• Description of Program
• Admission
• Degree Requirements
• Special Opportunities
• Careers

Description of Program

Health education teachers help middle and high school students develop skills for making and sustaining healthy decisions related to personal growth, mental health, injury prevention, human sexuality, consumer health, disease prevention, nutrition, physical activity, and substance use. Future health education teachers learn how to coordinate with colleagues working in physical education, the school environment, school health services, food and nutrition services, school counseling, psychological and social services, and and health promotion programs for teachers and staff as well as with family members and community health professionals. Students in this program develop the professional teaching and leadership skills required to design, deliver, and assess effective health programs and earn teacher certification in a joint program with the School of Education.

Admission

Apply online for undergraduate admission to Indiana University at http://admit.indiana.edu/.

A newly admitted freshman pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science degree with a major in health education-secondary teacher preparation will receive an offer of direct freshman admission to the this program if he or she meets both of the following criteria:

• The applicant must have earned one of the following minimum standardized test scores: A combined critical reading and math score of 1270 on the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) or a composite score of 29 on the ACT (American College Test).
• The applicant must have either graduated in the top 12 percent of his or her high school graduating class or earned a minimum high school GPA of 3.5.

Before entering the School of Public Health - Bloomington as a health education-secondary teacher preparation major, all other students must meet both of the following criteria:

• The student must successfully complete at least 26 credit hours.
• The student must have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) at Indiana University.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP)

Students who want to obtain a teaching certificate must be admitted to the School of Education (SOE) Teacher Education Program (TEP) as well as the Health Education—Secondary Teacher Preparation Program in School of Public Health - Bloomington. The admission process to the SOE TEP is separate from admission to the School of Public Health - Bloomington programs. It is recommended that students seek admission to the TEP early in their sophomore year. Visit the teacher education information system for more information. Admission to the TEP is required to enroll in advanced professional education courses. Student must meet the following standards for admission to the TEP:

• Minimum overall GPA of 2.5
• The Health Education Program requires enrollment or completion of EDUC-M 300, EDUC-P 312/P 313, and EDUC-W 200. (Students who earn less than a grade of C in any of these courses must retake the course and earn a minimum grade of C before student teaching.)
• Minimum GPA of 2.5 in 12 credit hours of the student's major
• Passing scores on the PRAXIS I: Academic Skills Assessment in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics

Note: Graduation certification requirements for those seeking an Indiana Teaching Certificate are a 2.5 GPA in professional education with a grade of C or higher in all professional courses, a 2.5 GPA in the major, a 2.5 cumulative GPA, and at least a C in courses designated as oral and written communication. A passing score on a special test in the major subject area is required for licensure. Students seeking the Indiana Teaching Certificate are also required to have CURRENT Adult/Child CPR/AED certification which is obtained in SPH-H 160.

International applicants for admission to a second undergraduate degree program in the School of Public Health - Bloomington, whose primary language is not English, must satisfy one of the following criteria before being considered for admission directly into one the School's degree programs:

• submission of a minimum score on the Test Of English As a Foreign Language (TOEFL), of 550 on the paper-based test, or 213 on the computer-based test, or 80 on the Internet-based test.
• submission of a minimum score of 7 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
• proof of completing at least three full years of secondary school in a predominantly English speaking country. A current list of such countries can be found here.

For students from countries where the TOEFL and the IELTS are not available, other evidence of English proficiency may be considered.

All entering international students whose primary language is not English will be required to take a special examination in English with IU prior to registering. Prepared by IU and designed to test a student’s ability to use English in an academic setting, the exam consists of three parts: an essay on a general topic, a listening comprehension exercise, and a grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension section. There is little that one can do to prepare for this exam other than to continue using written and spoken English at every opportunity. Appropriate remedial English courses may be prescribed on the basis of the results of this test.

International students whose primary language is not English must agree to take any English language courses prescribed from the results of this examination. Fees for special part-time English courses are the same as for other courses; however, credits earned do not meet degree requirements. If the results of the proficiency examination indicate that full-time work in English is required, the student will be assigned to the Intensive English Program (IEP).  

Students enrolled in IEP do not take academic courses until they achieve adequate English proficiency. If a student has serious doubts about English ability and is not financially prepared to undertake the additional time and expense of an intensive English program here, the student should consider completing English study in the student’s home country. In addition, the student may consider delaying admission to a future session.

Degree Requirements

This is a four-year program leading to a Provisional Teaching Certificate and the degree Bachelor of Science in Applied Health Science with an emphasis in school health education. Completion of at least 26 credit hours and a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average (GPA) are required for admission to this program. Graduation requirements include:

• completion of general education requirements.
• completion of health education-secondary teacher preparation major requirements.
• a minimum of 120 successfully completed credit hours which count toward the degree program.
• a minimum grade of C in oral and written communication courses.
• a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
• a minimum 2.5 GPA in all major courses.
• a minimum 2.5 GPA in all professional education courses.
• No Pass/Fail except for free electives.

A passing score on a special test in the major subject area is required for licensure.

General Education (20 – 39 credits)

All undergraduate students must complete the IU Bloomington campus-wide general education common ground requirements. Such students must visit the 2013-2014 General Education Bulletin to view these requirements.

Major (90 cr.)

Professional Health Core Courses (31 cr.)

A minimum grade of C– is required in each professional health core course. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 in professional health core courses is required for graduation and for the teaching license.
Complete each of the following courses:

• SPH-B 150 Introduction to Public Health (3 cr.) (Formerly HPER-T 150)
• SPH-F 255 Human Sexuality (3 cr.) +S&H
• SPH-H 160 First Aid and Emergency Care (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 174 Prevention of Violence in American Society (3 cr.) +S&H
• SPH-H 180 Stress Prevention and Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 205 Introduction to Health Education (1 cr.)
• SPH-H 311 Human Disease and Epidemiology (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 315 Consumer Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 318 Drug Use in American Society (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 464 Coordinated School Health Programs (3 cr.)
• SPH-N 220 Nutrition for Health (3 cr.) or SPH-N 231 Human Nutrition (3 cr.)

Professional Education Courses (Secondary—40 cr.)

A minimum grade of C is required in each professional education course. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 is required in professional education courses.
Complete each of the following courses:

• EDUC-W 200 Beginning Technology Skills (3 cr.)
• EDUC-P 312 Learning Theory into Practice (3 cr.)
• EDUC-P 313 Perspectives on Adolescents in Learning Communities (3 cr.)
• EDUC-M 300 Teaching in a Pluralistic Society (3 cr.)
• EDUC-G 203 Communications in the Classroom (3 cr.) +S&H
• EDUC-K 306 Teaching Students with Special Needs in Secondary Classrooms (3 cr.)
• EDUC-H 340 Education and American Culture (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 352 Secondary School Health Curriculum and Strategies (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 353 Field Observation (1 cr.)
• SPH-H 452 Secondary School Health Instruction and Assessment (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 453 Microteaching Lab for Health Education (1 cr.)
• EDUC-M 420 Student Teaching Seminar (1 cr.)
• EDUC-M 480 Student Teaching (10-12 cr.)

Additional Required Courses (19 cr.)

Complete each of the following courses:

• CMCL-C 121 Public Speaking (3 cr.) +A&H
• ENG-W 231 Professional Writing Skills (3 cr.)
• PHSL-P 215 Basic Human Physiology (5 cr.) +N&M
• SPH-H 263 Personal Health (3 cr.) +S&H
• SPH-P 205 Structural Kinesiology (3 cr.)
• 2 credits selected from SPH-I courses or SPH-W courses (2 cr.)

+ Courses followed by a notation of A&H apply to both major requirements and also to the general education, arts and humanities requirement.

+ Courses followed by a notation of N&M apply to both major requirements and also to the general education, natural and mathematical sciences requirement.

+ Courses followed by a notation of S&H apply to both major requirements and also to the general education, social and historical studies requirement.

Optional Cognate in Physical Education (31 cr.)

(C minimum in each course, no Pass/Fail)
Completion of the following courses will prepare students to take the physical education PRAXIS exam and develop competencies required for middle and high school physical education teacher certification. This cognate, when added to a teaching degree in another field, extends the time required for degree completion. A normal four-year bachelor's degree becomes a five-year degree when this cognate is added.
Complete each of the following courses:

• SPH-P 140 Foundations and Principles of Physical Education (3 cr.)
• SPH-P 141 Foundations of Human Movement (2 cr.)
• SPH-P 203 Teaching Practicum in Physical Education (1 cr.)
• SPH-P 214 Basic Methods of Teaching Physical Education (3 cr.)
• SPH-P 216 Current Concepts and Applications in Physical Fitness (3 cr.)
• SPH-P 224 Teaching of Dance Activities (2 cr.)
• SPH-P 303 Physical Education Laboratory/Field Experience (1 cr.)
• SPH-P 313 Tools of Learning (1 cr.)
• SPH-P 314 Intermediate Methods in Teaching Physical Education (3 cr.)
• SPH-P 316 Theories of Advanced Conditioning (2 cr.)
• SPH-P 323 Teaching Individual and Dual Activities (2 cr.)
• SPH-P 325 Teaching of Team Sports (2 cr.)
• SPH-P 398 Adapted Physical Education (3 cr.)
• SPH/EDUC-M 403 Laboratory/Field Experience (0 cr.)
• SPH/EDUC-M 456 Methods of Teaching Physical Education (3 cr.)

Students must also complete:

• First Aid/CPR certification earned in SPH-H 160 First Aid and Emergency Care, or via community resources. Certification in CPR is only acceptable from the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, or the National Safety Council.
• PRAXIS Physical Education exam with a passing grade
• Physical Education student teaching experience along with health student teaching

Suggested Teacher Preparation Courses for the First-Year Student

Fall Semester
EDUC- W 200 Using Computers in Education  (3 cr.)
ENG-W 131 Elementary Composition 1 (3 cr.) or equivalent
SPH-F 255 Human Sexuality (3 cr.)
SPH-H 263 Personal Health (3 cr.)
Arts and Humanities Elective (3 cr.)

Spring Semester
CMCL-C 121 Public Speaking (3 cr.)
SPH-H 160 First Aid and Emergency Care (3 cr.)
SPH-H 174 Prevention of Violence in American Society (3 cr.)
SPH-H 205 Introduction to Health Education (1 cr.)
MATH-M 118 Finite Mathematics (3 cr.)
Free Elective (3 cr.)

Special Opportunities

Students have multiple opportunities to become involved in schools via required field observations and student teaching and through a variety of volunteer activities in local public schools and youth-serving agencies. Students who wish can take advantage of the Semester Abroad Program to complete student teaching in a different country. Eta Sigma Gamma, an undergraduate health education honorary, is available for membership.

Careers

Graduates are prepared for teaching careers in middle and high schools. Prospects for employment are excellent, especially if the individual is willing to relocate. Since many school districts hire health teachers who also teach physical education, students in this major often complete the optional Cognate in Physical Education.