COLLEGE of HEALTH and SOCIAL SERVICES
HEALTH SCIENCE
Professors Arnold, Brandon, Buckingham, Mondragón (Emerita), Olsen, Robinson, Young; Associate Professors Hill (Emerita), Kozel, Rao, Wilson; Assistant Professors Bird, Forster-Cox, Hawe, Moraros; College Associate Professors Hussain; College Assistant Professor Kendall; Part-Time Faculty Banegas, Bishop, Brannock, Collins, Czerniak, Hensley, Jacobs, Jacquez, Kelly, Lopez, Lucchino, Quick, Roth-Edwards, Ruiz
(575) 646-4300;
DEGREE: Bachelor of Community Health
MINORS:
- Community Health
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Gerontology
- Health Administration, U.S.-Mexico Border Health
Requirements for health science minors may be found on-line at www.nmsu.edu/~hlthdpt/
DEGREE: Bachelor of Community Health
The curriculum in community health prepares students for careers in community and public health programs, and in voluntary, private, and governmental agencies. Upon completion of the degree, the graduate is eligible to take the national Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. The Bachelor of Community Health degree has the full approval of the national Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE)/American Association for Health Education (AAHE)/Baccalaureate Program Approval Committee (SABPAC).
Students seeking admission to the Bachelor of Community Health degree in the Department of Health Science at NMSU are first admitted as pre-community health (PCHL) students. Students keep this designation until they have met the following admissions requirements:
- A) A grade-point average of at least 2.0 after completion of specified general education course work.
- B) A grade of S in HL S 100 and a grade of C or better in all departmental required courses.
- C) Submission of an application packet that includes (1) a brief personal statement of interest in the profession, (2) a copy of the most recent university transcript, and (3) percentile scores on the department's writing assessment (given in HL S 100).
- D) A grade of C or better in MATH 120 and EST 311G or equivalent.
General Requirements (44 credits)
General education requirements for the Department of Health Science follow those outlined by the university in this catalog.
Departmental Requirements
You are required to complete the following Health Science core courses. You must have a minimum of 54 upper division credit hours (300 - and 400-level courses).
Community Health Education Core (29 credits):
| HL S 100, Introduction to Health Science | 1 |
| HL S 275, Foundations of Health Education | 3 |
| HL S 471, Resources and Computer Applications in Health Education | 3 |
| HL S 473, Health Program Planning | 3 |
| HL S 475, Methods of Community Health Education | 3 |
| HL S 476, Health Risk Reduction | 3 |
| HL S 478, Health Program Evaluation and Research | 3 |
| HL S 496, Community Health Education Field Experience | 6 |
| HL S 497, Senior Seminar in Community Health Education | 1 |
| HL S 499, Problems in Health Education | 3 |
Public Health Core (21 credits)
| HL S 150, Personal Health and Wellness | 3 |
| HL S 395, Foundations of Public Health | 3 |
| HL S 450, Epidemiology | 3 |
| HL S 451, Biometrics and Health Research | 3 |
| HL S 452, Environmental Issues in Community Health | 3 |
| HL S 457, Administration of Health Programs | 3 |
| HL S 459, Infectious/Noninfectious Disease Prevention | 3 |
Select one (1) of the following (3 credits) Cultural Foundations Course Requirements
| HL S 461, Health Communication with Hispanic Clients | 3 |
| HL S 462, Hispanic Health Issues | 3 |
| HL S 463, Interdisciplinary Seminar | 3 |
| HL S 464G, Cross Cultural Aspects of Health | 3 |
| HL S 465, International Health Problems | 3 |
| HL S 466, International Health Practicum | 1-3 |
| HL S 467, Rural Health Issues | 3 |
| HL S 468, Coping With Loss and Grief: A Cross-Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| HL S 469, U.S.-Mexico Border Health Issues | 3 |
Additional Requirements
| MATH 120, Intermediate Algebra | 3 |
| EST/STAT 251, Statistics for Business and the Behavioral Sciences, or EST 311G, Statistical Applications | 3 |
Elective (31 credits)
An additional 31 credit hours of elective courses are required. You must select additional electives to bring your total number of credit hours to the University requirement of 128. Students are encouraged to select additional HL S and GERO courses to satisfy the elective requirement. Students with an associate degree in an allied health field may transfer up to 31 credit hours of electives.
Minors in Health Science
Requirements for minors in border health, community health, environmental and occupational health, gerontology, and health administration may be found on-line at www.nmsu.edu/~hlthdpt/. A grade of C or better is required for all minors course work.
MINOR: Community Health (18 credit hours)
| Core Community Health Education Courses (12 credit hours): HLS 275, Foundations of Health Education; HLS 395, Foundations of Public Health; HLS 450, Epidemiology; HLS 457, Administration of Health Programs | 12 |
| Select one (3 credit hours): HLS 300, Drugs and Behavior; HLS 355, Responding to Emergencies; HLS 301, Human Sexuality; HLS 380, Women's Health Issues; HLS 320, Human Stress Management; HLS 492, Health Care of the Aged | 3 |
| Select one (3 credit hours): HLS 461, Health Communications with Hispanic Clients; HLS 462, Hispanic Health Issues; HLS 463, Interdisciplinary Seminar; HLS 464, Cross-Cultural Aspects of Health; HLS 465, International Health Problems; HLS 466, International Health Practicum; HLS 467, Rural Health Issues; HLS 468, Coping with Loss and Grief: A Cross-Cultural Perspective | 3 |
MINOR: Environmental and Occupational Health (18 credit hours)
| Core Environmental and Occupational Health Courses (9 credit hours): HLS 395, Foundations of Public Health; HLS 452, Environmental Issues in Community Health; HLS 453, Worksite Health and Safety Education | 9 |
| Select three (9 credit hours): HLS 355, Responding to Emergencies; HLS 450, Epidemiology; HLS 451, Biometrics and Health Research; HLS 454, Environmental Epidemiology; HLS 459, Infectious/Noninfectious Disease; HLS 477, Worksite Health Promotion; TOX 361, Basic Toxicology | 9 |
MINOR: Gerontology (18 credit hours, on-line program only)
| Core Gerontology Courses (12 credit hours): GERO 415, Intro to Gerontology; GERO 493, Adulthood and Aging; GERO 456, Biological Aspects of Aging; GERO 494, Aging in a Multicultural Society | 12 |
| Select two (6 credit hours): FCS 448, The Aging Family; HNFS 406, Geriatric Nutrition; GERO 450, Health Promotion for the Elderly; GERO 451, Aging and Public Policy; NURS 324, Nursing Care of the Older Adult | 6 |
MINOR: Health Administration (18 credit hours)
| HLS 457, Administration of Health Programs; BLAW 440, Health Care Law; ECON 432G, Economics of Health Care or ECON 453/MGT 462, Intro to Health Services Policy; ECON 456/MGT 463, Economics of Mgr Processes in Health Serv Orgs; MGT 309, Human Behavior in Organizations or MGT 315G, Human Relations in Organizations or MGT 388G, Leadership and Society; MKTG 303, Principles of Marketing | 18 |
MINOR: U.S.-Mexico Border Health Issues (18 credit hours)
| Core - U.S. - Mexico Border Health Issues Courses (6 credit hours): HLS 463, Interdisciplinary Seminar (when subtitle relates to US-Mexico Border Health) or HLS 466, International Health Practicum; HLS 469, US-Mexico Border Health Issues | 6 |
| Select four (12 credit hours): HLS 461, Health Communication with Hispanic Clients; HLS 462, Hispanic Health Issues; HLS 464G, Cross-Cultural Aspects of Health; HLS 465, International Health Problems; HLS 467, Rural Health Issues; HLS 486, Special Topics (when subtitle relates to US-Mexico Border Health); GERO 494, Aging in a Multi-Cultural Society | 12 |
| HLS 481, AIDS and Public Health Practice and Policy; HLS 483, Parental and Child Health Issues; HLS 484, Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Control; HLS 488, Health Dilemmas of Selected Populations | 6 |