Health Promotion & Exercise Sciences (HPX)

School of Professional Studies

Help Improve Health & Wellness

Help improve health and wellness in your community and beyond.

Develop yourself as a career professional and leader empowered to improve health and well-being using innovative, dynamic, and collaborative strategies.

WCSU’s Health Promotion and Exercise Science

WCSU’s Health Promotion and Exercise Sciences Department offers 3 undergraduate Bachelor of Science programs – Public Health, Health and Wellness Management, and Health Education. All incorporate experiential learning and multidisciplinary curricula.

Each of the degree programs links a rigorous academic education with opportunities to apply newly learned skills in practical, cooperative internship experiences. The multidisciplinary academic program includes courses in public health, fitness, wellness, personal safety, nutrition, health behavior change, psychology, biology, education, social justice, business, politics, and more.

Degree Programs

HPX

Bachelor of Science
Health Education PreK-12

HPX

Bachelor of Science
Health & Wellness Management

HPX

Bachelor of Science
Public Health:
Allied Health

HPX

Bachelor of Science
Public Health:
Community Health

HPX

Bachelor of Science
Public Health:
Fitness & Wellness

HPX

Bachelor of Science
Public Health:
Holistic & Integrative Health

HPX

Minor in
Public Health

HPX

Minor in
Exercise Science

HPX

Minor in
Holistic & Integrative Health

Meeting educational needs.

Students in any of the three programs are well-prepared to enter a variety of professional careers or move forward in advanced degree programs in public health, allied health, sports management, education, and many others.  Students are also ready to secure advanced professional certifications such as the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Connecticut State teacher licensure in Health Education, for example.

In each of our degree programs, we strive to meet the educational needs of the diverse student body so graduates from the HPX Department are professionally prepared for a variety of career paths that address the ever-evolving health needs of a global society.

Meet our Students

Molly Farquharson '23

B.S. in Public Health/Community Health & a minor in Psychology

Molly Farquharson

“I loved the courses I took in the HPX department, especially the core classes where I developed my independent project. I also love that WCSU is a home away from home, quite literally 30 minutes from my hometown. I was able to get involved in various organizations such as Greek life and other clubs.”

Sulaiman Shaikh '23

B.S. in Public Health/Community Health

Sulaiman Shaikh

“One of the highlights at WCSU was the interaction with the HPX/Public Health faculty and how everyone was so helpful in providing me with guidance and direction throughout. Along with academics, I also learned a lot about professionalism just through observation, because I knew it was something I would also need when it comes to interacting with others in a professional setting.”

Katherine Naulaguari '23

BS in Public Health/Community Health

Katherine Naulaguari

 “What I find most appealing about public health is its versatility; it offers a wide range of career opportunities, whether it’s working within a local health department or for a community-based organization.”Asked about the most significant highlights of her time at WCSU, Naulaguari pointed to “my professional growth through engaging internships and the unwavering support I’ve received from the faculty throughout my academic journey.”

  • HPX Mission
  • Our mission is to link education and research with service learning, student teaching, and internship experiences. To achieve this mission, we incorporate strategies and approaches that enhance knowledge, build skills, improve group dynamics, increase volunteerism, and foster continuous quality improvement.

    Our experiential approach is woven into eand practical experience to actively engage with the community.ach of the degree programs so we can provide students with opportunities

  • Learning Outcomes
  • Learning Outcomes – B.S. Health Education (PK-12)

    Graduates of the B.S. Health Education (PK-12) Certification Program will be prepared to demonstrate the following outcomes:

    • Apply health content knowledge as competent health educators.
    • Assess individual and community needs for health education.
    • Plan effective health education programs.
    • Implement health education programs.
    • Evaluate effectiveness of health education programs.
    • Coordinate provisions of health education services.
    • Act as a resource person in health education.

    Communicate health and health education needs, concerns, and resources (#2-8 responsibilities and competencies for school health educators have been established, as seen in The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

    Learning Outcomes – B.S. Health and Wellness Management program

    Graduates of the B.S. Health and Wellness Management program will be prepared to demonstrate the following outcomes:

    • Articulate an understanding of the multidimensional nature of health and wellness, including contemporary topics within each dimension.
    • Demonstrate the ability to design and implement wellness programs in community and industry settings.
    • Possess a knowledge of the fundamental concepts of management as an organizational process.
    • Display the communication skills, both written and oral, used in wellness, business, and organizational settings.
    • Demonstrate cultural competence when working with diverse populations.
    • Articulate a plan for achieving a career of their choice in the health and wellness industry.

    Learning Outcomes – B.S. Public Health program

    Graduates of the B.S. Public Health program will be prepared to demonstrate the following outcomes:

    1. Use leadership, management, and collaborative skills as a member of a team to apply the health promotion program planning process to design, implement, and evaluate health promotion interventions. Specifically, students will demonstrate the ability to:

    • Identify and assess health needs, resources and capacity for a health promotion intervention.
    • Examine the relationship between behaviors and health issues using primary and secondary data.
    • Plan a health promotion intervention incorporating health behavior theories and models.
    • Design an evidence-based health promotion intervention including marketing and instructional materials.
    • Integrate content knowledge into health promotion intervention program materials and lesson plans.
    • Apply ethical principles and scientific inquiry processes to create an Institutional Review Board Protocol and conduct a pre-post assessment of a health promotion intervention.
    • Market, implement, administer and manage a health promotion intervention.
    • Develop and implement a comprehensive evaluation plan using sound research principles.
    • Summarize the process and outcome evaluation results in a final report including all materials developed in health promotion program planning and evaluation process.

    2. Serve as a health promotion professional in diverse communities and organizations using appropriate communication, promotion, and advocacy skills.

  • Field Placements
  • Community Health

    Department of Health in Danbury, Norwalk, New Milford, Windsor, Waterbury, Bridgeport
    Danbury Hospital Accountable Health Communities, Danbury
    Nuvance Population Health
    Connecticut Institute for Communities, Danbury
    Planned Parenthood, New Haven
    Abilities Beyond Disabilities, Bethel
    Apex Community Care, Danbury
    The Elm Project, Stamford
    Danbury Farmers Market, Danbury
    Green Chimneys, Brewster, NY
    Newtown Youth and Family, Newtown
    Danbury Hospital Employee Wellness
    Visiting Angels, Brookfield
    Maplewood Senior Living, Newtown

    Fitness and Wellness

    BlueStreak Sports Training, Stamford
    Pure Physique, Danbury
    RedZone Cross Fit, Newtown
    HighLife by Tom, Ridgefield
    University Athletics- WCSU, Yale, Quinnipiac, Post, Fairfield
    Xceleration, Deer Park, NY
    Golf Performance Center, Ridgefield
    Camp Herrlich, Patterson, NY
    EdAdvance, Waterbury
    Waterbury Parks and Recreation, Waterbury
    Regional YMCA, Waterbury
    Middletown YMCA, Middletown, NY

    Allied Health

    Cardiac Rehabilitation Danbury Hospital, Danbury
    RVNAhealth, Ridgefield
    Motion Physical Therapy in Danbury, Brookfield, Southington, Norwalk, Mt Carmel NY
    Main Street Rehabilitation, Danbury Hospital
    Greenwood Physical Therapy, Bethel
    Goal Physical Therapy, Westport
    Ronai Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, Orange
    Carlson Physical Therapy, New Milford
    Peak Physical Therapy, Waterbury
    Chiropractic and Physical Therapy, Staten Island, NY
    CORA Physical Therapy, Florida

    Holistic Medicine

    SOPHIA Natural Health Center, Brookfield
    Integrative Wellness
    Twin Star, New Milford
    Integrative Wellness Journeys, Coventry, RI
    Brainbody Wellness & Biofeedback, Scottsdale, AZ

  • CEPH Accrediation
  • The B.S. in Public Health is accredited by CEPH (Council on Education for Public Health). You can learn more about CEPH by visiting https://ceph.org/

    If you wish to request an electronic copy of the full accreditation report or the program self-study, please email Emily Stevens at stevense@wcsu.edu or Krista Heybruck at heybruckk@wcsu.edu.

Our mission is to link education and research with service learning, student teaching, and internship experiences. To achieve this mission, we incorporate strategies and approaches that enhance knowledge, build skills, improve group dynamics, increase volunteerism, and foster continuous quality improvement.

Our experiential approach is woven into eand practical experience to actively engage with the community.ach of the degree programs so we can provide students with opportunities

Learning Outcomes – B.S. Health Education (PK-12)

Graduates of the B.S. Health Education (PK-12) Certification Program will be prepared to demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • Apply health content knowledge as competent health educators.
  • Assess individual and community needs for health education.
  • Plan effective health education programs.
  • Implement health education programs.
  • Evaluate effectiveness of health education programs.
  • Coordinate provisions of health education services.
  • Act as a resource person in health education.

Communicate health and health education needs, concerns, and resources (#2-8 responsibilities and competencies for school health educators have been established, as seen in The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

Learning Outcomes – B.S. Health and Wellness Management program

Graduates of the B.S. Health and Wellness Management program will be prepared to demonstrate the following outcomes:

  • Articulate an understanding of the multidimensional nature of health and wellness, including contemporary topics within each dimension.
  • Demonstrate the ability to design and implement wellness programs in community and industry settings.
  • Possess a knowledge of the fundamental concepts of management as an organizational process.
  • Display the communication skills, both written and oral, used in wellness, business, and organizational settings.
  • Demonstrate cultural competence when working with diverse populations.
  • Articulate a plan for achieving a career of their choice in the health and wellness industry.

Learning Outcomes – B.S. Public Health program

Graduates of the B.S. Public Health program will be prepared to demonstrate the following outcomes:

1. Use leadership, management, and collaborative skills as a member of a team to apply the health promotion program planning process to design, implement, and evaluate health promotion interventions. Specifically, students will demonstrate the ability to:

  • Identify and assess health needs, resources and capacity for a health promotion intervention.
  • Examine the relationship between behaviors and health issues using primary and secondary data.
  • Plan a health promotion intervention incorporating health behavior theories and models.
  • Design an evidence-based health promotion intervention including marketing and instructional materials.
  • Integrate content knowledge into health promotion intervention program materials and lesson plans.
  • Apply ethical principles and scientific inquiry processes to create an Institutional Review Board Protocol and conduct a pre-post assessment of a health promotion intervention.
  • Market, implement, administer and manage a health promotion intervention.
  • Develop and implement a comprehensive evaluation plan using sound research principles.
  • Summarize the process and outcome evaluation results in a final report including all materials developed in health promotion program planning and evaluation process.

2. Serve as a health promotion professional in diverse communities and organizations using appropriate communication, promotion, and advocacy skills.

Community Health

Department of Health in Danbury, Norwalk, New Milford, Windsor, Waterbury, Bridgeport
Danbury Hospital Accountable Health Communities, Danbury
Nuvance Population Health
Connecticut Institute for Communities, Danbury
Planned Parenthood, New Haven
Abilities Beyond Disabilities, Bethel
Apex Community Care, Danbury
The Elm Project, Stamford
Danbury Farmers Market, Danbury
Green Chimneys, Brewster, NY
Newtown Youth and Family, Newtown
Danbury Hospital Employee Wellness
Visiting Angels, Brookfield
Maplewood Senior Living, Newtown

Fitness and Wellness

BlueStreak Sports Training, Stamford
Pure Physique, Danbury
RedZone Cross Fit, Newtown
HighLife by Tom, Ridgefield
University Athletics- WCSU, Yale, Quinnipiac, Post, Fairfield
Xceleration, Deer Park, NY
Golf Performance Center, Ridgefield
Camp Herrlich, Patterson, NY
EdAdvance, Waterbury
Waterbury Parks and Recreation, Waterbury
Regional YMCA, Waterbury
Middletown YMCA, Middletown, NY

Allied Health

Cardiac Rehabilitation Danbury Hospital, Danbury
RVNAhealth, Ridgefield
Motion Physical Therapy in Danbury, Brookfield, Southington, Norwalk, Mt Carmel NY
Main Street Rehabilitation, Danbury Hospital
Greenwood Physical Therapy, Bethel
Goal Physical Therapy, Westport
Ronai Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine, Orange
Carlson Physical Therapy, New Milford
Peak Physical Therapy, Waterbury
Chiropractic and Physical Therapy, Staten Island, NY
CORA Physical Therapy, Florida

Holistic Medicine

SOPHIA Natural Health Center, Brookfield
Integrative Wellness
Twin Star, New Milford
Integrative Wellness Journeys, Coventry, RI
Brainbody Wellness & Biofeedback, Scottsdale, AZ

The B.S. in Public Health is accredited by CEPH (Council on Education for Public Health). You can learn more about CEPH by visiting https://ceph.org/

If you wish to request an electronic copy of the full accreditation report or the program self-study, please email Emily Stevens at stevense@wcsu.edu or Krista Heybruck at heybruckk@wcsu.edu.