The total number of credit hours for the MPH program is 48. Forty-one credits have been allotted to didactic work and 7 credits will satisfy the required culminating activities (capstone research project and practicum). The didactic portion includes 5 CEPH required public health courses in the areas of biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health sciences, health services administration, and social and behavioral science. Additional didactic courses include 2 research classes and 6 nutrition and wellness courses, including one course focused on minority nutrition and wellness issues. The capstone and practicum components of the program satisfy CEPH’s requirements that “all graduate professional public health degree students must develop skills in basic public health concepts and demonstrate the application of these concepts through a practice experience that is relevant to students’ areas of specialization.”
Program Goals:
The MPH in Nutrition and Wellness seeks to provide graduate level knowledge, cultural competence and application through collaborative service. Program goals in each area are as follows:
- Knowledge: Prepare graduate health professionals who are able to provide innovative evidenced-based nutrition education to diverse communities.
- Cultural Competence: Prepare students to develop, implement, and assess programs to promote the health of individuals, groups, and communities.
- Application: Facilitate sustainable collaborations between faculty, students, and faith-based and non-profit organizations in service to communities.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Foundational Public Health Competencies
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
- 1. Evaluate evidence-based approaches to public health.
- 2. Analyze public health and health care systems.
- 3. Develop concepts for planning and management to promote public health.
- 4. Evaluate policies in public health.
- 5. Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management in public health.
- 6. Describe communication strategies and importance of cultural competence in public health.
- 7. Apply systems thinking and effective interprofessional teams to public health issues.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Concentration Nutrition and Wellness Competencies
Students will demonstrate the ability to:
- Evaluate cultural approaches to food, nutrition and health with an emphasis on plant-based diets.
- Analyze the nutrition care process as it relates to assessment of nutritional status
- Demonstrate leadership in the evaluation of public health nutrition and wellness programs
- Demonstrate the benefits of subscribing to a vegetarian diet
- Analyze public health nutrition and wellness peer-reviewed research