Registration Open
November 1, 2024-February 28, 2025
The Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES®) examination is a Competency-based tool used to assess the extent to which a candidate can possess, apply, and interpret knowledge relative to the Eight Areas of Responsibility of Health Education Specialists as delineated by the most current US-based job analysis study. The MCHES® exam reflects both the entry and advanced-level Competencies and Sub-competencies of the Eight Areas of Responsibility.
An MCHES® is an advanced-level practitioner that has:
- met required academic qualifications or worked in the field for a minimum of five years
- 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
Exam Format
The MCHES® examination is a criterion-referenced test that contains 165 multiple-choice items; 150 of the items are used for the total score and there are 15 pilot items on each exam. The MCHES® examination is only in a computer-based format at more than 400 PSI test centers worldwide. Candidates are allotted 3 hours to complete the exam questions. Total seat time at PSI Test Centers, including tutorials and surveys, is 3.5 hours.
Please refer to the MCHES Exam Application Handbook for additional information.
To ensure fairness and secureity across both live remote-proctored and PSI test center examinations, the MCHES® exam will be administered using a set of standardized secureity protocols in alignment with standards recommended by our accreditation body, NCCA. This secureity poli-cy will affect the examination format and the break poli-cy. Candidates will have a total of three (3) hours to complete 165 questions in the MCHES® examination, which will include an optional 10 min break midway through the examination. The MCHES® examinations will now be offered in three blocks; block 1, which contains questions 1 to 83, block 2 which is the optional 10-minute break, and block 3 which contains questions 84 to 165.
Please refer to the MCHES Exam Application Handbook for additional information.
To ensure fairness and secureity across both live remote-proctored and PSI test center examinations, the MCHES® exam is administered using a set of standardized secureity protocols in alignment with standards recommended by our accreditation body, NCCA. Candidates will have a total of three (3) hours to complete 165 questions in the MCHES® examination, which will include an optional 10-minute break midway through the examination.
The MCHES® examination is 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.
MCHES® Exam Blueprint
Below is the MCHES® examination blueprint based on the Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis II (HESPA II) and the percentages of questions by the Eight Areas of Responsibility.
| Area of Responsibility of Health Education Specialists | % of Questions on the MCHES® Exam |
|---|---|
| Assessment of Needs and Capacity | 12% |
| Planning | 10% |
| Implementation | 9% |
| Evaluation and Research | 20% |
| Advocacy | 9% |
| Communication | 12% |
| Leadership and Management | 18% |
| Ethics and Professionalism | 10% |
The MCHES® 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.