Master of Professional Studies in Community Health

This course presents foundational information about the field of public community health – its purpose, focus, infrastructure, and tools. The seven program themes (Integration of Science and Practice, Quantitative Foundations, Health Policy, Structural Determinants of Health, Systems Thinking, Leadership, Diversity and Culture) that will be covered in the core courses are introduced in a way that demonstrates the application and integration of these disciplines in the analysis and resolution of public community health problems in the community disparities. 

This course provides an overview of current knowledge regarding the social and biological mechanisms of major health concerns in the United States and globally. The focus will be on understanding and interpreting the determinants of health and disease in a public population health context. Students will examine major public community health problems from the past century, and the interventions used to address them. Prerequisite: CHS 590. 

This course explores the application of fundamental statistical methods to the health care environment. Course content includes both descriptive and inferential methods including data analysis, statistical estimation, regression analysis, analysis of variance, hypothesis testing and analysis of longitudinal data. Students will analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics informatics, computer-based programming, and software.

This course provides an overview of the application and use of applied behavioral science. Students will develop an understanding of the theoretical basis of social and behavioral interventions. In addition, students will examine the psychosocial influences on morbidity and mortality where topics covered include definition of the field, sub-specialties, and real-world applications, and aspects of the field. Students will examine the social and behavioral factors responsible for health-related behaviors that lead to morbidity, premature mortality, and health disparities. Prerequisites: CHS 591 and HIA 625. 

This course provides an introduction to epidemiology for students majoring in any aspect of population health. The focus will be on the principles and methods of epidemiologic investigation, including describing the patterns of illness in populations, measures of morbidity and mortality, and research designs for investigating the etiology of disease. Students will examine quantitative measures to determine risk, association, and procedures for standardization of rates. Prerequisite: HIS 625. 

This course examines theories of interpersonal, organizational, and mass communication relevant to the professional communicator in the health field. Additionally, the course reviews strategies of persuasion, the relationship between attitudes and behavior, and the changing nature of health and health delivery in the United States; and it evaluates successful and unsuccessful health information campaigns. This course provides an advanced investigation into relevant cultural concepts that shape health care and health communication, focusing on strategies to improve health literacy ethically and empathically. Prerequisite: CHS 604. 

Sound community health education strategies and interventions rely on rigorous scientific evidence rather than assumption. This course introduces students to the core principles of research methodology, measurement, and data evaluation within population health contexts. Students learn to translate abstract health problems into measurable variables, design ethically sound research proposals, and evaluate both quantitative and qualitative literature. Emphasis is placed on utilizing scientific evidence to construct effective health communication plans, engage community stakeholders, and inform evidence-based health education methods. Prerequisite: CHS 604. This course is non-transferable and may not be taken as non-degree seeking.

This course is designed to assist individuals to become responsible and productive community health professionals who are capable of planning, implementing, and managing health promotion and education programs for population health. Concepts in community assessment, organization, and mobilization for the purposes of addressing identified population health concerns will serve as the foundation for the community health planning process. Appropriate techniques of partnership building, planning strategies, data collection, data analysis, and evidence-based decision-making will also be introduced. Prerequisites: CHS 605 and CHS 606. This course is non-transferable and may not be taken as non-degree seeking.

This course will provide students with a comprehensive theoretical, methodological, and ethical foundation for conducting population health program evaluation. Students will experience the practice aspects of evaluation including communicating and negotiating with stakeholders, conducting an assessment, developing logic models and evaluation questions, identifying appropriate data collection methods, gathering reliable and valid evaluation data that are appropriate to the selected design and analysis methods, analyzing data, reporting evaluation results, and ensuring evaluation use. Prerequisite: CHS 607. This course is non-transferable and may not be taken as non-degree seeking.

The Community Health Capstone challenges students to synthesize and apply their community health competencies through a comprehensive, real-world community needs assessment. Operating as professional health strategists under faculty guidance, students analyze structural determinants, employ systems thinking, and develop data-driven, actionable implementation and budget plans to resolve local population health disparities. Prerequisite: CHS 607. This course is non-transferable and may not be taken as non-degree seeking. 

The internship provides students with a unique opportunity to gain professional experience and apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to real-world public population health settings and real-time public community health issues. The internship is critical to students’ academic and professional development and their ability to become competent in the practice of public community health. This course includes 40 hours of practicum internship experience. Prerequisite: CHS 699 and Internship Forms completed via authorization of Internship Coordinator. This course is non-transferable and may not be taken as non-degree seeking.

The internship provides students with a unique opportunity to gain professional experience and apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to real-world public population health settings and real-time public community health issues. The internship is critical to students’ academic and professional development and their ability to become competent in the practice of public community health. This course includes 40 hours of practicum internship experience. Prerequisite: CHS 650. This course is non-transferable and may not be taken as non-degree seeking.

The internship provides students with a unique opportunity to gain professional experience and apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to real-world public population health settings and real-time public community health issues. The internship is critical to students’ academic and professional development and their ability to become competent in the practice of public community health. This course includes 40 hours of practicum internship experience. Prerequisite: CHS 651. This course is non-transferable and may not be taken as non-degree seeking.