Laurel, MD – July 18, 2022 – Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) will begin offering advanced standing for qualified applicants for its online and hybrid Master of Arts in Health and Wellness Coaching program who hold certification from either the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) or the International Coaching Federation (ICF). This opportunity becomes available for students starting the program in fall 2022 and beyond. The advanced standing option provides certified NBHWC and ICF coaches a pathway to complete a master’s degree in as little as one year while reducing the required credits and cost.
The Master of Arts in Health and Wellness Coaching degree prepares students with advanced skills and expertise to help clients clarify health and wellness goals and sustain life-changing behaviors. MUIH’s program allows students to earn the highest academic credential in the cutting-edge field of health and wellness coaching. The program prepares graduates to work in a variety of healthcare settings including private practice in integrative wellness, medical, corporate, worksite, and healthcare insurance settings.
Building upon foundational coaching skills, students will gain advanced coaching skills in group coaching, professional and business development, and research literacy skills that support contemporary coaching practices. Unique to MUIH’s health and wellness coaching philosophy is healing presence; a constellation of personal qualities, relational skills, and professional behaviors that can have a transformational influence on individuals, groups, and communities.
“A Master’s Degree in Health and Wellness Coaching can lead to more career opportunities and higher earning potential. The advanced standing program recognizes, and values credentialed NBHWC and ICF coaches’ experience and qualifications. It puts them on the fast-track to obtaining an advanced level healthcare degree,” said Dr. Duston Morris, Department Chair for Health and Wellness Coaching.
Health and wellness coaching has been identified as an innovative career and has emerged as a $7 billion service market with an estimated 128,000 coaches in U.S. ¹ The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the employment of health education specialists and community health workers, including health and wellness coaches, will grow 17% from 2020 to 2030. This is much faster than the average for all occupations, in part due to an emphasis on promoting healthy behaviors by individuals, employers, and insurers, particularly based on experiences from the COVID-19 pandemic.²
The program is grounded in MUIH’s holistic and natural approach to health and wellness, and its long-standing expertise in health and wellness coaching and online education. MUIH began offering health and wellness coaching degrees in 2010. MUIH also offers the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching. This program is designed for students who want to receive the education and training that is needed for NBHWC and/or ICF credentialing. Ninety percent of MUIH’s health and wellness coaching faculty hold professional credentials issued by NBHWC and/or ICF. Graduates of the master’s and certificate programs are eligible for certification by NBHWC and ICF if they are not already credentialed before entering the program. MUIH has offered online courses and programs since 2013.
About MUIH
Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is a leading academic institution focused on the study and practice of integrative health and wellness and one of the few universities in the U.S. dedicated solely to such practices. Deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy, its model for integrative health and wellness is grounded in whole-person, relationship-centered, evidence-informed care.
Since 1974, MUIH has been a values-driven community educating practitioners and professionals to become future health and wellness leaders through transformative programs grounded in traditional wisdom and contemporary science. MUIH has more than 20 progressive graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, offered on-campus and online.
In the on-campus Natural Care Center and community outreach settings, MUIH provides compassionate and affordable healthcare from student interns and professional practitioners, delivering clinical treatments and consultations throughout each year.
For more information about MUIH, please visit www.muih.edu or to schedule media interviews, presentations, or events, please contact: .
References
¹ Marketdata LLC. (2021) The U.S. Health Coaching Market. https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5235830/the-u-s-health-coaching-market?w=4
² Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Health Education Specialists and Community Health Workers, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm (Visited June 20, 2022).