The Master of Science (M.S.) program in Health Education is designed to train skilled practitioners and researchers to design, implement, and evaluate interventions that promote health and prevent disease. The Masters Program is grounded in the Responsibilities and Competencies for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) developed by the National Center for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (NCHEC, http://www.nchec.org/ ). Students completing the masters program in health education are qualified to sit for the exam to be a Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES).

Program Foundation

The M.S. degree is designed to assure that graduates are fully competent practitioners of health education. This degree provides students with opportunities to (1) develop a working knowledge of the literature of health education (including documentation of the history, competing philosophies, prominent theories, and evidence-based practice of health education), (2) develop skills to read and apply research relevant to health education, and (3) prepare for professional leadership in the field.

It is important to note that those students seeking a master's degree in Health Education who come from another field of study should plan to take courses in preparation for graduate study in health education. These may be undergraduate courses in health education or related areas that were not taken during baccalaureate work. The number of hours will be determined after transcripts have been reviewed by the Chair of the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee.

The following key concepts provide the philosophical foundation of a graduate education experience.

• The M.S program requires interaction with an accomplished group of professional health educators (the graduate faculty), and the study of a unique body of knowledge (the health education/health promotion literature.
• The M.S. program is based on a set of core responsibilities and competencies set forth by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. (A Competency-Based Framework for Graduate-Level Health Educators, 2006).
• The M.S. program (non-thesis) is a practitioner-oriented degree, but requires competence as a health education researcher.
• The M.S. program facilitates the development of a competitive scholastic and professional portfolio for students.

Expectations

All coursework and structured educational experiences of the M.S. program are designed to provide students the opportunity to develop skills and competencies as health education and health promotion professionals. Master's students are expected to:

• Work closely with faculty who are knowledgeable and engaged in health education scholarship.
• Develop competence in designing, implementing and evaluating theory-based health education interventions.
• Become professionally involved in Health Education professional associations.

The M.S. in Health Education Course of Study

The M.S. program in Health Education requires 36 semester hours of coursework.

The masters program in health education requires students to complete a block of core courses (The Health Education Core), a professional internship, and elective coursework. Decisions on elective coursework are determined by the student in concert with his or her Graduate Advisory Committee Chair and are based on the students' professional interest and career goals.