What is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)?

A CHES® is an individual that has:

1. Met required academic preparation qualifications
2. Successfully passed a competency-based examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
3. Satisfies the continuing education requirement to maintain the national credential

Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) are those who have met the standards of competence established by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Inc. (NCHEC) and have successfully passed the CHES examination. Eligibility to take the CHES examination is based exclusively on academic qualifications. An individual is eligible to take the examination if he/she has: 

A bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree from an accredited institution of higher education; AND one of the following:

• An official transcript (including course titles) that clearly shows a major in health education, e.g., Health Education, Community Health Education, Public Health Education, School Health Education, etc. Degree/major must explicitly be in a discipline of "Health Education." OR
• An official transcript that reflects at least 25 semester hours or 37 quarter hours of course work (with a grade "c" or better) with specific preparation addressing the Seven Areas of Responsibility and Competency for Health Educators