The Mission of the Community Health Program is to provide
student colleagues with a challenging and rewarding educational
experience and to prepare them, through the principles and
practices of Health Education, to effectively and compassionately
address health issues of the 21st century.
The Community Health major's courses and assignments are
based on the responsibilities and competencies required
of entry-level health educators as identified by the National
Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. The goals
of the Community Health major reflect these
responsibilities.
Goal 1: Students will demonstrate competence in assessing individual and community needs for health education. The student will be able to:
1. Access existing health-related data;
2. Collect health-related data;
3. Distinguish between behaviors that foster and hinder well-being;
4. Identify factors that foster or hinder the process of health education;
5. Infer needs for health education from obtained data.
Goal 2: Students will demonstrate competence in planning health education strategies, interventions, and programs. The student will be able to:
1. Involve people and organizations in program planning;
2. Incorporate data analysis and principles of community organization;
3. Formulate appropriate and measurable program objectives;
4. Develop a logical scope and sequence plan for health education practice;
5. Design strategies, interventions, and programs consistent with specified objectives;
6. Select appropriate strategies to meet objectives;
7. Assess factors that affect implementation.
Goal 3: Students will demonstrate competence in implementing health education strategies, interventions, and programs. The student will be able to:
1. Initiate a plan of action;
2. Demonstrate a variety of skills in delivering strategies, interventions, and programs;
3. Use a variety of methods to implement strategies, interventions, and programs.
Goal 4: Students will demonstrate competence in conducting evaluation and research related to health education. The student will be able to:
1. Develop plans for evaluation and research;
2. Review research and evaluation procedures;
3. Design data collection instruments;
4. Carry out evaluation and research plans;
5. Interpret results from evaluation and research.
Goal 5: Students will demonstrate competence in administering health education strategies, interventions, and programs. The student will be able to:
1. Exercise organizational leadership;
2. Manage human resources.
Goal 6: Students will demonstrate competence in acting as a health education resource person. The student will be able to:
1. Use health-related information resources;
2. Respond to requests for health information;
3. Select resource materials for dissemination;
4. Establish consultative relationships.
Goal 7: Students will demonstrate competence in communicating and advocating for health and health education. The student will be able to:
1. Analyze and respond to current and future needs in health education;
2. Apply a variety of communciation methods and techniques;
3. Promote the health education profession individually and collectively;
4. Influence health policy to promote health.
Philosophically, the faculty of the Health Education Program
have planned and implemented a curriculum that focuses on
students
¨ Receiving a broad and interdisciplinary understanding
of the social and behavioral sciences, the natural sciences,
and educational pedagogy.
¨ Acquiring professionally recognized responsibilities
and competencies for the entry-level health educator.
¨ Understanding that health education competencies
emanate from three broad areas: a) the methods and processes
of health education practice; b) the content that embodies
major health issues confronting society; and c) the obligations
one assumes on becoming a professional health educator.
¨ Learning that Health Educators seek to promote integrity
in the delivery of health education and respect the fundamental
rights, dignity, and worth of all people by adapting strategies
and methodologies to the needs of diverse populations.
¨ Learning that Health Educators recognize decisions
about health are made at individual, family, community, and political levels.
¨ Forming professional networks with university campus
units (e.g., Primary Prevention and Wellness Center and
Lifestyle Advisors) to assist and support the promotion
of student health.
¨ Providing assistance and leadership to community-wide
institutions through service-learning activities that
support
their academic goals and promote the profession of Health
Education.
(Revised, September 2011)
