The 36-credit Master of Science degree is designed specifically for students seeking an advanced practitioner's degree. The program of study is planned around your professional interests and career goals. Within your personalized program, you also can choose to complete an optional project evaluation or a formal thesis. You can complete your program in 3 semesters (1 calendar year). Students often stay longer (4-5 semesters) to take additional courses or improve their opportunities to receive teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and scholarships. Undergraduates from our program do not repeat courses completed as part of the B.S. degree program.
The Department also offers the M.S. degree program in Health Education & Behavior with a specialization in Community Health Education. This specialization prepares community health education specialists to work in public health and human services agencies at the local, state, national, and international levels. This specialized program was the first of its kind at the University of Florida.
Checksheet for Master of Science Degree in Health Education & Behavior
In addition to coursework, you can gain unique experience through our special research and development units.
The Addictive & Health Behaviors Research Institute, which offers full-time and part-time research internships and fellowships, conducts externally funded research examining addictive and health behaviors resulting in effective strategies for preventing harm and promoting health. The Institute focuses on populations at risk for destructive behaviors including children, adolescents, and young adults. The Institute also co-hosts an annual symposium on addictive and health behaviors research.
The Florida Center for Health Promotion works on a variety of projects in areas such as drug and alcohol education, HIV/AIDS education, nutrition education, physical activity, obesity prevention, smoking prevention and cessation, and stress management. The Center offers professional training and research opportunities, and develops health promotion strategies for a variety of populations.
The Health Informatics Laboratory features interactive computer technology and an extensive collection of instructional media. The Laboratory teaches graduate students how to use high-technology in health education and health promotion interventions. Students learn these skills through computer-based instruction, digital simulations, product testing, and research applications.
Your Program of Study (36 Credits)The M.S. program includes 12 credits in core courses and 24 credit hours in electives that you and your advisor select based on your personal interest areas and career plans. Within the 24 credit hours of electives, a variety of professional development options are available to students. In addition to coursework, students may choose to complete field work or an internship in a setting related to your professional interests, create online instructional modules based on health informatics technology, conduct an applied research project, or participate in supervised teaching in a college classroom. Typically,
a professional development project counts for 6 of the 24 elective credit hours. Students who plan to pursue doctoral education are strongly encouraged to complete a thesis.
Possible Interest Areas
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Addictive behavior Alcohol At-risk youth Child and adolescent health College health Disease prevention & health promotion Drug education Emotional health Health and aging Health behavior theories Health disparities Health informatics Health literacy Health promotion and wellness HIV/AIDS/STI Human sexuality Injury prevention |
International health Minority health issues Nutrition and diet Patient education Physical activity Program planning Program evaluation Research Smoking and tobacco education Social marketing and health Special populations Spirituality and health Stress management Voluntary health organizations Women's health Worksite wellness |
A Sample M.S. Program in Health Education and Behavior
Here's an example of courses you might take if you are interested in HIV/AIDS Prevention.
Interest Area: HIV/AIDS Prevention
HSC 5142 - Drug Education (3 credits)
HSC 5138 - Human Sexuality Education (3 credits)
HSC 6935 - HIV/AIDS Education (3 credits)
HSC 5536C - Medical Terminology (3 credits)
HSC 6625 - Trends in International Health (3 credits)
HSC 6629 - Health Promotion for Priority Populations (3 credits)
Required Core Courses (For all students)
HSC 6037 - Philosophy and Principles of Health Education (3)
HSC 6318 - Planning Health Education Programs (3)
HSC 6507 - Epidemiology (3)
HSC 6712 - Evaluating Health Education Programs (3)
Create your personalized program by selecting lecture, non-lecture, and thesis/project courses from the following list:
Lecture CoursesNon-Lecture Courses
HSC 6850 - Internship in Health Education
HSC 6904 - Readings in Health Education and Behavior
HSC 6905 - Independent Study in Health Education and Behavior
HSC 6910 - Supervised Research in Health Education and Behavior
HSC 6940 - Supervised Teaching in Health Education and Behavior
Optional Thesis or Project Courses (6 Credits)
HSC 6971 - Research for Master's Thesis (6)
HSC 6973 - Project in Lieu of Thesis (6)
© Department of Health Education & Behavior, P.O. Box 118210 Gainesville, FL 32611-8210; (352) 392-0583.
Updated: September 26, 2007