Master of Science in Health Education: Health Education (Thesis Option)

Requirements in Health Education Concentration Area (15 hrs) 

• HED 395 Theories of Health Behavior*
• HED 395 Foundations of Epidemiology*
• HED 395 Intervention Mapping: Health Promotion Program Development
• HED 386 Research Methods: Applied Research Techniques*
• KIN 395 Advisor-Approved HED 395 Course

*These courses should be taken during the first year in the program.

Electives in Health Education/Kinesiology (9 hrs)  

With the approval of the supervising professor, choose tthree electives such as those courses (HED or KIN) indicated below. The student should attempt to select a sequence that meets his/her interests and career direction. The student's supervising professor must approve selections. The following courses are indicated as examples. 

• HED 386 Research Methods: Proposal Writing
• HED 395 Worksite Health Promotion
• HED 395 Child and Adolescent Health Psychology
• HED 395 Mind/Body Health
• HED 395 Adult Development, Aging and Health
• HED 395 Risk and Resilience in Children and Adolescents
• HED 395 Special Topics in Public Health
• KIN 395 Exercise and Mental Health
• KIN 395 Physical Dimensions of Aging

Supporting Work Outside the Department (6 hrs)  

One of the elective courses must be a graduate statistics course which should be selected with the guidance of the student's supervising professor. Depending upon the student's background, an undergraduate statistics course may be necessary. The other elective should complement the student's specific research interest and should be selected with the guidance of the supervising professor. Suggested courses may include, for example, demography, organizational change, survey research and evaluation, child and adolescent development, nutrition and adult learning.

Thesis (6 hrs): HED 698a and HED 698b 

The supervising professor is responsible for the master's thesis and for ensuring that the student completes the approved program of study and other requirements for the degree. The research project for a master's thesis should be of the highest quality and contribute to the body of knowledge in the area of investigation.

While the thesis may be either an original work, a part of a more comprehensive research project, or an analysis of an available data set, the student should be responsible for the product (data collection, analyses, etc.). Each student will prepare a concise but sound thesis proposal and present it to his/her supervising professor for approval. Following approval the proposal must be signed by the supervising professor and filed with the graduate advisor prior to registration in 698B; however, modification and fine tuning of the project may continue.

Prerequisites 

The prerequisites for graduate study are the possession of a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university, and the completion of a minimum 3 hours of course work from each of the following areas (total of 12 hours): biological sciences, behavioral sciences, theory and methods of health education and/or health promotion, and statistics. Courses completed at another college or university may be used to satisfy part or all of the prerequisites, provided such courses were completed prior to beginning graduate study at The University of Texas at Austin. Such courses may not be used to fulfill requirements for a graduate degree at the University. Individuals admitted without these prerequisite courses must fulfill this requirement in their first year by taking the appropriate courses either in residence or by advanced standing examination at The University of Texas at Austin. It is the policy of the Graduate Studies Committee that all courses taken to fulfill prerequisite requirements be taken on a letter grade basis.

After entering the program, the student should request a prerequisite form from the Graduate Program Coordinator in Bellmont 710. The completed form should be submitted to the Faculty Advisor for approval before it is submitted to the Graduate Advisor.

University of Texas courses serving as prerequisites: 

• KIN 370K Introduction to Health Promotion
• EDP 371 Introduction to Statistics
• PSY 341 Health Psychology or SW 327 Human Behavior and Social Environment
• BIO 309D The Human Body

Click here for Sample Curriculum.

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