Community Health Track

Overview
Community Health Science is an interdisciplinary track for completing the Master of Social Science program that challenges students to apply knowledge from the social and behavioral sciences, to identify patterns and formulate explanations for population health and health related careers. Areas of application include epidemiology, public health practice, global health, health policy, cross-cultural perceptions and communication of health needs, and the organizational and social structures through which health services are delivered and received. This track provides students courses in social and communication theory, demographics and ethnic dimensions to public health, basic research methods, and statistics in order to facilitate development of problem solving and critical thinking skills in the areas of epidemiology, public health and public health education, and health planning. 
Required courses for this track total 18 credit hours consisting of 9 hours devoted to the core social science courses required of those admitted to the Master Social Science program and the remaining 9 credit hours being methods courses in the Health and Behavioral Sciences (HBSC) department.

Targeted Audience
This program is relevant for students with an interest in future careers as health care providers, administrators, policy makers in health care agencies, or as public health professionals in the fields of community health, global health, risk management, or health law. Upon graduation, students will be prepared to enter the job market immediately, or they may use this track as a stepping stone toward a PHD or another advanced degree such as a MPA, MBA, or JD.

Suggested Advisors
Communication: Dr. Lisa Keranen 
Ethnic Studies: Dr. Paula Espinoza
Health and Behavioral Sciences: Dr. Debbi Main, Dr. David Tracer
Health Humanities: Dr. Therese Jones
Philosophy: Dr. Candice Shelby 
Interdisciplinary Studies: Dr. Omar Swartz

Master of Social Science Core Requirements:

IDST 5020 Foundations and Theories of Interdisciplinary Studies (every Fall)*
IDST 5013 Methods and Practices of Interdisciplinary Studies (every Spring)**
IDST 5023 Research Perspective in Interdisciplinary Studies (once a year)***

Community Health Track Requirements In addition to the program’s core required courses, the following are required:

9-credit hours of HBSC & EPID Methods Courses, selected from the following list.  Note that some of these courses have prerequisites that must be met.

• EPID 6630 Epidemiology (Colorado School of Public Health)
• HBSC 7041 Research Design and Methods in the Health and Behavioral Sciences (Prerequisite: Epidemiology (EPID 6630)
• BSBT 6063 Speaking and Presenting for Scientists and Educators
• HBSC 7061 Quantitative Methods in Health and Behavioral Sciences (Prerequisite: master’s level or recent upper division statistics or biostatistics course)
• HBSC 7071 Social and Behavioral Perspectives of Population Health; Prerequisite: Epidemiology (EPID 6630)

1. A minimum of 6-credit hours of Community Health-related elective coursework
2. A thesis or project on a Community Health-related topic.

Suggested Elective Courses for the Track
Below is a list of pre-approved courses for the track. Be aware that it is not comprehensive and that departments change their offerings regularly. Always check with the department to see when a given course might be scheduled. Also check with your MHMSS Program advisor to discuss additional course opportunities.