Become a Health Teacher in Virginia - VA

By Kathy Foust, allied health world contributing writer
Published: February, 11 2010

Health Education in Virginia

To begin a career in health education in the state of Virginia, one must first decide upon their particular area of interest. Once they have decided what specific area they wish to work in, the next step is to pursue developing a working knowledge of that area. Health education professionals should be able to demonstrate their ability to understand and work within the parameters of the field they choose. This can be done through education and hands on experience.

Individuals should contact the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation to find out about the specific licensing criteria of their chosen profession and to gain knowledge about educational requirements. It’s normal for a bachelor degree to be sought after when pursuing a career in this filed. The bachelor degree should be earned with a major in the specific field of interest. Once the bachelor degree is obtained, individuals can move on to the next step in the process, which is to earn a teacher’s certification or master’s degree.

Certification and/or licensure are usually a matter of submitting an application along with any fees, educational verification and proof experience in the field. To prove experience in the field, the applicant may need to submit letters of recommendation from previous employers or coworkers that have witnessed the applicant working in the field of their choice.

Once the individual is certified or licensed in Virginia, they may have met the requirements to be able to teach about their field. The requirements vary for each specific area. One way to learn about the specific requirements is to contact the Virginia Department of Education. Interested parties may also inquire about the requirements to employers who would hire such educators to find out about specific employer requirements.

Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 400
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 367-8500

(Mailing address)
Virginia Department of Education
P.O. Box 2120
Richmond, Virginia 23218
(Physical address)
Virginia Department of Education
James Monroe Building
101 N. 14th St.
Richmond, Virginia 23219
(804) 225-2022