Health Promotion Degree Programs, Online Included

Reviewed and updated October 21, 2025 by

Nicole Hernandez, PT, DPT

Doctor of Physical Therapy (Campbell University)

Health promotion degrees prepare students to design and apply health programs for schools and communities. Students who complete a health promotion bachelor's or master's degree learn how to evaluate and identify public health needs and provide appropriate education through targeted campaigns. They bridge resource gaps in diverse communities, which can include schools, workplaces, or healthcare settings. Most students will find jobs in education, healthcare administration, non-profit organizations, government agencies, or corporate wellness programs.

While health promotion is a common degree, it is often interchangeably named public health, community health, or health education.

Can you get a health promotion degree online?

Many universities offer online bachelor's or master's programs in health promotion. These programs are fully remote, requiring no in-person class attendance. Synchronous programs may require students to attend live lessons, while asynchronous programs only require students to complete pre-recorded lessons by certain deadlines. If your schedule needs maximum flexibility, an online asynchronous program is best.

Many students opt for online degrees because it is easier to juggle a busy family or work life with school, and they can complete their degree at their own pace. Most programs allow students to complete their degree on a part-time or full-time schedule.

Which bachelor's degrees in health promotion are available online?

Below are five bachelor's degrees in health promotion. Each program is about 120 credit hours total (including general coursework) and can start as low as $130 per credit hour, depending on your residence. Some programs concentrate on public education, which can prepare students for additional certifications.

University of Arizona - Wellness and Health Promotion Practice Bachelor of Arts

The University of Arizona offers a 120-credit-hour bachelor's in wellness and health promotion. This program costs $525 per credit hour, even for out-of-state students. Students who complete this program will learn health education and program management for aging and community wellness. They'll know how to evaluate a culturally and socioeconomically diverse population's needs and advocate for the right resources. This program also prepares students for the real-life application of their degree by exposing them to hands-on experience with internships. By the end of the degree, students will be confident entering their first job due to their fieldwork.

This university's curriculum includes the following courses:

• Personal health and wellness
• Diversity, health, and wellbeing in later life
• Health education and ethical leadership
• Applications in health promotion: Behavioral theories and health
• Practicum in wellness and health promotion practice

First-year and transfer students are encouraged to contact the admissions department for more information about prerequisites. You can find more information in the university's application portal. If you're transferring from an Arizona community college, you may be eligible for a scholarship of $500 per semester.

University of Florida - Health Education and Behavior

The University of Florida offers a bachelor's degree in health education and behavior, which trains students to promote healthy living for individuals and groups. Students will learn to work in one-on-one settings or community and workplace settings in preparation for entry-level work across the industry. If you're a Florida resident, tuition can cost as little as $130 per credit hour. Out-of-state students will pay $553 per credit hour.

This university's curriculum includes the following courses:

• Personal and family health
• Community and environmental health
• Health education professional development
• Internship in health education
• Women's heath issues

First-year students with less than 12 transferable credit hours are admitted based on a comprehensive review of both academic and non-academic application items. The state requires all applicants to have a 2.5 GPA from high school to apply to college. The university requires students to submit test scores from the SAT, ACT, and/or CLT. Transfer applicants need a minimum 2.0 GPA for prerequisite courses to enter the core program, which includes anatomy and physiology, among other science and math credits.

University of Louisiana at Lafayette - Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Wellness

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette offers a kinesiology degree with a concentration in health promotion and wellness, which costs a flat rate of $380 per credit hour across all students. Depending on your schedule, you can choose the typical 16-week course option or an accelerated 8-week course option. This program prepares students for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam, which opens the door to higher-paying careers in public and global health. By graduation, students will be ready to enter careers in community wellness and public education.

This university's curriculum includes the following courses:

• Principles and foundations of health promotion
• Health behavior theories and planning models
• Research in health promotion and wellness
• Nutrition for fitness and sport
• Organization funding strategies

First-year students need to provide ACT or SAT scores. The university doesn't detail a minimum GPA for this program. Transfer students with at least 24 credit hours need to show an associate degree or a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher and prerequisite coursework, including English and algebra.

North Carolina Central University - Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education Flight Path Program

North Carolina Central University offers a 120-credit-hour bachelor's in health promotion, which costs $361 per credit hour or $433 for out-of-state students. This program focuses on social justice in public health, including preventive care and access to resources. It includes an internship, which gives you real-life application before entering the workforce. It also prepares students for the CHES exam.

This university's curriculum includes the following courses:

• Educational psychology and human development
• Methods and applications of group leadership for health personnel
• Health behavior for effective living
• Introduction to epidemiology and biostatistics
• Organization and administration of school and community health programs

This program is only available for transfer students, not first-year students. You must have completed at least 24 credit hours with a minimum 2.0 GPA to apply.

San Diego State University - Public Health

San Diego State University's Global Campus offers an online bachelor's in public health. This is a two-year program (after general coursework, similar to North Carolina Central University) that costs $532 per credit hour and is mostly asynchronous, so students can attend on a flexible schedule. This program focuses on health equity and community wellness, teaching students how to solve community health issues and lead programs to help the public. Studies include themes in environmental and international health.

This university's curriculum includes the following courses:

• Communicable and chronic disease
• Biological basis of disease
• Public health program evaluation
• Public health communications
• Exploring root causes of disparities

To apply, students must have at least 60 transferable credit hours, including prerequisite courses in science and public health. Minimum GPA is 2.9.

Which master's degrees in health promotion are available online?

Below are two master's degrees in health promotion. Both are available online and require a bachelor's degree with prerequisite courses. They also cost around $500 per credit hour to complete, but the length of the program varies. Different master's programs specialize in certain themes, although the ones below emphasize behavioral health.

Texas State University - Master of Science in Public Health Education and Promotion

Texas State University offers a master's in public health education and promotion, which costs about $15,000 total for 30 credit hours (about $500 per credit hour). Students will complete this degree in 14 months, learning how to design, apply, and evaluate public health needs. However, this master's degree focuses specifically on behavioral theory and statistics.

Core coursework includes:

• Public health research and population surveillance
• Advanced public health program planning and evaluation
• Foundations of public health
• Applied behavioral statistics in public health
• Advanced health behavior theory

To apply, students will need a minimum 2.75 GPA. No GRE is required.

Georgia State University - Health Promotion and Behavior Concentration

Georgia State University offers a 42-credit-hour master's in health promotion with a concentration in behavioral science, which focuses on social and cultural factors that influence a community's health and its particular obstacles. This degree costs $450 per credit hour, no matter your residence. The university also charges a $660 online learning fee per semester. Students will complete this degree in about two years.

Core coursework includes:

• Epidemiology for public health
• Fundamentals of biostatistics
• Health promotion planning, administration, and evaluation
• Fundamentals of health systems, leadership, and policy
• Applied practice experience

Students don't need a GRE to apply, but they do need professional references and a statement of purpose. A minimum GPA requirement is not detailed by the program.

What degree do you need to work in the health promotion field?

A bachelor's or master's in health promotion is the most applicable way into the field. Either degree prepares students for an entry-level position. Some degrees are better geared toward the CHES exam, which is the standard certification for health educators and community wellness leaders.

Related (but applicable) degrees also include global health, health psychology, behavioral social sciences, exercise science, kinesiology, nutrition and dietetics, healthcare administration, environmental health, and occupational health and safety.

Typical coursework you might take in this degree

All health promotion programs are similar because they teach students how to evaluate public health needs and strategize community intervention. But not all degrees concentrate on the same themes. Some emphasize statistical evaluation of public health, while others focus on behavioral assessments and the psychology behind community intervention. Many programs discuss how diversity plays a role in evaluation and outreach, while some emphasize social equity for certain populations.

In general, most programs cover the following foundational coursework:

• Foundations in public health
• Evaluating community health and wellness
• Health needs across the lifespan
• Health promotion planning and funding
• Environmental, socioeconomic, or cultural influences in public health

Master's programs also cover the same topics with a deeper view of biostatistics, research, and implementation in complex or international settings.

What can you do with a degree in health promotion?

A degree in health promotion prepares students for entry-level positions in many community roles related to education, research, and service. Below is a list of unique jobs specific to health promotion, public health, and community wellness.

• Clinical infectious disease specialist
• Disaster preparedness coordinator
• Food service sanitarian
• Health administrator
• Informatics specialist
• Health facility surveyor
• Patient safety specialist
• Grant writer
• Patient educator
• Wellness director

Some students may also complete other coursework (like a minor or a dual degree) to specialize in a certain area. They may choose to take another language to specialize in working with a certain population, or they may become geriatric specialists to advocate for older adults. Some may learn more about environmental policies and their impact on physical health, and others might specialize in certain diseases to prevent or manage outbreaks locally and internationally.