Master of Science in Health Studies
Website: https://twu.edu/health-studies/graduate-programs/ms-in-health-studies/
The Master of Science in Health Studies program prepares students to work as health educators. As a health promotion/health education program, the M.S. program prepares students to promote health and wellness across diverse settings. Such settings include health departments, hospitals, clinics, nonprofit agencies, corporate wellness programs, and community health settings. Graduates are eligible to take the MCHES® Exam to become Master Certified Health Education Specialists.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Communicate and advocate for the improvement of health.
- Assess health needs and recommend appropriate solutions.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
The academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Prerequisites or Co-requisites
- Undergraduate degree from an accredited university.
- Successful completion of new student orientation within the first year.
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
Thesis Option: 42-43 semester credit hours (SCH) that includes 18 SCH of required program courses, 9 SCH of focal area courses, 9-10 SCH of research tools, and 6 SCH of thesis
Internship/Professional Affiliation/National Certification Option: 36 semester credit hours (SCH) that includes 18 SCH of required program courses, 12 SCH of focal area courses, and 6 SCH of research tools
Thesis Option (42-43 SCH)
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Health Studies Core | ||
| HS 5413 | Current Issues in Health Promotion | 3 |
| HS 5353 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| HS 6443 | Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion | 3 |
| HS 5423 | Ethnic and Cultural Factors in Health Decisions | 3 |
| HS 5383 | Program Planning and Implementation in Health Promotion | 3 |
| HS 6453 | Strategies in Health Promotion Planning and Delivery | 3 |
| Focal Area | ||
| 9 SCH from one of the following Focal Areas (Practicum is not required) | 9 | |
| Higher Education | ||
| Curriculum Development for Health Professionals | ||
| Principles and Methods of Teaching for Health Professionals | ||
Leadership Elective (speak with advisor) | ||
| Community/Population Health | ||
| Population Health | ||
| Psychosocial Aspects of Health | ||
Leadership Elective (speak with advisor) | ||
| Research Tools | ||
| HS 5013 | Data Collection and Analysis | 3 |
| HS 5023 | Health Promotion Research Methods | 3 |
| Select one of the following | 3-4 | |
| Advanced Psychological Statistics I | ||
| Applied Statistical Principles | ||
| Applied Statistics in Health Promotion | ||
| Statistical Methods I | ||
| Thesis | ||
| HS 5983 | Thesis | 3 |
| HS 5993 | Thesis | 3 |
| Total SCHs | 42-43 | |
Internship/Professional Affiliation/National Certification Option (36 SCH)
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Health Studies Core | ||
| HS 5413 | Current Issues in Health Promotion | 3 |
| HS 5353 | Epidemiology | 3 |
| HS 6443 | Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion | 3 |
| HS 5423 | Ethnic and Cultural Factors in Health Decisions | 3 |
| HS 5383 | Program Planning and Implementation in Health Promotion | 3 |
| HS 6453 | Strategies in Health Promotion Planning and Delivery | 3 |
| Focal Area | ||
| Select 12 SCH from one of the following Focal Areas | 12 | |
| Higher Education | ||
| Curriculum Development for Health Professionals | ||
| Principles and Methods of Teaching for Health Professionals | ||
Leadership Elective (speak with advisor) | ||
| Internship/Professional Affiliation in Health Promotion | ||
| Community/Population Health | ||
| Population Health | ||
| Psychosocial Aspects of Health | ||
Leadership Elective (speak with advisor) | ||
| Internship/Professional Affiliation in Health Promotion | ||
| Research Tools | ||
| HS 5013 | Data Collection and Analysis | 3 |
| Select one from the following | 3 | |
| Applied Statistics in Health Promotion | ||
| Applied Statistical Principles | ||
| Statistical Methods I | ||
| Advanced Psychological Statistics I | ||
| Total SCHs | 36 | |
SHPK Master's Program Policies
Culminating Experience
After completing 24 semester credit hours of required coursework (including core courses), School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology students are eligible to complete their culminating experience. Students in the Master of Science in Health Studies program may choose one of two culminating options: 1) Thesis or 2) Internship/Professional Affiliation. Students are responsible for reviewing their emphasis area degree requirements, consulting with emphasis area faculty, and familiarizing themselves with the available options. Specific steps to complete each culminating experience option are located within the School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology (SHPK) Graduate Student Handbook.
Thesis
All School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology master’s students who select the thesis option are required to prepare, present, and orally defend a thesis reflecting substantial and independent research. The Thesis Research Committee must be formed according to Graduate School policies. Committees must include a minimum of three faculty members, with one faculty member being from outside the major/emphasis area. The School of Health Promotion and Kinesiology stipulates that a 10-class day reading period be granted to every research committee member for any thesis-related documents. No thesis research committee meetings may be scheduled or conducted during the last two weeks (last week of classes and finals week) of any semester. Refer to the Graduate School policy for Thesis grading options. Any student in SHPK receiving two consecutive enrolled semesters of LP (Lack of Adequate Progress) and/or NP (No Progress) grades or three cumulative semesters of LP and/or NP grades will be dismissed from the program.
Internship/Professional Affiliation
To complete an internship or professional affiliation, a master’s student must enroll in a three-hour internship/professional affiliation course. A student may not register for the internship/professional affiliation course if final grade(s) for core course(s) are pending or if the student has an incomplete grade pending for any core course. Each master’s student must contact their major professor to confirm eligibility and request approval to enroll in the internship/professional affiliation course.
The internship/professional affiliation site must be approved by the major professor and/or faculty member directing the internship/professional affiliation. The internship/professional affiliation must include at least 350 hours of site work for academic credit; however, the internship/professional affiliation site may require additional hours. Students must submit a log or logs of work hours completed and an evaluation of the internship/professional affiliation site. Students must also have the site supervisor submit two evaluations (midterm and final) to the internship/professional affiliation instructor.
National Certification Exam plus 250 Internship/Professional Affiliation Hours
The internship/professional affiliation must be completed according to the above internship/professional affiliation policy, but only 250 hours of site work are required. The major professor must approve the national certification exam before sitting for the exam. Students must pass the exam to be eligible for graduation.
Emphasis
9 SCH (Thesis Option) or 12 SCH (Internship/Professional Affiliation/National Certification Option) from one of two focal areas, Higher Education or Community/Population Health.
Residence Requirement
For students in the Thesis Option, campus visits are required to defend the complete proposal and again to defend the complete thesis. No resident requirement exists for students in the Internship/Professional Affiliation/National Certification Option.
Final Examination
For the Thesis Option, the successful oral defense of a completed thesis; for the Internship/Professional Affiliation/National Certification option, the successful completion of HS 5003 and, if applicable, passing the certification exam.
