New Partnerships Result in New Course Offerings at NMC

Exclusive new strategic partnerships will greatly benefit Nebraska Methodist College students who complete either of two new concentrations in the Wellness & Health Promotion Management (WHPM) master’s degree program.

The WHPM program curriculum has been updated to include the two concentrations, Medical Fitness Management and Worksite & Community Wellness.

Beginning this fall, a partnership with the Medical Fitness Association will enable students who complete the Medical Fitness Management concentration to sit for the association’s Fitness Facility Director certification exam.

Meanwhile, the college is joining with the Chapman Institute, creator of the WellCert worksite wellness certification program, to incorporate four WellCert certifications into the Worksite & Community Wellness concentration.

“No other graduate program in the nation affords the opportunities that these partnerships present to our students,” said WHPM Program Director Jeannie Hannan, Ph.D. “Partnering with the Chapman Institute and the Medical Fitness Association will supercharge our program.”

Worksite & Community Wellness

WellCert is one of the largest and oldest worksite wellness certification programs in the world, having trained more than 6,000 professionals since its inception in 2006.

WHPM students who select the Worksite & Community Wellness concentration and complete four ascending levels of WellCert training will receive four certifications:

• Certified Wellness Program Coordinator (CWPC)
• Certified Wellness Program Manager (CWPM)
• Certified Wellness Program Director (CWPD)
• Certified Worksite Wellness Program Consultant (CWWPC)

Hannan said the partnership creates “an amazing opportunity” for WHPM students. “Not only will graduates of the program have earned a master’s degree,” she said, “but those who complete the Worksite & Community Wellness concentration will also proudly possess four professional certifications, and at no extra cost to them.”

Delivered online, the WellCert program presents coursework designed to instill 48 skills regarding worksite wellness, Chapman says. The final exams for the first two levels are conducted online, while the exams for the top two levels include a personal discussion with Chapman, which will evaluate each student’s understanding of the materials.

As an added benefit, those who have earned WellCert 1 and/or 2 certifications through the Chapman Institute’s own programs will be eligible for transfer credits within the WHPM program at Nebraska Methodist College.

The WHPM master’s program has been a part of the college’s curriculum for 20 years. It was the first graduate program at the college, and the first to be offered completely online.

Medical Fitness Management

Hannan said the partnership with the Medical Fitness Association has yielded a curriculum that incorporates the knowledge and skills necessary to become eligible for the association’s Certified Fitness Facility Director (CFFD) exam.

Normally, to be eligible to sit for the CFFD exam, candidates must have a minimum of three years of experience in a management/leadership position, with a bachelor’s degree or higher in a fitness- or business-related field, or five years of experience in a management/leadership position with a minimum of an associate’s degree.

The proctored CFFD exam for WHPM students will be given at Nebraska Methodist College, beginning with the fall 2019 semester, Hannan said.

Classes are forming now. For more information, contact Recruitment & Admissions Coordinator Katie Stockdale at (402) 354-7200 or Program Director Jeannie Hannan at (402) 354-7179.