Health and wellness coaching is one of the fastest-growing credentials in healthcare — and GCU's 12 credit certificate is built on the same four-course foundation the university is advancing toward national board program approval.
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The National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) — a nonprofit affiliate of the National Board of Medical Examiners — is the credentialing body behind the NBC-HWC designation. GCU designed this four-course sequence specifically to align with NBHWC program standards and has begun the formal approval process.
This isn't a generic wellness elective. You'll study the theories that actually drive lasting behavior change — self-care planning, coaching foundations, nutrition, and lifestyle modification — the same tools working health coaches use with real clients.
Health and wellness coaching draws students from psychology, nursing, exercise science, business, and beyond. The certificate is open to any GCU student who wants a credential in this growing field, no prerequisite required.
Since 2016, the NBHWC has offered the national board certification exam that creates National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaches (NBC-HWCs) — professionals who apply behavior change theory, health education, and motivational strategies to help clients make lasting, self-directed lifestyle changes. NBC-HWCs work across healthcare teams, employer and community wellness initiatives, government programs, and private practice.
GCU’s four-course Integrative Health & Wellness Coaching Certificate was built to be designated an NBHWC-approved program, and the university has started that formal approval process. Once approved, students who complete the sequence will be eligible to sit for the National Board Certification Examination. In the meantime, students who complete these four courses now earn a GCU Integrative Health & Wellness Coaching Certificate — a credential that lets graduates begin practicing coaching immediately, while the NBC-HWC credential remains the field’s highest standard to pursue afterward.
The National Board of Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) is a nonprofit affiliate of the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME). Since 2016, the NBHWC has offered a board certification exam for people to become National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coaches (NBC-HWCs). Graduates of an NBHWC Approved Training Program can sit for the National Board Certification Examination. Those who pass the exam earn the NBC-HWC credential. NBC-HWCs apply behavior change theories, health education and promotion theories, and motivational strategies to help clients improve their health and well-being through self-directed lifestyle changes. NBC-HWCs may work on healthcare teams, employee or community-based wellness initiatives, in government, or in private practice.
Georgian Court University offers four courses designed to be designated an approved program by the NBHWC, and has started the NBHWC program approval process. Once GCU’s program is approved by the NBHWC, students completing the program can sit for the National Board Certification Examination. Currently, students who complete these four courses will earn a GCU Integrative Health & Wellness Coaching certificate. Holders of the GCU certificate can practice coaching, but the NBC-HWC credential is considered the highest standard in the health and coaching field.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| IH210 | Integrative Self-Care Planning | 3.0 |
| IH305 | Found Health & Wellness Coaching | 3.0 |
| IH325 | Integrative Nutrition | 3.0 |
| IH337 | Integrative Lifestyle Modifications | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 12.0 | |
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