The Department of Health Science offers the program in health studies leading to the Master of Arts degree. The program courses address areas including the foundations of health promotion, program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Students are prepared to practice in community non-profits and worksite settings. The degree does not require a thesis. Students will complete a comprehensive exam as their culminating experience.
Admissions
In addition to the minimum Graduate School admission requirements, to be considered for regular admission an application must include:
- At least 3 letters of recommendation.
- Applicants should seek out 3 recommenders who are familiar with their skills and abilities.
- It is not ideal to have letters written by family or friends.
- Applicants should reach out to the Health Studies MA Program Director if more guidance is needed on selecting recommenders.
- Quality letters of recommendation are typically at least one page in length.
- A Résumé or Curriculum Vita (CV)
- A Statement of Purpose that details:
- Interests in the field of Health Promotion and related fields
- Any skills, abilities, or experience applicants may have that would support enrollment in your selected program
- Professional goals and aspirations
- How the program to which the applicant is applying aligns with the applicant’s goals and aspirations
- Any other information the applicants would like to share regarding their qualifications to study at the graduate level at UA
Statements should be approximately 2 pages in length, double-spaced, and the writing should be representative of a potential graduate student. Please be sure to proofread and edit the statement before submitting with the complete application.
Please note no academic credit, course waivers, or credit shall be granted for life experience or previous work experience. Also, no student can earn both the MA in Health Studies and the MPH degrees. Courses completed can only be used to earn one degree from the Department of Health Science.
Requirements for After Admission
All applicants who receive an offer of admission must accept that offer by indicating their intent to enroll. The link to accept admission is in the official offer of admission letter sent by the UA Graduate School. Once a student has accepted admission, they will be required to have an initial advising appointment with the MA in Health Studies Program Director.
See the Admission Criteria section of this catalog for more information.
Curricular Requirements
*This program is only offered online through distance education.
The Master of Arts in Health Studies degree will be awarded to the student who has met the following requirements:
- Successful completion of 30 hours of approved courses including 12 hours of electives.
- Evidence of the capacity to perform academically at the graduate level and to make satisfactory academic progress by maintaining an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher throughout the program.
- Students are expected to demonstrate writing proficiency at a graduate level.
The MA in Health Studies program does not offer a thesis option. All students will complete 12 hours of electives and a culminating experience to complete the degree requirements.
| Code and Title | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| HES 509 | Research Methods | 3 |
| HHE 515 | Adv Foundation Health Promot | 3 |
| HHE 520 | Theories of Health Behavior | 3 |
| HHE 530 | Health Promotion Techniques | 3 |
| HHE 565 | Planning Health Promotion Prog | 3 |
| HHE 566 | Program Eval In Hlth Promot | 3 |
| Elective Courses - Select 4 | 12 | |
| Basic Epidemiology | ||
| Biostatistics | ||
| Critics Iss in Global Hlth | ||
| Worksite Hlth Promo Programs | ||
| Environmental Health Promotion | ||
| Health Disparities | ||
| Sex Ed: Theory & Practice | ||
| Women and Health | ||
| Cert Hlth Ed Specialist Study | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Completion of a Comprehensive Exam | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Transfer Credit
Applicants interested in transferring graduate credit to the MA program from an outside institution should reach out to the MA Program Coordinator. Please note the Department of Health Science allows a maximum of 6 hours of transfer credit as approved by the MA Program Coordinator. To be counted toward the MA, all transferred hours must have been completed with a B or higher from a regionally accredited school and taken during the six-year period (18 fall, spring and summer semesters) preceding the semester of admission to the UA master’s program. See also the UA Graduate School's transfer policies.
Comprehensive Exam
All students in the MA in Health Studies program must complete and pass a culminating experience in order to graduate from the program. MA students have two options to complete the culminating experience. Students must confirm their culminating experience requirement during the semester they are enrolled in their final required course.
Option 1 – Comprehensive Exam
The Comprehensive Exam is the default option for all MA in Health Studies students. Students in the program will be expected to complete the Comprehensive Exam unless they opt into Option 2: CHES Exam or in some cases, the Comprehensive Exams is the only exam for students who graduate in a Summer semester. The Comprehensive Exam is based on the 6 required courses. Students must maintain an overall 3.0 GPA or higher in all 6 required courses to attempt the Comprehensive Exam. Comprehensive Exam details will be shared with students as the semester in which they are scheduled to attempt the Comprehensive Exam approaches.
The Comprehensive Exam must be taken in the semester immediately after the final required course is completed and passed. The Comprehensive Exam is offered in Fall (September), Spring (February), and Summer (June). Students taking the Comprehensive Exam will be notified of the Comprehensive Exam timeframe at least one month before the Comprehensive Exam is to be offered in the semester in which they are taking it. Each Comprehensive Exam is reviewed by two graduate faculty members who use a rubric for scoring. A copy of the rubric and Comprehensive Exam scoring details are provided to students on the day their Comprehensive Exam is scheduled to begin.
Option 2 – Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Exam
The CHES Exam is offered by the National Center for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). NCHEC is a national health education organization that certifies health education specialists, promotes professional development, and strengthens the professional preparation and practice of health educators. The CHES Exam tests students on the same concepts and domains as the Comprehensive Exam.
The CHES Exam is administered twice a year during (each April and each October) for a period of 10 days in both months. CHES Exam dates are provided on the NCHEC website. The CHES Exam is computer-based assessment offered at over 400 registered sites. The CHES Exam consists of 150 scored items and includes 15 additional, unscored pilot items. Examinees are provided three hours to complete the multiple-choice exam.
Students who opt to take the CHES Exam as their culminating experience must cover the CHES Exam fee and any other costs associated with the exam. Exam fee details and the registration information for current students are provided on the NCHEC website.
Students who opt into taking the CHES Exam as their culminating experience must complete and pass the exam in order to have the exam count as the culminating experience. Students must submit evidence of their passing grade to the MA Program Coordinator before the deadline set for their semester of graduation.
Students who attempt the exam and do not pass the exam must then attempt and pass the Comprehensive Exam in order to fulfill the culminating experience. The MA Program Coordinator will provide advising and updated deadlines to students who are in this situation.
Time Limits for Degree Completion Requirements
The MA in Health Studies program adheres to the time limits set forth by the UA Graduate School. Students have six years or 18 semesters immediately preceding the date on which the degree is to be awarded to complete all degree requirements and graduate.
Student Progress Requirement
The MA in Health Studies program adheres to the Student Progress Requirements set forth by the UA Graduate School.
Academic Misconduct Information
The MA in Health Studies program follows the criteria and guidelines set forth by the Graduate School on Academic Misconduct.
Withdrawals and Leave of Absence Information
Students are encouraged to follow university policies and processes if seeking a withdrawal from a course, a withdrawal from all courses, or a leave of absence.
Academic Grievances Information
The MA in Health Studies program adheres to the academic grievance procedures as outlined by the Graduate School.
Grades and Academic Standings
The MA in Health Studies program adheres to the grading and academic standing requirements set forth by the Graduate School, except for the transfer credit limit for the program is set to 6 hours.
Graduate School Deadlines Information
Information on Graduate School Deadlines.
Application for Graduation Information
Please visit this link for information about application to graduate.