.
3. Describe major responsibilities of the health educator in the practice of health education.
Competency B:
Predict the impact of societal value systems on health education programs.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Investigate social forces causing opposing viewpoints regarding health education needs and concerns.
2. Employ a wide range of strategies for dealing with controversial health issues.
Competency C:
Select a variety of communication methods and techniques in providing health information.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Utilize a wide range of techniques for communicating health and health education information.
2. Demonstrate proficiency in communicating health information and health education needs.
Competency D:
Foster communication between health care providers and consumers.
Sub-Competencies:
1. Interpret the significance and implications of health care providers' messages to consumers.
2. Act as liaison between consumer groups and individuals and health care provider organizations.
Career and Internship Opportunities
The goal of the Health Education Program is to nurture the inquisitive mind by developing the students analytical, expressive, and creative skills. In return, it is our sincere hope that graduates from the Program will give professional service back to the community through valued professional careers. To enhance the match between career opportunity and student preparation the following two sites are provided.
Advisement
Students are required to get advisement before the registration period for each semester. Contact your Health Education advisor for an appointment, or call the Health Sciences department offices for further information. 818-677-3101.
Students seeking to qualify for a Single Subject Credential in Health Sciences must consult with the CSUN Credentialing Office ED 103, Telephone: 818-677-2586, email credprep@csun.edu, or go click here to go to the Credentialing Office home page.
*Students must achieve a grade of C- or better in Health Science 441 in order to enroll in Health Science 445.
Health Education Faculty
Department Chair: Brian Malec, Ph.D.
Program Faculty:
Sloane Burke, Ph.D., CHES
Lawrence Chu, MS, MPH, PhD (Program Director)
Vicki Ebin, Ph.D. (Graduate Coorinator)
Ronald Fischbach, Ph.D.
Robert Huff, PhD, MPH, CHES (Emeritus Faculty)
Gretta Madjzoob, Ph.D.
Jack Winkelman, H.S.D. (Subject Matter Program Coordinator)
Kathleen Young, MPH, Ph.D., MS
CSUN is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and many of its degree programs are accredited by professional associations.