Are Online Health Education Degrees Legitimate?

Health education degree programs are designed to teach students how to teach others about health. These degrees are available on campus and online.

While online degree programs are more common than ever before, some students still wonder if they're legitimate. Online health education degrees are legitimate when earned through an accredited program.

Do Employers Respect Online Health Education Degrees?

As more and more students earn their degrees online, employers have come to respect online degree programs. This includes online health education degrees.

However, there are a few priorities to keep in mind. Not all health education degree programs are the same, and employers will still expect you to have completed any required student teaching or fieldwork.

What To Look For in an Online Health Education Degree Program

If you want employers to respect your online degree, you need to earn that degree from a respected institution. Factors like accreditation, reputation, and graduation rates can all indicate how respected a school is.

These quality indicators can also give a clue as to how solid the school's health education programs are, as can the graduation rate. We break all these down below.

Accreditation

Whatever program you choose, it needs to come from an accredited institution. Colleges and universities in the United States can be either regionally or nationally accredited.

Regional accreditation is the most common and most respected type of accreditation. You can verify an institution's accreditation by checking its website or looking online.

Reputation

How much respect a degree gets often correlates with how much respect that college or university holds. The reputation of a school can also give you a good idea of what to expect in your program.

You can learn more about a school's reputation by checking ranking lists like those published by Forbes and the U.S. News and World Report. You can also read reviews posted by current students and alumni.

Graduation Rates

The graduation rate of a college or university can tell you how strong a program is. Graduation rate looks at how many full-time, first-time students graduated within six years for a bachelor's degree or three years for an associate degree.

This can be a good way to see the success of a program, but it's not always helpful. For example, it can't give information on graduate programs or programs aimed at adult or returning students.

Differences Between Online Health Education Degrees and Traditional Health Education Degrees

Students attending traditional, in-person degree programs have a set course schedule. They appear on campus several times a week for lectures, peer interaction, and assignments.

Online programs rarely have set meeting times. Instead, students are given assignments, like reading text, watching recorded lectures, and participating in online discussions. These assignments have due dates, but students can complete the work on their schedule.

Benefits of Earning Your Health Education Degree at an Online School

For many students, the ability to work on their schedule is the biggest benefit of earning a health education degree online. This allows students to earn their degree while attending to other responsibilities like work or family.

Another benefit is that students aren't tethered to one location. They can choose a school across the country from where they live, or travel while studying at the same time.

Featured Online Health Education Degree Programs

Several reputable colleges and universities offer undergraduate and master's level online health education degree programs. These programs prepare students for the role and duties of a health education specialist through online courses.

All programs listed are regionally accredited and prepare students to take and pass the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing.

1. Arizona State University

Arizona State University is a public research university in Tempe, Arizona. It offers a wide variety of online programs and is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

The following health education degrees are offered online at ASU:

• Health Education and Health Promotion - BS
• Nursing Education - MS in nursing

2. Purdue Global

Purdue Global is the online branch of Indiana's public Purdue Global. It's regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers a range of online degree programs.

The following health education degrees are offered online at Purdue Global:

• Health Education and Promotion - BS
• Health Education and Promotion - MS
• Nurse Educator - MS in nursing

3. Southern New Hampshire University

Southern New Hampshire University is a private, nonprofit university based in Manchester, New Hampshire. It's known for its large number of online programs and is regionally accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

The following health education degrees are offered online at SNHU:

• Community Health Education - BS
• Nursing Education - MSN

4. Touro University Worldwide

Touro University Worldwide is the online branch of the private, nonprofit Jewish Touro University based in New York City. The Worldwide campus is headquartered in California and is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission.

The following health education degrees are offered online at TUW:

• Health Education - BS in health sciences
• Health Education - MS in health sciences

5. University of Florida

The University of Florida is a public research university in Gainesville, Florida. It offers several online programs and is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

The following health education degrees are offered online at the University of Florida:

• Health Education - BS
• Health Education and Behavior - MS