Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) in Health Behavior and Health Education

The instructional program offered by the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education is designed to prepare individuals to function in leadership positions in the development and full utilization of educational and behavioral science content and research methods in the analysis and solution of health problems. Emphasis in the program is on preparing individuals for careers in the application of behavioral science and education principles to health problems, including administrative and consultant positions in agencies and institutions and local, regional, state, national, and international levels.

The Master's Degree program uses a competency-based format for instruction. As a result of prior experience and through course work and field work taken at the School of Public Health, each student in Health Behavior and Health Education is expected to meet minimum requirements for a basic set of competencies. Each graduate should have the ability to:

analyze a health-related problem for the factors amenable to planned change.
plan and implement health education programs for specific populations and in a variety of organizations.
collaborate with lay people and health workers.
provide consultation, training, direction, and technical assistance in development, expansion, and improvement of health education programs and services.
assist in obtaining and managing resources needed to implement and evaluate programs of health education and planned change.
identify factors in the policy-making arena that affect the development, improvement, and expansion of health education.
identify and apply basic principles and techniques of research and evaluation concerning health education.
relate ethical considerations and values to one's professional practice.

Curriculum

HBHE 600, Psychosocial Factors in Health-Related Behavior, HBHE 651: Program Development in Health Education , and HBHE 699: Health Behavior and Health Education Capstone are required of all MPH students.

Students are also required to take one course that develops expertise in behavioral research and evaluation methods for practitioners.

The list of approved courses:

Field experience is required of all students. Arrangements are worked out between the student, the advisor, and the field setting. Field experience may be taken concurrently with course work or as a two to four month block placement. No course credit is given for field work per se, but a reduction in length of program may be obtained, once all field experience requirements are met.

Students are also required to complete the M.P.H. Breadth, Integrative, and Capstone Requirements in Public Health (BIC). A course requirement in Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and the two areas of Health Administration, Planning, and Policy Analysis and Physical, Chemical and Biological Aspects of Health ensure breadth of exposure to public health topics. To ensure the integration of public health topics, HBHE 600: Psychosocial Factors in Health-Related Behavior is required. The Capstone Requirement is fulfilled by students in their final year of study by participating in a specialized course under the supervision of their faculty advisor. The major project of the Capstone experience is the the development of a Capstone Paper. These requirements are subject to change.

Of the total credit hours required for the M.P.H. degree, a minimum of one half must be taken in courses offered by the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education

Length of Program

The basic program for students without relevant health education experience or advanced degrees requires 60 credit hours (4-5 terms). Joint programs of study, in which students complete the requirements of the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education and the requirements of another M.P.H. program major offered in the School of Public Health usually require a minimum of 90 credit hours.