New Online Master's Degree in Health and Wellness Prepares Graduates for Management Roles in the Health Promotion Industry

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Jul 26, 2016, 07:00 ET

MADISON, Wis., July 26, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As health and wellness programs continue to grow, five University of Wisconsin institutions and the University of Wisconsin-Extension are offering an online Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management degree to address this rapidly evolving industry. Applications are being accepted today for the fall semester.

The five campuses collaborating with the UW-Extension on the program are UW-Green Bay, UW-Parkside, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Superior.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, health and wellness management is a growing field.

David Schejbal, dean of Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning in UW-Extension, says, "What we know from our industry advisors—representatives from such diverse organizations as the Wisconsin Department of Health to Kimberly-Clark Corporation—is that health care laws, financial reporting, and policy issues are growing increasingly complex. Candidates are seeking master's degrees to remain competitive in this continuously developing marketplace."

Michaela Conley, CEO of HPCareer.Net, and an industry leader that provided input into the design of the new degree, says, "As founder of HPCareer.Net, a health promotion industry-centric career advertising resource, and HPLive, an unbiased professional continuing education provider, I'm uniquely positioned to observe the cutting edge trends in our industry. A master's degree from the University of Wisconsin provides candidates with a distinct competitive advantage in our increasingly expanding and evolving profession."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected job growth for the health and wellness industry from 2014 to 2024 is 13 percent, a faster rate of growth than most other fields. Opportunities for qualified health and wellness management professionals exist in virtually every sector of the workforce: service industries, manufacturing, community agencies, the insurance industry, healthcare systems, educational institutions, and more. The University of Wisconsin online curriculum prepares people for positions as corporate wellness administrator, director of fitness/wellness, wellness program manager, community health and wellness director, health management consultant, and health promotions adviser.

The new master's degree, approved by the Higher Learning Commission, complements bachelor's degrees in community health, health education, kinesiology, exercise science, nutrition, health promotion, recreation management, and human resources.

The curriculum focuses on program budgeting, legal and policy issues and employee behavior changes through courses in persuasion skills, strategic management, wellness law, finance and wellness. The GRE is not a requirement for admission.

Prospective students seeking more information about the University of Wisconsin Health and Wellness Management program are encouraged to visit http://hwm.wisconsin.edu, call 1-877-895-3276, or email [email protected].

About the University of Wisconsin-Extension Continuing Education Division

The University of Wisconsin Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management joins a growing list of online degree and certificate programs offered in collaboration with UW-Extension and UW System campus partners, including the existing bachelor's degree in Health and Wellness Management; bachelor's, master's, and certificate programs in Sustainable Management; a master's degree in Data Science; a bachelor's degree in Health Information Management and Technology; bachelor of science in Nursing (RN to BSN) programs; and nine additional degree and certificate programs offered in the self-paced, competency-based UW Flexible Option format.

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SOURCE University of Wisconsin-Extension