Learning-by-doing is the hallmark of the University of Maine at Farmington Community Health Education program. Here, you’ll gain hands-on, real-world experience in health education specialties — such as our School Health Education concentration, Outdoor Recreation Programming concentration and Physical Activity and Nutrition concentration.
Our coursework gives you a unique skill set, allowing you to be recognized as professionals in the health industry and preparing you to become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) upon graduation.
Here, you’ll participate in classroom-based research, on-campus work opportunities and service-learning projects led by faculty who have expertise in a broad range of topics: nutrition, stress management, human sexuality, environmental health, disease prevention and health promotion. At Farmington, you’ll gain practical experience in a variety of health-related fields.
We believe hands-on experience is so valuable, we require it … and you’ll love it!
At Farmington, you’ll participate in extensive outside the classroom fieldwork, including a required practicum and internship. Through your community placement (which we’ll do for you) you’ll work 600 contact hours over 15 weeks in the practice of health education. You’re actually going out into the workplace to apply the knowledge you’ve studied in the classroom.
You’ll get to assess individual and community needs for health education; plan, implement and administer health education strategies, interventions and programs; conduct evaluation and research related to health education; serve as a health education resource person; and communicate and advocate for health and health education. Your field experience will be under the co-supervision of UMF faculty and the participating agency’s staff.
Internships – Real-World Experience in Community Health Fields
At UMF you can find out, first-hand, what it’s like to work in the Community Health fields while you learn valuable career skills and develop a strong network of professional contacts.
Here’s a short list of where our Community Health Education students have recently interned:
- South Portland High School Athletics Dept
- Boys & Girls Club of Greater Waterville
- Healthy Community Coalition
- Franklin Health Internal Medicine
- Foxcroft Academy
- Healthy Communities of the Capital Area
- Somerset Public Health
- Mt. Blue High School Athletics Dept.
- River Valley Healthy Communities Coalition
- Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School
- UMF Alpine Ski Team
- Tri-Valley United Way
- Maine Behavioral Health
Many of our Community Health Ed students tell us this field work portion of their degree program was the most rewarding and valuable of their college career.
You can also choose one of our optional value-added concentrations, minors or certificates.
- School Health Education concentration
- Outdoor Recreation Programming concentration
- Physical Activity and Nutrition concentration
- Addiction Rehabilitation certificate
- Alpine Operations certificate
- Child and Adolescent Health minor
- Coaching minor
- Environmental Studies minor
- Health and Medicine minor
- Physical Fitness minor
- Nutrition Education minor
These are career-building options that will further bolster your resume and fill your skills toolbox.
School Health concentration
Our School Health concentration is for those who want to teach in a school setting. If you’re interested in in having the option to teach in a school setting, our School Health concentration will certify you to teach in K-12 classrooms in Maine and many other states. This School Health / Community Health Ed combo has enabled many of our Community Health Education graduates to market themselves to prospective employers in both settings. It’s definitely a valuable career-focused option worth considering.
Students in the School Health Concentration have participated in regional and statewide professional education conferences, such as the Central Maine Educators Regional Conference. This is a wonderful networking opportunity where students get to present their scholarly work to education leaders from across the state.
This program qualifies for a tuition discount of nearly $5,000 for residents of Rhode Island and Vermont through the New England Regional Student Program.
Outdoor Recreation Programming concentration
The Outdoor Recreation Programming concentration is for those who want to pursue a career as a recreation professional, running and organizing outdoor activities such as snowsports, river activities, canoeing, camping, hiking, golf, inland fisheries activities, horseback riding and more. The concentration is designed to help you gain programming skills and may also lead to the education required to help you obtain professional certifications in areas such as Maine Guide, hunting and fishing, mountain first aid (outdoor emergency care), Professional Ski Instructors Association certifications, United States Ski Association certifications, canoeing certifications and others. Students in this concentration have found internships and future employment and at ski resorts, parks, summer camps, and other outdoor adventure establishments.
Physical Activity and Nutrition concentration
Our Physical Activity and Nutrition concentration is designed for those who wish to pursue graduate studies in the fields of nutrition, physical therapy, occupational therapy, Physician Assistant (PA) and athletic training, among other health fields. The concentration focuses on science courses and health content. This concentration is not something you have to declare when you’re accepted to UMF, instead it’s an option you can choose as your academic and career path becomes more clear as you take courses in our Community Health Education program.
Farmington Education grads get hired.
According to a 2020 survey of UMF Education graduates over the past three years, 83% of respondents indicated being employed in the field of education, with 85% hired within a year of graduation and 73% employed within four months of graduation.
Overall, 94.3% of respondents indicated they were Very Satisfied or Satisfied with their teacher education preparation at UMF.
Want to save more than $6,000 per year in tuition? This University of Maine at Farmington program qualifies for the New England Regional Program tuition discount.
This price break is for residents of Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont for the 2022-2023 academic year — a savings of more than $6,000.
See More About the New England Regional Program Tuition Discount Got questions? Ask a professor in this programContact Us
Office of Admissions
University of Maine at Farmington
246 Main Street
Farmington, Maine USA 04938-1994
tel 207-778-7050
fax 207-778-8182
TYY (via Maine Relay Service) dial 711
umfadmit@maine.edu
