Community Health Education, M.S.H.E.

Faculty

• Andrea Crivelli-Kovach, Ph.D., M.A., M.C.H.E.S., Professor, Department of Public Health, Community and Director of the MPH/HE Program
• Katherine Isselmann DiSantis, Ph.D., M.P.H., Assistant Professor, Chair, Department of Public Health
• Dejenaba Gordon, MPH Internship Coordinator
• Margaret Longacre, PhD., M.S.H.E., Assistant Professor
• Heather deVries McClintock, Ph.D., M.P.H., Visiting Assistant Professor

Adjunct Faculty

• Brandon Becker, MPH, Epidemiology, Biostatistics
• Theresa Clark, MPH, HIV, STDs, Human Sexuality, Family, Community Health Education
• Carrie Grabowski, MPH, Research Methods
• Sarah McCool, MPH, Global and International Health, Maternal and Child Health
• Dierdre McKee, M.P.H., Grant Writing, Public Health Practice
• Natasha Patterson, MPH, Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Alison Tartaglia, MSPH, Nicotine Addiction, Chronic Trauma and Health, Global Health Communications
• Susan Villari, MPH, Community Health, Intro to Public Health

About the Program

The Master of Science in Health Education (M.S.H.E.) focuses on health education, health promotion, and research in various settings including educational, community, health care, and occupational/worksite. It affords students the opportunity to increase their depth of knowledge in health, behavioral science, and research methods and program evaluation.

• Preparation for community public health professions
• Capstone projects that integrate practice and research
• Optional internship that gives students firsthand experience working in a community health setting
• Option to incorporate more of an international focus in the degree with specific course selections and an international or global focus for the internship and capstone project.

Program Goals

The Health Education program educates community health professionals to promote the health of individuals, families, communities, and the environment. This is accomplished through a program that integrates education, research, and practice in a global environment.

The goals of the Health Education programs are the following:

• Educate community health education professionals and develop the skills needed to promote health within communities.
• Provide an academic environment that integrates community health education with research and practice.
• Enhance the understanding of the connection between health status and human rights.
• Translate knowledge into practice through collaborative service projects both domestically and internationally.  This can be accomplished through internships and clinical rotations with community-based organizations, clinics, and local health departments.
• Employ scientific investigation to advance public health knowledge of the relationship between health and the structural environment within which individuals live and work.

The Health Education degree is offered through the College of Health Sciences.

Dual Degree Programs

• Health Education/Physician Assistant, M.S.H.E./M.M.S.  (Physician Assistant)
• Health Education/Counseling, M.S.H.E./M.A.C.  

Admission Requirements

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

1. A completed graduate application including personal statements, to be completed online at www.arcadia.edu/gradapp.
2. A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a recommended GPA of 3.0 or better.
3. One official transcript from each college, university or professional school attended. Transfer credits included on a transcript must include grades earned; if not, an official transcript from the original school must be submitted. Transcripts must be sent from the issuing school in a sealed envelope and contain the appropriate signatures and seals to be considered official.
4. Three letters of recommendation. The letters must be of a professional not personal nature, and one from a health professional.  If the student has been out of school five years or less, at least one letter must come from a professor.  
5. Knowledge of the Health profession through work or volunteer experience.
6. Test scores are not required of applicants with an earned master’s degree or who have a GPA greater than a 3.0. Test scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), taken within the past five years are required for all other applicants. 
7. International applicants should visit www.arcadia.edu/international for detailed information on admission requirements and application procedures. TOEFL/IELTS results are required for all students for whom English is a second language or who have not earned degrees or diplomas from post-secondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand). A course-by-course evaluation of all transcripts by an independent evaluation service based in the United States is required.

Expenses

(Dual degree program expenses are listed under the specific programs.)

2018-19Tuition: $750 per credit

Fees:                    

• Registration: $50 per semester
• Technology: $50 per semester
• Parking: $50 per semester or $100 per year (Fall and Spring) before 4 p.m. No charge after 4 p.m.

Financial Aid: Graduate students who have been accepted into a degree program and are enrolled for at least 6 credits per semester are eligible to apply for financial aid. Please visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid for information regarding available aid options and visit www.arcadia.edu/gradfinaidapply to complete required forms online. 

Graduate assistantships/Graduate Student Employment: Graduate Assistantships/Graduate Student Employment may be available to graduate students registered for at least 9 credits per semester. Students may apply for assistantships upon acceptance and registration. Questions regarding graduate assistantships should be directed to the Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies at 215-572-2925.

Federal Loans: Graduate students are eligible to borrow through the Federal Direct Stafford Loan and Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan programs provided they are taking at least 6 credits per semester (in the summer, 6 credits over all summer sessions combined satisfies this requirement).  for more information, visit www.arcadia.edu/finaid.

Requirements

(36 credits)

Certification

Upon completion of the Health Education Degree, students are eligible to sit for the National Certifying Exam for Health Education Specialists (CHES). This certification is recognized by many employers and is recommended to demonstrate mastery of a specific skill set as a Health Education Professional. Information regarding the test is available online through the National Credentialing of Health Education Specialists website (NCHES).