CSET Health Science (178/179/180) Practice Test

Becoming a teacher in California requires you to pass the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET). To obtain a single-subject teaching credential in health science, you must take three CSET Health Science subtests (178, 179, and 180).

Click “Start Test” above to take a free CSET Health Science practice test, and check out our premium-quality CSET test prep resources by clicking the links below!

CSET Health Science Exam Outline

Each of the three CSET Health Science subtests contains a mix of multiple-choice questions and constructed-response questions, and the time limit varies for each subtest.

Subtest I (178)

The first subtest contains 40 multiple-choice questions and two constructed-response questions, and you will be given a time limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes.

The questions are grouped into three domains:

1. Foundations of Health Education

• Professional foundations
• Scientific and behavioral foundations
• Legal responsibilities

2. Human Growth and Development

• Physical growth and development
• Psychosocial growth and development

3. Chronic and Communicable Diseases

• Chronic diseases
• Communicable diseases

Subtest II (179)

The first subtest contains 40 multiple-choice questions and two constructed-response questions, and you will be given a time limit of 1 hour and 45 minutes.

The questions are grouped into three domains:

1. Nutrition and Fitness

• Nutritional bases of human health
• Physical fitness and health

2. Mental and Emotional Health

• Foundations of mental and emotional health
• Stress, depression, and suicide

3. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs

• Drug classifications and effects on the body
• Drug use, misuse, abuse, and addiction
• Prevention, intervention, and treatment of substance abuse

Subtest III (180)

The first subtest contains 40 multiple-choice questions and one constructed-response question, and you will be given a time limit of 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The questions are grouped into three domains:

1. Family Life and Interpersonal Relationships

• Family structures and family life
• Interpersonal relationships
• Human sexuality and reproductive health

2. Consumer and Community Health

• Consumer health
• Community health
• Intentional and unintentional injury

3. Environmental Health

• People, health, and the environment

CSET Health Science Exam Registration

To register for the exam, you must create an online NES account via their website. Once your account has been created, you can use it to register for the exam and schedule an exam date. When you register, you will need to pay the $99 examination fee per subtest (or $297 for all subtests taken together).

Test Day

You should arrive at the testing center 30 minutes early on the day of your testing appointment to allow time for the check-in process. Upon arrival, you will be asked to sign in and provide at least one form of valid photo ID.

After the check-in process is complete, you will be asked to leave all personal items (cell phone, watch, wallet, keys, etc.) in a locker outside the testing area.

Once you enter the testing room, you will be given a brief tutorial on the testing system before the exam begins.

How the CSET Health Science Exam is Scored

Your CSET Health Science test results are reported as scaled scores based on your total raw score points. Your raw scores are converted to a scale of 100 to 300, with the scaled score of 220 being the minimum passing score.

Generally, it takes around two to three weeks after the last day of the examination period before you receive your test results.

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