CURRICULUM

Core Courses

Areas of Concentration

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

IHEd 611 Information Literacy in Integrative Medicine & Health Education
2 credits
Informed decisions about practices supporting health and wellness require the skill to locate, understand, and appropriately apply scientific evidence and traditional medicine resources to the practices. This course teaches students how to find and use scientific evidence and traditional medicine wisdom in order to make informed decisions that support best practices and behavioral change. This course seeks to support the development of informed students who can safely and effectively inform the communities they serve.

IHEd 612 Health Education Specialist Development
4 credits
This course focuses on the professional development of students on the journey to become health education specialists. As a part of this course, students will complete both a capstone project and an internship. Students will reflect on their personal transformation over the experience of this training. This experience culminates with both a presentation about these experiences and with the development of a professional portfolio that describes the student's experience relevant to the many roles played by health education specialists. For the internship (IHEd 612C), students spend 45 hours working with agencies, companies or programs in their communities assisting with program and policy development, implementation and/or evaluation. The goal of this course is for students to demonstrate their mastery of the competencies addressed in the program. Pre-req: completion of Trimester 4 in the program or permission of the program director.

IHEd 614 Securing Funding in Health Education: Grants, Contracts & Cooperative Agreements
2 credits
This course focuses on the process of locating and applying for grants, contracts, and, cooperative agreements for health education programs or research. Students review how to use the health education research literature (including the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) and tools that allow access to full text articles), how to apply study results, and how to develop a work plan and program budget. The design of health education research studies is addressed. Prequisite: IHEd 611B (Information Literacy in Integrative Medicine & Health Education II).

IHEd 616 Governmental Policy & Health Education Advocacy
2 credits
This course examines health education needs that may be created or alleviated by public policy at the federal, state or local level. It examines the role of the health education specialist as advocate, paying special attention to current issues such as health disparities and the potential role for health education specialists in healthcare reform.

IHEd 618 Health Education Administration & Management
2 credits
This course teaches students the skills needed to administer and manage programs in health education careers. Topics such as fiscal management, leadership skills, and consultancy are addressed.

IHEd 620 Foundations of Health Behavior & Health Education
2 credits
This course introduces students to behavior-change theories & models, the building blocks of health education programs. Students learn how to develop relevant goals and objectives based on theory. This course provides an overview of program planning, implementation and assessment. Additionally, students will examine approaches to behavior change used in traditional systems of healthcare. The many roles played by health education specialists are discussed in detail, as well as the future of this field.

IHEd 621 Communication Strategies in Health Education
3 credits
This course examines theories, models, and best practices in health communication, including the use of technology, media, and imagery in health communication campaigns. Students will create and tailor messages, select appropriate communication channels, and pilot test messages. This overview introduces students to the many ways that health education specialists may reach and communicate with communities, going beyond teaching groups and mass media campaigns to new forms of communication such as social media, 'edutainment' and 'gameification' of health education messages.

IHEd 622 Assessing Needs & Planning Health Educational Programs
2 credits
Students plan a health education program from start to finish. Based on specific health topics and populations, students conduct epidemiological and health education needs assessments, utilize theory-based strategies on assessment, evaluate applicable policy, identify barriers and assets, and design a health education program. The latter part of the course provides students with an opportunity to apply qualitative and quantitative data to support the design of a health education program. This course also provides students with tools to work with specific populations, including a framework to apply when working with specific cultures or age groups. Prerequisite: ISci 632a (Foundations of Health and Wellness I).

IHEd 623 Health Education Program Evaluation
2 credits
Students become familiar with evaluation strategies and theories for health education programs and policies. The course reviews logic models, and impact, outcome, and process evaluations. In addition, students gain skills needed to understand and critique published evaluation literature. Students apply these basic evaluation strategies to work in course IHEd 622. (Assessing Needs & Planning Health Educational Programs).

IHEd 624 Qualitative Data Collection & Research Writing
2 credits
Health education specialists need the skills to conduct focus groups, design data collection instruments, and assess validity/reliability of instruments. They also must share or publish findings of these activities. In this course, students develop these skills, exploring causal and confounding factors, developing recommendations based on findings, communicating findings to stakeholders, and disseminating findings. The ethical implications of these communications are also discussed.

IHEd 627 Quantitative Data Collection & Analysis
2 credits
Current topics in health education are identified for expanded learning. This includes more information on communication strategies, assessment, evaluation, advocacy, epidemiology, and other topics on behavior modification through health education. Pre-req: Completion of trimester 5 in the Master of Science in Health Education and Integrative Health program. Integrative Health Sciences (ISci) Course Descriptions.

IHEd 628 Graduate Seminar in Behavior Modification
2 credits
Current topics in health education are identified for expanded learning. This includes more information on communication strategies, assessment, evaluation, advocacy, epidemiology, and other topics on behavior modification through health education. Pre-req: Completion of trimester 5 in the Master of Science in Health Education and Integrative Health program. Integrative Health Sciences (ISci) Course Descriptions.

ISci 630A&B Health Promotion: Integrative Health & Wellness Practices
4.5 credits
This course is designed to foster the development of an informed health education specialist who is capable of creating integrative health and wellness plans for communities. Students learn how to apply health and information literacy skills to analyze and evaluate the impact of a variety of health-related behaviors on mind, body and spirit. While this course addresses common self-care practices such as exercise, dietary choices and smoking cessation, it also addresses practices from traditional and complementary medicine (e.g., meditation, acupuncture, hatha yoga, use of herbs). Finally, the course reviews the impact of conventional medical practices (e.g., vaccinations and health screenings) on health. Prerequisite: ISci 654 (Integrative Physiology and the Environment I) or equivalent.

ISci 632A Foundations of Health and Wellness I
1.5 credits
This one-weekend intensive course addresses modern, historical and cross-cultural perspectives on health, wellness and sickness. Health and wellness of the individual and the community are discussed in a context ranging from the societal to the molecular level. This weekend provides an integrative model for understanding environmental and behavioral impacts on health and wellness. (Note: This course cannot be taken if you have already taken ISci 632)

ISci 654A&B Integrative Physiology and the Environment
4 credits
This course supports the Master of Health Education and Integrative Health program. This course focuses on physiology and pathophysiology as a foundation for future discussions on health and wellness. Utilizing a biopsychosocial and relational approach, physiological processes are understood within the context of behavioral choices as well as the social and natural environment. The course emphasizes fundamental physiological functions such as energy transformation, circulation, protection and defense, tissue repair and maintenance, and biological communication; as well as pathophysiologic processes including: inflammation, oxidative stress, neuro-hormonal dysregulation, and immune dysregulation. We examine biological responses to environmental challenges, including xenobiotics, radiation and emerging infectious diseases. Toxicology and genotoxicology, as well as the hormesis hypothesis that suggests potential health benefits from environmental challenge, are addressed. Concepts discussed here will be extrapolated from the individual to populations.

ISci 656 Integrative Approaches to Prevention of Common Diseases
2 credits
This course allows for an in-depth investigation of specific common diseases from a biopsychosocial and relational perspective. Students examine health education efforts targeted for these specific diseases and design novel approaches based on their integrative health and wellness training. This course offers students the opportunity to bring together the wisdom of traditional and complementary medicine practices with the insight of modern research to direct the future of health and wellness education. The course focuses on common diseases and major sources of morbidity and mortality, emphasizing preventable disease, genetic factors and populations at risk. We will include special emphasis on preventable disease and serving populations at risk. Prerequisite: ISci 654 (Integrative Physiology and the Environment).

HPro 601: Career Paths in Health Promotion
1 Semester credit

Health Coaching (COA) Courses

COA 601: Becoming a Healing Presence
3 credits
This course focuses on exploring the implications that the rhythms of nature, life skills, and language have on health and wellness. By observing their own ways of being, doing, and speaking, students begin to embody the practices that guide them in becoming a powerful healing presence and a catalyst for change in others.

COA 610: Fundamentals of Health and Wellness Coaching
3 credits
Students are introduced to theories and trends in health coaching. Contemporary coaching models are introduced and students begin to build a repertoire of coaching skills. This experiential course develops observation skills, active listening, the art of evocative questioning, and the ability to motivate change.

COA 611: Principles and Practices of Health and Wellness Coaching
3 credits
This class delves deeper into the spirit and practice of health and wellness coaching using the theory and skills of Motivational Interviewing, a widely recognized, evidence-based approach to behavioral change. Students receive practical skills for structuring a coaching session, planning, goal-setting with clients, and ensuring client accountability.

COA 620: Applied Healing Strategies
3 credits
This course begins with a panel discussion that introduces students to practitioners of integrative modalities, such as acupuncture, herbal medicine, chiropractic, homeopathy, and energy medicine, to understand the role other healthcare practitioners can play in creating an overall wellness plan. Students design an experiential practicum that allows them to apply coaching principles and skills in a one-on-one setting with clients. Throughout the practicum portion of the course, students receive mentoring, coaching, and feedback from instructors and peers as they develop the skills of mind and heart necessary to become effective coaches.

COA 630: Advanced Coaching Skills
1.5 credits
Mastery in the field of health coaching comes with practice, skill development, and feedback. This course builds on the competencies already developed in previous courses to deepen the understanding and application of core coaching skills and to continue to build a high level of confidence and proficiency. Through coaching demonstrations and coaching labs, students are guided to further develop their critical thinking and rapport skills to be effective coaches. Students are given opportunities to discuss their challenges and successes.

Health Promotion (HPro) Course

HPro 601: Career Paths in Health Promotion
1 credit
In this course, students will explore career paths in the sometimes overlapping fields of Health Coaching, Health Education, Health Policy, and Health Communications. Guest speakers in each area of expertise will share their experiences and lessons learned. By the end of the course, students will be able to choose an area of expertise and set short- and long-term career goals.