Careers & Credentials

Careers

Health services and social assistance are in the top three employment sectors that will see the most growth in Washington State and nationwide over the next 10 years.

Program graduates are prepared to work in a variety of fields and settings in the public and private sectors regionally, nationally and globally. Examples include, but are not limited to community and global health agencies, legislative advocacy groups and associations, non-profits, education, national, state, and local government, corporations, hospitals, a variety of health care settings and consulting. 

Examples of career categories include: Community and Social Service, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Research, Medical and Health Services, Legislative Advocacy, Fitness and Wellness, Health and Community Education.

Examples of positions for health professionals graduates may pursue
Public Health Specialist	Director of Health Advocacy
Public Health Information Officer	Health and Wellness Specialist
Program Director	Health Educator
Director of Community Outreach and Engagement	Public Health Analyst
Policy Analyst	Director of College Health Promotion
Prevention Specialist	Disease Research and Investigation Specialist
Executive Director	Health and Human Services Representative
Director of Emergency Preparedness	Director of Community Outreach

Credentialing 

As a graduate of the program, further your professional education with one or more of the following credentials recognized by numerous employers. These credentials conform to established national standards of practice and verify a health education specialist’s knowledge and skills are current for health education and promotion across employment settings. To get started, review the helpful info graphic illustrating the eligibilty requirements and differences between the three credentials located on the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) site. 

• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES): Entry-level credentialing of health education skills and competencies coupled with more advanced-level skills.
• Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): Advanced-level CHES credentialing. It  focuses on advanced health education skills and competencies for leadership roles. 
• Certified in Public Health: Signifies mastery of the foundational knowledge and skills relevant to contemporary public health as a graduate prepared professional. According to NCHEC, Washington State is one of the largest national employers of CPH specialists.

Understanding the CHES and the MCHES 

Learn why you'd want to become credentialed as CHES/MCHES specialist and what people enjoy about their work as a credentialed professional. 

Understanding the Public Health  Certification Exam

Learn what this exam is and why you would want to sit for it. 

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Updated January 2023