Master of Arts in Health Education
MA Degree Requirements
Completing Coursework Ensuring Achievement of Competencies
The MA Degree Program exposes students to a high-quality education that ensures achievement of competencies. Every required HBSS course (excluding electives) has the following:
- Competencies that are identified in the course syllabus for achievement by students
- A Course Competency Evaluation Project (e.g., a Final Course Paper); and, with regard to every HBSS course, the associated Course Competency Evaluation Project reflects how the student accomplished the core competencies associated with that course.
Statement of Satisfactory Academic Progress
Students in the program must maintain a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 while at Teachers College and must achieve at least a B grade in all of the required core courses. Students who do not achieve at least a B grade in a required course will be required to repeat the course.
Description of How the Program Monitors Student Progress
Students are responsible for scheduling a formal review of their progress with their academic advisor each semester.
The program faculty teaching courses analyze the results of their individual course assessments on a course-by-course basis. Faculty of the program meet once annually to formally review and discuss program requirements, as well as the curriculum and any feedback from advisors and instructional faculty who are participating in the instructional program and advising students. These discussions are conducted so as to arrive at consensus about changes, improvement, or refinements that are necessary to make in both program requirements and curriculum in order to meet program goals and to be responsive to changes in the needs of professional preparation in the field of health education.
This process, together with ongoing consideration of profession-and practice-wide changes in the domains of core competency for health education (such as those recommended by the Galway Consensus Conference and professional Societies—and the Council on Education for Public Health), has informed a number of curriculum changes in the MA degree program.
Convenient Class Times for Working Students
The MA Degree Program in Health Education also offers courses that are accessible at hours conducive to the schedules of working professionals, or those with job obligations during the typical 9:00 to 5:00 work day schedule. Most classes are offered at 5:10 – 6:50 p.m. and 7:20 – 9:00 p.m. or in online or condensed formats. Many students make arrangements to use their lunch time in a flexible manner so they are able to travel to Teachers College, Columbia University in time for the 5:10- 6:50 p.m. class time slot—often followed by attending a second class from 7:20-9:00 p.m. A smaller percentage of our classes are offered during the afternoon, while some of these are also hybrid with an online option (e.g. Zoom Live or Zoom Video).
Enjoy Many Online and Hybrid Class Options
The MA Degree Program in Health Education also offers courses that are accessible online or in a hybrid format (in-person and online), which is ideal for many parents and those professionals who frequently have to travel for work, or during flu season when no one ill should attend class in person—as well as in the event of severe or extreme weather events. Some online class options are only available upon special request from the professor who will seek to accommodate a student if at all possible. Consider what we typically offer, below, with most classes being primarily offered in-person, unless specified as also having the options indicated:
- HBSS4100 Behavioral and Social Science Foundations of Health Education (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS4102 Principles of Epidemiology in Health Promotion
- HBSS4118 Principles of Health-Related Behavioral & Social Change: Initiation to Maintenance (online)
- HBSS5110 Determinants of Health Behavior (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS5111 Planning Health Education Programs (online)
- HBSS5112 Social Marketing and Health Communications (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS 4110 Health Promotion for Children and Adolescents
- HBSS 4114 Competency with Multicultural Populations: Research & Practice (hybrid & online options, including via zoom live and zoom video)
- HBSS 4111 Addictions and Dependencies (online)
- HBSS 4112 Social Policy and Prevention (online)
- HBSS 4113 Human Sexuality Education
- HBSS 4116 Health Education for Teachers (online)
- HBSS 4117 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS 4012 Eating Disorders (online)
- HBSS 4122 Women's Health (online)
- HBSS 4161 Environmental Health (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS 5113 Community Health Analysis (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS 6100 Program Evaluation
- HBSS 5040 Research Methods in Health and Behavior Studies (online)
- HBSS 4160 Introduction to Biostatistics for Community Health Educators (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS 4901 Research and Independent Study in Health Education (hybrid & online options)
- HBSS 5410 Practicum in Health Education (hybrid & online options)
Completing the MA Degree Capstone Project for Research, Scholarship and Inquiry: The Two Options Via HBSS 4199 and HBSS 5410
The CAPSTONE PROJECT FOR RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND INQUIRY (2 points) provides an important opportunity to work closely with one’s advisor while integrating much of what has been learned across the MA curriculum’s coursework—and producing a final product such as a Research Paper or Curriculum, or health education (e-health) video, as examples. This requirement can be fulfilled by taking either one of the following courses: HBSS 4199 Research and Independent Study (2 point), or HBSS 5410 Practicum in Health Education.
Research and Independent Study Via HBSS 4199
By taking HBSS 4199 (2 points), as an option for completing the CAPSTONE PROJECT FOR RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND INQUIRY, a student can enjoy the opportunity of working closely with their advisor or a faculty member of their choice who agrees to work with them on a project such as a Research Paper, or a Curriculum. Or, there can be a focus on a student’s particular area of interest, as well as professor’s research project.
Fieldwork/ Internship Option for the MA Capstone Requirement Via HBSS 5410
All students have the option of enrolling for 2 points in the HBSS 5410 Practicum in Health Education (offered in the fall in-person and online) – as an option for completing the CAPSTONE PROJECT FOR RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND INQUIRY. By taking for 2 points the course HBSS 5410 Practicum in Health Education, students engage in a Supervised Fieldwork/Internship Placement. This involves creating a Log of Fieldwork Notes detailing experiences across a 180 to 150 hour fall fieldwork experience—as well as completing a specified Project.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Master of Arts
- Points/Credits: 32
- 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 program of study leading to the degree of Master of Arts (M.A.) in Health Education is a 32-credit program of study 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. Successful completion of the program provides students with comprehensive understanding of the theory and practice of health education and health promotion. Students develop the critical thinking skills that are necessary to apply the principles of behavioral and social sciences that are the foundation of health promotion and education to program development and implementation.
The program of study enables students to prepare for professional practice as a health education specialist or public health practitioner in numerous settings including community-based organizations, hospitals, research institutes, institutes of higher education, government agencies, and many others. The M.A. degree can also serve to prepare qualified students to go on for more advanced professional study in health promotion and education or other related fields.
Completion of the degree program currently makes graduates eligible to qualify for certification as a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) 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)..
Students must receive advisement from their advisor before registering for classes each semester in order to ensure the proper selection of courses. The selection of courses is guided by the individual needs of the student, and is not limited to those courses listed below.
Courses and Requirements
MAJOR (21 Points)
Required Core Courses (18 Points)
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HBSS 4100 Behavioral and Social Science Foundations of Health Education (3)
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HBSS 4102 Principles of Epidemiology in Health Promotion (3)
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HBSS 4118 Principles of Health-Related Behavioral & Social Change: Initiation to Maintenance (3)
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HBSS 5110 Determinants of Health Behavior (3)
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HBSS 5111 Planning Health Education Programs (3)
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HBSS 5112 Social Marketing and Health Communications (3)
Elective Courses (3 points)
(Select 1 course for 3 points from among the options listed below. There is variability with regard to the courses actually being offered within an academic year.)
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HBSS 4001 Health Provider Communications and Health Promotion (3)
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HBSS 4110 Children and Adolescents: School Health Issues (3)
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HBSS 4111 Addictions and Dependencies (3)
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HBSS 4112 Social Policy and Prevention (3)
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HBSS 4113 Human Sexuality Education (3)
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HBSS 4114 Competency with Multicultural Populations: Research & Practice (3)
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HBSS 4115 Health Promotion for Aging Adults (3)
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HBSS 4116 Health Education for Teachers (3)
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HBSS 4117 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology and Education (3)
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Various topics in Health Education (See the course schedule for topics covered) (3)
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HBSS 4121 Death Education (3)
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HBSS 4122 Women's Health (3)
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HBSS 4123 Violence and “All Hazards” Preparation (3)
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HBSS 4130 Alcohol and Health (3)
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HBSS 4140 Developing Workplace Health Promotion Programs (3)
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HBSS 4141 Health and Illness in Cross-Cultural Perspective (3)
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HBSS 5113 Community Health Analysis (3)
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HBSS 5116 Social Relations, Emotions, and Health (3)
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HBSS 5408 Practicum in Individual Health Advisement (3)
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HBSS 5410 Practicum in Health Education (1-6)
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HBSS 5551 Bioethics (3)
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HBSS 5800 Health Disparities Research Conference (1)
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HBSS 6100 Program Evaluation (3)
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HBSS 6145 Health Psychology (3)
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HBSS 6500 Grant Writing (3)
BROAD AND BASIC AREAS OF PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AND PRACTICE (6 Points)
Nature of Education, Persons, and Learning Processes (3 Points required ): Students should take one course approved by their advisor in learning theory, human development, or counseling pertaining to a population group of interest, such as the child, adolescent, adult, or older adult.
Recommended courses include, but are not limited to, those offered by the Departments of:
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Organization & Leadership (e.g., Program in Adult Learning and Leadership)
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Counseling & Clinical Psychology (e.g., Program in Counseling Psychology)
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Human Development (e.g., Developmental Psychology Programs)
Communications, Computing and Instructional Technology and Media (3 Points required ) Students should take one course approved by their advisor in communications, computing or instructional technology and media.
Recommended courses include, but are not limited to, those offered by the Department of:
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Mathematics, Science & Technology (e.g., Programs in: Communication, Media and Technologies Design; or Computing in Education; or Instructional Technology and Media)
Note on Options: Depending upon an individual student’s needs, the student’s advisor may approve a course selection from another Department.
Potential Departments include:
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Education Policy & Social Analysis
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International & Transcultural Studies
RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND INQUIRY (3 points)
One required course in research methods, evaluation, measurement, or statistics. The recommended course is listed below, while another course may be approved by the student’s advisor if deemed an acceptable substitution:
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HBSS 5040 Research Methods in Health and Behavior Studies I (3)
CAPSTONE PROJECT FOR RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND INQUIRY (2 points)
One required course for 2 points that permits close supervision by the student’s advisor of the Capstone Project for Research, Scholarship and Inquiry.
The recommended courses to be taken for 2 points include:
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HBSS 4901 Research and Independent Study in Health Education (2) (up to 4 points is possible)
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HBSS 5410 Practicum in Health Education