New online master's degree in health and wellness prepares graduates for management roles in the health promotion industry

September 6, 2016--As health and wellness programs continue to grow, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls is one of five University of Wisconsin institutions and the University of Wisconsin-Extension offering an online Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management degree to address this rapidly evolving industry. Applications for the graduate degree program are now open.

"We are excited to be a part of the collaborative graduate program in Health and Wellness Management," said Faye Perkins, UW-River Falls provost and vice-chancellor for Academic Affairs. "This degree will provide another option for our students to advance in the field of health and wellness. As the need for preventative health care increases, this program will ensure that our students are well prepared to help people lead healthy lifestyles."

According to David Schejbal, dean of Continuing Education, Outreach and E-Learning in UW-Extension, "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."

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.

Michaela Conley, CEO of HPCareer.Net, and an industry leader that provided input into the design of the new degree, said, "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."

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 learn@uwex.edu.

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls provides lifelong learners with academic, professional development and enrichment programs that are practical, flexible, convenient  and affordable. A complete list of courses, course descriptions and online registration information is available at https://www.uwrf.edu/ContinuingEducation/ or can be obtained by calling at 715-425-3256, 1-800-228-5607 or emailing outreach@uwrf.edu.