Online Master of Science in Health Promotion Management

Lead the Way to Healthier Communities and Organizations

The lifestyle choices we make today have a profound impact on the quality of our overall health in the years to come. With an online Master of Science in Health Promotion Management from American University, you'll join the fight against leading causes of death, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Become a changemaker and empower people and organizations to choose health-promoting behaviors, make a tangible difference, and emerge as a leader in the field.

Promote Healthy Living

Health Promotion is an emerging discipline that helps people, organizations, and communities adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors in order to reduce chronic conditions and manage healthcare costs.

At American University, you will be trained to target the risks that lead to these conditions and work to improve health outcomes through effective policies and programs. As organizations and policymakers gain awareness of the financial and social consequences of chronic conditions, the need for qualified experts is greater than ever.

Established in 1980, The Health Promotion Management program at American University was the first in the United States to combine concepts of health and wellness with principles of business management. With this dual focus, you'll graduate with broad-based knowledge of health promotion and hands-on experience you can immediately put to use in leadership roles.

This award-winning program, winner of the National Wellness Institute's Distinguished Academic Program Award (DAPA), is now offered in a flexible online format that is designed to fit your schedule. This 30 credit-hour degree program can be completed in less than two years.

Put Your Skills Into Practice

In the online Health Promotion Management MS at American University, you will learn to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of human health and wellness and the factors impacting individual and organizational health.
• Conduct, analyze, and translate health science research for health promotion practice and management.
• Formulate and demonstrate effective, culturally competent health communication strategies across various mediums, channels, and organizations.
• Apply analytical, creative, and intuitive thinking styles to identify problems, explore opportunities, and evaluate existing paradigms for organizational advantage.
• Apply best practices in health promotion management to assess needs, make plans, organize projects, align resources, build partnerships, monitor outcomes, and provide leadership.

Over the past five years, our students who have taken the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) exam have had a 100 percent pass rate, and as a student in our program, you will also be eligible for the National Wellness Institute worksite certificates.

40 years of producing leaders in health promotion management. 

- Dr. Anastasia Snelling, Program Director

Create Your Own Career Path

With the emerging understanding of lifestyle's impact on the quality of life and healthcare costs, organizations everywhere are seeking leaders with the skills to promote health. From policymaking in the public arena to private corporations and healthcare systems, professionals with the skills to advance health while managing teams and coordinating day-to-day operations are in high demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health educators and community health workers are expected to see a 16 percent increase in job opportunities from 2016 to 2026.¹

With a Master of Science in Health Promotion, you can apply your knowledge and skills to a number of different jobs and career paths:

• Community Health Specialist
• Health Promotions Specialist
• Director of Employee Health
• Onsite Wellness Coordinator
• Behavior Change Specialist
• Program Health Coach
• Manager of Regional Wellness Programs
• Health Coach Consultant
• Senior Project Manager
• Director of Screening Services
• Client Engagement Manager
• Population Health and Wellness Manager
• Health Communication Specialist

Our alumni share the passion to be changemakers and drive tangible differences in the health and lives of the members in their communities. Here are just a few companies that employ graduates of our program:

• Wellness Corporate Solutions
• Mayo Clinic
• Pan American Health Organization
• Partnership to Promote Healthy Eating and Active Living
• Mindfulness Center National
• WIC Association
• American Heart Association
• Booz Allen Hamilton
• US Department of Health and Human Services

Alumni Profiles

Stephanie George, Supervisor of Wellness at the Navy Federal Credit Union
She works with a team of passionate health professionals who facilitate a comprehensive suite of wellness programs for all employees. This includes strategic oversight of wellness services and the creation of in-house programming to engage their population and support their well-being.

Brian Katzowitz, Public Affairs Officer at the CDC's National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
He raises awareness about emerging disease threats and evidence-based prevention strategies through news media and social media channels.

Wolf Kirsten, President, International Health Consulting and Co-Director of the Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces
He is a global workplace health promotion expert working with multinational corporations and international organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO). He is the co-founder of the Global Centre for Healthy Workplaces (http://globalhealthyworkplace.org), which hosts the Global Healthy Workplace Awards each year as well as certifying enterprises as healthy workplaces.

Sabari Lorenzen, Strategic Account Executive at Limeade
She provides strategic guidance and support to her customers through the lens of whole person well-being, with the goal of elevating the employee experience.