Master of Public Health
Health Promotion

Health promotion is creating and implementing personal, social and physical environmental interventions that enable individuals and communities, not only to prevent disease and to have access to health care, but also to improve their quality of life, and increase quantity of life.

Health promoters and educators are in high demand in the 21st century. The heavy burden of lifestyle-related diseases or chronic diseases can be overcome only if health care providers work together with health educators and promoters as agents of change. The MPH with an emphasis in health promotion is committed to preparing those agents of change.

In addition to the professional competencies listed in at the beginning of the Public Health section of the Bulletin, the graduate with an emphasis in Health Promotion will have the following competencies:

1. Analyzes current global health issues and the interface between globalization processes and their impact on the health and welfare of disadvantaged populations.
2. Addresses adolescent and school health issues.

Admission Requirements

1. A baccalaureate degree or its equivalent with a grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 or better (on a four-point scale). Students with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.00 may be admitted on scholastic probation. Their admission status will be reevaluated after completion of 12 semester hours of coursework.
2. Proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking the English language, which is the medium of instruction at AIIAS (see p. 20).

Prerequisite

1. Undergraduate studies in Human Anatomy and Physiology (3 semester hours) with a passing grade.
2. General Mathematics (3 semester hours).
3. Biology (3 semester hours).

It is possible to be accepted into the program provisionally when the prerequisites are not fully met. In such a case, the student agrees to complete them before 50% of the coursework has been completed.

These required prerequisites are undergraduate credits with a minimum grade of B. Other documents that demonstrate acceptable level of knowledge in the above subjects may be acceptable to the department, including evidence of successful completion of online study modules, or other modalities, from recognized institutions/organizations, with a passing grade. Prerequisites are valid only if taken within the last 10 years.

Requirements

To earn the MPH degree with emphasis in Health Promotion, the student must satisfy the following requirements:

1. Complete a minimum of 38 semester hours of studies as stipulated in the curriculum, achieving a GPA of 3.00 or higher.
2. Choose one of the following options:
   1. Elective class beginning with a PH prefix (3 units) + PHHP 691 Field Learning Internship (3 units) + Comprehensive Examination.
   2. Master’s thesis including an oral defense (6).

Curriculum

The curriculum for the MPH with emphasis in Health Promotion comprised a minimum of 44 semester hours, configured as follows:

Core Courses	Credits
CHMN 630 Health Ministries	3
PHFN 600 Health Promotion Theory and Practice	3
PHFN 605 Planning and Evaluating Health Promotion Programs	3
PHFN 610 Principles of Environmental Health and Disaster Management	4
PHFN 615 Principles of Epidemiology	3
PHFN 620 Biostatistics	3
PHFN 625 Maternal-Child Health and Family Planning	3
RESM 520 Academic Writing	2
RESM 610 Research Methods	3
Total Credits	27

 

Health Promotion Emphasis	Credits
PHHP 640 Public Health Nutrition	3
PHHP 645 School and Adolescent Health	3
PHHP 655 Lifestyle Diseases and Risk Reduction Programs	3
PHHP 660 Current Global Health Issues	3
Total Credits	12

 

Culminating Phase	Credits
Complete one of the following options:
1. Elective class beginning with a PH prefix (3 units) + PHHM 691 Field Learning Internship (3 units) + Comprehensive Examination.
2. Thesis (6 units). The thesis will follow the Graduate School criteria, and the additional guidelines from the Department (see Departmental Policies and Guidelines section).
Total Credits	6

 

Total semester hours

44