Health Navigator, A.A.S.

Program Description

The Health Navigator, A.A.S. Degree provides students with training in both theory and practice required for careers in the public health industry. Students identify contributing factors that influence health outcomes and develop community health interventions to reduce health inequities and disparities.  Students learn about the importance of applying cultural awareness skills in creating an inclusive environment when addressing individuals and community groups.  Additionally, students demonstrate skills to advise individuals or community groups on prevention related to improving health outcomes.  

Students develop health communication tools, such as social media campaigns and infographics, as well as create landing page websites that inform and disseminate health information to members of a focal community. Students learn to be strong advocates for the clients and communities they serve by developing advocacy and leadership skills.

This degree prepares students for careers such as health navigator, community healthcare worker, and patient navigator in entry level positions of public health.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Health Navigator, A.A.S. will be able to:

1. Describe biological, psychological, environmental, and social factors that influence health.
2. Discuss the health care delivery systems and public health policy in the United States.
3. Develop a health education intervention based on the assessment, environment and risk factors that impact health.
4. Develop a variety of health communication tools using current technology to inform members of a focal community.
5. Discuss the importance of cultural awareness and inclusivity when interacting with clients/patients.
6. Advise clients or community groups on issues related to improving general health.
7. Apply technology to provide health resources, collect and interpret health data, develop health promotion objectives, and deliver health-specific communication.
8. Demonstrate advocacy and leadership skills necessary to improve health equity for patients and clients.

General Education Courses

The list of general education courses appears in the General Education List . Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information.

Sequence of Study - Health Navigator, A.A.S.

Below are the required courses for your program arranged in a suggested sequence. Please note that the sequence does not include the English co-requisite course (EGL-0100S) or any co-requisite MAT courses (MAT-0113C, MAT-0114C, MAT-0125C, and MAT-0135C). See Academic Preparation for more information on College Readiness if applicable to you. 

Required Courses (in expected order)

• PAS-1000 First Year Experience Credits: 1 (Institutional Requirement)
• EGL-1010 Composition I: Expository Writing Credits: 3 (English General Education Requirement)
• HLE-1150 Personal and Community Health Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HIM-1530 Medical Terminology Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HNV-2520 Prevention and Community Health Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• MAT-1250 Applied College Algebra Credits: 3 (Mathematics General Education Requirement)
• INT-1010 Introduction to Information Technology Credits: 3 (Computer Literacy Institutional Requirement)
• BIO-1050 Human Biology Credits: 4 (Science with Lab General Education Requirement)
• SOC-1010 Introduction to Sociology Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HLE-2010 Health Issues in a Culturally Diverse Society Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HNV-2530 Health Care Delivery Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)

•  

• EGL-1020 Composition II: Writing About Literature Credits: 3 (English General Education Elective) or
• EGL-1320 Composition II: Writing for Business Credits: 3 (English General Education Elective) or
• EGL-1340 Composition II: Writing About Technical Topics Credits: 3 (English General Education Elective) or
• EGL-1100 Composition II: Writing About Issues and Ideas Credits: 3 (English General Education Elective)

•  

• COM-1010 Foundations of Communication Credits: 3 (Arts/Humanities General Education Elective) or
• COM-1090 Interpersonal Communication Credits: 3 (Arts/Humanities General Education Elective) or
• COM-1110 Public Speaking Credits: 3 (Arts/Humanities General Education Elective)

•  

• SOC-2400 Introduction to Public Health and Health Care Policy Credits: 3 (Social Science General Education Requirement)
• HNV-2540 Public Health Preparedness Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HLE-2410 Health Communications Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HLE-2420 Health Education Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HNV-2550 Public Health Advocacy and Leadership Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HNV-2600 Introduction to Population Health Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)

•  

• BMT-1500 Developing a Professional Image Credits: 1 (Program Elective) or
• HUS-1020 Professional Ethics in Human Services Credits: 1 (Program Elective)

•  

• HNV-2560 Health Navigator Practicum Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)

Program Total: 60 Credits

Transferability

Credit earned at any public institution in the state shall be transferable to any other institution if the:

• Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;
• Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.00 or higher; and
• Acceptance of the credit is consistent with the policies of the receiving institution governing students following the  same program. Refer to ARTSYS at artweb.usmd.edu and the receiving institution’s catalog to select transferable courses.

Need Help?

For help selecting an academic program or courses, consider using Career Coach, available at www.pgcc.edu/go/careercoach.