Health Coaching Undergraduate Certificate earns NBHWC Approved Training Program Status

Dr. Alison Reichter, NBC-HWC

The Health Coaching Undergraduate Certificate in the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech University was recently granted NBHWC Approved Training Program status in August 2024. This means that students who complete the Health Coaching Certificate at LA Tech are eligible to sit for the National Board of Health & Wellness Coaching Board Exam and earn the credential NBC-HWC (National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach). To be eligible to sit for the NBHWC Board Exam, individuals must complete an NBHWC Approved Training Program, complete 50 health and wellness coaching sessions, and have an associate degree or higher or 60 college credits.

Health coaches help support their clients to make sustainable and healthy lifestyle behavior changes. Health coaches are trained in behavior change theories, motivational concepts, health education and health promotion, as well as the link between health behaviors and health outcomes. This skillset that combines evidence-based behavior change strategies, communication tactics, motivation tools, and health knowledge puts health coaches as a prime player to help individuals live healthier lives. Health and wellness coaching is a growing field, and coaches can work in many different settings. The most popular employers for health coaches are: worksite or insurance programs, fitness settings, healthcare settings, digital health, community-based programs, or self-employed.

During the 2024 summer quarter, three undergraduate students – Connor Hill, Brandon Jackson, and Jada Turner – completed their Internship in Health Coaching and became the first students to complete the Health Coaching Certificate at Louisiana Tech University. As a part of the certificate program, within the internship, these students conducted over 50 coaching sessions and are now eligible to sit for the NBHWC board exam. The students gained a lot of real-world experience through managing their own caseload of clients through a 9 week program. Brandon Jackson’s favorite part of the internship was “observing in real time how different each client’s life is. It helped me understand that everyone has their own life going on outside of what we might only see on a surface level.”

While the Health Coaching Certificate is a new program in the Department of Kinesiology at Louisiana Tech, it has already provided new career path options for students. Jada Turner indicated that “completing the health coaching certificate has motivated me more than ever to have a set plan for when I graduate. Once I take the board exam to become an NBHWC after graduation, I plan to pursue my RN degree in hopes of working with both my health coaching and nursing degree simultaneously.” Connor Hill saw that the coursework and skills developed in the Health Coaching Certificate allowed him “to be able to assist those looking to make or improve healthy lifestyle choices. My passion is serving others, particularly in a healthcare setting, and this certificate allows me to live that out and use my knowledge to promote health and wellness for everyone.”

For more information, please contact the Director of Health Coaching Certificate, Dr. Alison Reichter, NBC-HWC at reichter@latech.edu