Health Promotion and Health Equity
About This Program |
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Admissions ContactRachel Ahlmeyer |
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Program ContactsShannon Gifford, EdD Olya Clark, PhD |
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100% Online DeliveryCourses will be offered in an asynchronous online format, delivered via the Springfield College Brightspace (D2L) interface. All asynchronous courses will include synchronous office hours and student access to one-on-one synchronous meetings as needed. |
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Upcoming Health Promotion and Health Equity EventsVirtual Information Session Spring Graduate Fair Virtual Information Session Virtual Information Session Virtual Information Session |
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Promote equity and improve health in diverse populations
Through a mix of required and elective courses consisting of 30 credit hours, students will examine critical and complex health equity and social justice challenges in the Health Promotion and Health Equity (HPHE) program. Students will develop a deeper understanding of the economic, social, environmental, political, and health issues impacting vulnerable populations. Students will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to drive policy changes, evaluate needs, identify assets, and solve pressing health-related challenges. Program graduates are prepared to use social and behavioral theories and models to design, implement, and evaluate interventions aimed at addressing social determinants of health and decreasing health disparities. In addition to core courses, students choose a track, two electives and complete a capstone course ensuring their degree aligns with their current role and future career goals.
The core courses will form the primary content of the major and will include: conceptual and theoretical foundations of health behavior change; determinants of health and health inequity; planning, implementation, and evaluation of health programs; and working effectively with underserved populations. Students will select one of two tracks that will provide an opportunity to focus on specialty areas in Health Promotion.
UNDERSTANDING THE TWO TRACKS
The Health Education and Behavior Change track will provide students with the opportunity to focus on skills and perspectives to facilitate healthy practices at individual and societal levels. These perspectives include the theoretical, programmatic and empirical foundations of learning and teaching; strategies and policies that promote healthy populations; and administration and management of health education programs. In addition to the primary core courses, students will take additional coursework in social and emotional learning, leadership, and health advocacy. Students who enter the program with an initial teaching license in health/family and consumer sciences in Massachusetts who complete the Health Education and Behavior Change track as part of this degree will have obtained the credentials to earn their professional teaching license.
The Health Equity and Social Justice track provides students with the opportunity to focus on diverse perspectives in community health education and health promotion. These perspectives include how to educate others about health; create a culture of health; identify structural causes of health inequities; and interpret health trends; and advocate for health equity. In addition to the primary core courses, students will take additional courses in social justice, ethics, cultural humility, structural drivers of health disparity and inequities, and implementation and sustainability of community health programs. The core courses, along with the courses in the Health Equity and Social Justice track, are aligned with the Responsibilities and Competencies outlined by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Students who successfully complete the degree and this track will be eligible and may apply to take the Certified Health Education SpecialistⓇ (CHESⓇ) credentialing exam, or the Master Certified Health Education SpecialistⓇ (MCHESⓇ) credentialing exam. CHESⓇ and MCHESⓇ certification indicate professional competency in the discipline as well as dedication to professional development, and is the gold standard for certification in the field of health education.
Students will choose two elective courses as part of their program. The elective courses will allow students to identify and select courses that supplement and/or complement their knowledge base in the fields of health education, health promotion and health equity.
Earn your degree while continuing to work - Because the classes in this program are offered online, you can continue to work full-time, advancing your career as you complete your degree at your own pace.
All students will complete a capstone project as their culminating program experience. The capstone requirement is meant to synthesize the scope of knowledge, theory, and skills developed across the breadth of the program and allow students the opportunity to put theory into practice and engage with the community. Capstone proposals and projects will be unique to the student and their current or anticipated professional experiences. Comprehensive capstone proposals and projects are accomplished with consultation and direction provided by the faculty member teaching the capstone course.
Admissions Requirements
You are more than a number to us.
Springfield College uses a holistic approach to graduate admission; we consider many aspects of the student during the admissions process. You are more than your grades, or where you went to school. Students are not required to submit GRE scores. Instead, we take the following into consideration:
- Your community involvement/service
- Leadership
- Your personal/professional ethics
- What you have achieved in your current career
- Letters of recommendation
Admission Requirements
Complete the application form. No application fee.
Start your application process by completing the online application form. Be sure to complete your application by submitting all the required materials outlined in this section.
Graduate Admissions Essay
Once your application form is processed you will receive an email with your application portal login credentials. Once you login to your application portal you'll be able to upload your essay.
In two to three double-spaced pages, please describe significant life experiences that have contributed to your interest in your field, your understanding of this field, your occupational objectives, and why you have chosen Springfield College.
Resume
Please include any college activities, out-of-school leadership experiences, work history, and community involvement to support your interest in or qualifications for graduate study. Once your application form is processed you will receive an email with your application portal login credentials. Once you login to your application portal you'll be able to upload your resume.
Letters of Recommendation
This program requires two letters of recommendation. Recommenders will receive an email when you submit your application and will be able to upload your letter to your application.
Official Transcripts from All Institutions Previously/Currently Attended
- An official transcript from each college/university you have attended is required.
- Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. In some cases, including if you plan to request coursework be transferred, a course-by-course translation is required. For this we recommend the World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc.
- In order to be considered official, transcripts must be received directly from the original source, by email to graduate@springfield.edu, or mailed to the college address:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109
International Applicants
All international applicants from non-English speaking countries are required, in addition to the items listed above, to submit:
- Proof of English language proficiency by way of the TOEFL or IELTS. Other tests may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please refer to our language requirements for more information on acceptable tests, minimum scores, exemptions, and conditional acceptance. If your undergraduate degree was earned in the United States and you successfully completed college-level English, we will consider English language proficiency met.
- Please note: Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). For this we recommend SpanTran, with its customized portal for Springfield College applicants. World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. are also recommended for your credential evaluations.
The staff in the Office of International Admissions can assist you with questions you may have about enrolling at Springfield College as an international student by emailing intladmissions@springfieldcollege.edu.
To submit materials:
After submitting your online application form you will receive user login credentials to access your student application portal. From that portal, you will be able to upload your graduate admissions essay and your resume. Recommenders will receive an email when you submit your application and will be able to upload your letter to your application. In order to be considered official, transcripts must be received directly from the original source, by email to graduate@springfield.edu, or mailed to the college address:
Springfield College
Office of Graduate Admissions
263 Alden Street
Springfield, MA 01109
Curriculum
Core Curriculum (4 Courses, 12 credits)
- HLTH 601 - Health Behavior Change (3 credits)
- HLTH 602 - Determinants of Health Equity (3 credits)
- HLTH 605 - Health Communication and Media Literacy (3 credits)
- HLTH 607 - Assessing Power and Privilege in Health (3 credits)
Selectives (3 Courses, 9 credits)
Suggested for the Health Education and Behavior Change Track
- HLTH 615 - Advocacy and Leadership in Health Education (3 credits)
- HLTH 617 - Social & Emotional Development in Children and Adolescents (3 credits)
- HLTH 619 - Advanced Instructional Strategies in Health Education (3 credits)
Suggested for the Health Promotion and Health Equity Track
- HLTH 614 - Implementation and Sustainability of Comm. Health Programs (3 credits)
- HLTH 624 - Health Promotion & Professional Ethics (3 credits)
- HLTH 634 - Health Promotion Programs for Priority Populations (3 credits)
Electives (2 Courses, 6 credits)
- HLTH 510 – Race, ethnicity, class and gender (3 credits)
- HLTH 515 – Hunger and food insecurity (3 credits)
- HLTH 520 – Urban and rural health (3 credits)
- HLTH 525 - Human disease and health literacy (3 credits)
- HLTH 530 – Women’s health issues (3 credits)
- HLTH 640 – Techniques of applied nutrition (3 credits)
- HLTH 682 – Critical issues in health promotion, health equity and social justice (3 credits)
Capstone (1 Course, 3 credits)
- HLTH 686 – Capstone in Health Promotion and Health Equity (3 credits)
Deadline
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis prior to the start of the intended term of entry.
Cost
This program is a total of 30 credits.
The 2022-23 cost per credit rate is $700 per credit.
This program tuition is approximately $21,000.
