Issues addressed by health educators include disease prevention, adolescent sexuality, pregnancy and childbirth, smoking cessation, substance abuse, child safety, and environmental hazards. Health educators strive to promote healthy lifestyles, developing activities designed to encourage healthy eating, exercise, or stress management. The Occupational Outlook Handbook does not provide information about the health education profession. No information on median salaries could be located. Note that the names of graduate degree programs in this area vary, e.g., health education, health promotion, public health, community health, and health behavior.
Programs tend to require approximately two full years of study.
When looking in a university catalogue for a health education program, remember that not only do the specific names of degree programs vary, but also the departments or college divisions that offer them. Try departments of health or health sciences, public health, or education. Prerequisites differ across programs, but may include anatomy and physiology, chemistry, or courses in the behavioral sciences. Volunteer or work experience in the health education field is a plus. Programs range in their competitiveness.