Community Health Education

Fellowship Manager: Dr. Sarah Benes

Program Director: Lindsey Carbone, MS

 

The Master of Science in Community Health Education is designed to prepare students to work in a variety of healthcare and public health settings where they will develop and administer health education and health promotion programs for diverse populations. Students will study current health issues and learn how to apply evidence-based professional practices as health education specialists in communities, hospitals, government agencies, schools and private firms.

Community health educators provide and manage programs that help individuals, families, and communities to improve and maintain optimal health. They serve as vital resources who work with other health professionals and public health teams to administer fiscal assets for health education programs. The Community Health Education graduate program at Merrimack prepares students to identify community needs, and then to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles. Students also learn how to collect and analyze data for evaluating and developing policies that promote healthy environments.

 

Career Opportunities with Master of Science in Community Health Education

Graduates will be prepared for careers as health education specialists, community health education directors/managers/coordinators, health care administrators, and health counselors. Employment opportunities exist at hospitals, medical clinics, government agencies, schools/school districts, community-based non-profit organizations, health insurers, and private companies.

Admission Requirements

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a health-related field such as Public Health; Health Education/Health Promotion; Exercise Science/Kinesiology; Nutrition; or other related field is required.

Students with a bachelor’s degree in a science field, but one that is not considered a direct healthcare profession (e.g., biology, biomedical sciences, etc.) and those with a non-health science degree from fields such as business, communications, psychology/sociology, human development, education, or other field may be required to take an additional undergraduate health-related course (e.g., intro public health or health promotion with a grade of B or better) prior to enrolling or while concurrently taking courses during the first semester in the graduate program.

Standardized test scores are optional. Merrimack College reserves the right to ask any applicant for additional supplemental requirements in consideration of their application, including, but not limited to, an in-person interview.

 

Program Requirements

HSC5350G	Research Methods	4
HSC5360G	Health Promotion: Program Development, Implementation & Evaluation	4
HSC5320G	Foundations of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion	4
HSC6900G	Capstone Seminar	4
HSC6875G	Health Science Organizational Leadership	4
CME506G	Community Organizing and Development	4
ED671G	Theories of Adult Learning	4
HSC6500G	Public Health Policy and Management	4