MS Degree in Community Health Education
Accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)*
The program of study leading to the Master of Science (MS) in Community Health Education Education is a 42 credit, two-year program designed for those who wish to develop the skills necessary to plan and implement health education programs for a variety of populations and in a range of practice settings, as well as in-depth preparation in an area of specialization or in one of the behavioral and social sciences underlying the practice of health education. The program of study enables students to prepare, through the selection of courses in required areas and through elective course work, for professional practice as a health education specialist in community, hospital, government, school, college, or workplace settings. The MS degree may serve as an entry-level professional credential for a career in health education or may serve to prepare qualified students to go on for more advanced professional study in health education or other health-related fields. Completion of the degree program makes graduates eligible to qualify for certification as a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
The program at Teachers College is grounded in the belief that community-level social-environmental structures and organizations play a key role in determining the health of the people. It offers courses in which students learn to analyze and understand and thus become able to influence community structures that either enhance or undercut health-promoting individual behaviors. In addition, students are encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary study and research throughout Teachers College, as well as other divisions of Columbia University— such as the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University, and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Columbia University.
CEPH Accreditation
The MS Program in Community Health Education is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Degree Requirements
MS students enjoy our MPH equivalent degree, which requires completion of the following REQUIRED COURSES:
|
Course number |
Course name |
Credits |
|
Required Courses (Foundation and Concentration) |
||
|
HBSS 4100 |
Behavioral and Social Science Foundations of Health Education |
3 |
|
HBSS 4102 |
Principles of Epidemiology in Health Promotion |
3 |
|
HBSS 4118 |
Principles of Health-Related Behavioral & Social Change: Initiation to Maintenance |
3 |
|
HBSS 4160 |
Introduction to Biostatistics for Community Health Educators |
3 |
|
HBSS 4161 |
Environmental Health |
3 |
|
HBSS 4112 |
Social Policy and Prevention |
3 |
|
HBSS 6100 |
Program Evaluation |
3 |
|
HBSS 4114 |
Competency with Multicultural Populations: Research & Practice |
3 |
|
HBSS 5111 |
Planning Health Education Programs |
3 |
|
HBSS 5112 |
Social Marketing and Health Communications |
3 |
|
Non-HBSS Course |
Any Non-HBSS Course (Out of Department/Program) |
3 |
|
Non-HBSS Course |
Any Non-HBSS Course (Out of Department/Program) |
3 |
|
Applied Practice Experience Course |
||
|
HBSS 5410 |
Practicum in Health Education (Fieldwork) |
3 |
|
Electives |
|
|
|
Select 1 from the list |
HBSS 4012 Eating Disorders HBSS 4110 Health Promotion for Children and Adolescents HBSS 4111 Addictions and Dependencies HBSS 4113 Human Sexuality Education HBSS 4116 Health Education for Teachers HBSS 4117 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology HBSS 4122 Women's Health HBSS 5113 Community Health Analysis |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
Integrative Learning Experience |
Culminating Project for Research, Scholarship and Inquiry |
0 |
|
|
Capstone Portfolio |
0 |
|
|
TOTAL CREDITS |
42 |
A Sample Course Sequence and Program Length
Students may consider a sample demonstrating the desired, typical sequence of MS Degree coursework—while also suggesting a program length of two academic years and one summer. See Table 1 for a clear depiction of a full-time student’s sample course sequence, while also illustrating the program length. We also have part-time students, including many working full-time. Hence, there are many pathways to completing the degree, while the goal is to complete within 5 years.
Table 1: Sample Course Sequence for 2-Year MS Degree Program for 42 Points/ Credits
|
TC CU Year 1 |
|
|
|
Fall Year 1 |
Spring Year 1 |
Summer Year 1 |
|
HBSS4100 Behavioral and Social Science Foundations of Health Education (3 points) |
HBSS 4160 Environmental Health (3 points) |
HBSS5112 Social Marketing and Health Communications (3 points) |
|
HBSS4102 Principles of Epidemiology in Health Promotion (3 points) |
HBSS 4112 Social Policy and Prevention (3 points) |
HBSS5111 Planning Health Education Programs (3 points) |
|
HBSS4118 Principles of Health-Related Behavioral & Social Change: Initiation to Maintenance (3 points) |
HBSS 6100 – Program Evaluation (3 points) |
|
|
HBSS 4160 Introduction to Biostatistics for Community Health Educators (3 points) |
HBSS4114 Competency with Multicultural Populations: Research & Practice (3 points) |
|
|
TC CU Year 2 |
|
|
Fall Year 2 |
Spring Year 2 |
|
HBSS 5410 – Practicum in Health Education (Supervised Fieldwork) (3 points) |
Any Non-HBSS & Out of Department Course within TC, CU (3 points) |
|
HBSS Elective Course Selection (3 points) |
Any Non-HBSS & Out of Department Course within TC, CU (3 points) |
|
|
Complete Integrative Learning Experience – Culminating Project for Research, Scholarship and Inquiry (0 points) & Submit Capstone Portfolio –containing all final papers from required courses (i.e. Course Competency Evaluation Projects (0 points) |
The Fieldwork Requirement
All students are required to enroll in HBSS 5410 Practicum in Health Education (offered in the fall in-person and online) and complete a 180-hour supervised Fieldwork experience in a community setting. The selected Fieldwork should be aligned with their goals for professional development and future employment. During the practicum, students are engaged in a collaborative relationship with a supervisor, staff, and selected consumers within their fieldwork setting.
To successfully complete fieldwork requirements, students, in collaboration with their Fieldwork Supervisor, must select a minimum of 5 out of 28 competencies. Competencies 1 through 22 are the foundational competencies developed by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); competencies 23 through 28 are the program-identified competencies. A minimum of 3 competencies selected for the fieldwork must be foundational competencies.
The Required Culminating Project for Research, Scholarship and Inquiry (ILE)
"Students must complete an integrative learning experience (ILE) that demonstrates synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies," as per the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). This involves an opportunity for students to work closely with their advisor and to integrate what they have learned throughout the program. All students are required to complete a Culminating Project for Research, Scholarship and Inquiry, usually in the Fall semester of the year they will graduate.
Service, Community Engagement & Professional Development Activities—Additional Requirements
Students are expected and encouraged to participate in community and professional service. Students are introduced to service, community engagement, and professional development activities, starting with orientation at the start of their first semester.
The Final Program Requirement: Capstone Portfolio
As the very last requirement for the 42-point MS Program in Health Promotion and Education, students must compile and submit a Capstone Portfolio in order to be eligible for graduation. Students are to create a digital compilation of the following materials:
- Capstone Portfolio Introduction (1-2 pages) that provides an overview of the materials in the portfolio, being placed at the beginning of their digital portfolio
- Course Competency Evaluation Projects and rubrics associated with every HBSS course they have taken during their 42-point degree program; this excludes their out-of- program coursework (these are provided by the professors in the respective courses)
- A copy of their MS Program Mid-Point Evaluation Form
- A copy of their Culminating Project for Research Scholarship and Inquiry along with their advisor’s evaluation
- A Capstone Portfolio Conclusion (3-4 pages) that summarizes and synthesizes their materials, including an analysis of what they feel they have personally accomplished through their degree studies
- A Resume of the student updated to the month before graduation, including mention of
- a LinkedIn account/profile
- a professional gmail account
- Students should place all materials in sequential order from the first to last semester within their Capstone Portfolio. It is recommended that students work closely with their advisor to ensure that they have followed all of the above instructions for compiling their Capstone Portfolio for submission. Submission of the Capstone Portfolio is required for graduation.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Master of Science
- Points/Credits: 42
- Entry Terms: Spring, Summer, Fall
- Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Campus-Based, Part-Time Campus-Based
Application Deadlines
| Entry Term Available | Priority Deadlines | Final Deadlines | Extended Deadlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | November 15, 2024 | November 15, 2024 | N/A |
| Summer | January 15, 2025 | June 1, 2025 | N/A |
| Fall | January 15, 2025 | July 1, 2025 | N/A |
Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines, such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.
Application Requirements
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Online Degree Application, including Statement of Purpose and Resume | |
| Transcripts and/or Course-by-Course Evaluations for all Undergraduate/Graduate Coursework Completed | |
| Results from an accepted English Proficiency Exam (if applicable) | |
| $75 Application Fee | |
| Two (2) Letters of Recommendation |
For admission-related inquiries, please contact HAEPadmission@tc.columbia.edu.
Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2024-2025)
Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 terms.
The mission of the 42-point M.S. degree program in Community Health Education is to address the health of the public through the preparation of specialists trained to focus on the health of community members in varied community settings. Our graduates will be able to engage in the tasks of addressing community and public health via analysis, assessment, program planning, program implementation, intervention, evaluation, and research. And our This mission includes promoting health, preventing disease, reducing injury, and advancing health equity locally, nationally, and globally. , while training exceptional leaders for the delivery of outstanding contributions to diverse regional, national, and international communities through teaching, research and service. Varied structures, institutions, organizations, and agencies in the community setting -- including schools, hospitals, clinics, work-sites, and non-profits -- are engaged in collaborative relationships for purposes of fulfilling the mission.
The vision of the M.S. degree program in Community Health Education is to advance a world-class learning environment that attracts, retains, and graduates diverse leaders who share with faculty a deep commitment to health education, health promotion, disease prevention, and health equity for diverse regional, national and international communities; and, work collaboratively with both faculty and community members through educational, service, and research endeavors. We also value and emphasize the acquisition of cultural competence with multicultural populations, as well as a focus on health disparity reduction and elimination. Our collective work advances and disseminates the behavioral and social science serving as the foundation for effective community health education.
Completion of the M.S. degree program makes graduates eligible to qualify for certification as a Certified Health Education Specialist through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. The credit hours available through this degree program may also be utilized to make one eligible to sit for the examination for the Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) -- also available through the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
The Progression of Courses & Requirements for the 42 Point M.S. Degree
Public Health Core Knowledge (21 Points):
-
HBSS 4100 Behavioral and Social Science Foundations of Health Education (3)
-
HBSS 4102 Principles of Epidemiology in Health Promotion (3)
-
HBSS 4112 Social Policy and Prevention (3)
-
HBSS 4118 Principles of Health-Related Behavioral & Social Change: Initiation to Maintenance (3)
-
HBSS 4160 Introduction to Biostatistics for Community Health Educators (3)
-
HBSS 4161 Environmental Health (3)
-
HBSS 6100 Program Evaluation (3)
Community Health Core Knowledge (9 Points):
-
HBSS 4114 Competency with Multicultural Populations: Research & Practice (3)
-
HBSS 5111 Planning Health Education Programs (3)
-
HBSS 5112 Social Marketing and Health Communications (3)
Broad and Basic Areas of Professional Scholarship and Practice (6 Points):
Students should take two 3-point courses approved by their advisor, while selecting courses offered by another department (i.e. Non-HBSS) at the college.
Elective Course (3 Points):
Students should take one HBSS Elective Course: Select one from the List of Options, above, under the M.A. degree description. There is variability with regard to the courses actually being offered within an academic year, so check the current semester’s course offerings.
PRACTICAL SKILLS [FIELDWORK] (3 Points):
-
HBSS 5410 – Practicum in Health Education (3)
Culminating Project for Research, Scholarship and Inquiry (0 Points)
The Culminating Project for Research Scholarship and Inquiry (0 points) involves an opportunity for students to work closely with their advisor and to integrate what they have learned throughout the program (e.g., major research paper; community health education curriculum; design a health promotion, disease prevention, or health education program; research project; grant application; or, an approved alternative). Students are expected to meet with their advisor and receive approval, in advance, for various types of projects.
CAPSTONE PORTFOLIO (0 Points):
The Capstone Portfolio is a requirement for graduation (0 points). Students are expected to meet with their advisor and receive instructions and approval for the plan to compile this portfolio, as a collection of items (e.g., papers, etc.) reflecting their work in the degree program.