Overview
The Master of Science in Community Health provides a comprehensive program of graduate study building on an undergraduate major in community health. The program provides a balance of theory, knowledge, and skills in areas of community/public health. The program offers an opportunity for the student to plan, implement, and evaluate specific programs that reduce health risks. The students are required to thing critically, write clearly, and speak articulately.
The program is designed to prepare graduates to function at an advanced level as a community health worker in community health/public health agency. Graduates may be employed in positions utilizing planning, administrations, evaluation, research, and teaching in community health settings. The MA degree will prepare graduates to work in a variety of settings with diverse patients, families, and communities.
Program Outcomes
The Master of Science in Community Health prepares the graduate to be able to perform the following at an advanced level:
· Demonstrate orally and in writing, knowledge, and understanding of community health theory, and disciplinary concepts.
· Use knowledge of the determinants of health behavior and health promotion in providing health prevention programs.
· Use effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to promote health programs for the community.
· Monitor health status to identify and solve community health problems.
· Investigate health problems and health hazards in the community.
· Educate and empower people to take action on health issues.
· Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems.
· Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts.
· Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety.
· Link individuals to needed healthcare services and assume the planning for provision of healthcare when unavailable.
· Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of individual and population-based health services.
· Critique and utilize research findings and research new ideas and innovative solutions to healthcare.
· Use increasingly complex technologies in an appropriate and cost-effective manner.
· Perform in ethically and culturally sensitive ways.
· Use professional standards and make a commitment to lifelong learning.
Background Checks
Clinical agencies utilized by the School of Health and Human Services may require criminal background and/or drug screening prior to acceptance of the student into the clinical facilities. Students who do not pass the criminal background check and/or drug test may be unable to attend the clinical course and therefore may be unable to complete the program of study. Any fee or cost associated with background checks and/or drug testing is the responsibility of the student.
Requirements
Degree Requirements
(14 courses; 63 quarter units)
To receive a Masters of Science in Community Health, students must complete at least 63 quarter units as articulated below. A total of 4.5 quarter units of graduate credit may be granted for equivalent graduate work at another accredited institution, as it applies to this degree and provided the units were not use din earning another advanced degree. Refer to the section on graduate admission requirements for specific information regarding admission and evaluation.
Core Requirements
(12 courses; 54 quarter units)
COH 600 Foundations of Community Health
COH 610 Global Health Issues
COH 615 Program Planning
COH 620 Nutrition in Promoting Health
COH 625 Epidemiology & Biostatistics
COH 630 Environmental Health Sciences
COH 635 Marketing Community Health
COH 640 Health Communication
COH 660 Health Policy, Planning and Evaluation
HED 680 Community-Based Research
COH 685 Internship in Community Health
(Prerequisites: Must be taken as one of the last two courses in the program)
COH 694 Thesis
(Prerequisite: HED 680 Community-Based Research and an undergraduate or graduate statistics course)
or
COH 690 Research Capstone Project
(Prerequisite: HED 680 Community-Based Research)
Elective Requirements
(2 courses; 9 quarter units)
Students should choose two courses from the following:
HED 600 Models & Theories of Health Education
HED 660 Clinical and Preventive Services
HED 650 Health Promotion Management
COH 665 Issues in Community Health
HCA 620A Health Care Management