Academic Program
Health Education, Public and Community Health
Master's Degree
The Health Promotion and Education Program offers masters (MS) degrees with a concentration in either community health education or exercise management. The MS community health education concentration is primarily a research focused degree for those desiring to work as research assistants/associates or continue into doctoral level training. Since this degree includes course offerings from all major areas of health education as defined by the profession, graduates of the MS community health concentration also compete well for non-research practitioner positions. All MS community health students must complete a master's thesis involving new, original research that will be suitable for publication. Successful completion of the degree prepares students to receive the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) credential after passing the national exam. Graduates of the program typically seek employment in research related health education positions or pursue doctoral level study. Those completing the MS health education concentration may, with faculty approval, transition directly into the doctoral program without submitting further application materials.
Admission Requirements
Admission Guidelines and Prerequisites
Students who wish to be admitted to the Master of Science in Health Education program must submit all application materials and meet all the minimum requirements established by the program for admission. The Division of Human Services in the College of Education has adopted the following requirements for admission into a graduate degree program:
- The applicant must possess a Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university.
- The applicant must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 at the undergraduate level leading to the Bachelor Degree. All calculations are based on a 4.0 scale.
- Applicants must have successfully completed a full sequence of courses in human anatomy and physiology from the same institution. Students without anatomy and physiology may choose to take an approved anatomy/physiology sequence concurrently with their graduate program.
- International students must take the TOEFL exam and score a minimum of 580 (paper), 237 (computer), or 93 (internet) to be admitted to the program.
- GRE scores of 500 quantitative, 500 verbal and 4.0 analytical are expected
The program gives preference to applicants who have above a 3.25 undergraduate GPA, a 3.5 GPA for any previous graduate courses taken, GRE scores above the 50th percentile, and undergraduate and graduate coursework in behavioral and/or biological sciences. Interviews in person are strongly recommended.
Unclassified graduate students are admitted to the Graduate Division for study but not admitted into a graduate degree program. They may take courses for graduate credit. The number of credits taken under this classification that are accepted for a degree program will not exceed nine (9) graduate credits. The only requirement for admission as an unclassified student is evidence of a baccalaureate degree.
International Admission Requirements
TOEFL Scores: International students must submit original copies of TOEFL scores. On the TOEFL students must score a minimum of 580 on the paper version, 237 on the computer version or 93 on the internet version to be admitted to the program. You can obtain information on the TOEFL and apply on line at http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/. To be able to serve as a graduate teaching assistant, international students must also take pass the Test of Spoken English which is administered upon arrival at UC.
Application Information
Application Procedures
The Health Promotion and Education Program has adopted a revolving admission policy for the MS degree. Students can be admitted at any point in the year when all application materials have been received.
To begin the application process, complete the Online Graduate Application Form and submit the application fee at: http://www.grad.uc.edu/content/gradapp.cfm
The remaining materials described below may be sent individually to the following address or they may be sent as a complete packet in one envelope (8 ¬? x 11 or larger) to:
Randall R. Cottrell, D.Ed., CHES Program Coordinator and Graduate Program Director 526 Teachers College University of Cincinnati P. O. Box 210068 Cincinnati, OH 45221-0068
Transcripts: Provide one copy of final and interim transcripts bearing official seals from all institutions attended, showing courses, grades, all degrees and dates of attendance. Keep transcripts in the original, unopened envelopes from the respective colleges. Applicants whose previous degrees were earned at the University of Cincinnati may request the program to download their transcripts. International students should submit official, translated transcripts.
Goal Statement: Provide one typewritten copy of your academic and professional goals, approximately one to two pages in length. Explain how the Health Promotion and Education program will help you to meet these goals. This writing sample will also be used as one of the criteria for evaluating the application.
Resume: One typewritten copy of your resume containing academic and professional data. It should include: name; address; email, phone; date of birth; citizenship; colleges attended with degrees, dates conferred and grade point average; employment history; professional experience; present employer; names of references who are writing letters for you.
Recommendations: Provide at least three current letters of recommendation from people familiar with your academic and professional abilities. Ask them to introduce themselves on their letterhead stationary and describe their relationship to you, what your academic and professional abilities are, and why they think you will prosper in the Health Promotion and Education graduate program. Submit business-size envelopes to the persons writing the letters. Advise the writer to sign his/her name across the flap of the sealed envelope. Either have the recommenders send these letters directly to the program OR have them sent to you and enclose these unopened envelopes in your application packet.
Graduate Record Examination: An original copy of scores taken within the five-year period preceding admission is needed. All sections of the General Tests are required. Be sure to identify the University of Cincinnati as one institution to which scores are to be sent. Do not identify a specific department as all GRE scores go the Graduate School and are then made available to programs. You must allow sufficient time for scores to reach our office ahead of any application deadlines. Students can not be fully admitted until official scores are available. To facilitate time, we will accept original student copies of the scores if they are enclosed with the above materials. This will allow us to process your application; however, you must still have ETS send us the original scores. Enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want your student copy returned to you. Computer administered versions of the GRE are available at UC Monday-Saturday. For information on the procedures for taking the Graduate Record Examination via computer, call (513) 556-7173 or go to 100 University Pavilion Building. You can also obtain information on the GRE and apply on line at http://www.ETS.org and click on GRE.
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials are received in the Health Promotion and Education program, including the application and appropriate GRE scores. Please check all pertinent dates carefully and start the application process much earlier than the time you hope to be starting classes.
INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE PROCESSED AND MAY NOT BE RETURNED. THIS INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, GRE AND TOEFL SCORES, TRANSCRIPTS, AND RECOMMENDATION LETTERS.
Application Deadlines
The specific application deadlines for each term are listed below:
Autumn: September 1
Winter: January 1
Spring: March 15
Summer: June 9
Program Requirements
Program Details
The Faculty
The strength of any program is its faculty. The Health Promotion and Education faculty at the University of Cincinnati are outstanding teachers and scholars, and are well-respected leaders in the field. Faculty members have a diverse range of research interests and areas of expertise, which provide numerous opportunities for students to become involved in research studies and externally funded projects. The Program has a long-standing history of working collaboratively on interdisciplinary projects with other colleges and departments. Faculty are currently working on over $2 million in externally funded projects and have participated in grants and contracts funded at over $6 million in the last five years. Current projects are being conducted with the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Education, Spectrum Sports Medicine Clinics, and the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services.
Additionally, faculty members have leadership roles in various national and state organizations, which provides tremendous networking opportunities for students. One faculty member is a Past-President of the American Association for Health Education and currently serves on several national and international level committees and task forces. Other faculty members serve on the national and state level within the various health education professional associations.
The Success of Past Students
Our Program has an excellent placement rate for graduates. Graduates of the Health Promotion and Education Program have received positions throughout the United States in a variety of agencies. Past graduates are employed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association, the Northern Kentucky Health District, the Hamilton County Health Department, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, Mercy Hospital and many other sites. Previous students have been awarded the Secretary of Health and Human's Services' Innovations in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Award and the Association for Worksite Health Promotion's Student Research Award, and the UC award for Outstanding Social Science Research.
The Resources Available at the University of Cincinnati
Outstanding Library System- The University's libraries subscribe to over 6,750 current periodicals and house nearly 700,000 volumes in microfilm and approximately one million books. The University libraries belong to the OhioLink System and participate in the Greater Cincinnati Library Consortium, which makes available the resources of all other Ohio colleges and universities as well as the Cincinnati Public Library.
Grant Opportunities- Competitive grants are available through the university and the college to assist with the costs of conducting thesis/dissertation research.
Technology Resources- Professors in the program use "Blackboard", a web based course management program, to make course materials more easily accessible to students. The College of Education has several computer labs set aside specifically for access to students of the college and most courses are taught in rooms equipped with computers and data projectors.
College Life - There is always something to do at UC. The University of Cincinnati is the home of the Bearcats, and boasts outstanding men's basketball and football teams. Women's basketball and volleyball have also received national recognition and are great to watch. Additionally, the renowned College Conservatory of Music (CCM) frequently hosts a variety of performances from drama to opera to comedy. The university recently completed a new multi-million dollar state of the art student recreation center which is open to graduate students.
Career Possibilities
MS Community Health Concentration
- UC's Health Promotion and Education program allows high quality undergraduate students to enter a research focused MS program and provides a seamless transition into a research focused PhD program upon successful completion of the MS degree and with faculty approval. All students will complete a master's thesis and are expected to submit their thesis for publication.
Financial Aid
On a limited basis, two types of financial aid are available to graduate students through the Health Promotion and Education Program. The Graduate Teaching Assistantship (GTA) is a stipend and full-tuition award that requires students to teach and or assist faculty 19 hours a week. GA's are awarded April-August as available and run from September through June. The University Graduate Scholarship (UGS) offers partial tuition and is available for academic year or summer. These are awarded to a very limited number of students on a competitive basis. Students receiving a UGS are not required to work for the program. Students must be admitted into a graduate program before they can be considered to receive these awards.
For more information on scholarships that are available based on your program and/or areas of interest, please contact the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, 401 Teachers College, (513) 556-2327.
Degree Requirements
Program Progression and Milestones
Listed below are important stages that mark the progression leading to a Master of Education Degree in Health Promotion:
- Application for admission
- Financial aid application (optional)
- Notification of acceptance
- Notification of financial aid
- Program planning
- Completion of course work including core and residency requirements These must be completed within seven calendar years of first enrollment as a matriculated student in the College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services.
- Completion of culminating experience
This degree can be completed in a minimum of 12 months or four academic quarters of full-time study. Most students, however, take an additional three to six months to complete a thesis/project.
Part-Time Study
Many students in the Health Promotion and Education Program hold either full-time or part-time employment while completing their course of study. The program encourages part-time students and has been intentionally designed to meet the needs of such students. All required coursework is offered Monday through Thursday between 4:00 and 9:30 in the evening.
Internships
All students are required to complete an internship as part of their program. Many opportunities for health education internships exist, as there are more than two hundred health related agencies and organizations in the Cincinnati area. Examples of these include voluntary agencies, public health departments, neighborhood health centers, human sexuality programs, patient education programs, corporate wellness programs, fitness centers, and hospital wellness and staff development. In addition, placements are available in other areas of the state and country. Whenever possible the internship should have a research component for community health education concentration students.