StudyQA — Master: Health Promotion and Policy — University of Massachusetts at Amherst

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

The Health Promotion & Policy department is organized into two distinct related concentrations: Community Health Education and Health Policy and Management. These two areas are related both academically and professionally. Both are applied professional areas dedicated to the improvement of the health of the public. They share essential perspectives of individual, organizational, community and public policy theory, and professional skills. Each field also has its own unique foundations and emphases: Community Health Education in community organizing, education methods, and micro- and macropersonal theory; Health Policy and Management in administration, economics, finance, policy, and law. The concentration offers M.P.H., M.S., and Ph.D., degree programs to qualified students.

Community Health Education

The mission of the Community Health Education (CHE) area is to enable people to gain control over the social, political, and personal conditions that affect their health. Coursework prepares public health professionals to design and implement programs to assist all people to participate in their life situations to the fullest extent of their capabilities.

Health Policy and Mangement

The Health Policy and Management (HPM) area prepares public health professionals for managerial and administrative positions in health organizations and institutions, both voluntary and private, and in planning and regulatory bodies of federal, state, and local health agencies. The HPM area develops and uses theories and models based in the social and behavioral sciences, such as organizational theory, economic theory, decision theory, and motivation theory to understand the health care system; identify and analyze its strengths and weaknesses; and design, implement, evaluate, and improve programs.

his degree program offers experienced health workers an opportunity to complete a course of study that leads to a professional degree. Working health professionals expand their knowledge base in public health, extend and sharpen their professional skills, broaden their perspective on public health problems, and prepare to assume greater professional responsibility.

The basic requirement of the M.P.H. degree is the completion of a minimum of 42 credits of academic work depending upon area of concentration, and practice experience. Candidates may enroll either full time, in which case they should be able to complete degree requirements in three semesters and an intervening summer, or part time, in which case they are expected to complete degree requirements within three years of matriculation.

Community Health Education

The total number of credits required for graduation is 42, 15 of which must be earned in Public Health core courses (PUBHLTH 540, 565, 601, 620, 630), 15 credits earned in Community Health Education core courses (PUBHLTH 690SJ, 602, 603, 608, 622, 704), 3 credits for the practicum experience, 3 credits for a culminating experience, which is fulfilled by completing an M.P.H. project; and 6 credits from elective courses.

Health Policy and Management

The total number of credits required for graduation is 42, 15 of which must be earned in Public Health core courses (PUBHLTH 540, 565, 601, 620, 630), 3 credits for the practicum experience, 3 credits for culminating experience, which is fulfilled by completing a M.P.H. project; and 21 credits from Health Policy and Management courses. The courses in Health Policy and Management have been classified under three content areas: Health Care Management and Administration (PUBHLTH 525, 621, 628, 691G, 780), Health Policy (PUBHLTH 524, 525, 580, 614, 629, 630, 726, 780), and Health Services Research (PUBHLTH 608, 622, 624, 628, 640, 704, 726). The remaining credits may be earned through a combination of elective courses, practicum experience, and M.P.H. project (or other culminating experience).

All M.P.H. students are required to complete a practicum as part of their degree requirements. Practice experiences may be paid or unpaid. Culminating experience options include one or more of the following: a capstone course, an M.P.H. project or a comprehensive examination.

Courses

507 Violence as a Public Health Issue505 Current Issues in Health Education
524 Introduction to Health Politics and Policy
525 Ethical Issues in Health
580 Comparative Health Systems
582 Women’s Health and Family Planning
583 Global Health
601 Application of Social and Behavioral Theories in Public Health Interventions
602 Community Development and Health Education
603 Principles of Group Dynamics in Public Health
608 Communication Theory Applied to Health Education
615 Politics of HIV/AIDS
620 Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System
621 Health Care Organization and Administration
622 Program Evaluation in Health Administration
624 Research Methods in Health Services Administration
625 Hospital Administration
627 Long Term Care, Policy and Management
628 Financial Management of Health Institutions
629 Politics of Tobacco Control in the United States
696D Special Problems in Public Health
699 Master’s Thesis (M.S. candidates only)
702 Advanced Methods in Health Education
704 Planning in Community Health Education
708 Research Methods in Community Health Education
722 Managed Care Planning
726 Health Economics and Reimbursement
780 Public Health Law

A completed Application Form.
The cost for a SOPHAS application is $135 for the first school or program you apply to. Any additional schools or programs you choose to apply to will cost $50 per designation, even if you submit those schools or programs later in the application cycle.
International Student Sponsor Statement is required of all international students.
One official transcript from all colleges/universities attended, undergraduate and graduate, where (nine) 9 or more credits were taken are required. If they are not mailed directly from the college/university, they should be enclosed in sealed envelopes signed by the college/university. If the official transcripts and/or degree certificate(s) are not in English, notarized English language translations in duplicate must accompany them. Do not list colleges/universities where (eight) 8 or fewer credits were taken.
Letters of recommendation (academic references) from two (2) professors or instructors who have taught you in courses in the field you are applying to here. After submission of the electronic application, we will send an email to each referee giving them instructions on how to electronically deliver the recommendation to the Graduate School. All recommendations will be considered confidential unless the applicant doesn't waive his/her right of access.
Scores from the following standard examinations:
- GRE (Graduate Record Examination)-General Test required by nearly all graduate programs - (refer to Degrees and Programs Offered)
- GRE SUBJECT TEST (not a universal requirement-refer to the Programspage for those programs requiring a Subject Test)
- GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test)-for graduate applicants to Management, Hospitality & Tourism Management, and Sport Management  
- English Language Test: Either TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), or IELTS (International English Language Testing System)-only the academic version of test is accepted, or PTE Academic (Pearson Test of English)