Prepare to be a health educator
Help individuals make informed decisions and healthier lives.
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Students who select the Health Science Health Promotion Concentration must successfully complete:
The following related courses in Natural Science and Social and Behavioral Science:
*Students must complete these courses as part of their General Education Requirements
Recommended Open Electives (5 Credits)
There is an 18-credit residency requirement in the major concentration of health sciences
The Bachelor of Science in Health Science, concentration in Health Promotion, provides a comprehensive and innovative curriculum in the evidence-based factors that affect human health. Students take courses that focus on human biology, personal behavior, social and environmental determinants of health as well as the structure of and access to health care. Students are broadly trained in the application of basic science to health, coupled with the development of the values, inter-personal and inter-professional skills required for today's health care environments.
The Health Science: Health Promotion program is available at the Bronx and Dobbs Ferry Campuses. This bachelor's degree reflects the current trends and growing needs of today’s health care world and prepares students to enter the rapidly expanding field of health care education specialist. It complements our wide array of clinically focused health profession programs
The Health Promotion concentration covers the specific competencies required for students to qualify to take the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. Students can seek careers as a community health educator in a variety of settings such as public and community agencies, business and industry, hospitals, and other types of clinical facilities. The health promotion concentration also prepares students who may want to advance their health degree (e.g., MPH, MPA in Health Administration, or DrPH/PhD/EdD in public health/Health Education/Community Health). Learn more about the CHES certification.
As a Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Esser's work has been in providing holistic health care, including utilizing an extensive aptitude in manual therapies, exercise rehabilitation, as well as nutritional guidance and lifestyle modification leadership for over three decades. In addition, he teaches and writes on the issues and technologies impacting health science today. He is a Health Science and Anatomy course curriculum builder and the lead course instructor.
The Health Science program at Mercy College has inspired me to seek a career in health education, educating people on how to make healthy life choices that can improve their daily lives. The professors are incredible and the courses offered were hands on and prepared me in way too many ways to list. While I was in the program, I landed an internship with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene which lead me to my current position as a public health administrator at the New York City Department of Corrections.
A health care education specialist empowers people and their communities to take control of their health, and adopt healthy lifestyles and behaviors. This not only improves health and wellness for families and communities but decreases health care costs and risks for chronic diseases. It is not surprising that the Bureau of Labor statistics projects that the demand for health education specialists will continue to grow and is projected to be much faster than the average for all occupations.
The anatomage table is a highly visible and interactive experience that offers unprecedented technology for the education of our health science students and graduate students preparing for health care careers. The Table allows for the display of anatomy in life size scale resembling an operating table. By reviewing the body on the table, students learn how to perceive an actual patient lying on a bed, helping them connect the anatomy they learn in class to the real world patients they will treat. The anatomage technology is the only fully segmented, real human anatomy system, allowing for exploration of the human body beyond even what a cadaver can offer.
The B.S. in Health Science: Health Promotion emphasizes disease prevention and both public and personal health promotion. The health promotion concentration prepares students for entry-level positions in a variety of health care settings as well as for graduate study in public and community health. The health promotion concentration also prepares students to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) Exam.
CHES Seven Areas of Responsibility | Mercy College HLSC Course(s) Addressing the CHES Areas |
Area I: Assess needs, resources and capacity for health education/promotion |
HLSC 395 Health Promotion and Program Intervention
HLSC 396 Evaluating Health Promotion Programs |
Area II: Plan health education/promotion |
HLSC 395 Health Promotion and Program Intervention HLSC 400 Health Science Capstone |
Area III: Implement health education/promotion |
HLSC 396 Evaluating Health Promotion Programs HLSC 400 Health Science Capstone |
Area IV: Conduct evaluation and research related to health education/promotion | HLSC 396 Evaluating Health Promotion Programs HLSC 400 Health Science Capstone |
Area V: Administer and manage health education/promotion |
HLSC 395 Health Promotion and Program Intervention
HLSC 396 Evaluating Health Promotion Programs |
Area VI: Serve as a health education/promotion resource person | HLSC 275 Health Policy and Advocacy HLSC 395 Health Promotion and Program Intervention |
Area VII: Communication, promote and advocate for health, health education/promotion and the profession | HLSC 102 Introduction to the Health Professions HLSC 275 Health Policy and Advocacy HLSC 250 Health Communication |
Major Requirements
The Health Science: Health Promotion program offers students the opportunity to complete a semester long internship as part of the program (HLSC 399 Field-based Experience in Health Science.) This course is designed for the student to study the professional world of health care environments. Students will make meaningful connections between their classroom learning and the healthcare internship or job experience. Topics focused on ethics, diversity, communication skills, stress management and other key topics help the student integrate their classroom knowledge with their experiences in the field. Students can review current internship opportunities on the College's Career Services page.
By the end of this program, students should be able to: