The College at Brockport State University of New York
Department of Health Science
Professional Program in School and Community Health Education
What is a Health Educator?
A health educator promotes, maintains, and improves individual and community health by assisting individuals and
communities to adopt healthy behaviors. They collect and analyze data to identify community needs prior to
planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and
environments. They also may serve as a resource to assist individuals, other professionals, or the community, and
may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.
Where are Health Educators Employed?
Health Educators are commonly employed in five major settings. These settings include K-12 schools, public and
voluntary agencies, healthcare settings, corporate worksites, and institutions of higher education. However, most
positions are in either healthcare or government industries. Examples of healthcare industry settings include
hospitals and clinics while examples of government industry settings include local, city and state health departments
and national agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the Current Employment Trends?
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the mean annual wage of a health educator was approximately $49,000
in 2009. The employment opportunities for those seeking school health education positions vary greatly across the
state and country depending on need and state and local school budgets. Employment rates for those seeking
employment in the public and community sectors have increased and are projected to continue increasing at a rate
faster than average due to various societal needs and demands.
The Professional Health Education Program
The professional program is intended for those students who wish to enter the health education field and work in a
wide variety of settings. The program prepares students to meet the standards delineated in the Responsibilities and
Competencies of Health Educators as well as those articulated in the national standards of the American Association
for Health Education (AAHE). The program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher
Education (NCATE). Upon successful completion of the program and state requirements, candidates are eligible for
initial New York State teaching certification and the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) designation.
Students enrolled in the professional program must achieve and maintain a grade of "C" or better in all required
health science and professional courses (HLS and HLP) and those required courses taken outside of the Department
of Health Science. Students also must achieve a minimum 2.5 grade point average for all coursework completed at
Brockport as a prerequisite to enrollment in 400 level professional courses (HLP).
Professional Program in School and Community Health Education Coursework:
A. Required Health Science Liberal Arts Courses (24 credits) Credits
HLS 303 Environmental Health (3)
HLS 311 Nutrition (3)
HLS 312 Mental Health (3)
HLS 313 Introduction to Safety (3)
HLS 314 Family Life Science (3)
HLS 409 Introduction to Alcohol and Other Drugs (3)
HLS 419 Human Sexuality (3)
HLS 488 Applied Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3)
Total: 24
B. Required Courses in Other Disciplines (14 credits)
Notes: BIO 321 and 322 have a prerequisite requirement; PSH 110 or 112 is a strongly recommended prerequisite
for PSH 384.
BIO 321/322 Anatomy and Physiology I and II (8)
PSH 384 Child Psychology (3)
EDI 409 Teaching Students with Special Needs Across the Curriculum (3)
Total: 14
C. Required Professional Health Education Courses
Notes: HLP 302 is normally taken during the second semester of the sophomore year or the first semester of the
junior year; HLP 485,486, 491, 492, and 493 are taken concurrently and are offered only in the fall semester.
Students may enroll in these courses only after the completion of all general education requirements and all
professional program requirements specified in A, B and C above. A request for a variance from this policy must be
approved by the Professional Education Program Committee and the department chair.
HLP 302 Foundations of Health Education (3)
HLP 485 Dimensions of Teaching School and Community Health (3)
HLP 486 Field Experience (3)
HLP 491 Health Education Methods (3)
HLP 492 Interpersonal Communication in Health Education (3)
HLP 493 Health Education Program Planning and Evaluation (3)
HLP 495 or HLP 496 Practicum in School and/or Community Health Education (12)
Total: 30-42
Grand Total: 68-80
Professional Program in School and Community Health Education Faculty:
Gregg M. Kirchofer, Ph.D. (Program Coordinator)
Dr. Kirchofer received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees and New York State teaching certifications in physical
and health education from the College at Cortland and his doctoral degree from the University of Toledo in school
health education. Dr. Kirchofer has numerous years of combined teaching experience at both the public school and
college/university level. His areas of research and academic interest include child/adolescent health issues, school
health methods, and sexuality and drug education. He is a member of several professional health organizations
including Eta Sigma Gamma, the American School Health Association, and the New York State Association for
Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. Dr. Kirchofer was also the recipient of the NYSAHPERD
health educators section’s 2009 Amazing Person Award.
Linda F. Balog, Ph.D., CHES
Dr. Balog is an Associate Professor of Health Science, and she is the Executive Director of Professional Education
and NCATE Coordinator for The College at Brockport. She is also Executive Director of the Child and Adolescent
Stress Management Institute at The College. She holds her bachelor’s degree (Health, Physical Education, and
Recreation) from the University of Pittsburgh, and her master’s (Physical Education) and doctoral (Health
Education) degrees from the University of Maryland. Her areas of teaching and research relate to stress management,
mental health, and professional education issues. Dr. Balog was the recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for
Excellence in Faculty Service in 2008.
Jennifer R. Boyle, Ph.D., M.S.
Dr. Boyle is an Associate Professor of Health Science. She holds a doctorate in public and community health from
the University of Maryland and a master’s in epidemiology from the University at Buffalo. Dr. Boyle is an
experienced health educator with emphasis on sexuality education and pregnancy and HIV counseling. She also has
extensive experience in program evaluation for nongovernmental groups such as Sasha Bruce Youthwork, the
Action for Healthy Kids Coalition, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) as well as
government programs such as Carroll County Maryland’s Safe and Stable Families Program and the National
Minority AIDS Education and Training Centers program. Dr. Boyle’s current research interests are focused on
college student health.
Darson L. Rhodes, Ph.D., CHES
Dr. Rhodes is an Assistant Professor of Health Science. She earned her bachelor’s degree in health management
from Southeast Missouri State University, her master’s degree in wellness management from Ball State University
and her doctoral degree in health education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. She is a member of Eta
Sigma Gamma (the National Health Education Honorary) and the American School Health Association, and she
holds a credential as a Certified Health Education Specialist. Dr. Rhodes’ research interests include the relationship
among personal and social competence, health risk behaviors, and academic success.
For More Information Contact:
Gregg M. Kirchofer, Ph.D. (Program Coordinator)
Department of Health Science
The College at Brockport
Brockport, NY 14420
585-395-5906
gkirchof@brockport.edu