Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention Program

Department Website: oakland.edu/shs/whp/

Director: Stafford C. Rorke

Associate professors: Stafford C. Rorke

Assistant professor: Florence J. Dallo

Consulting Associate Professor: David B. Siegel

Clinical instructors: Mary Anne Cukr, Terry L. Dibble, Teri E. Kolar, Garnett Payne, Julie Proctor, Charles Rinehart, Lucille Sternburgh

The wellness, health promotion, and injury prevention (WHP) program is accredited with the National Wellness Institute (NWI). Wellness, health promotion, and injury prevention graduates achieving an overall GPA of 2.75 may register as certified wellness practitioners (CWP) with the National Wellness Institute. The WHP program functions to address growing societal needs for specialists in diverse allied health fields. Graduates find employment in a variety of commercial, industrial, government, hospital, community and non-profit organizations. Their professional skills are utilized in health enhancement, disease prevention, injury prevention, health education/promotion, health and fitness, corporate and work-site wellness, as well as human resource practice and management. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a broad-based introduction to this emerging multi-disciplinary field of study, but in addition, provides a specialization within one of eight focus areas: additional major in psychology; general health enhancement; intervention strategies in health promotion; complementary medicine; injury prevention; exercise science; nutrition and health; and a pre-professional option. All focus areas for the major in wellness, health promotion and injury prevention can be completed within 128 credit hours. However, students taking the pre-professional focus should note that additional credit hours will be required in the biological sciences in order to satisfy entry requirements for most medical and related schools.

It is possible for students majoring in wellness, health promotion and injury prevention to take a minor in anthropology, exercise science, human resource development training and development, marketing, nutrition and health, psychology, sociology, or other minors, depending on the focus area chosen.

Grade Point Policy

To graduate with the WHP major a student must attain a grade of 2.50 in all School of Health Sciences coursework applied to the core curriculum of the major (School of Health Sciences coursework includes courses in EXS, HS, OSH, MLS, NH and WHP). The 2.50 grade requirement does not apply to courses in the WHP focus or to courses taken outside of the school of health sciences. However, selected other schools also have grade requirements e.g. psychology requires a 2.0 and HRD also has grade requirements. In addition, admission to selected core WHP courses requires that designated prerequisite courses be obtained with a 2.50. A student completing a required course with a grade below 2.50, or having their cumulative grade point average in School of Health Sciences courses fall below 2.50 will automatically be considered to be on probation in the program. A subsequent course below 2.50 will necessitate repeat of the course; or a change of major; a decision reached in the best interests of the student, and following consultation with the WHP Program Director or designated representative. Before repeating any course, students should consult with the WHP Program Director. WHP majors should remember that in order to register as Certified Wellness Practitioners (CWP) with the National Wellness Institute a cumulative GPA of 2.75 for the overall degree is required. Additional rules governing grade points are outlined in the WHP Student Handbook.

Code of Ethics

Since ethical conduct is critical to a health profession, students are required to abide by the Code of Conduct established by the American College of Sports Medicine. Violations will be reviewed by the faculty and could result in dismissal from the program. Students are expected to maintain healthy lifestyle choices and fulfill the ethical expectation to be a good role model in the health promotion field.

Admission to the major in wellness, health promotion and Injury prevention: pre-WHP standing

WHP students are expected to epitomize a complete wellness lifestyle. The degree is not recommended for individuals who cannot fulfill the ethical expectations to be a good role model in the health promotion field. Students interested in the WHP major must first declare standing as pre-WHP majors. To complete the pre-WHP requirements for admission to the WHP major students must first:

Complete all required general education courses with an overall GPA of 2.50 as follows: HS 201 , HS 302 , Western Civilization (PHL 103 ,
MGT 235
, or
AN 300
) , PSY 100 , Global Perspective (MGT 110 ,
AN 102
, or
AN 200
), STA 225 , WRT 160 , plus the general education courses in Arts, Language and Literature.
Complete EXS 204 , EXS 215 , HS 201 , HS 302 , and
WHP 350
each with a minimum grade of 2.5.

Programs & Cores

Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention, B.S.

Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention Minor

Course Descriptions

The department offers selected courses from this catalog as warranted by student needs and availability of faculty: Wellness, Health Promotion and Injury Prevention Program .

Schedule of Classes

Specific offerings for each semester may be found in the Schedule of Classes: sail.oakland.edu.