PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The MS degree in Health Promotion Sciences is appropriate for baccalaureate degree graduates seeking a pathway to a PhD in public health. Faculty expertise in health promotion sciences includes community engagement, anthropology, nutrition, gerontology, health education, health promotion, psychology, research methods, sociology, and other related disciplines. The department has identified social determinants of health, social justice and health equity, and minority health/health disparities as a major areas of research and instruction. A minimum of 38 hours is required for the MS degree in Health Promotion Sciences.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The following are required:
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The applicant must be in good standing with the college or university where currently enrolled or last attended.
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Bachelor’s or entry-level first professional degree from an accredited institution.
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Grade point average of 3.0 or above using the upper-division coursework of the bachelor's degree.
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GRE test is required. Scores should be sent to SOPHAS by using the code 4244.
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Career goal statement uploaded through
SOPHAS.
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Current CV/Resume uploaded through
SOPHAS.
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Three letters of academic or professional recommendation uploaded through
SOPHAS by the recommender. Applicants must list recommenders’ contact information on the application and then upon submission, SOPHAS will send instructions to each recommender on how to submit their letter electronically through the online portal.
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Transcripts:
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U.S. Applicants: SOPHAS requires a separate official transcript from every U.S. and Canadian institution attended. Applicants must arrange for official transcripts from all prior undergraduate, graduate, and professional study institutions to be sent to SOPHAS. Instructions for sending your transcripts to SOPHAS can be found
here. You will need to have a copy of your transcripts in hand so that you will be able to complete the coursework section of the application. Do not enter foreign courses taken at Universities outside the U.S. or Canada into the coursework section of the application.
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International Applicants: Submit transcripts/mark sheets to the World Education Services (
www.wes.org) for a course-by-course evaluation. Applicants must designate SOPHAS to receive the evaluation.
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International applicants are required to demonstrate
English proficiency by submitting
TOEFL (score of 88 or above) or
IELTS (score of 6.5 or above) that meet the
minimum required score. TOEFL scores must be submitted to SOPHAS using the designation code #5688.
APPLICATION DEADLINES
MS in Health Promotion Sciences:
- Spring: October 15
- Fall: June 15
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
CURRENT OU STUDENTS OR ALUMNI APPLICATION PROCESS
Application Instructions for Current OU Students and OU Alumni can be found here.
NON-OU STUDENTS OR ALUMNI APPLICATION PROCESS
STEP 1: SOPHAS APPLICATION
Submit a SOPHAS application (www.sophas.org) and required fee (click here to review information regarding SOPHAS fees and fee waivers). The documentation identified in the ‘Admission Requirements’ section must be submitted in SOPHAS.
STEP 2: SUPPLEMENTAL APPLICATION
Applicants to the OU Hudson College of Public Health are required to submit a supplemental application and fee. The supplemental application is available via the OU Health Sciences Center website at: https://apps.ouhsc.edu/admissions/. Applicants must select the same program(s) in the supplemental application as they did in the SOPHAS application.
PLEASE NOTE: Fee waivers are not available for the supplemental application.
Fee structure for the supplemental application is as follows:
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$100 for one or two professional programs (Certificate / MPH / MHA programs). One professional program = $100. Two professional programs = $100.
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$75 for one or two graduate program(s) (MS / PhD programs).
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$175 for one professional program AND one graduate program (i.e. applicant applies to both the MPH in Biostatistics and the MS in Biostatistics).
CURRICULUM
| COURSE REQUIREMENTS |
| Four of the College's Core Courses |
12 credit hours |
| Required Courses |
9 credit hours |
| Selective Course (Diversity Requirement) |
3 credit hours |
| Elective Courses and Research for Master's Thesis |
14 credit hours |
| TOTAL HOURS |
38 CREDIT HOURS |
| COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH CORE COURSES |
| BSE 5163 |
Biostatistics Methods I |
| BSE 5113 |
Principles of Epidemiology |
| HPS 5213 |
Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health |
| BSE 5033 |
Foundations and Overview of Public Health |
| HEALTH PROMOTION REQUIRED COURSES |
| HPS 5453 |
Theoretical Concepts in Health Promotion |
| HPS 5543 |
Program Evaluation |
| HPS 5563 |
Program Planning for Health Promotion |
| HEALTH PROMOTION DIVERSITY REQUIREMENT (one of the following) |
| HPS 5383 |
Health and Illness in Old Age |
| HPS 5853 |
Health and the American Indian |
| HEALTH PROMOTION ELECTIVES AND THESIS RESEARCH |
| 2-3 courses from a variety of courses offered including a Research Skill Elective |
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| HPS 5980 |
Research for Master's Thesis (3-6 credit hours) |
Additional Degree Requirements for MS in Health Promotion Sciences:
- Oral Thesis Defense
- Master's Thesis
A minimum of 38 credit hours is required for the MS in Health Promotion Sciences degree.
Comprehensive Examination/Culminating Experience for Master of Science degree:
The examination is an oral exam that covers all fields of public health. The Dean of the Graduate College will authorize the examination for MS students.
CLICK HERE FOR A PDF PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE CURRICULUM.
This degree program is subject to the policies and procedures printed in Hudson College of Public Health Bulletin.
ACCREDITATION/CREDENTIALING
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Hudson College of Public Health is Oklahoma’s only Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) Accredited College of Public Health.
As part of our periodic re-accreditation process, we have prepared a self-study that examines in detail how we pursue our mission of protecting and improving the health of the people of Oklahoma, the United States, and other nations through: (1) education, public health workforce development, and cutting-edge research; (2) translating research and scholarship into public health practice and service; and (3) development and advocacy of evidence-based health management and policy.
STEM DESIGNATION
The Master of Science in Health Promotion Sciences program is NOT considered a STEM-designated degree program.
A STEM-designated program is an academic program that falls under at least one of the approved categories from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). These categories are recognized by the government for their focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) topics. DHS's updated STEM-designated degree list can be found here: https://www.ice.gov/doclib/sevis/pdf/stemList2022.pdf.