This article provides an overview of the masters in health and wellness degree program, some of the subjects and courses included, and why you may want to consider this degree as part of your career plan. It will also present an example of an online masters in health and wellness program that you might want to consider.
What Is a Masters in Health and Wellness?
The masters in health and wellness degree program prepares students to allow them to work with community members in an effort to enhance overall health. Managing people’s wellness requires a focus on both physical and mental well-being, and the interaction between those two. Numerous career opportunities exist within this field, such as services coordinator, health educator, and wellness manager, and graduates can work in a variety of different organizations. These range from government organizations to schools, and from the health care industry to community organizations.
Graduates are respected for their in-depth knowledge of health and physiology, including business and management. Oftentimes, graduates take on positions within nonprofit organizations, which means they must lead community activities, organize them, and raise funds for them. In addition, they can work with people on a day to day basis, which means they also need extensive communication skills.
Generally, it takes two years to complete a masters in health and wellness. Some schools offer it as a master of arts (MA) degree, whereas others offer it as a master of science (MS). Additionally, it is often possible to complete a specialization within the field, like gerontology or exercise. Choosing a specialization can be a complex decision and should be based on your personal interests, and also where you hope to find work. Wellness managers are found in corporate businesses, nursing homes, fitness centers, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, schools, government organizations, and more.
Each school can set its own curriculum, and whether it is an MA or an MS will have a significant impact on which courses are taught. That said, it is common to see courses in:
- Wellness Promotion
- Nutrition and Exercise
- Gerontology and Wellness
- Community Work and Wellness Management
- Technology Use for Wellness Management
The courses are varied because the field looks at so many different disciplines. These include business, communication, civics, and science. It should be noted that at the graduate degree level, there is an emphasis on leadership and management, and also on the specific elements that form wellness. These include rehabilitation, aging, exercise, nutrition, and counseling.
Why Earn a Masters in Health and Wellness?
In a recent report by Payscale.com, salaries for those with a Masters in Human Services ranged from $38,648 to $80,988 per year as of August 12, 2017. The reason why there is so much variation is because Payscale looked at those with any degree, from high school diploma to the masters degree, and because it focused on so many different industries.
Salary.com, meanwhile, has recently issued a report on wellness program managers in particular, stating that their average annual salary is from $70,592 to $96,479 per year as of August 3, 2017. This sets the median salary at $82,377. A number of factors influence how much someone can earn, including their educational background, where they work in the country, and which organization they work for.
Online Option for Masters in Health and Wellness
Liberty University
If you wish to study towards a masters in health and wellness, then you may want to consider the Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Health and Wellness program, which is offered 100% online by Liberty University. This degree has been developed to equip students with the skills and knowledge they need to understand human behavior in adult or nursing care environments. Hence, it is quite a specialized degree that focuses on both disease prevention and health promotion, but for a certain population group. Students also develop graduate-level skills in health policies and ethics, as well as in end of life care strategies. The degree requires 30 credit hours to complete.
Liberty University is a highly respected university that has won numerous awards, including the:
- 2016 Top Online Counseling Graduate Programs award
- Best Online Programs Master’s in Counseling 2016 award from Bestcolleges.com
- 2017 Top Online Colleges, Best Value Human Services award from the SR Education Group
Thanks to these awards, graduates from any Liberty University degree program have found themselves to be in incredibly high demand, because they are known for their excellent people skills.
The core curriculum of the degree includes:
- Introduction to Human Services Counseling
- Human Growth and Development
- Integration of Spirituality and Counseling
- Studies in Interpersonal Communication
- Multicultural Issues in Human Services
- Group Dynamics
Students must also complete the health and wellness cognate, which includes:
- Social and Behavioral Theory Applications
- Issues in Public and Community Health
- Grant Acquisition and Management
- Politics and Health Policy
- Health Agency Management
- Principles of Nutrition
Upon completion of the masters in health and wellness, graduates can take on a huge variety of positions in various industries. Possible career opportunities include:
- Community outreach coordinator
- Recreational manager
- Clinic director
- Nursing coordinator
- Child care center director
- Health information manager
- Athletics coordinator
- Coach
- Environmental health and safety coordinator
- Special events coordinator
- Human resources manager
- Human resources director
- Human resources generalist
- Program manager in a nonprofit organization
- Executive director, particularly of nonprofit organizations
- Program coordinator in a nonprofit organization
- Program director in a nonprofit organization
Summary
By completing a masters in health and wellness, you will have the opportunity to greatly advance your career in a range of different sectors. You could become involved in educational organizations, nonprofit companies, federal government, the health care industry, and more. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring that people are able to achieve optimal health, well-being, and wellness, including physically and emotionally, in line with their particular needs and abilities. It can give you a great sense of personal pride to play such a vital role in the overall happiness of other people. Furthermore, by obtaining a master’s degree will set you apart as an expert and leader in your field, motivating and inspiring others to become the best they can be. In fact, that in itself is an element of wellness promotion. With this particular degree, therefore, you really have the chance to do something good, both for yourself and others.
References
- Master of Human Services (MHS) Degree Average Salaries. (2017, Aug. 12). Retrieved from http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Degree=Master_of_Human_Services_(MHS)/Salary
- Master of Arts in Human Services Counseling – Health & Wellness. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.liberty.edu/online/masters/human-services/health-wellness/
- Wellness Program Manager Salaries. (2017, Aug. 3). Retrieved from http://www1.salary.com/Wellness-Program-Manager-Salary.html
