Program Overview
The Master of Science degree program in Prevention Science and Community Health is a 33 credit hour program that is intended to provide students with training in the fundamentals of prevention science, including (a) the assessment of risk and protective factors that predict and modify health and behavior outcomes; (b) the development of preventive interventions that target these risk and protective factors; and (c) the implementation and evaluation of these interventions. Students in the program will develop skills in translating prevention research into demonstrable preventive action, and to successfully partner with communities and organizations for the implementation of evidence-based preventive interventions with fidelity and sensitivity to communities’ diversity and unique strengths.
The focus of this program is in line with the seven priority areas of the U.S. National Prevention Strategy (e.g., tobacco-free living, preventing drug abuse and excessive alcohol use, healthy eating, active living, injury and violence-free living, reproductive and sexual health, and mental/emotional well-being), as implemented through the Strategy’s strategic directions of creating healthy and safe communities, eliminating health disparities, providing clinical and community prevention services, and empowering people. The program is intended to prepare students for research or technical positions in government, industry, academia, or private institutions, as well as to pursue future doctoral studies in public health.
The curriculum consists of required coursework in prevention science and public health, required coursework in statistics/research methodology, credit hours in elective coursework (chosen in consultation with the program advisor), and required credit hours dedicated to proposing and completing a research thesis. All students in the MS PSCH will follow the Program Guidelines and develop their study plan in conjunction with their advisor.
Video
Competencies
The Master of Science in Prevention Science and Community Health (MS) degree is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Upon completion of the Master of Science in Prevention Science and Community Health (MS) degree, all graduates will be able to demonstrate these competencies:
- Competencies:
| Apply epidemiologic methods to the measurement and study of prevention science. |
| Describe the origins, foundations, and standards of prevention science. |
| Design and carry out theoretically-grounded research studies that contribute to the literature on risk and protective factors, and identify their mechanisms of influence associated with health and behavior outcomes across the life span. |
| Explain evidence-based preventive interventions and how to apply prevention science theories to the design, implementation, adaption, and evaluation of preventive interventions. |
| Integrate knowledge of research design, quantitative and qualitative methods, data analysis, and multi-method, multi-agent assessment methods commonly used in prevention science into research activities. |
| Communicate research findings and conclusions (written and oral) in a clear and concise manner. |
| Describe the importance of diversity and contextual issues such as culture, identity, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, marginalization, poverty, inequity and religion in research and applied activities. |
- Average program duration: 2 years
- Total required credits: 33 credits
M.S. in Prevention Science and Community Health Curriculum
- Thesis Courses
|
Note:
Effective Summer 2022 the course number for the Master’s Thesis courses (EPH 698 and 699) have been changed to EPH 810. The requirements to complete the MS Thesis remain the same. The “section” of the EPH 810 course determines which stage of the thesis the student is engaged in: proposal or defense.
|
| Old Course Number |
New Course Number |
| EPH 698 - Master Thesis Proposal (3 Credits) |
EPH 810-Section PRP - Master's Thesis - Proposal (3 Credits) |
| EPH 699 - Master's Thesis (3 Credits) |
EPH 810-Section DEF - Master's Thesis - Defense (3 Credits) |
|
Curriculum information and course descriptions can be found here.
For the program application, click below.
