With rising healthcare costs, extremely elevated levels of stress, anxiety and depression, and of course a global pandemic, health and wellness have come to command attention in media and everyday life. Companies pour money into health and wellness to keep their employees functioning, while the health and wellness industry is worth billions annually and growing every year.
Before getting into the different online degrees, accreditation and scholarship programs, it’s important to understand the field of health and wellness. The following sections will discuss these crucial questions:
- What is health and wellness?
- What is health and wellness coaching?
- What is a health and wellness coach?
- What is a health and wellness degree?
Most Popular Schools with Online Health & Wellness Degree Programs
| Quick Facts: Fitness Trainers and Instructors | |
|---|---|
| 2019 Median Pay | $40,390 per year $19.42 per hour |
| Typical Entry-Level Education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation | None |
| On-the-job Training | Short-term on-the-job training |
| Number of Jobs, 2019 | 373,700 |
| Job Outlook, 2019-29 | 15% (Much faster than average) |
| Employment Change, 2019-29 | 57,600 |
Most Affordable Online Health & Wellness Degree Programs
| Quick Facts: Exercise Physiologists | |
|---|---|
| 2019 Median Pay | $49,170 per year $23.64 per hour |
| Typical Entry-Level Education | Bachelor’s degree |
| Work Experience in a Related Occupation | None |
| On-the-job Training | None |
| Number of Jobs, 2019 | 19,800 |
| Job Outlook, 2019-29 | 11% (Much faster than average) |
| Employment Change, 2019-29 | 2,200 |
What is Health and Wellness?
Wellness has an influence on health and has an impact on leading a fulfilled life. Health is a goal, whereas Wellness involves what people do to stay or become healthy. These two concepts are interlinked in degree programs that develop an expertise in both.
What is Health and Wellness Coaching?
Health and wellness coaching involves inspiring clients to develop and keep healthy habits. As a health coach, practitioners identify health goals and make comprehensive plans to help clients reach those goals. Health and wellness coaching involves creating a supportive atmosphere and setting a positive example.
Health and wellness coaching deals with regulating the following:
- Physical activity
- Sleep
- Managing stress
- Quitting smoking
- Eating habits
- Creating work-life balance
What is a Health and Wellness Coach?
To become a wellness coach, students need interpersonal skills and strong character.
Coaches need the following characteristics:
- Good critical thinking
- Sound judgment
- Excellent communication
- Respect for others
- Creativity and flexibility
- Positive attitude
- Emotional stability
- Astute listening skills
What is a Health and Wellness Degree?
With a health and wellness degree, students learn a range of concepts related to improving the health and well-being of others. Students who are considering a health and wellness degree can expect to learn how to become a wellness advocate through concepts such as leadership and management, holistic health care and valuable health insights. A health and wellness degree is not just pandemic-proof – it’s taken a pandemic to truly come into its own.
What Do Health and Wellness Professionals Do?
This section provides samples job descriptions such as:
- health and wellness director job description
- director of health and wellness job description
- health and wellness job descriptions
- health and wellness manager job description
- health and wellness specialist job description
- health and wellness consultant job description
Health and wellness job descriptions vary depending on the role required.
Sample health and wellness coach job description:
- Biometric Screenings: Health and Wellness professionals who work in fitness may take biometric screenings. These screenings provide feedback to clients or employees regarding potential health risks.
- Wellness Services: Professionals who work in a corporate environment develop and run corporate wellness services to help keep employees healthy.
- Drug & Alcohol Testing: some health and wellness professionals may provide on-site alcohol and drug testing or coordinate with local resources to conduct random testing for employees.
- Vaccinations and Immunizations: Professionals working in clinics may take part in vaccinations and immunizations to promote public health.
- COVID-19 Screening: Professional may also coordinate temperature checks another screening for COVID-19.
Health and wellness coordinator job description:
These professionals assist in the planning and implementation of companywide wellness programs. This corporate job deals with creating awareness and motivation for healthy habits.
Companies sometimes hire health and wellness coordinators to comply with requirements to receive insurance discounts. A healthier workforce also equals fewer sick days, which impacts the company’s productivity and bottom line.
Wellness coordinators create awareness and provide tools that help employees develop a well-rounded lifestyle. These professionals handle plan administration, including communication to employees regarding their insurance benefits and options.
Health and wellness director job description:
Wellness directors work to improve the health of employees. They may direct a community center or wellness clinic sponsored by their employers.
The director of health and wellness job description includes creating initiatives that make a positive difference in employees’ lives.
Health and wellness manager job description:
A health and wellness manager oversees the wellness and health of a group of clients. They may manage health and wellness specialists working for individual clients, companies or fitness centers.
Health and wellness specialist job description
Wellness specialists often work in spas, clinics, gems, corporate settings or community centers. This is typically an entry-level position that deals directly with exercise and wellness for individual clients.
Health and wellness consultant job description
Health and wellness consultants develop positive environments for employees. They create programs encouraging healthy eating and exercise and may run fitness spaces in a corporation or community facility.
Health and wellness coach job descriptions are very similar to health and wellness roles mentioned above. The difference is that coaches typically work with individual clients, whereas health and wellness coordinator job descriptions often deal with groups.
What Can You Do with a Health and Wellness Degree?
This section answers these questions:
- What can I do with a health and wellness degree in the fitness field?
- What can I do with a degree in health and wellness in the community?
- What can I do with a health and wellness degree in Corporate or government work?
Fitness Careers
With a health and wellness degree, graduates with a BS in health and wellness quality for such as:
- Exercise specialist
- Fitness specialist
- Personal trainer
- Fitness manager
- Exercise instructor
- Exercise physiologist
Community Health Careers
Community health is another area where health and wellness graduates can find meaningful jobs. Community jobs open to new graduates may include:
- Community health program director
- Health club assistant manager
- Health educator
- Nutritionist
- Occupational therapist
- Wellness center manager
Corporate and Government Opportunities
For those who do not want to become personal trainers, there are also jobs in the government and corporations for health and Wellness professionals. Government and corporate jobs that require a strong background in health and Wellness include the following:
- Health promotion director
- Pharmaceutical sales
- Spa director
- Cruise ship wellness director
Accredited Online Degree Types: Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral
There are many levels of education that you can achieve that involves health and wellness degrees. These include associate’s, bachelor’s, doctoral and certificate programs.
Accredited Online Associate’s
Associates degrees only takes two years to complete. So, you can complete your education more quickly than getting a four-year degree. Spending less time on education may also mean you pay less tuition and graduate with fewer student loans. You can start working faster than those going through longer degree programs. Also, you’ll learn more than getting a job in the field with no education at all.
A health and wellness associates degree online sets you up to take a bachelor’s degree without quitting your job.
There are some downsides to getting an online health and wellness associates program. Candidates with higher degrees can command higher salaries. It may be more beneficial to go on to get a bachelor’s degree, which will expand your area of expertise and access to higher paying jobs.
With a health and wellness associates degree online, you may need to acquire more on the job skills before moving into management.
Accredited Online Bachelor’s
A online bachelor’s degree in health and wellness prepares graduates for careers that help people live healthy lives. Using an evidence-based approach, this degree includes both health sciences and related psychological concepts. Students learn the connection between disease prevention, health literacy and quality of life. Coursework often includes evaluation and needs assessment as well as a deep knowledge of how well-being and mortality are connected.
Many schools offer a bachelor of science in health and wellness online. So, it’s a good idea to take the time to find one that meets your needs.
Accredited Online Masters
Many master’s in health promotion and wellness online also teach program improvement and cover the legal and policy issues related to managing health and wellness programs. As part of the health and wellness masters degree online, students learn the complex relationship between public health systems, private citizens and stakeholders such as insurance companies.
An online masters degrees in health and wellness qualifies successful candidates for doctoral programs in the field. With an online masters degree in health and wellness, graduates can seek roles with expanded responsibilities in organizational health and wellness programs
Accredited Online Doctorate
With a doctorate degree in health and wellness online, graduates can command top salaries provided they have the required experience in the field as well. Too many adults do not meet minimum health standards due to poor eating and exercise habits. Many students who achieve a doctoral degree focus on health education and preventive care.
Those with a doctorate degree in health and wellness online can help shift public policy toward healthy habits and well-balanced living. Thought leadership and proactive development of programs that work can net these individuals jobs in government agencies and public policy think tanks.
Accreditation
Wellness and health promotion accreditation ensures that colleges and universities meet the minimum standards required by the appropriate agency. There are few specific health and wellness accreditation boards. However, U.S. universities and colleges are subject to accreditation by organizations approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
Therefore, wellness and health promotion accreditation is subject to the same rigorous review process as other educational programs. Choose a program with impressive regional and national accreditations to ensure that your degree holds cloud with hiring managers or other educational institutions if you plan to pursue a higher degree.
Health and wellness accreditation is paramount and should be a top priority when selecting a school.
Certifications and Licensure
Health and wellness certification online programs are perfect for individuals who wish to switch careers or advance their knowledge in health and wellness. Online health and wellness certification programs are less valuable than bachelor’s and master’s degrees in the field. However, for students who wish to learn more about a specific subject, a specialized certification may do the job.
Common health and wellness certifications online include ACE Health Coach Certification. Some students prefer the health and wellness certificate online available through the ADAPT Certified Functional Health Coach organization.
Other health and wellness certification online include the AFPA Health & Wellness Coach Certification. Students can also investigate the online health and wellness certification available through the Duke Integrative Medicine Health Coach Professional Training Program.
Primal Health Coach Program is another health and wellness certifications online. There are also health and wellness certificate online that focus on corporate and health and wellness program development.
Scholarships for Health and Wellness
With a little research, you can find plenty of health and wellness scholarships online.
Examples of health and wellness scholarships include:
1. Elliptical Cardio Scholarship
2. Ivein Health and Wellness Scholarship
3. The Fix Your Skin Annual Scholarship
4. MTB Challenging Scholarship
5. Montem Health and Wellness Scholarship
Each of these and other scholarship programs have their own requirements. Find scholarships geared toward specific schools to help reduce the competition. Spending time on a few applications gives students time to concentrate and do their best. This is a wiser strategy than blanketing scholarship committees with present essays that may not follow the instructions provided.
Scholarships can make online programs accessible to a greater number of students in health and wellness.
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