What Can I do With a Degree in Health Studies?

Career Center Library Resources

The Career Center Library has a variety of resources to help students explore potential careers fields. These resources include information about typical responsibilities, qualifications, career paths, job outlook, salary and related careers.

Career-Related Books for Health Studies Major

• Careers for Health Nuts & Others Who Like to Stay Fit
• Careers for Good Samaritans and Other Humanitarian Types
• Careers in Health Care
• Exploring Health Care Careers
• Planning Your Career In Alternative Medicine

Vocational Biographies
Vocational Biographies describes the career success stories of 1001 real people. Search by career title, keyword, topic, and career cluster. Username: portland su and pass code: 3w9n

• Aerobics Coordinator
• Lactation Consultant
• Corporate Fitness and Safety Consultant
• Community Health Education Coordinator
• Community Health Educator
• Infant Mortality Educator
• Fitness Center Director
• Lung Association Program Coordinator

Professional Associations

• Aerobics and Fitness Association of America
• American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (AAHPERD)
  • Oregon Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance
    
• American Association for Health Education — The American Association for Health Education serves health educators and other professionals who promote the health of all people. AAHE encourages, supports, and assists health professionals concerned with health promotion through education and other systematic strategies."
• American Health Planning Association —The American Health Planning Association is a non-profit organization committed to the creation of health policies and systems which assure access for all people to quality care at a reasonable cost."
• Association of Reproductive Health Professionals
• American Public Health Association (APHA)
• Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)
• Medical Fitness Association
• National Center for Health Fitness (NCHF)
• Pacific Northwest Society for Public Health Education
• Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)
• Washington State Public Health Association (WSPHA)

Internet Sites with Career-Related Information for Health Studies Majors

• Careers in Community Health Education and Health Promotion — Describes environments where health educators and health promoters work. From the Health and Physical Education Department, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, Minnesota.
• Career Opportunities in Health Education — Lists jobs obtained by Health Education graduates. From California State University, Chico.
• Exciting Careers in Health Education — Includes information on health education careers and places of employment. Adapted from the New York State Coalition for Health Education.
• Career Explorer — From ExploreHealthCareers.org.
• College Majors and Career Opportunities — Urban Studies and Public Health — From Career Services, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
• What Can I do with a Degree in Health Education? — Lists related career titles. From Career Services at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Internet Sites with Job Search Information for Health Studies Majors

• Wellness Connection Job Directory — Search jobs by geographical location and/or job type.
• PNW SOPHE Job Bank — Jobs in the Pacific Northwest.
• Job Network — From the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC)
• Jobs — From the Health Promotion Career Network.
• Careerline — From the National Center for Health Fitness (NCHF). Search for part-time, full-time jobs, or internships.
• Health and Wellness Jobs.com — View list of jobs available nationally.
• Current Career Listings — From the Medical Fitness Association.
• Job Listings — Posted by the National Association of City and County Health Officials (NACCHO). Includes links to jobs with local health departments, NACCHO Headquarters, and other public health positions.

Places of Employment

Health Studies majors may find employment in city, county, state, and federal government; nonprofits; social services; businesses; and educational institutions depending on their skills and experience.

The following list of employers and job titles was derived from the Career Center's jobs database where the employer specifically requested health studies majors. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for health studies majors. This list does not reflect current openings.

• 24 Hour Fitness — Fitness Counselor, Personal Trainer
• American Red Cross — Mobile Unit Assistant, Blood Services Department Manager, Territory Representative
• Benton County — Health Promotion Specialist I & II, Environmental Health Specialist 2, Health Center Director
• CardioDynamics — Clinical Application Specialist
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) — Disabled & Elderly Health Programs Group Fellowships
• Central City Concern — Research Analyst
• Cerner Corporation — Client Rep Trainee Program (Sales)
• City of Hillsboro — Recreation Program Coordinator, Fitness Instructor, Group Exercise Instructor, Auquatic Supervisor
• City of Vancouver — Fitness Wellness Recreation Coordinator, Fitness Recreation Assistant
• Columbia United Providers — Health Management Coordinator
• Columbia Sportwear Company — Promotions Specialist
• Community Action Organization — Family Support Worker-Opening Doors, Outreach Worker
• Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians — Clinical Applications Coordinator
• Contra Costa County — Public Health Program Specialist I, Registry/Training Specialist
• Early Head Start Family Center of Portland — Health Specialist
• Cowlitz County — Health Educator, Environmental Specialist I-II, Health Educator--Public Health Liaison
• De Paul Treatment Centers — Primary Counselor for Women's Residential Program
• Doernbecher Children's Safety Center — Safety Advocate
• Educational Service District 105 (ESD105) — Substance Abuse Reduction Coordinator
• Jackson County — Health Assistant III
• Loaves & Fishes Centers, Inc. — High Risk Manager, Lifestyles Select Program Coordinator
• Marquis Companies — Activities Director
• Mercy Medical Center, Roseburg, Oregon — Wellness Coordinator
• Merix Corporation — Health and Safety Specialist
• Morrison Center Child & Family Services — School Based Clinician
• Mt. Hood Community College — Instructor - Health/Physical Education/Education Outdoors (requires master's degree), Health Services Administrative Assistant
  
• Multnomah Athletic Club — Outdoor Activities Program Coordinator
• Multnomah County Health Department —Community Health Specialist 1 & 2, Information and Referral, Health and Safety Program Manager, Environmental Health Specialist-Lead Program
• NIKE — Athletic Trainer, Athletic Training Program Manager
• Oregon Child Development Coalition — Mental Health and Disabilities Specialist
• Oregon Department of Human Services — Public Health Educator 2
• Oregon Health Division, Department of Human Services —Public Health Educator 2 (Mobile Training Unit Coordinator) and Public Health Educator 2 (Project Coordinator)
• Oregon Research Institute — Project Manager
• Outside In — Health Access Coordinator, Risk Education Coordinator, Clinic Coordinator/Interpreter
• PKIDs (Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases) — Coordinator of Educational Outreach
• Police Activities League (PAL) — Health and Fitness Coordinator
• Port of Portland — Environmental Specialist I-Aviation Environmental and Safety
• Providence Health System — Coordinator - La Programa Hispano
  
• Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon — Wellness Program Coordinator
• SAIF Corporation — Return-to-Work Consultant, Medical Services Manager
• Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital, Newport, Oregon — Community Health Improvement Coordinator
• Southwest Washington Health District — HIV/AIDS Outreach Worker
• Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation — I Am the Cure Supervisor
• Tongue Point Job Corps — Health & Wellness Manager
• Umatilla County — Mental Health Associate I or II, Mental Health Associate II - Coordinator
• University of Puget Sound — Head Athletic Trainer (requires a master's degree)
• WebMD — Health Educator (Virtual)
• Westfield Washington School Corporation — Physical Education/Health Teacher
• Wildfire Fitness — Personal Trainers, Fitness Attendant
• World Cancer Research Fund International — International Management Trainee
• Yamhill County — Environmental Health Specialist III
• YMCA — Wellness Coordinator, Personal Trainer, Aquatic Program Director, Fitness Director

The following list was generated from a variety of sources (Google, Portland Craigslist, Flipdog, Indeed, SimplyHired, 211 Directory, Idealist.org, among others) using keywords such as community health, health promotion, fitness, health education, wellness, Portland, Oregon, etc. This list does not reflect all potential places of employment or kinds of jobs for health studies majors. This list does not reflect current openings.

• APS Healthcare — Disease Management Coordinator
• Adolescent Health Section, Office of Family Health, Public Health Division, Oregon Department of Human Services — Adolescent Sexual Health Coordinator
• American Cancer Society — Community Relationship Manager, Quality of Life Manager, Patient Navigator, Health Disparities Coordinator
  
• American Diabetes Association — Program Assistant, Communications and Marketing Executive Assistant, Customer Events and Program Manager
• American Medical Response — Community Education Specialist
  
• Cancer Care Resources —Fitness Director, Volunteer Coordinator, Resources Coordinator and Counselor
  
• Cascade AIDS Project — CareLink Client Advocate
• Clark College — Fitness Center Manager
• ClubSport — Wellness Director
• Community Action Head Start — Bilingual Family Educator
  
• Community Health Promotion, Multnomah County Health Department — Community Health Educator, Community Health Specialist 2
• Donate Life Northwest — Education Outreach Coordinator, Coordinator of Volunteers
• Free & Clear — Tobacco Cessation Specialist (Quit Coach)
• Harborview Medical Center — Injury Free Coalition Program Coordinator
• Hazelden Foundation — Wellness Specialist
• Health Department, Multnomah County — Health Educator- HIV/HCV
• Health Education Program, Metropolitan Family Service
• Health Solutions Services — Health Screening Technician, Health Educator
• Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO) — Health Educator
  
• Kaiser Permanente — Health Educator-Childbirth
• Kool Smiles — Community Relations Specialist
  
• March Wellness Center, Oregon Health and Science University — Fitness Instructor/Group Exercise Leader, Exercise Specialist, Personal Trainer
  
• Mt. Hood Community College — Health Services Administrative Assistant
• Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) — Health Care Services Coordinator, Event Coordinator
• National Kidney Foundation (NKF) — Communications Coordinator
• ODS Companies — Wellness Marketing Specialist, Disease Management Health Coach
• Native American Rehabilitation Association — Family Wellness Program Manager
  
• Oregon Child Development Coalition — Health Assistant
• Oregon Department of Human Services, Public Health Division — Public Health Educator 1
• Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) Area Health Education Center — Administrative Assistant
  
• Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette Valley — Community Educator and NE Portland Teen Council Coordinator, Patient Service Staff
  
• Portland State University Recreation Center — Coordinator/Advisor of Recreation Clubs, Aquatics/Safety Coordinator
• Providence Health and Services — Specialist-Fitness
  
• Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield — Health Coach 1, Health Coach 2, Medical Management Coordinator I/II, Disease Management Engagement Specialist
• School-Based Health Center Program, Multnomah County Health Department — Community Health Specialist 2
• Sea Mar Community Health Centers — Care Coordinator
• StrengthEngine.com — Fitness Writer
• SUN Program at Glenfair Elementary School (operated by Metropolitan Family Service) — Sports/Fitness Instructor
• Take Care Health Systems — Health Coach
• YMCA of Columbia Willamette — Program Supervisor, Group Fitness
  

Miscellaneous

• State of Oregon Job Specifications for Public Health Educator 1 and Public Health Educator 2.
• Clackamas County Job Specifications for Health Educator, Public Health Assistant Director (Patient Services), Public Health Assistant Director (Management Services).
• Clark County Washington Job Specifications for Health Educator 1 and Health Educator 2.

School of Community Health — Portland State University