Registration for the October 2023 exams is open May 1, 2023 - August 31, 2023
The Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) examination is a competency-based tool used to measure the possession, application, and interpretation of knowledge in the Eight Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists delineated by the most current U.S.-based practice analysis study. The exam reflects the entry-level Sub-competencies of these Areas of Responsibility.
A CHES® is an individual that has:
- met required academic preparation qualifications
- successfully passed a competency-based examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
- satisfies the continuing education requirement to maintain the national credential
Learn More About Eligibility
Testing Options
Consisting of 165 multiple-choice questions (150 scored and 15 pilots), the CHES® examination is offered in the United States and internationally via computer-based format and through Live Remote Proctoring from the safety of home. Candidates are allotted 3 hours to complete the examination. Please refer to the CHES Exam Application Handbook for additional information.
Update to examination break policy effective December 23, 2022.
NCHEC announced an update to the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®) and Master Certification Health Education Specialist (MCHES®) examinations effective April 2023.
To ensure fairness and security across both live remote-proctored and PSI test center examinations, the CHES® and MCHES® exams will be administered using a set of standardized security protocols in alignment with standards recommended by our accreditation body, NCCA. This security policy will affect the examination format and the break policy. Candidates will have a total of three (3) hours to complete 165 questions in the CHES®/MCHES® examination, which will include an optional 10-minute break midway through the examination. Both the CHES® and MCHES® examinations will now be offered in three blocks; block 1, which contains questions 1 to 83, block 2, which is an optional 10-minute break, and block 3 which contains exam questions 84 to 165.
Before candidates complete the first block (questions 1 to 83), a candidate can go back and check/change any answer in that block. After question 83, block 2, which is the optional break, will appear on the screen. Exam candidates can choose to take the optional 10-minute break or proceed to block 3. In block 3, a candidate will begin the second part of the exam. Once block 3 (questions 84 to 165) has begun, a candidate cannot proceed to a previous block to access/change answers in the first block.
Candidates will be given an opportunity to take an optional 10-minute break midway through the examination (block 2) and if a break is taken, will require additional security screening before proceeding to complete the third block of the exam. The 10-minute break time is deducted from the total test time. Following the break, CHES® and MCHES® candidates will gain access to the third block of the exam, but will not be able to access the first block of exam questions. For more information on the examination format, Areas of Responsibility, or updated break policy, please refer to the CHES® exam handbook here.
Live Remote Proctoring Computer-Based Testing
The CHES® exam has met national standards in credentialing and has been accredited by the National Commission of Certifying Agencies since 2008. NCHEC also is internationally accredited as a Personnel Certification Body by the International Accreditation Service (IAS) to the ISO/IEC 17024 Conformity Assessment.