The Master of Science in Health Sciences with emphasis on Health Education degree prepares students to assume leadership supervisory roles in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating health education programs in community, school, medical care, and work site settings. Many students use the degree for upward mobility.

As a result of the soaring cost of medical treatment, the focus of America’s health care system is shifting to the prevention of illness and injury and the promotion of healthier lifestyles and healthier communities.

Note: This degree does not lead to any form of licensure or certification.

Health Educator Duties

Health educators help solve community health issues by designing and implementing educational programs that promote healthy lifestyles and behaviors.

The health educator collects and analyzes data to identify community needs as well as plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate health education programs that focus on individual and social health issues such as teen pregnancy, HIV prevention, and controlling the spread of infectious diseases. These may include grant writing, resource evaluations, referrals, social marketing and media, community organizing, developing training methods and materials, and publishing.

CHES & MCHES Preparation

The TUW program aligns with the competencies published by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES). As a master’s-level graduate, students may be eligible to sit for both exams.

What makes this MS in Health Sciences program different?

  • 100% online
  • Affordable tuition
  • Nonprofit Accredited University
  • No residency required
  • Finish in one year*
  • No GRE required
  • Accelerated admissions process
  • 6 starts throughout the year
  • 8 weeks session
  • Learn from scholar-practitioners with expertise in the industry.

*Degree can be earned in 12 months by those who take two courses per term for six consecutive terms.

What Can You Do With a Master of Science in Health Sciences – Health Education?

The skills and knowledge learned in the Master of Science in Health Sciences – Health Education concentration from Touro University Worldwide prepares graduates to succeed in various health science education careers. Health Educators are in high demand as the nation’s healthcare policies shifts to be more inclusive of health promotion and prevention. Potential job titles include:

  • Health Educator
  • Community Health Worker
  • Public Health Policy Specialist
  • Health Services Manager
  • Patient Advocate

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual salary for health education specialists is $59,990. The BLS also projects 7% job growth over the next decade. The TUW MS in Health Sciences – Health Education concentration prepares you for success in this emerging, in-demand field.

BLS: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm

Core Requirements

24 Semester Credits

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides an overview of human development and aging as normal part of the life cycle. Demographic and epidemiological trends with respect to aging will be examined. Common diseases of aging and their impact upon caregivers will be explored. Health behavior theory and health education planning models will be introduced and applied in the context of chronic disease prevention.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides the students the capacity to plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion programs in various community and health care settings. Needs assessment methods, planning models, goals and objectives setting, strategy selection, data collection, and quality and evaluation issues will be addressed.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides an overview of essential concepts related to culture and cross-cultural perspectives in health. The relationship between theory and practice in multicultural education are emphasized. The overreaching goal of this course is designed to develop culture awareness, and promote intercultural understanding in order to function effectively in a multicultural educational setting as a health educator.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides the student with an overview of the health education/health promotion field and an opportunity to develop skills in needs assessment and program planning. The student will learn why health behavior is such an important contributor to current public health problems and how health education and promotion programs can be used to address the problems. The student will be introduced to a hands-on experience using the PRECEDE/PROCEED planning framework to conduct a needs assessment and design a health promotion program.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course is designed to provide students the capability to evaluate research findings in the field of health education. In addition, students identify the relationship of conceptual models and theories to research (knowledge building). Quantitative reasoning, and statistical analysis and will be introduced as they are applied to performing scientific investigations.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course presents an introduction to the legal and ethical issues that arise in management of health services organizations. Topics include: ethics in business and clinical decision making, tools for understanding ethics and ethical analysis, professional and organizational guidelines in making ethical decisions, including codes of ethics and mission statements, organizational responses to ethical issues, including ethics processes, such as institutional ethics committees and institutional review boards, conflicts of commitment and conflicts of interest, patient and community concerns and end of life decisions.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides an introduction to health education program administration and an overview of the skills and knowledge needed to administer a health education program.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Major public health issue will be chosen by the student and will be addressed within a specific population or geographic region of interest. The student will conduct a literature review of the scholarly literature to identify existing disease control strategies. A strategy for improved public health practices will be formulated to address that issue. Potential obstacles or barriers to improved public health practices will be identified. The student will also discuss ways in which these barriers may be overcome. The final products will be a comprehensive paper that reflects scholarly synthesis, integration, and application of previously acquired knowledge.

CREDITS

3

Elective Requirements (Please choose 4 elective courses)

12 Semester Credits

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides the students in depth knowledge of physical, social, psychological, and economic changes related to aging and the impacts of an aging population on the delivery of health care services.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course is an introduction to the theory and practice of public and community health. Models, theories and policy analysis are included. It also provides an introduction to the nature of community health services and resources.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course is designed to provide students the capability to evaluate research findings in the field of health education, and in addition to identify the relationship of conceptual models and theories to research (knowledge building). Quantitative reasoning, and statistical analysis and will be introduced as they are applied to performing scientific investigations.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course provides a summary of mental health issues in our society with a focus the sociological concerns of mental health. The most commonly diagnosed mental health issues/disorders will be explored. Mental health will be examined in relation to the issues of social class and ethnicity.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces students to policy analysis by examining issues in the health sector with a problem focused and multi disciplinary approach that builds on political science, public administration, epidemiology, biostatistics, public policy and political theory. It explores the complexity of health policy and provides the basic tools used in policy design, implementation and evaluation.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course, students will explore the juncture of health and safety in the workplace. Sources of workplace hazards will be considered as well as effective mitigation strategies. Economic, cultural and historic forces and their resultant impact on occupational safety and health will be considered. Students will explore federal, state and local sources of law that impact occupational safety and health.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course describes the evolution of environmental health and its impact on current public policies and present as well as evolving environmental health issues. Key topics include environmental justice, communication, human consumption, personal health practices and the reciprocal relationship between humans and the environment in which they live.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course explores the impact of emergency and disaster situations on public health infrastructure. Emphasis is placed on issues that arise during emergencies and disasters and their implications for individuals and communities. Psychosocial issues are also examined along with concepts of incident management and mitigation.

CREDITS

3

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course introduces the basic principles used to study the distribution and determining factors of disease, injuries, and death in individuals and populations. Students learn about how Epidemiology is the branch of medicine that deals with the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health. Students explore Epidemiology as a tool for public health to promote and protect the public’s health based on science.

CREDITS

3

Credit Hours

36


Class Type

100% online, 8-week courses


Transfer Credits

Transfer in up to 9 credits


Accreditation

WSCUC

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Tuition Information

TUW’s tuition is $500 per semester credit. A range of tuition assistance programs are available to prospective students to help reduce the out-of-pocket expenses associated with continued education, including scholarships and students loans.

Many employers offer tuition assistance programs, so make sure to check to find out if additional financial support is available to you. TUW tuition assistance counselors are available to determine your eligibility for financial aid and other tuition assistance programs.

The MSHS – Health Education curriculum is comprised of 12 courses (8 core courses and 4 elective courses) for a total of 36 credits.

Students seeking to attend in TUW must meet one of the following criteria to be considered for admission:

  • Have earned a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution with a minimum overall GPA of 2.5.
  • Transfer student from another college/university’s graduate program in good academic standing (minimum GPA of 2.75).

Students, who meet one of the above criteria, will be required to complete the following steps in order to be admitted and enrolled:

  1. Submit an application to the University.
  2. As a non-profit organization committed to serving the underserved, Touro University Worldwide has waived the $60 application fee for all prospective students.
  3. Submit official transcripts from all institutions attended. Transcripts must come directly from the issuing institutions. Students who completed college coursework outside the United States must have their transcripts translated and evaluated. (See Foreign Credit for additional information.) Students are required to complete step 3 by the end of their first term of enrollment.

As a non-profit institution committed to serving the underserved, Touro University Worldwide has waived the $60 application fee for all prospective students.

The mission of the Touro University Worldwide Health Science Graduate Program is to educate and develop leaders in the field of health education practice by providing competencies and skills needed to be productive professionals who serve the health-promotion and disease-prevention needs of diverse local, regional, national, and international populations.

These competencies and skills include the ability to perform research and program evaluation as well as delivering services in order to reduce health disparities among underserved populations.

The time it will take to complete the Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS) degree online can vary. The duration of the program depends on several factors, including the number of credits accepted for transfer and whether or not students take time off between semesters.

The typical length of time for the Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS)) is one and half (1.5) years.

Disclaimer:
Students who enroll full-time (12 credits per semester for three semesters each academic year) can complete the degree in one (1) year. Students who enroll part-time (six credits per semester for three semesters each academic year) will complete the MSHS program in 1.5 years.