Health Education (PreK-12)
Bachelor of Science in Health Education
The Health Education PreK-12 Certification program is to develop the skills and competencies for candidates seeking initial health education certification in Connecticut in grades Pre-K-12. This program is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and is nationally recognized by the Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE).
Program Goals:
- Prepare students with the proficiencies to become lifelong learners, provide the skills needed to contribute to a healthy lifestyle, and improve quality of life for themselves and the students they educate.
- Provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary academic curriculum that prepares graduates for careers in a variety of health education fields.
- Prepare students to meet the standards set by the state of Connecticut and national credentialing organizations for school and community health educators.
- Provide a comprehensive approach to health and fitness education emphasizing the connection and interdependency of individuals, school, family and community.
Program Learning Outcomes:
Graduates of the B.S. Health Education (PK-12) Certification Program will be prepared to:
- 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 the 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 (http://www.nchec.org).
- Prepare students with the proficiencies to become lifelong learners, provide the skills needed to contribute to a healthy lifestyle, and improve the quality of life for themselves and the students they educate.
- Provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary academic curriculum that prepares graduates for careers in a variety of health education fields.
- Prepare students to meet the standards set by state and national credentialing organizations for health educators.
- Provide a comprehensive approach to health and wellness education emphasizing the connection and interdependency of individuals, school, family and community.
Admission and Degree Requirements:
For a complete list of admission and degree requirements including course prerequisites, co-requisites and other restrictions for all courses, please consult the Health Education Program Catalog.
Sample Four Year Plan: B.S. Health Education PK-12
Four-year plans are suggestions. Plans change. Consult your advisor to adjust your plan.
| Semester 1 | SH | Semester 2 | SH |
| ED 102 FY Experience Sec Ed (FY) | 1 | CHE 102 Everyday Chemistry (SI) | 4 |
| SOC 100 Intro to Sociology (CT, IC) | 3 | PSY 100 Intro to Psychology | 3 |
| WRT 101 Composition I (W1) | 3 | HPX 205 Nutrition and Health | 2 |
| COM 161 Decision Making in Groups (OC) | 3 | HPX 100 Intro to Health & Wellness (HW) | 3 |
| MAT 100 Intermediate Math OR Gen Ed: Quant. Reasoning (QR) | 3 | Gen Ed: Quant. Reasoning (QR) or Free Elective | 3 |
| HIS 148 or 149 Amer. Hist. (CT, RPT 1) | 3 | ||
| Semester 3 | SH | Semester 4 | SH |
| BIO 105 Anatomy & Phys I (SI, RPT 2) | 4 | BIO 106 Anat. & Phys II | 4 |
| ED 206 Intro to Ed. (IL, OC) | 3 | HPX 215 Health Issues in Schools | 3 |
| ED 211 Ed Psych: Children & Adolescents I (W2) | 3 | ED 212 Ed Psych: Children & Adolescents II (IL, RPT 3) | 3 |
| HPX 230 Drug Studies | 3 | HPX 271 Health Education Programs in the Community | 3 |
| HPX 253 Concepts of Disease (HW) | 3 | Gen Ed: Creative Process (CP) | 3 |
| Semester 5 | SH | Semester 6 | SH |
| ED 314 Social Justice and Diversity Education (IC, RPT 4) | 3 | HPX 352 Mental Health | 3 |
| HPX 371 Health Communication Methods & Materials | 3 | Gen Ed: Breadth | 3 |
| HPX 355 Human Sexuality | 3 | Free Electives | 9 |
| HPX 160 First Aid & Safety | 2 | ||
| HPX 177 Fitness for Life | 2 | ||
| Free Elective | 3 | ||
| Semester 7 | SH | Semester 8 | SH |
| HPX 311 School Health Programs | 3 | ED 340 Assess. of Teaching Strat. (W3) | 1 |
| HPX 386 Health Ed: Professional Development School Experiences | 1 | HPX 460 Health Education Student Teaching Seminar | 1 |
| EPY 405 Intro to Special Education | 3 | HPX 464 Student Teaching (CE) | 12 |
| ED 440 Integrating Language | 3 | ||
| Free Electives | 2 | ||
| Total Credits Required for the BS in Health Education = 120; Minimum GPA 3.0 | |||
Note: Students should not be registered for any other courses during the student teaching semester; Field experience components require that students provide their own transportation to and from their assigned schools.
To complete the health education degree program, the student must pass the Health PRAXIS II examination. The PRAXIS II exam tests health subject area knowledge. The Initial Educator Certificate will be issued by the State of Connecticut upon completion of program requirements and the passing of PRAXIS II (0550). All CONTENT exams are being offered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). ETS utilizes the national teacher examination (PRAXIS) specialty area tests for CONTENT requirements. Additionally, students are encouraged to sit for the national CHES exam.
The Professional Development School (PDS) Experience
Candidates for teacher certification who are enrolled in the health, music and secondary education professional programs at WestConn are placed in public school classrooms for two weeks in conjunction with their educational methods courses in the areas of: instruction, assessments, integrating language, and content practices. Student candidates work with students under the direction of public school classroom teachers and are also supervised by university faculty. During the fall semester, health and music education candidates spend one week in an elementary/middle school placement and one week in a secondary school placement. (Danbury or area schools) Secondary education candidates spend one week in a middle school placement and one week in a high school placement.
Health Education Honors & Scholarship Opportunities
Professional Certifications
The first level of certification is the three-year initial educator certificate. This certificate is issued to applicants who meet all eligibility requirements, and who have fewer than three full school years of appropriate successful teaching experience in the past 10 years.
Initial Educator Certificate as a Health Educator (PreK-12)
Health Education students are also eligible to become a Certified Health Education Specialist