Wellness and Health Promotion - Associate in Applied Science (AAS) (3610)
Are you looking for a rewarding career that helps people, employers, communities, healthcare systems and governments realize the power and potential of promoting healthy lifestyles, preventing disease and supporting wellness for all? If so, our Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Wellness and Health Promotion may be for you! Our program offers two areas of focus: workplace wellness or community health.
From enrolling into our program, getting help from our library or completing your degree, you can do everything online for this program.
Our program will help you turn YOUR passion for healthy lifestyles into a career. We will prepare you to enter the workforce as a wellness professional to work in a variety of settings, including the healthcare system, nonprofit organizations, corporations or government agencies. The following are potential career opportunities:
- Health educator or advocate
- Wellness or health coach
- Workplace wellness coordinator
- Community health worker or specialist
- Behavior modification specialist
- Community engagement specialist
- Health promotion specialist or coordinator
- Prevention specialist
You are likely to succeed in the field of workplace or community wellness if you:
- Have an interest in science and biology
- Enjoy helping others improve their health
- Demonstrate excellent organizational, communication and analytical skills
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If you choose the Workplace Wellness track, you will be prepared to design and implement wellness programs for both employers and employees using effective communication and program marketing skills.
If you choose the Community Health track, you will be prepared to advocate within health agencies and healthcare systems and connect individuals to available services and resources in communities.
Both options offer a foundation in wellness, health promotion, behavior change and health coaching and prepare you to complete the health coach certification from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) or a similar professional certification.
Our curriculum allows you to gain this foundation while you also take courses in biology, psychology, human services, gerontology, marketing and management. Additionally, you will learn how to assess individuals and groups, as well as design high-quality wellness-based programs.
No matter which track you choose, you will be able to:
- Use current technologies, tools and applications for academic and career settings
- Critique scientific literature and health-related information
- Assess individuals, programs, populations or communities for wellness program-planning
- Demonstrate health coaching and motivational interviewing skills
- Facilitate behavior change for lifestyle modification
- Design, implement and evaluate wellness and health promotion programming
- Connect resources and services to individuals and communities that serve to optimize health and wellness
- Model professional conduct and recognize scope-of-practice
- Pass and receive a national health coach or other health or wellness-related certification upon graduation
- View summaries of every course at HACC by browsing our class schedules database.
- Review our program guide (pdf) to view a list of required courses, recommended course sequencing and program competencies.
Yes! Our online program is designed to lead you directly into the workforce; however, there are transfer opportunities available. Our programs are designed to be flexible enough to transfer to a wide variety of colleges and universities with no loss of credit. However, each individual college has its own unique program. Therefore, we encourage you to select a four-year school as soon as possible. This will allow you to learn the transfer college’s program requirements so you can take the proper classes with us.
You can complete the entire program online, You may also complete this program at the Harrisburg, Lancaster and York campuses. However, to fulfill program requirements, you will need to take 51% or more of your required coursework though multiple modalities (e.g. Blended, Online and/or Remote Learning).
Yes! We offer many scholarships through the HACC Foundation. Each scholarship has specific eligibility requirements. To learn how to apply, please visit hacc.edu/Scholarships.
HACC holds classes in the spring, summer and fall. You can apply anytime online. When you submit your application, please include the unique program code 3610 to ensure you enroll in the correct program.
Future students, we are excited to connect with you and answer your questions. Please choose the option that works best for you to meet with us.
Current HACC students, please contact our Advising Department with any questions.
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