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The School of Public Health
is accredited through 2017 by:
Council on Education
for Public Health (CEPH)
Online Program Information
This is a 100% online MPH program. The online MPH does not include residential sessions. Students are accepted four times each a year (every quarter): Summer, Autumn, Winter, and Spring.
MPH Health Education
In the Health Education Program, emphasis is placed on educational, interpersonal, community, and legislative factors that promote positive health behaviors. The curriculum emphasizes interventions based on scientific data and established behavioral and learning theories that promote public health through the processes of education and community organization.
Graduates of this degree program may function as community-health educators in a variety of settings, both public and private. They are academically prepared to conduct community assessments; design, implement, and evaluate health-education interventions; organize health-promotion efforts; be involved in research and assist individuals and communities to better utilize techniques of health-behavior change.
Coursework for the Health Education program may be pursued in the following formats:
- a traditional, on-campus program
- online
Learner outcomes
Graduates of the program in health education will have the skills necessary to:
- Assess individual and community needs and plan effective health education programs.
- Collaborate with other professionals in using resources to educate the public about health.
- Evaluate and appropriately apply public health research findings to the practice of health education.
- Provide leadership or technical assistance for public health projects in selected settings.
- Meet didactic and professional-practice requirements for certification as health education specialists.
Indicators of Education Effectiveness
- Discussion threads (online program)
- Tests and examinations
- Assignments and major papers
- Field practicum report
- Comprehensive examination
- Professional portfolio
- Capstone project
- Exit interview
Prerequisite
Demonstrate college-level conceptualization and writing skills
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Bachelor's degree or equivalent from an accredited college/university
Anatomy and physiology or physiology (one course or course sequence)
Behavioral science (two courses, one of which is an introductory psychology course)
GPA of 3.0>
Length of program
1 and 1/2 years approximately, including field practicum
Public health core – 27 units
- ENVH 509 Principles of Environmental Health (3)
- EPDM 509 Principles of Epidemiology I (3)
- GLBH 524 Cultural Competence and Health Disparities (2)
- HADM 509 Principles of Health Policy and Management (3)
- HPRO 509 Principles of Health Behavior (3)
- NUTR 509 Public Health Nutrition and Biology (3)
- PHCJ 605 Overview of Public Health (1)
- PHCJ 675 Integrated Public Health Capstone (2)
- REL 534 Ethical Issues in Public Health (3) or other graduate religion course
- STAT 509 General Statistics (4)
- OR
- STAT 521 Biostattistics (4)
Health education core – 25 units
- HPRO 524 Adolescent Health (3)
- HPRO 530 Introduction to Research (3)
- HPRO 535 Health Education Administration Leadership (3)
- HPRO 537 Community Programs Laboratory (A,B,C)(1,2,1)
- HPRO 538 Health Education Program Development and Evaluation(3)
- HPRO 539 Policy and Issues in Health Education (3)
- HPRO 553 Addiction Theory and Program Development (3)
- HPRO 589 Qualitative Research Methods (3)
Selected electives (from the list below) – 6 units
- HPRO 526 Lifestyle Diseases and Risk Reduction (3)
- HPRO 527 Obesity and Disordered Eating (3)
- HPRO 550 Women in Development (3)
- HPRO 567 Reproductive Health (3)
- HPRO 573 Exercise Physiology 1 (3)
Note: Other HPRO courses as may become available
Field experience
- HPRO 797 MIP Internship in Health Education (U.S. Peace Corps)
- OR
- HPRO 798 D- Field Practicum (400 hours) (12)
Total Units 58
Students select coursework from each of several practice and content areas to enhance the applied portion of the curriculum. Professional practice is addressed during the laboratory and field-experience portions of the curriculum. Students may develop skills while working in community agencies and in medical care, school, and work/site settings.
Graduates are eligible to sit for the credentialing examination in health education, Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES), offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., 944 Macon Boulevard, Suite 310, Allentown, PA 18103.
Culminating activity
Students are required to demonstrate the ability to integrate the specified areas of public health: administration, epidemiology, statistics, environmental health, and health behavior during their culminating activity experiences. The culminating activity includes a written comprehensive examination, a field experience (upon completion of all core classes), professional portfolio to be submitted, and an exit interview with the department chair (at the conclusion of the program).
Students who do not meet the minimum standards of performance on the comprehensive examination are subject to remedial coursework to address deficiencies in preparation.
Technology Requirements
- Pentium III processor or better recommended
- CD-ROM drive capable of reading a CD-R disc (DVD-ROM recommended)
- Daily access to the Internet with e-mail capability
- PC: Internet Explorer 7 or above or Firefox 3+
- Mac: Safari 2+ or above or Firefox 3+
- Adobe Acrobat version 7 or above
- MAC OS X or Windows XP or Vista
- Blackboard (LLU learning management system) requires the Java Virtual Machine version 1.4.1 and higher. If your computer is not already equipped with this software you can obtain it free of charge from Sun Microsystems' Java web site.
Application process
Please apply online.
Transcript Evaluation
For degrees completed outside the United States, please provide an evaluation from AACRAO or ECE.
Application
We accept applications anytime during the school year.
School of Public Health Tuition & Fees†
Tuition
$765 Per unit (on campus and online)
$382.50 Per unit: audit (on campus and online)
Tuition and fees vary for Earth and Biological Sciences department students. Please see the EBS department section or contact the financial aid office for more information.
Doctoral level courses only
$795 Per unit
Special tuition charges
$350 Field practicum and internship (100 hours)
Special fee
$712 Special fee*
Special charges
$25 Application (nonrefundable)
$100 Acceptance deposit for bachelor's degree (nonrefundable)
$100 Acceptance deposit for master's degree students (nonrefundable)
$250 Acceptance deposit for doctoral degree students (nonrefundable)
$50 Late payment fee
$20 Returned check fee
$50 Late registration fee
$50 Examination, other than regularly scheduled
$50 Equivalency examination
Miscellaneous expenses
cost Health care items not covered by insurance
cost Breakage, damage, loss of University equipment
International student deposit*
$12,000 Master's student
$20,000 Doctoral student
† These costs are for the 2012-13 school year and are subject to change without notice. Please contact the financial aid office with any questions.
* Online students registered in approved online SPH programs are exempt. Please contact the financial aid office with any questions.
Financial aid
Transfer credit
Up to nine units of approved coursework may be transferred from an accredited institution.
Language of instruction
English is the language of instruction.
