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Wellness and Health Promotion
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Credits:
120
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Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Program Description
The one thing that truly determines the quality of our lives is our health. We live in a time of unprecedented rates of stress, burnout, and chronic physical and mental health conditions along with a host of challenges that contribute to these conditions. Sadly, health and well-being are not equally distributed in our society. A degree in Wellness & Health Promotion will put you on the path to addressing disparities in health and will provide you with the skills, knowledge, and strategies needed to be an effective health advocate, educator, provider, and agent of change. You will learn how to help individuals, organizations, and communities take action that will encourage a healthier lifestyle. You will learn the most recent science on the elements of wellness and lifestyle that are protective of health and how to reduce the risk of poorer health outcomes. Coursework emphasizes a holistic, culturally relevant approach to health and covers topics such as nutrition, physical activity, stress, and other elements of lifestyle that impact health and wellbeing, such as substance abuse and the many social determinants of health.
Health, Wellness, and Health Promotion – What’s the Difference?
Terms related to health and wellness are often used interchangeably, however, there are distinctions. According to the World Health Organization, health is not merely the absence of disease, but a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. Wellness takes a holistic view and considers all the areas of a person’s life that contribute to health. Wellness is the active process of taking steps towards a healthy and fulfilling life. The goal of Health Promotion is to enable individuals and communities to take greater control to improve their own health. So, if health and health equity is the goal, incorporating elements of wellness is needed. Enabling people to take control over their own health, actively promoting health along with policies and practices is how we achieve it. Wellness and Health Promotion efforts focus on what we can do now and look to see how we can prevent health problems from happening.
Cambridge College Wellness and Health Promotion Program Highlights
Gain the skills to empower people and communities to live healthier lives. The Bachelor of Science in Wellness and Health Promotion at Cambridge College offers a flexible, affordable undergraduate degree option for adult learners.
- Hands-on training. The wellness and health promotion curriculum includes 90 hours of field education in which you’ll learn how diverse organizations and groups work to increase health and wellness across a wide range of settings.
- Flexible course options. Designed to meet the needs of working adults, the wellness and health promotion degree is offered via convenient day, evening, weekend, and online class options. Talk to an academic advisor to start planning a program of study that works for you.
- Exceptional value. Cambridge College is one of the most affordable four-year private nonprofit colleges in the United States.
- Accessible faculty. In addition to bringing extensive research and professional experience to the classroom, Cambridge College faculty are dedicated, accessible teachers and mentors who are here to help you succeed.
- No SAT or ACT tests required. Cambridge College offers an easy online application and does not require SAT or ACT tests for admission to our undergraduate programs.
Cambridge College welcomes over 300 students from more than 50 countries and was recently ranked as one of the most ethnically diverse colleges in America.
- Addiction Studies Concentration: Learn more.
- Accounting Concentration: Learn more.
- Education Concentration: Learn more.
- Expressive Therapies Concentration: Learn more.
- Family Studies Concentration: Learn more.
- General Management Concentration: Gain a broad understanding of business management, including marketing, sales, ethics, nonprofit management, and an introduction to human resources. Learn more.
- Health Care Management Concentration (undergraduate): Develop a practical understanding of health care administration including economic, financial, and regulatory concepts within health care systems. Learn more.
- Holistic Studies Concentration: Learn more.
- Hospitality Management Concentration: Learn the fundamentals of management for the hospitality industry, with a focus on restaurant front of the house and back of the house management, and on hotel management. Learn more.
- Information Technology and E-Business Concentration: Learn about managing the information systems of an organization, including infrastructure design, server management, security, e-business strategy, and marketing. Learn more.
- Juvenile Justice Studies Concentration: In addition to providing a background in youth services and current theories of adolescent development, this concentration explores the impact of community disadvantage, child abuse, and neglect on behavior. Learn more.
- Legal Studies Concentration: Designed for students who are interested in pursuing a law career, this concentration provides foundational knowledge of various aspects of law school and the legal profession. Learn more.
- Organizational Psychology Concentration: Learn more.
- Peace and Justice Studies Concentration: This concentration focuses on ways to promote the fair and equitable provision of justice as the path to a more just and humane world. Learn more.
Wellness and Health Promotion Learning Outcomes
As a wellness and health promotion major, you’ll learn evidence-based strategies to improve health and wellbeing – and apply your learning through direct field experiences. You’ll also learn how to effectively advocate for policies and practices that empower individuals and communities.
You’ll learn about the science and history of wellness and health, and theories and strategies that facilitate positive lifestyle change. You’ll learn how to plan, implement, direct, and evaluate health education and wellness programs. And how to maximize the well-being of specific target populations by collaborative planning and implementation of wellness programs.
You’ll also gain communication and marketing skills in assessing, organizing, and implementing health and wellness promotion programs and materials
Careers in Wellness and Health Promotion
As a wellness and health promotion major, you’ll be able to apply the skills and strategies you’ve learned to a variety of fields.
Our graduates are prepared to work as health and wellness coaches and educators in community health initiatives, corporate wellness programs, public and private educational settings, and in fitness and wellness facilities. Job opportunities include:
- Community health worker
- Public health educator
- Health coach
- Corporate wellness administrator
- Director of health services
- Wellness program manager
Graduates are also prepared for advanced studies in a wide range of health-related fields such as public and community health, nursing, health education, health care management and administration, addiction studies, psychology, and human services.
Wellness and Health Promotion Salary
- Health educators and community health workers: $45,360
- Corporate wellness administrator: $50,000
- Director of health services: $77,435
Example Wellness and Health Promotion Courses
The health and wellness degree provides a practical understanding of issues affecting the health of individuals and communities—and how to affect and maintain positive change. Example courses include:
- The Science of Exercise
- Nutrition and Health Promotion
- Lifestyle Change to Promote Health
- Field Education Wellness and Health
Download the Wellness and Health Promotion program sheet.
Wellness and Health Promotion Scholarships and Financial Aid
Get financial assistance to help pay for your degree. In addition to scholarship opportunities, you might also be eligible for federal and state grants, loans, and other types of financial aid.
The first step is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Learn more about applying for financial aid.
Related Programs at Cambridge College
If you’re still exploring undergraduate degree options, you might be interested in learning more about these programs at Cambridge College:
Curriculum
WRT101-102 and MAT101-102 may by waived if equivalent courses have been accepted in transfer. Credits will be replaced with open electives. WRT201 required if both WRT101-102 are waived; not required for students completing WRT101-102 at Cambridge. WRT090 and MAT100 required if assessment indicates need.
Arts & Humanities - 6 credits
Natural & Physical Sciences - 6 credits (SCI 205 Anatomy & Physiology I - required, 4 credits)
Social Sciences - 6 credits (PSY 110 Systems Thinking in Psychology - required, 3 credits)
Choose electives and/or concentrations to support your academic interests and professional goals. (Course prerequisites must also be met.)
Also choose three Wellness & Health Promotion electives (9 credits total).
In this course students will gain a foundation in the basics of nutrition and how the body utilizes nutrients that contribute to health. Students will examine theories and current research on elements of nutrition and their relationship to chronic disease. They will also have the opportunity to assess the nutritional value of foods and examine strategies for modifying nutritional intake in the context of life cycle, culture and environment.
This course provides an historical perspective on physical activity and fitness, and how changes in lifestyle, technology and other factors that have contributed to a more sedentary lifestyle and related health concerns. Students will examine various forms of physical activity and will be introduced to exercise physiology, the ways in which physical activity impacts biology, including physical health, mental health and the brain. The literature on various forms of exercise and the impact on health will be examined including but not limited to endurance, flexibility, strength, stamina, cognition, memory. We will investigate current trends in exercise, by factors such as age, culture and gender, and whether these factors are considered in our efforts to influence rates of physical activity.
Research plays a key role in efforts focused on enabling people to take greater control in increasing health life styles for themselves, their families, within organizations, communities and populations. Students learn to evaluate/critique existing research; examine its function in proposing and evaluating health promotion programs and influencing policy. Students are introduced to the critical steps needed to conduct research, including the role of theory and ethics and gain experience in developing a proposal within the field of health promotion.
This course explores why changing lifestyle is critical for increased health and wellbeing and how to assist in the process of bringing about needed change. Students will look comprehensively at the role of lifestyle change in promoting health and will critically examine the related evidence. They will examine theories aimed at explaining and predicting health behaviors and identify factors that influence decision-making. Students will apply their knowledge in designing interventions and policies that promote health.
Field Education gives students the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge and skills gained throughout their program. They will learn how diverse organizations and groups work to increase health and wellness across a wide range of settings. Department chair and instructor approval are required in advance of registering. Students are expected to be engaged in 90 hours of field education for the term, have ongoing agency supervision, and attend a weekly seminar.
The Capstone is a comprehensive research project that is the culminating academic activity that helps to synthesize students’ learning in the undergraduate Wellness and Health Promotion program. It is an opportunity to explore a topic of personal and professional interest in wellness and health promotion and to create an original project or piece of research that contributes to the field. The Capstone is 25-30 pages in length and follows a research paper format appropriate to the field of study. Students work together in class and meet or communicate individually with the instructor as needed. Those who take an additional term to complete the Capstone must register for PHW491 and pass before graduating.
preqs: PSY110, PHW300, PHW401. Leaders in health promotion mobilize people and efforts to prevent disease and increase health. Business leaders measure financial retuerns, health promoting leaders measure quality of life. Students will critically examine theories, practices and ethics of leaders focused on poromoting health. Students will expand their leadership abilities to promote health through the identification and cultivation of key skillsets and mindset to meet the needs of diverse communities and populations.
Program Chair
Core Faculty
Senior Instructor
Pages
Admissions
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Admission Test:
No SAT or ACT tests required.
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Admissions Office:
1-800-829-4723
- Application Form:
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Application Fee:
$50 ($100 for international students)
Health Requirements for Massachusetts Students
The Massachusetts Health Department and Cambridge College require the following of students in Massachusetts:
Immunizations – All students in Massachusetts are required to get certain immunizations before you can register for your first term. See form
Health Insurance – In Massachusetts, undergraduate students taking nine or more credits/term and graduate students taking six or more credits/term must enroll in the College’s health insurance plan. Students who have insurance with comparable coverage may request a waiver. See information and enroll or waive.
School Requirements
See Admissions Requirements for School of Undergraduate Studies
International Students
International students need to provide supplemental documentation:
- Official demonstration of English language proficiency
- Supplemental documentation for issuance of I-20
- International transcripts, evaluated by an accepted evaluation service
Transfer Credit
Undergraduate program applicants, once you are accepted, your official transcripts are evaluated for transfer credit.
Tuition
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Credits:
120
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Cost per credit hour:
$502
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Application Fee:
$50 ($100 for international students)
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Health Insurance Fee:
$2,290 (Required for Massachusetts students only. See waiver details on Tuition & Fees page.)
Note: Rates are as of June 2023, and are subject to change without notice. Rates apply to all students unless otherwise noted.
Financial Aid
Cambridge College offers financial aid to students in our degree programs who are enrolled at least half-time. Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 6 credits each term. Graduate and doctoral students must be enrolled in at least 4 credits each term. Learn more
Grants, Scholarships, and Loans
Cambridge College welcomes the opportunity to support your efforts to pay for college. Federal, state, and local resources in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study, including Cambridge College Scholarships, are available to help defray the cost of tuition. Learn more
Getting Your Company to Help
Many companies have tuition assistance programs, designed to help their employees with their professional development. Learn more