MPH-CHE Program Information

Purpose, Philosophy, and Mission
Program Goals
Program Objectives
Program Accreditation
Prerequisite Coursework
Financial Information
MPH-CHE Student Profile

Purpose, Philosophy, and Mission

Purpose: To promote health and wellness in our communities through well-designed educational interventions.

Philosophy: Health education draws from many different disciplines, including psychology, biology, sociology, communications, business, and education. The variety of undergraduate backgrounds that MPH-CHE candidates bring to the program help all members of the program to broaden their understanding through classroom sharing and team projects.

The curriculum of the MPH-CHE program is designed to prepared candidates to practice health education in the graduate responsibility areas developed by the Joint Committee for Graduate Standards. To further demonstrate mastery of these professional competencies, graduates of the MPH-CHE program are encouraged to become Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) through the national examination offered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.

while in the program. In their present or future professional situations, teamwork and networking will be essential. Mutual support and collaboration are encouraged both informally and through the curriculum in the MPH-CHE program. Many opportunities to develop creative and innovative approaches to health education, often as a team, are provided. The curriculum stimulates personal challenge, growth in understanding, and confidence in one's skills, along with a community connectedness.

Each MPH-CHE candidate, with the assistance of the program director and faculty, is encouraged to examine career options and personal preferences. Opportunities to explore health education in business, communities, schools, clinical settings, and higher education through the core curriculum, electives, workshops and the Preceptorship experience are offered by the department.

In addition to choosing a career path, the graduate student uses the time in the program to form an image of himself or herself as a professional health educator. This process is complemented by readings, projects, and discussions with fellow students and faculty, and memberships in professional organizations.

Mission Statement: The combined mission of the BS-CHE and MPH-CHE programs at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW-La Crosse) is to prepare professionals using entry-level (BS-CHE) and advanced-level (MPH-CHE) health education competencies and public health core areas who will address quality of life enhancement through health education and health promotion, mindful of the holistic, dynamic and interdependent nature of people and their interactions with and within the environment.

Program Goals

  1. To prepare graduate public health practitioners in advanced-level public health core areas and health education competencies through the necessary coursework, Preceptorship, and culminating program experiences.
  2. To prepare graduate public health practitioners in research planning, implementation, and reporting that will contribute to their advanced-level competency development.
  3. To prepare graduate public health practitioners in interactive opportunities with parties internal and external to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse for the sharing of knowledge, resources, and advice.

MPH-CHE Program Objectives: By the end of the MPH-CHE program, at the Advanced 1 level, candidates will be able to:

  • assess individual and community needs at the advanced level;
  • plan health education strategies, interventions, and programs at the advanced level;
  • implement health education strategies, interventions, and programs at the advanced level;
  • conduct evaluation and research related to health education at the advanced level;
  • administer health education strategies, interventions, and programs at the advanced level;
  • serve as a health education resource person at the advanced level;
  • communicate and advocate for health and health education at the advanced level;
  • incorporate biostatistical knowledge and skills into practice;
  • incorporate epidemiologic knowledge and skills into practice;
  • incorporate environmental health knowledge and skills into practice;
  • incorporate health service administration knowledge and skills into practice;
  • incorporate social and behavioral knowledge and skills into practice.

Program Accreditation

The MPH-CHE program at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, and is the first MPH degree offered in the UW System.

It was ranked 6th in the Nation in the 2004 US News and World Report of the Best U.S. Graduate Programs in Community Health.

Prerequisite Coursework

  Community Health Credit Hours
CHE 340 Community Health: Epidemiology & Community Health Problems 3
CHE 498 Community Health Preceptorship, or one year of health-related experience 15
      
Health-Related Sciences (10-13 credits)  
Recommended Basic Science Courses  
CHM 100 or 103 or 417 Contemporary Chemistry/General Chemistry/Biochemistry 4-5
ESS 205/BIO 312  Human Anatomy/Human Anatomy and Physiology I 3-4
ESS 206/BIO 313 Human Physiology/Human Anatomy and Physiology II 3-4
      
Applied Life Sciences  
 

Note: Can apply to Health-Related Sciences Category. Examples include:

  • Introductory Biology/General Biology (BIO 103, 105
  • Microbes and Society (MIC 100)
  • Introduction to the Microbial Sciences (MIC 120)
 
Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credits) Examples include:  
SOC 110 Social World 3
SOC 120 Social Problems 3
SOC 334 Sociology of Small Groups 3
PSY 100 General Psychology 3
PSY 210 Developmental Psychology 3
PSY 212 Lifespan Development 3
PSY 280 Cross-Cultural Development 3
PSY 334 Health Psychology 3
PSY 343 Group Dynamics 3
PSY 320 Human Motivation 3
      
Statistics/Research Design (3-4 credits): Examples include:  
CHE 350 Biometry and Research Design 3
MTH 145 Elementary Statistics 4
PSY 231 Experimental Psychology and Research Methods 3
PSY 420 Advanced Research Methods 3
SOC 250 Methods of Social Research I 3

In some instances, competency acquired through practical experience and/or special training, through examination and/or advisement, may be the basis for waiver of certain required courses. In addition, where obvious deficiencies are apparent, additional courses may be required.

Financial Information

http://www.uwlax.edu/finaid/

MPH-CHE Student Profile

Students in the MPH-CHE program come from a wide array of undergraduate backgrounds and professional experiences. Some were students in health education, while others majored in liberal arts programs, nursing, the social sciences, or the natural sciences. Community health education integrates elements from all these disciplines. MPH-CHE graduate students also have in common an interest in the human condition in all its diverse aspects. They believe that good health is basic to human well-being.

MPH-CHE graduate students should have good communication skills. They will become specialists in the gathering, processing, and disseminating of health information to the public. They are also prevention focused. Graduates from this program are involved in efforts that seek to prevent health problems and optimized healthy lifestyles choices. Such approaches have become even more crucial in an era of burgeoning health care costs.