Health Promotion Sciences, M.S. or Ph.D.
About the Program
The Department of Health Promotion Sciences offers a program leading to either a Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy degree. Faculty expertise in health promotion sciences includes anthropology, family studies, gerontology, health education, health promotion, psychology, research methods, sociology, social work, and other related disciplines. The department has identified minority health/health disparities as a major emphasis of research and instruction. The degree programs in the department prepare students for career opportunities with such organizations as federal, state, and local public health agencies; short- and long-term health care institutions; voluntary health agencies; universities, colleges, and public schools; state and local community mental health agencies; business and industry; and other health related agencies.
Cost
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are enrolled in the prescribed courses and to pay tuition and fees at the time designated by the Bursar's Office. Details regarding tuition/fee charges and collection are available from the Bursar's Office.
Admissions
In addition to meeting all standard requirements of admission to OU Health Sciences, applicants must also meet program-specific prerequisites. Admission on probationary status may be conferred for students who do not meet all of the admission requirements.
A professional and supportive faculty/student relationship is an important component of successful graduate programs. Faculty members are most likely to accept a student when the prospect of productive academic and professional advancement is high. Prospective students are encouraged to contact HPS faculty members to determine who could be an optimal mentor. The absence of a good fit can reduce enthusiasm for accepting a particular applicant regardless of application content.
Master of Science Degree Requirements
The Master of Science (MS) degree in HPS is oriented toward research in the specialty area within public health. Requirements for admission are the same as for all MS degree programs in the Graduate College and are described elsewhere in this bulletin.
Graduation requirements include a minimum of 36 semester hours and a thesis, with no more than four semester hours allowed for work related to the thesis (5980). At least three of the five core courses required of the M.P.H. degree must be included in the MS requirements. With written approval of both the student's departmental chair and the chair of the offering department, a more advanced course may be substituted for any of the core courses. All degree candidates are required to successfully defend their thesis.
A minimum of 38 hours is required for the MS degree in Health Promotion Sciences. The MS degree is appropriate for baccalaureate degree graduates seeking a pathway to a PhD in public health. Evidence of PhD potential is required of MS applicants.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Four of the College’s Core Courses | 12 | |
| Required Courses | 9 | |
| Selective Course | 3 | |
| Elective Courses and Research for Master’s Thesis | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 38 | |
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Hudson College of Public Health Core Courses (12 credit hours) | ||
| BSE 5163 | Biostatistical Methods I | 3 |
| BSE 5113 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| HPS 5213 | Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health | 3 |
| BSE 5033 | Foundations and Overview of Public Health | 3 |
| Health Promotion Required Courses (9 credit hours) | ||
| HPS 5453 | Theoretical Concepts of Health Promotion | 3 |
| HPS 5543 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| HPS 5563 | Program Planning for Health Promotion | 3 |
| Health Promotion Requirement (3 credit hours) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Health and Illness in Old Age. | ||
| Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Health | ||
| Health and the American Indian | ||
| Health Promotion Electives and Thesis Research | ||
| 2-3 courses from a variety of courses offered including a Research Skill Elective 1 | 14 | |
| Total Hours | 38 | |
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Including HPS 5980 Research for Master's Thesis (3-6 credit hours)
Additional Degree Requirements for MS in Health Promotion Sciences
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Oral Thesis Defense
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Master’s Thesis
Comprehensive Examination/Culminating Experience for Master of Science degree: The examination is an oral exam that covers all fields of public health. The Dean of the Graduate College will authorize the examination for MS students.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in HPS is an advanced, research-oriented degree designed for those intending to pursue research or teaching in the field. General requirements for admission and completion of the degree are consistent with those applicable to all PhD programs as described elsewhere in this bulletin. Acceptance into the Health Promotion Sciences program requires a Master’s degree in Public health (or relevant Master’s degree), completion of the five core public health courses, GPA ≥ 3.50, suitable GRE or TOEFL scores, an example of prior writing, and a statement of your purpose for seeking this degree program. Prospective students are encouraged to contact a HPS faculty member who could be a potential mentor. Conditional admittance on probationary status may be conferred for students who do not meet all of the admission requirements.
Conditional admittance may be conferred for students who do not meet all of the admission requirements. A minimum of 60 semester hours post-masters must be presented for the degree. No more than 30 hours will be allowed for work related to the dissertation (6980).
The curriculum is composed of HPS Core courses (9 hours), Research Methods (15 hours), a minor field (9 hours) and coursework in a substantive area (15 hours). Minor and substantive area requirements must be approved by the student's advisory committee. The comprehensive exam is composed of individual exams in three areas: Theory, Methods, and Substantive Area. The Theory and Methods portions of the exam are departmental exams with no fewer than three evaluators. Any faculty member in the department can submit questions and serve as an evaluator. The Substantive Area exam will be given by the student's dissertation committee. The five-member dissertation committee will be composed of 3 faculty members from HPS, 1 from COPH or the substantive area and 1 member from the minor area.
Course Requirements
(completion of a minimum of 60 credit hours post-Master’s)
Any PhD student who has not previously completed the core MPH courses or earned an MPH degree will be required to complete either an overview course in public health (BSE 5033 Foundations and Overview of Public Health at the first opportunity.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| HPS 6633 | Health Promotion Theory I: Individuals and Small Groups | 3 |
| HPS 6643 | Health Promotion Theory II: Groups, Organizations, Community, and Policy | 3 |
| HPS 6943 | Advanced Program Evaluation | 3 |
| Methods 1 | ||
| Required Specific Courses: | ||
| HPS 6933 | Qualitative Research Methods in Public Health | 3 |
| HPS 6953 | Advanced Research Methods in Social and Behavorial Sciences | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Biostatistics Methods II | ||
| Analysis of Frequency Data | ||
| Intermediate Biostatistical Methods for Health Professionals | ||
| Select two additional courses in either Qualitative or Quantitative Methods, such as from the following options: | 6 | |
Qualitative Methods Electives 2 | ||
| Focus Group Research | ||
| Social Marketing | ||
| Qualitative Methods: Participant Observation | ||
Quantitative Methods Electives 3 | ||
| Regression Analysis | ||
| Nonparametric Methods | ||
| Survival Data Analysis | ||
| Analysis of Multivariate Data | ||
| Substantive Area (Major) | ||
| Select a minimum of 15 credit hours in a substantive area of public health/health promotion will comprise the primary area of concentration specific to the student’s interests 4 | 15 | |
| Related Area (Minor) | ||
| Select a minimum of nine credit hours from relevant areas of public health or an established discipline in the social and behavioral sciences will comprise a secondary area of concentration specific to the student’s interests | 9 | |
| Dissertation | ||
| Select a minimum of 12 credit hours 5 | 12 | |
| Other Opportunities and University Requirements | ||
| Complete a one credit course in RCR approved by the Department 6 | 1 | |
| Total Hours | 61 | |
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15 credit hours (5 courses), not including any required pre-requisites.
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Prerequisite: HPS 6933 Qualitative Research Methods in Public Health
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Prerequisite: BSE 5173 Biostatistics Methods II or BSE 5663 Analysis of Frequency Data
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Examples of concentration areas relevant to this department include social determinants of health, minority health, health disparities, nutritional health/food security, workforce development, health and aging, and social justice. Students and advisors must identify sufficient courses to satisfy the declared major.
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Dissertation work occurs in steps. Close collaboration with the faculty advisor and dissertation committee members is required throughout the process.
- The required coursework noted above (Core, Methods, Major, and Minor) is completed first.
- Written comprehensive exams are then taken that cover three content areas: Theory, Methods, and the student’s substantive and related concentrations. The Theory and Methods content comprises a departmental exam. It will have no fewer than three evaluators and any faculty member in the department can submit questions and serve as an evaluator. The Substantive Area exam will be prepared by the student’s dissertation committee. In the event that a student fails part or all of a comprehensive exam, she/he will be required to retake the exam.
- Dissertation Proposal Oral Defense – Once the student has successfully passed the written comprehensive exams, the student will complete and orally defend a dissertation proposal under the direction of the five-member Dissertation Committee.
- Dissertation Oral Defense – Once the student has successfully completed the dissertation work, the five-member Dissertation Committee will conduct the oral defense of the dissertation.
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Other Opportunities and University Requirements (1 credit)
- Doctoral students will have a range of teaching experience opportunities and may be invited to facilitate educational activities. Such opportunities should be discussed by the student and their advisor and/or advisory committee to determine suitability.
- Doctoral students are required, prior to initiation of Doctoral research, to complete a one credit course in RCR approved by the Department, complete CITI training in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Protection of Human Research Subjects, and attend the OUHSC IRB In-House Education Program.
Course Sequencing
Not all courses are offered on an annual basis and certain courses are important prerequisites for other courses. In order to assure that students are following the proper course sequence, all students must meet with their advisor each semester in order to complete enrollment for the next semester. In addition, all students are requested to enroll for at least six credit hours per semester to facilitate students progressing through the curricula as a cohort.
Courses outside the College of Public Health can support a concentration and are acceptable curricular elements with advisor approval. Students will work with faculty advisors to determine the optimal selection of coursework.
Master of Science
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- Grade point average of 3.0 or above calculated using the upper-division coursework of the bachelor’s degree.
- Proof of language proficiency for international applicants: TOEFL score of 88 or above for most programs. The MHA program requires a TOEFL score of 100 IBT.
- GRE test is required for all degrees and programs.
- All MPH applicants are required to have some mathematics in their undergraduate program. College Algebra will meet this requirement.
Doctor of Philosophy
- Successful completion of a Master’s degree in Public Health.
- Minimum grade point average of 3.5.
- GRE scores of at least 145 on the verbal and quantitative
- Reasoning sections of the exam and 2+ on the written section.
- Successful completion of the following required courses:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BSE 5163 | Biostatistical Methods I | 3 |
| BSE 5113 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
| HPS 5213 | Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health | 3 |
| OEH 5013 | Environmental Health | 3 |
| HAP 5453 | U.S. Health Care Systems | 3 |