Health Promotion

• Mission Statement

  HPP Mission
  The Health Promotion Program (HPP) primarily serves Weber State University (WSU), and other stakeholders (e.g., community partners, employers, etc.), by providing academic courses (a) to prepare students to work as health education specialists in health-related settings (e.g., hospitals, community health agencies, worksites, schools, etc.), and (b) to assist students to acquire knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to adopt and maintain health behaviors.

  HPP Roles
  The academic courses for the Health Promotion Program include general education (e.g., healthy lifestyles) and varied content/topic courses (e.g., stress management, human sexuality, adolescent health issues, etc.) and, in particular, professional-preparation courses (e.g., program planning, research methods, methods in health promotion, etc.). The academic program offers a bachelor’s degree in health promotion (BS, Health Promotion), a minor in health promotion, and a teaching minor in health promotion, and an emphasis area to support the Bachelor of Integrated Studies (BIS) program.

  
  HPP Goal 1: Provide students with a foundation in all Eight Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists.

  To advance the HPP mission and identified roles, the program has identified four overarching goals. The first is to provide students with academic training based on the standards of professional preparation and practice in health education/promotion forwarded by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Through decades of research (e.g., Competencies Update Project, 2004; Health Education Job Analysis, 2010; Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis, 2015; Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis II, 2020)¹ NCHEC has scientifically validated the "Eight Areas of Responsibility" for the contemporary practice of entry- and advanced-level health education specialists:

  • Responsibility 1: Student will assess needs, resources, and capacity for health education/promotion.
  • Responsibility 2: Students will plan health education/promotion.
  • Responsibility 3: Students will implement health education promotion.
  • Responsibility 4: Students will conduct evaluation and research related to health education/promotion
  • Responsibility 5: Students will advocate for health, health education, and/or the health profession.
  • Responsibility 6: Students will employ effective communication for health education/promotion.
  • Responsibility 7: Students will exhibit leadership and management for health.
  • Responsibility 8: Students will demonstrate ethics and professionalism.

  The Eight Areas of Responsibility promoted by NCHEC are deemed the essential elements for professional preparation (i.e., academic curriculum), credentialing (i.e., to become a Certified Health Education Specialist; CHES), and professional development of all health education specialists regardless of employment setting (e.g., health care, school, worksite, etc.). Consistent with NCHEC standards, the WSU Health Promotion Program has developed student-learning outcomes to prepare students/graduates to perform skills in each of the Eight Areas of Responsibility (see sections B and C).

  
  HPP Goal 2: Provide a Social Science General Education (SSGE) course (i.e., HLTH 1030, Healthy Lifestyles) for the University.

  The second goal of HPP is to provide WSU with a general education course, HLTH 1030 (Healthy Lifestyles), that counts as a social science elective for students. The standards for this course are prescribed by the University² and include the following learning outcomes:

  1. Interactions between individuals and society: Students will describe how individuals and groups influence and are influenced by social contexts, institutions, physical environments and/or global process.
  2. Application of concepts, theories, and methods: Students will apply basic social science concepts, theories, and/or methods to a particular issue and identify factors that influence change.
  3. Diverse perspectives: Students will identify an argument about a social phenomenon and understand alternative explanations.

  
  HPP Goal 3: Provide students with knowledge and skills in the underlying science of human health and disease prevention.

  HPP provides topic-focused courses in multiple areas (e.g., stress management, mind/body wellness, consumer health, substance abuse, human sexuality, etc.), in general, (a) to allow students to explore more in-depth health issues that interest them and, more specifically, (b) to support degree requirements for several degrees (e.g., Health Promotion Major, Health Promotion Minor, Health Promotion Teaching Minor, BIS Emphasis in Health Promotion, etc.). In addition to declared majors and minors, HPP coursework is utilized by 14 other WSU programs such as Public Health, Public Relations, Nutrition Education, and Social Work. In particular, seven HPP courses are cross referenced with the Health Administrative Services (HAS) program to support students in this academic unit to gain necessary knowledge and skills for multiple HAS degrees and emphases. The expectations for what students should know and be able to do in these support courses are based on the framework established by the Joint Committee on National Health Education Standards (e.g., American Public Health Association, American School Health Association, American Association for Health Education)³ and include the following performance indicators:

  • Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
  • Standard 2: Students will analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
  • Standard 3: Students will demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.
  • Standard 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health or reduce health risks.
  • Standard 5: Students will demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
  • Standard 6: Students will demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.
  • Standard 7: Students will demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.
  • Standard 8: Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

  
  HPP Goal 4: Provide students with meaningful and mutually-beneficial engagements with community partners.

  The final goal for HPP is to provide students with supervised internship experiences that benefit both the student, in terms of professional growth and work experience, and the organization in regard to student assistance with key tasks and services. The chief student learning outcomes for this goal include the following:

  • 1. Hours: Students will complete a minimum of 60 internship hours per credit of HLTH 4860.
  • 2. Supervisor evaluation: students will be evaluated satisfactorily by their internship site supervisor.
  • 3. Project: Students will complete a project for the host agency that demonstrates at least three NCHEC competencies.
  • 4. Reflection: Students will complete structured reflection to summarize and evaluate their field experiences.
     

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    ¹ A review of the research to establish the roles and competencies needed to practice health education can be found at https://www.nchec.org/responsibilities-and-competencies.
    ² The standards for general education courses in the social science breadth can be found at https://www.weber.edu/GenEd/default.html.
    ³ The performance indicators for the National Health Education Standards can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sher/standards.

• Student Learning Outcomes
  • Certificate (Not Applicable) 

     

  • Associate Degree (Not Applicable)

     

  • Bachelor Degree

    The purpose and aims of HPP highlighted in the program mission and goals (see section A), are reflected and evaluated by attainment of the designed learning outcomes for the program. The specific objectives and desired outcomes for each program goal are highlighted in Tables 1-4. As noted earlier, the desired learning outcomes for goal 1 are based on the eight areas of responsibility promoted by NCHEC and deemed the essential elements for professional preparation (i.e., academic curriculum), credentialing (i.e., to become a Certified Health Education Specialist; CHES), and professional development of all health education specialists regardless of employment setting (e.g., health care, school, worksite, community health, etc.).⁴ For goal 2, the outcomes are based on the social science standards forwarded by the WSU General Education and Improvement Committee (GEIAC) and approved by the WSU Faculty Senate and Utah Board of Regents.⁵ The outcomes for goal 3 are based on the National Health Education Standards.⁶ The outcomes for goal 4 are based on direct measures developed by HPP faculty, and the internship coordinator, to evaluate students on professional competencies, similar to goal 1, aligned with NCHEC standards.
    
    Table 1: Learning Outcomes for HPP Goal 1

    No.	Objective
    1	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 1: Assess needs, resources, and capacity for health education/promotion.
    2	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 2: Plan health education/promotion.
    3	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 3: Implement health education/promotion.
    4	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 4: Conduct evaluation and research related to health education/promotion.
    5	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 5: Advocate for health, health education, and/or the health profession.
    6	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 6: Employ effective communication for health education/promotion.
    7	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 7: Exhibit leadership and management for health.
    8	When taking HPP professional-development courses, at least 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures of Responsibility 8: Demonstrate ethics and professionalism.

    
    Table 2: Learning Outcomes for HPP Goal 2

    No.	Objective
    1	By the completion of the HLTH 1030 course, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to SSGE Outcome 1: Interactions between individuals and groups. In particular, students will be able to describe how individuals and groups influence and are influenced by social contexts, institutions, physical environments and/or global process.
    2	By the completion of HLTH 1030 course, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to SSGE Outcome 2: Application of concepts, theories, and methods. Specifically, students will apply basic social science concepts, theories, and/or methods to a particular issue and identify factors that influence change.
    3	By the completion of the HLTH 1030 course, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to SSGE Outcome 3: Diversity. For instance, students will identify and argument about a social phenomenon and understand alternative explanations.

    
    Table 3: Learning Outcomes for HPP Goal 3

    No.	Objective
    1	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 1: Comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
    2	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 2: Analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.
    3	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 3: Demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health.
    4	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 4: Demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks.
    5	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 5: Demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance health.
    6	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 6: Demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health.
    7	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 7: Demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid or reduce health risks.
    8	By completing HPP topic courses, 80% of students will achieve 80% competency on identified measures related to NHES Outcome 8: Demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health.

    
    Table 4: Learning Outcomes for HPP Goal 4
     

    No.	Objective
    1	By the conclusion of HLTH 4860, 80% of students will complete a minimum of 60 internship hours per credit.
    2	By the conclusion of HLTH 4860, 80% of students will be evaluated satisfactorily (evaluation scores 80% or higher) by their site supervisor.
    3	By the conclusion of HLTH 4860, 80% of students will satisfactorily complete a project (project score > 80% evaluated by internship coordinator) for the host agency that demonstrates three of more NCHEC competencies or responsibilities.
    4	By the conclusion of HLTH 4860, 80% of students will satisfactorily complete (assignment scores > 80% evaluated by internship coordinator) structured reflection to summarize and evaluate their field experiences.

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    ⁴ A review of the scientifically-validated responsibilities and competencies needed to practice health education can be found at https://www.nchec.org/responsibilities-and-competencies.
    ⁵ The standards for general education courses in the social science breadth can be found at https://www.weber.edu/GenEd/default.html.
    ⁶ The performance indicators for the National Health Education Standards can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sher/standards.

   

• Curriculum Grid

• Program and Contact Information

  The Department of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER) in the Jerry & Vickie Moyes College of Education offers programs that promote lifelong wellness from a variety of disciplines. The mission of the HPER is to inspire future professionals by providing high quality education through an innovative, engaged learning environment.

  
  The Department provides undergraduate programs for students wishing to complete degrees that include the Health Promotion Major and Minor, the Physical Education Teaching and Non-Teaching Majors, three Physical Education Minors and a Recreation Major and Minor. The Department also provides courses that contribute to the University’s commitment to General Education, promote a general interest in living healthy lifestyles and studying fitness, physical activity and health care, and assist students in achieving their college and career goals.

   

  Contact Information:
  Chad Smith, HPER Chair

  Weber State University

  1435 Village Drive, Department 2801

  Ogden, UT 84408-2801

  SW 307D
  (801) 626-7664

  chadsmith6@weber.edu

  Health Promotion Website

• Assessment Plan

  Assessment data to measure student learning relevant to the program goals in collected by course instructors every semester. A variety of direct measures are used to track student learning but, in general, performance-based assignment and competency-based exam questions are the preferred methods used by course instructors. In particular, the outcomes tool in Canvas is used by most instructors to track student learning across semesters and through the health curriculum. This aggregate data is them examined annually to identify trends and examine program outcomes. Based on findings from assessment data, HPP faculty identify necessary program updates and implement desired changes for the following academic year.
  Please see the assessment plan tables beginning on page 14 of the 2022 Biennial Report.

• Assessment Report Submissions
  2021-22
  2019-20
  2017
  2016
  2015

• Program Review

  2023-24
   

This information is part of the cyclical program review process. Details such as mission statements, learning outcomes, etc., are updated as part of the biennial assessment reporting process, an integral component of program review.