糖心少女

SWIFT FAQs

General SWIFT Program

• What is SWIFT?
  SWIFT (Scholars in Wellness & Innovation Fast-Tracked) Health Programs offer accelerated, three-year bachelor's degrees for students interested in preparing for careers in mental or behavioral health. Students earn one of the following academic degrees, the Bachelor of Arts in Human Development: Counseling Services Concentration or Bachelor of Science in Public Health. 
• What benefits are offered to students enrolled in SWIFT?

  There are many benefits for students who participate in the SWIFT Health Programs. 

  1. Through a full-time course load during fall, spring, and summer semesters, students can complete their degree in just three years. 
  2. Incoming 糖心少女 students who are accepted into SWIFT are also eligible to earn annual $4,000 scholarships to support their summer studies. 
  3. SWIFT includes experiential learning opportunities such as internships and fieldwork. 
  4. Students also follow a pathway that can lead toward professional certification: the Certified Wellness Coach II in California for Human Development: Counseling majors and the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) for Public Health majors.  
  5. A cohort model fosters collaboration and peer support as students take courses together. 
• Who is eligible to apply for the SWIFT Health Programs?
  1. Incoming freshmen who have identified an interest in a future career focused on behavioral or public health and who anticipate majoring in Public Health or Human Development: Counseling Services are eligible to apply. 
  2. Students who transfer from a community college into 糖心少女 as a Human Development: Counseling Services Concentration or Public Health major  may also be eligible to participate. Please email SWIFThealth@csusm.edu, so that we may evaluate on a case-by-case basis.  
• How do I apply for SWIFT?
  1. Incoming freshmen apply to 糖心少女 online through Cal State Apply beginning in October of the year prior to their anticipated enrollment. During this process, students indicate their intended major, such as Public Health or Human Development: Counseling and may also express their interest in participating in SWIFT. 
  2. SWIFT staff will host info sessions during the spring to share additional information and the process to apply to the SWIFT program, which includes submitting two short essay questions.  
• What career paths will SWIFT Health Programs prepare students for?

  Through the academic curriculum and hands-on experience developed in the program, both Public Health and Human Development: Counseling Services Concentration majors provide a foundation to work in careers related to behavioral or mental health. Students will also be well-prepared to pursue relevant graduate studies.  

  1. Human Development: Counseling Services Concentration majors who participate in SWIFT undergo preparation to become a Certified Wellness Coach II. This certification is offered within California through HCAI (California Department of Health Care Access and Information). To learn more about this certification, review the  Additionally, they will be well prepared to work in a variety of settings related to providing services for others. These might include healthcare, child and adult care centers, community projects providing outreach to youth and adults, nonprofit organizations, schools, sales, human resources, service related to government agencies such as housing, law enforcement, and criminal justice, and assisting with community development, both in the United States and around the world. They will also have a strong foundation to pursue graduate studies in counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work, and psychology. 
  2. Public Health majors will be eligible to take the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam. Career paths with that certification include health educator, health & wellness coordinator, infectious disease case manager, contact tracer, health intervention/research coordinator, environmental compliance inspector, health communication specialist, and community health educator.  Potential employers may include hospitals, clinics, non-profits, government agencies, schools, and universities.  

  
  
• Is financial aid available to students within the program?

  Yes, SWIFT students who meet ongoing scholarship requirements will receive a $4,000 annual scholarship to assist with expenses while they complete summer studies and experiential learning following their first, second, and third years. Students are also welcome to apply for federal and state financial aid, as well as external, independent scholarships. For additional financial aid information at 糖心少女, please visit the 糖心少女 Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.  

• What is the time commitment for students in the accelerated program?
  1. Since this is an accelerated 3-year program, students will have a more intensive schedule than a traditional four-year program. The program involves full-time study, including summers. Students are expected to complete internships, fieldwork, or other practical learning experiences alongside their coursework.  
  2. SWIFT students are also highly encouraged to participate in SWIFT Summer Start, a summer transition program at 糖心少女 the summer prior to their first year. Participation can help promote a smooth transition to college, by enabling students to participate in university-level coursework, interactive workshops, and start building community within their cohort. 
• What is the cost for SWIFT summer courses?
  In the summer before the first year of college, students who attend the SWIFT Summer Start will have tuition for the Summer Bridge course paid for by the program. In the following three summers, students will be required to carry full course loads and apply for summer financial aid. When full aid is not available additional financial support may be available from SWIFT Health Programs .
• Is housing available in the summer?
  The program will offer limited spaces for housing on a first come- first serve basis in the summer before the first year and in each of the following programmatic summers. Students will not be required to live on campus during SWIFT Summer Start or the following summers.  
• If a student will be living on campus both in the summer and the fall, do they need to relocate housing after the summer session?
  Yes. Campus Housing treats each term differently.  
• Can I transfer credits from another college or university?
  SWIFT Health Programs will adhere to university practices regarding transferable credits. from accredited institutions. Our admissions team will work with students to evaluate previous coursework, as well as AP or IB exam scores, and apply relevant credits toward the bachelor鈥檚 degree.  
• What are the dates for the summer semester?
  Academic Programs posts academic calendars that highlight key dates for summer, fall, and spring terms.   
• Are SWIFT students eligible to study abroad?
  It may be challenging to study abroad as a SWIFT student due to the specific, accelerated schedule, year-round time commitment, and pre-determined course plan. Students who are interested in studying abroad would want to have an early conversation with their academic advisor and with the  to discuss how these two programs are likely incompatible and determine which option is better suited to the student's interests.   

Human Development: Counseling Services (HD)

• Can any Human Development major participate in SWIFT?
  In order to be eligible for the SWIFT Health Programs as a Human Development major, you will need to declare the Counseling Services Concentration to ensure that the courses you take will fulfill the Certified Wellness Coach II requirements. 
• What is the Certified Wellness Coach program?
  The California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) has developed pathways for individuals to become Certified Wellness Coaches (CWCs). The goal in creating the CWC designation is to increase the number of trained coaches who can help improve the mental health and well-being of children and youth in California. The 糖心少女 Human Development Department has partnered with HCAI to ensure that students who complete the CWC curriculum will attain the  to be eligible to initiate their CWC II application process upon graduation. All SWIFT Human Development: Counseling Services Concentration students will meet these qualifications as SWIFT students. 
• I am a junior/senior and I just heard about SWIFT Health Programs. Is it too late to participate in the Certified Wellness Coach (CWC) program?
  1. If you are in the HD: Counseling Services Concentration, you will have met all your coursework requirements for the certification, as designated by HCAI (the California Department of Health Care Access and Information) by the time you graduate. Importantly, you will also need 300 hours of fieldwork training to start your application process. You can review the requirements on the  and see if you have met these requirements. If not, you are welcome to try and pursue a work or internship experience that would fulfill these hours and then apply for the certification.  
  2. Please email wellnesscoach@csusm.edu to discuss your interest in becoming a Certified Wellness Coach II. 
  3. You can also reach out to HCAI with specific questions by contacting their support team at certify@cawellnesscoach.org or by phone at (503) 210-1334. Their working hours are from 8am to 5pm (PST), Monday to Friday.   
• I am graduating with a Human Development: Counseling Services degree and have about 300 service hours, what鈥檚 next?
  1. If your service hours align with the skills and competencies on the  and your employer/supervisor will sign off on them, you should be eligible to applied for Wellness Coach II Certification through . 
  2. You can reach out to HCAI with specific questions by contacting their support team at certify@cawellnesscoach.org or by phone at (503) 210-1334. Their working hours are from 8am to 5pm (PST), Monday to Friday.   
• What careers can I go into with a B.A. in Human Development?
  Human Development graduates will be well prepared to work in a variety of settings related to providing services for others. These might include healthcare, child and adult care centers, community projects providing outreach to youth and adults, nonprofit organizations, schools, sales, human resources, service related to government agencies such as housing, law enforcement, and criminal justice, and assisting with community development, both in the United States and around the world. They will also have a strong foundation to pursue graduate studies in counseling, marriage and family therapy, social work, and psychology. 

Public Health

• What are Health Education Specialists?
   perform many roles, including assessing health needs of people and communities, developing and managing health education programs, providing training, advocating for health resources, and analyzing data to learn about a community. Health Education Specialists can work in a variety of settings, including healthcare facilities, hospitals, clinics, schools and universities, the government, nonprofits, and businesses. 
• What is the CHES exam?

  The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam is a competency-based exam to measure knowledge in the Eight Areas of Responsibility for health education specialists:

  1. 1. Assessment of needs and capacity
     2. Planning
     3. Implementation
     4. Evaluation and research
     5. Advocacy
     6. Communication
     7. Leadership and management
     8. Ethics and professionalism

  Upon successful passage of the exam, Certified Health Education Specialists have demonstrated that they have met standards of professional competency that were established by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. Students who major in Public Health at 糖心少女 will have the academic preparation to sit for the CHES exam.  

• I am a junior/senior at 糖心少女, and I just learned about SWIFT. Am I still able to take the CHES exam?
  Yes. If you are a Public Health major, 测辞耻鈥檒濒 have the courses and knowledge needed to take the exam. 
• What careers can I go into with a B.S. in Public Health?
  Career paths with the CHES certification can include roles as a health educator, health & wellness coordinator, infectious disease case manager, contact tracer, health intervention/research coordinator, environmental compliance inspector, health communication specialist, data analyst, and community health educator.  Potential employers may include hospitals, clinics, non-profits, government agencies, schools, and universities.