Master of Science in Health Promotion

The mission of the University of Delaware’s M.S. in Health Promotion Program is to prepare leaders in the diverse health promotion fields who can translate science for the comprehensive promotion of health and prevention of disease among individuals and population across the lifespan.

Students of Health Promotion should be able to:

• Demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge in the discipline—Graduate students should understand the current and historical theories, concepts, and models of the discipline. They should possess the ability to access and evaluate the literature of the discipline and understand the major issues in the current state of knowledge. In addition to knowing the specific content of the discipline, students should be able to understand and appropriately use the methods and techniques of advancing knowledge in the field of study.
• Effectively communicate knowledge in the discipline—Graduate students should possess the ability to write and speak about the current issues of the discipline to peers, practitioners, and the public. They should be able to articulate and demonstrate knowledge of the discipline and write and present scholarship to professionals.
• Demonstrate an ability for analytical thinking in the discipline—Graduate students should be able to identify and understand critical issues in the discipline. They should possess the ability to challenge and evaluate information, as well as synthesize and integrate knowledge in the discipline.
• Exhibit the best practices, values, and ethics of the profession—Graduate students should understand and exhibit the professional standards for responsible conduct of research in the discipline and understand the values and ethics of practicing the profession in society.
• Apply knowledge of the discipline—Graduate students should possess the ability to apply knowledge in the discipline to solve sophisticated problems and to interpret technical issues.

Programmatic Outcomes

Students will be able to:

• Assess individual and community need for health education and promotion,
• Identify health behavior principles and theories as they apply to health promotion
• Implement health promotion strategies, interventions, and programs, and
• Conduct evaluation and research related to health promotion.
  

Program History

The Master of Science in Health Promotion prepares professionals to successfully design, implement, administer, and evaluate health promotion interventions. Students are prepared in the science and art of helping people change their lifestyle and behaviors through a combination of efforts that involve cognitive and behavioral modification, and environmental and cultural change. The program is designed to meet the needs of both traditional graduate students and working professionals, with graduates having the skills and knowledge to work with a wide variety of populations and in diverse settings. The program provides opportunity to pursue specific areas of emphasis within Health Promotion which can include but is not limited to: exercise science, aging, community health, nutrition, social marketing, health psychology, health communications, public health, global health, worksite health, or behavioral health.

The program has been in existence since Fall 1998 and is currently under review for permanent status.

Admission

Students will be admitted to the program based upon enrollment availability and their ability to meet the following entrance requirements.

• A bachelor’s degree based on a four-year curriculum from an accredited college or university.
• Acceptable undergraduate transcripts.
• Three letters of recommendation indicating the capability, interest, maturity, scholastic, and professional potential of the candidate for graduate study.
• Adequate preparation in health as determined by prerequisite requirements.
  

Admission is determined by the Health Promotion Graduate committee.

Recommended Prerequisites

All prerequisites are subject to individual review by the Health Promotion Graduate Committee. Specific prerequisites for the program are:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Statistics
• Equivalent of 3 topical health-related courses
• Health promotion or community health programming course

For students interested in an Exercise Science emphasis, prerequisites also include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Exercise Physiology with Lab

For students interested in a Nutrition emphasis prerequisites also include:

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Advanced nutrition course that requires biochemistry

Students may be accepted into the program without prerequisites. However, completion of graduate program prerequisites as assigned by the admission committee must be fulfilled in order to successfully complete the M.S. in Health Promotion program of study.

Admission is competitive, based on the number of well-qualified applicants and the limits of available faculty and facilities. Those who meet stated minimum academic requirements are not guaranteed admission, nor are those who fail to meet those requirements necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.

Course Requirements for the Degree

The M.S. in Health Promotion requires 30 credit hours of coursework at the 600 and 800 level and 3 credits of either an internship or research project. The 30 credits of coursework must include 18 credits of required courses and 12 credits of advisor approved coursework, which may include an area of emphasis of a minimum of 6 credit hours.

Credit Requirements

Core Credits 18
Area of Emphasis (optional*) 6
Electives (advisor approved) 6
Internship or Research Project 3
Total number of required credits 33

* If no emphasis area is chosen, elective credit requirements are 12.

A. Courses Required Within Health Promotion (18 credits)
HESC 609 Survey Research Methods
HESC 602 Statistics (or equivalent)
HLPR 803 Advanced Health Promotion Programming
HLPR 807 Topics and Issues in Health Promotion
HLPR 809 Health Behavior
HLPR 823 Human Response to Stress

B. Area of Emphasis
Exercise Science Emphasis (6 credits)
HESC685 Advanced Exercise Prescription
HESC800 Advanced Physiology of Exercise

Cardiac Rehabilitation Emphasis (6 credits)
HESC685 Advanced Exercise Prescription
HESC665 Cardiovascular Assessment I

Nutrition Emphasis (6 credits)
NTDT640 Nutrition and Aging
NTDT645 Teaching Methods: Nutrition and Foods
NTDT615 Advanced Nutrition and Physical Activity
NTDT660 Community Nutrition

Aging Emphasis (6 credits)
NTDT640 Nutrition and Aging
IFST603 Human Development: Lifespan Perspective
IFST600 level or higher – Aging related course
HLPR 813 Health of Older Adults

C. Recommended Electives (12 credits)
HLPR 610 Health and the Media
HLPR 813 Health of Older Adults
HLPR 815 Health Behavior and Health Psychology
HLPR 819 Social Marketing
UAPP 657 Health Policy
UAPP 804 Program Evaluation for Health and Social Services
UAPP 808 Qualitative Methods for Program Evaluation
IFST 601 Theories of Human Development
IFST642 Leadership in Human Services
SOCI 607 Sociology of Gender
COMM 610 Organizational Communication Theory
COMM 654 Children and Mass Media
COMM 656 Communication in Organizations
COMM 657 Children, Television, and Education
COMM 624 Media Message Analysis
EDUC 685 Multimedia Literacy
HESC 800 Advanced Physiology of Exercise
POSC653 Politics and Healthcare

C. Internship or Research Project
HLPR 864 Internship or HLPR 868 Research Project