Overview
Coursera Flash Sale
40% Off Coursera Plus for 3 Months!
Grab it
Transform Lives as a Health Coach
Help people take charge of their health and create meaningful, lasting change. As a Health Coach, you’ll learn to guide clients in reaching their goals through exercise, nutrition, and behavior-change science.
Health coaches go beyond fitness—they address the whole person, helping clients build awareness, set realistic goals, and make sustainable lifestyle changes that fit their unique needs. Rooted in evidence-based principles of lifestyle medicine, this program equips you with the tools to inspire transformation through empathy, motivation, and empowerment.
While there are no prerequisites to begin the program, if you chose to later sit for the ACE Health Coach Certification Exam you must:
Be at least 18 years old Have a high school diploma (or equivalent) Hold a current CPR and AED certification with a live skills check* Present a current government-issued photo ID with signature
Getting certified in health and fitness validates that you’re competent, credible and prepared to design safe and effective programs for others. It also opens the door to employment, higher earning potential and professional insurance coverage—and ensures you’re meeting the standards clients and employers expect.
* All candidates must hold a current CPR certification. AED certification is required in the U.S. and Canada, while candidates outside these regions require CPR only. A live skills check is mandatory prior to the ACE exam registration.
Syllabus
- Course 1: Foundation for Health and Wellness Coaching
- Course 2: Foundations of Effective Behavior Change Coaching
- Course 3: Lifestyle & Wellness Strategies
- Course 4: Chronic Diseases and Comorbid Conditions
- Course 5: Professional Conduct and Establishing a Practice
- Course 6: Getting Ready for Your Exam
Courses
-
Throughout Section IV you will investigate various diseases and their impact on wellness.
-
Throughout this section, you will explore what health coaches do, what’s involved in the coaching process, and why behavior change is such an important part of health coaching.
-
Here, you will explore how you can assist clients to make lasting lifestyle changes through motivation, planning, and accountability. You will also examine different elements to be taken into account during an initial coaching session.
-
Prepare for your next step with ACE Health Coach Exam Prep—a focused review of key concepts like coaching ethics, communication, behavior change, lifestyle medicine, chronic conditions, and professional practice. With targeted reviews and realistic practice questions, you’ll build confidence for exam-style scenarios. You’ll earn a Coursera course certificate, but most employers require an accredited credential—such as the NCCA-accredited ACE Health Coach Certification, the gold standard in the field. To earn it, you’ll need to meet ACE prerequisites and register for the official exam. This course reinforces essential content and helps you focus your final study efforts as you work toward becoming an ACE Certified Health Coach.
-
Your study program continues by looking at effective ways to manage stress and how to use nutrition to your advantage. You will also examine how physical activity, sleep habits, and substance use impact wellness.
-
Section V presents valuable information related to getting a health coaching business off the ground successfully and keeping the business running smoothly.
Taught by
American Council on Exercise