Health Sciences M.S.
Total Semester Credit Hours = 36
The Master of Science (M.S.) in Health Sciences Program is designed to prepare graduates to be effective leaders in the fields of health promotion and disease prevention. This program provides a strong foundation for both professional leadership roles and pursuit of more advanced degrees in the field of health.
The curriculum leading to the M.S.in Health Sciences Degree may be completed entirely online or via a combination of face-to-face and online classes.
Graduates of this program will be prepared to assume leadership roles in: a) planning, implementing and evaluating individual and group needs for interventions aimed at promoting health and preventing disease; b) administering and/or coordinating specialized activities and programs aimed at promoting health and preventing disease; c) communicating health needs, concerns, and resource availability for programs aimed at promoting health and preventing disease; d) critiquing, conducting and contributing to research related to health promotion and disease prevention; and e) serving as advocates for improvements in the fields of health promotion and disease prevention through effective education of individuals, groups, and communities.
The Health Sciences M.S. program is in a teach-out phase and is not accepting new applicants.
Objectives:
At the completion of the Master's program, the graduate should be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills identified in the seven areas listed below.
- Content Area
- Critique, conduct and contribute to health-promotion and disease-prevention research.
- Plan, implement, and evaluate health-promotion and disease-prevention interventions.
- Compare and contrast existing health programs and theories, and evaluate their relevance for personal and population health.
- Coordinate specialized health-promotion and disease-prevention activities.
- Critical Thinking Area
- Assess personal interests and abilities in preparation for selecting an area of specialization in the health field.
- Use analogy, model, and metaphor to organize information in the health sciences.
- Apply statistical, social/political, historical/futurist, and ethical modes of thinking as they pertain to health.
- Evaluate and critique the underlying assumptions of the dominant health-science discourses.
- Analyze and critically assess local, regional, national, and global health issues.
- Communication Area
- Communicate health needs, concerns, and resource availability for health-promotion and disease-prevention purposes in research format.
- Use analogy, model, and metaphor to communicate meaning in the health sciences
- Communicate health information to diverse groups, for health-promotion and disease-prevention purposes.
- Communicate health needs and concerns to governmental and non-governmental entities involved in establishing or changing health policy.
- Serve as a resource professional for health-promotion and disease-prevention activities.
- Present ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral communications.
- Develop and apply networking skills to create and maintain consultative relationships.
- Leadership Area
- Demonstrate knowledge of cutting-edge health policies or models.
- Advocate health to peers and family by practicing model health behaviors.
- Function as leaders in supporting health education of individuals, groups and communities.
- Advocate for improvements in the field of health promotion and disease prevention.
- Ethics/Values Area
- Evaluate moral and ethical conduct using multiple value systems and perspectives.
- Identify ethical issues involved in research, practice, and governance and understand how ethical principles are used to guide professional activities.
- Weigh judgments of detrimental behavior in respect to health outcomes against surrounding determinants of health.
- Technology Area
- Use statistical computing software to analyze data and display information.
- Use a broad range of technologies in health sciences.
- Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of various intervention technologies in health science and promotion.
- Diversity Area
- Explain the cultural, social, economic, and environmental determinants of health and of health disparities.
- Describe recent trends in health sciences that reveal an association between socioeconomic status and disease or wellness.
Curriculum (36 semester credit hours)
Required core courses (18 hours)
Elective Courses (12 hours approved by adviser)
Thesis or Internship (6 hours)
In addition to completing the required course work, earning the M.S. Health Sciences Degree requires satisfactory completion of a comprehensive exam in the latter part of the student's program of study if the internship is selected.