As Americans continue to struggle with issues like obesity, diabetes, stress, and the negative effects of aging, they turn more each day to the services of health and wellness instructors. An online education in a broad range of healthcare disciplines--both traditional and alternative--can prepare you to enter this ever-growing career field. Health educators work in nutrition, physical therapy, exercise, disease prevention, yoga, gerontology, and other disciplines that offer guidance to patients or other health-care professionals.

Into Wellness: Teaching Health Education

Basic requirements for health education careers vary by specialization and discipline. College degree programs may take two or four years, granting associate's or bachelor's degrees in health education. You'll also find short-course certification programs designed for working professionals seeking advanced training. For healthcare professionals who wish to teach in public schools, there are post-graduate degree programs available that lead to teaching certificates.