HEALTH PROMOTION MS
The University of Delaware’s Master’s of Science in Health Promotion prepares students to translate science for the comprehensive promotion of health and prevention of disease among individuals and populations across the lifespan through a blend of didactic and service learning and experiential research opportunities. The comprehensive curriculum equips students to successfully design, implement, and evaluate health promotion interventions. Students develop essential skills in multiple areas critical for advancing health promotion and disease prevention, such as theory- and evidence-based behavior change strategies, health communication, and environmental and community-based approaches. The 36-credit program is designed to meet the needs of both full-time graduate students and working professionals. Students can select from the Health Coaching or Health and Disabilities concentrations, or may pursue a general Health Promotion pathway. Elective options within the program cover a broad spectrum, including aging, nutrition, social marketing, health communication, health psychology, social determinants of health, health policy, community and worksite health, student health, and program evaluation.
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Assess individual and community needs for health education and promotion;
- Apply health behavior principles and theories in health promotion efforts;
- Implement health promotion strategies, interventions, and programs; and
- Conduct evaluation and research related to health promotion activities.
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, and scholastic and professional potential of the candidate for graduate study
- Adequate preparation in health as determined by prerequisite requirements
- Acceptable TOEFL scores with a minimum of 100 for non-native English speakers
Admission is determined by the Health Promotion Graduate committee. 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.
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
Students may be accepted into the program without some prerequisites. However, completion of graduate program prerequisites as assigned by the committee must be fulfilled in order to successfully complete the MS in Health Promotion program of study.
Applications (all materials) for the MSHP Program are reviewed on a rolling basis from January 15 to March 15 for admission to the program at the beginning of the following fall semester. Applicants are strongly advised to submit their applications early within this period to ensure timely consideration. An application will be considered complete if it includes the application form, undergraduate/graduate transcripts, at least three letters of recommendation, curriculum vitae, and a graduate application essay (see Graduate College website).
Credit Requirements
| Core Credits | 21 |
| Elective credits | 12 |
| Internship or Research project* | 3 |
| Total number of required credits | 36 |
Core Credits (21 credits)
| HBNS605 | Concepts of Chronic Disease Management |
| HBNS609 | Research Methods in Health Sciences |
| HBNS634 | Health Science Data Analysis |
| HBNS803 | Advanced Health Promotion Programming |
| HBNS804 | Advanced Health Promotion Program Evaluation |
| HBNS809 | Health Behavior Theory |
| HBNS819 or HBNS 607 |
Social Marketing and Health Communication Health and the Media |
Internship or Research Project (3 credits)
*Prior to enrollment in either HBNS 864 Internship or HBNS 868 Independent Research, students must successfully pass a Qualifying Exam.
Concentration
Health Coaching (7 credits)
| HBNS605 | Concepts of Chronic Disease Management |
| HBNS633 | Health Coaching |
| HBNS664 | Health Coaching Practicum |
Health and Disability (12 credits)
| HBNS645 | Health, Physical Activity, and Disability |
| HLTH605 or HLTH606 |
Self-Directed Supports for People with Disabilities Values-Based Management of Disability Service Agencies |
| Choose two of the following courses: | |
| KAAP607 | Motor Learning and Control |
| HDFS621 | Family Studies I: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives |
| KAAP651 | Neuropsychological Basis of Human Movement |
| EDUC624 | Introduction to Autism and Severe Disabilities |
| EDUC673 | School-to-Adult Life Transitions and Disability |
| EDUC681 | Techniques for Behavior Change and Positive Behavior Support |
- Bioinformatics, latent variable modeling, healthy aging, health disparities (Adam Davey, PhD)
- Health literacy, program evaluation, use of wearable technology to promote physical activity and other behaviors to improve cardiovascular health (Gregory Dominick, PhD)
- Mood disorders, stress susceptibility/resiliency, cardiovascular and neurocognitive health, autonomic function (Jody Greaney, PhD)
- Physical activity measurement and promotion in people with disabilities, mobile health and wearable technologies, gamification for behavior change (DH Lee, PhD)
- Policy and environmental change, nutrition, and physical activity promotion in early care and education settings (Laura Lessard, PhD, MPH)
- Inclusive and accessible community programs, people with lived experience of intellectual and developmental disability, adapted physical activity assessments & interventions; self-efficacy, system of supports, community-engaged participatory research (Iva Obrusnikova, PhD)
- Psychosocial determinants of physical activity, aging, and health, community-based participatory research with eating and physical activity behaviors, intergenerational research and health (Elizabeth Orsega-Smith, PhD)
- Smoking cessation, sleep health, sedentary behavior, cardiovascular health, multiple health behavior change, 24-hour epidemiology, and population health (Freda Patterson, PhD, MS)
- Social marketing and health communication, workplace stress, behavior change strategies (P. Michael Peterson, EdD)
- Developing/tailoring community and technology-based interventions to promote healthier lifestyles, especially with underserved populations, diabetes self-management/diabetes prevention, behavior change theory (Laurie Ruggiero, PhD)
- Community-engaged research, built-environment/physical activity promotion, community-level physical activity infrastructure, physical activity measurement (Richard Suminski, PhD, MPH)
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Connect
Tower at STAR: 100 Discovery Blvd, Newark, DE 19713 | Health Sciences Complex: 540 S. College Ave, Newark, DE 19713 chs-info@udel.edu Phone: 302-831-1060