FEBRUARY 7, 2023 — The UTSA College for Health, Community and Policy (HCAP) has launched a new master’s program. The interdisciplinary M.S. in Health, Community and Policy will address the market’s need to strengthen the professional community and public health workforce by preparing individuals with specialized knowledge and analytical skills in the development and evaluation of health promotion programs and policies aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of the population.
The new graduate degree, offered by the UTSA Department of Public Health, will prepare students for jobs in the health care industry and in local, state and federal health agencies and community-based organizations. It is ideal for students who have a strong desire to serve the community through programs that emphasize health at the individual level, with emphasis on nutrition and physical activity, as well as the community and population level, with emphasis on advocacy for health policies that address health equity issues related to creating healthy environments and promoting access to healthcare and other health resources. The master’s program requires the completion of 30 semester hours, giving students the opportunity to complete their degree at a more rapid pace and a lower cost than similar programs.
Students will take courses in a variety of disciplines, including public health, public administration, psychology, sociology and nutrition. Specific coursework will include health and public policy; program planning, implementation and evaluation; research methods and quantitative analytical methods; community and population health; epidemiology; and nutrition and physical activity.
“This is a unique program because it draws on multiple disciplines, including public health, demography, sociology and public administration,” said Jeffrey Howard, associate professor of public health. “It prepares graduates for careers in many different health-related settings, all within a large, diverse metropolitan environment.”
Graduates will enter a job market for medical and health services managers anticipated to grow 31% in the next 10 years, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Students can choose from the following four specializations:
UTSA is committed to creating the next generation of leaders who will impact public health and policy. The master’s in health, community and policy speaks directly to UTSA’s urban serving mission to tackle society’s grand challenges through world-class education and research programs.
“The College for Health, Community and Policy was designed to build programs just like the new interdisciplinary master’s degree,” said Lynne Cossman, dean of the college. “We are training a 21st century workforce who will look at health and health disparities from many perspectives rather than a singular perspective. That transdisciplinary lens always makes both the understanding of problems and development of solutions more creative.”
UTSA Today is produced by University Communications and Marketing, the official news source of The University of Texas at San Antonio. Send your feedback to news@utsa.edu. Keep up-to-date on UTSA news by visiting UTSA Today. Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Instagram.
Join the UTSA community in celebrating the life of Dr. Thelma Duffey.
Aula Canaria (BV 1.328), Buena Vista Building, Downtown CampusThe proposed annual BME Research Symposium will allow students to present their undergraduate research free of charge, providing them with the opportunity to network and build their professional skills.
H-E-B Student Union Ballroom 1 & 2, Main CampusThe UTSA Marches Committee, in partnership with the Cesar E. Chavez Legacy and Education Foundation, invites everyone to the 27th annual Cesar E. Chavez March for Justice. This event is in conjunction with the "Yes We CAN" food donation drive with the San Antonio Food Bank. Guests are encouraged to bring canned food items with them to the march to deposit cans into barrels before the march begins.
1310 Guadalupe St, San Antonio, TX 78207Join us to learn about how Impostor Syndrome can affect your career decisions and how you view yourself, your knowledge, and abilities. You will leave with actionable items related to implementing coping strategies for symptoms that may arise in your career development (mentally, physically, emotionally).
University Career Center (S.U. 2.02.04,) Main CampusJoin UTSA librarians for this introductory workshop for early career faculty on how to build your online scholarly identity.
John Peace Library, GroupSpot BJoin the conversation with Karleen Pendleton Jimenez, a professor in the Department of Gender and Social Justice at Trent University.
Virtual EventLearn to use the dynamic tool VMOCK to assist you in your job/internship search. Evaluate your resume. Get feedback on your "elevator pitch" and on how you engage in verbal communication virtually and in-person.
Multidisciplinary Studies (MS 2.02.36,) Main CampusThe University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.
We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education.
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to ending generations of discrimination and inequity. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.