The MPH in Health Behavior and Health Promotion (HBHP), offered by the Division of Health Promotion Sciences, is based on a philosophy of health education, health promotion, and disease prevention, to improve the quality of life of individuals, families and communities.  The HBHP discipline focuses on three areas:

• Sociocultural factors that influence health and health behavior;

• Scientific and theoretical basis for planning, implementing, and evaluating effective public health education; health promotion and disease prevention programs; and

• The goal of facilitating behavior change for healthy life.

The program provides students with the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills that are essential for the promotion of health and prevention of disease in culturally diverse populations.  Specific competencies that students are expected to acquire include: a working knowledge of sociocultural factors that influence health, an ability to plan culturally appropriate and effective public health interventions, knowledge and skills relating to the application of sociocultural principles to health promotion and disease prevention programs, culturally relevant service delivery that facilitates positively changed health behaviors, and appropriate methods and skills to effectively plan, implement, and evaluate public health programs. 

The Health Behavior and Health Promotion concentration places a strong emphasis on the following factors in its determination of a candidates’ potential for success in the concentration:  long range goals and commitment to public health; successful leadership experience or potential; work and volunteer experience related to the concentration’s public health focus; demonstrated community service; public health experience or interest; documented experience and/or commitment to underserved areas and populations.  The personal statements of students applying for admission to the Health Behavior and Health Promotion concentration should include information regarding these factors.

FACULTY:
Lisa Staten, PhD - Section Chair; Lynda Bergsma, PhD; Richard Carmona, MD, MPH; Kathryn Coe, PhD; Peter Giacobbi, PhD; Nicole Yuan, PhD.

Health Behavior and Health Promotion Curriculum

Total Minimum Credit Requirement (43 units)

REQUIRED CORE COURSES (16 units)

CPH 573A   Basic Principles of Epidemiology (3)
CPH 574     Public Health Policy and Management (3)
CPH 575     Environmental and Occupational Health (3)
CPH 576A   Biostatistics for Public Health (3)
CPH 577     Sociocultural & Behavioral Aspects of Public Health (3)
CPH 596N  Internship Preparation (1)

REQUIRED HBHP COURSES (21 units)
CPH 531     Contemporary Health Issues and Research (3)
CPH 532A   Applied Aspects of Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation I (4)
CPH 535     Multicultural Health Beliefs (3)
CPH 596E   Health Education/Behavioral Sciences Leadership Seminar (2)

CPH 650     Applied Public Health Theory (3)

CPH 909      Master's Report "Internship" (6)

ELECTIVE COURSES (minimum 6 units) (approved by Advisor)