Both the Certificate of Performance (CP) and Certificate of Achievement (CA) are two-semester (one academic year) certificates that can be completed entirely online. The CP is 10 units and requires students to take two classes/semester to complete the program in one year. The CA is 19 units and requires students to take 3-4 classes/semester to complete the program in one year. Students who already have education or experience in health- or wellness-related fields typically complete the 10-unit Certificate of Performance. Those who are new to and exploring the field may opt for the Certificate of Achievement. Please read the Certificate of Performance vs. Certificate of Achievement page for more info.
We offer a cohort starting in January (spring semester) and August (fall semester). Registration for the fall semester begins in May, and registration for the spring semester begins in November/December each year.
Yes, both certificate pathways can be completed fully online. Some elective courses have in-person offerings as well if you are local to San Diego and wish to take an in-person course.
Both certificate pathways can be completed in as little as one academic year (two semesters). This requires two classes per semester for the 10-unit certificate and three-four classes per semester for the 19-unit certificate. Students may choose to take fewer classes each semester and complete the program in two or even three years instead.
A spot in the program is secured by obtaining a spot in the EXSC 294 Health and Wellness Coaching class. For detailed enrollment steps, please see How to Enroll in the Program.
If you have general program questions, contact the program director, Kelsey Graham, at kgraham@sdccd.edu. If you have course registration or planning related questions, contact our counseling liaison, Ramiro Hernandez, at rmhernan@sdccd.edu or make a general drop-in counseling appointment. If you are having issues completing your application as a student at Mesa, contact admissions at 619-388-2682 or sdmesaadmissions@sdccd.edu.
There are no prerequisites to get into the program. Once in the program, EXSC 294 Health and Wellness Coaching must be taken before EXSC 298 Applications of Health and Wellness Coaching.
EXSC 294 and EXSC 298 are offered in a LIVE synchronous format. These classes are delivered one evening night a week for three hours. This is a requirement as an NBHWC approved training program. This requirement is not flexible. All other online classes in the program can be done in an online asynchronous (not live) format.
The core coaching curriculum, which includes EXSC 294, EXSC 298, HEAL 107, is offered in both the fall and spring semesters. Many of the additional required courses in the Certificate of Achievement and the elective courses in the Certificate of Performance are offered in both the fall and spring semesters as well. Very few, if any, courses are offered over summer. Please review Mesa's current and upcoming class schedule for a up-to-date offering of courses.
Yes! The Certificate of Achievement (19 units) is eligible for financial aid both through FAFSA and the GI Bill. If you are completing this program, we recommend applying for Federal Financial Student Aid (FAFSA). Many students are eligible for grants or loans. If you are completing the Certificate of Performance (10 units) and wish to discuss financial aid options, please contact Kelsey Brown at kbrown001@sdccd.edu. Contact our financial aid office with additional questions or concerns.
The primary textbooks for the program are:
The Professional's Guide to Health and Wellness Coaching, American Council on Exercise, 2019. ISBN: 978-1890720711. Check out ACE's student discount website (available for $119 with a free account) or Amazon for reduced pricing on the textbook.
Coaching Psychology Manual, Margaret Moore, 2015. ISBN: 978-1451195262.
For courses outside of EXSC and HEAL, you may find the textbook used for that course (if any) on the SDCCD Online Class Search by finding the class and then clicking the "class details" button.
This program helps prepare you for the National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) exam offered by the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching and/or the American Council on Exercise (ACE) Health Coach Certification. Additionally, the program prepares you for beginning employment or entrepreneurship as a health and wellness coach. Please download this State of Coaching Report (2022), developed by Pillar Health and USF for insights into the current state of health coaching employment factors in the US.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. For those looking to start your own business or to add this to your skillset as a fitness professional, you may not need one. For those looking to work in the medical, insurance, or corporate wellness sectors, a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in a related field is required.
Those who wish to complete sit for their NBC-HWC exam must complete the following:
Complete an NBHWC-Approved Health and Wellness Coach Training & Education Program
Complete 50 health and wellness coaching sessions after you have completed your approved training & education program
Have either an associate’s degree or higher or 4,000 hours of work experience in any field
This program is not currently available in Spanish at Mesa, and we do not recommend taking this program without English language proficiency (ability to converse comfortably in English). At this time, the NBHWC only offers the certifying exam
in English, but they are looking to expand this. Open Source Wellness is an approved NBHWC program that offers training in Spanish.
No, all health and wellness coaching courses must be taken at Mesa College.
Please contact program director Kelsey Brown at kbrown001@sdccd.edu.