Learning Objectives and Curriculum
Learning Objectives
- Analyze root causes of health inequities that perpetuate structural injustices and racism.
- Deploy social justice theories, practices, and policies that shift systems of inequities in communities and develop strategies to disrupt oppressive systems and injustice.
- Promote social justice through collective community health programming and leadership.
- Create community-based, culturally relevant health programs and campaigns that improve health outcomes in local communities and abroad in various settings.
- Work with communities to create sustainable practices to address health inequities.
- Develop leadership skills that value and lift all voices in communities, particularly those of historically and currently marginalized groups.
- Promote and implement anti-racist policies and practices to shift complex systems.
Curriculum
Students complete 60 credits. Core courses are hybrid, meeting in person once per week only (Tuesdays) in the late afternoon into early evening. Electives may be online, in-person, or hybrid depending on the course selection. Students work with a faculty advisor to select electives in pursuit of a concentration.
Core coursework and capstone: 45 credits
- Social Justice and Ethics
- History, Frameworks, and Foundations of Community Health
- Critical Approaches to Health Communication and Promotion
- Health Policy, Systems, and Advocacy
- Inclusive Healthcare Leadership and Management
- Social Epidemiology
- Research Theory, Methods, and Practice
- Program Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation
- Capstone in Community Health
Elective coursework: 15 credits
Students have access to a wide selection of elective options in pursuit of a concentration area. Options are any School of Nursing and Health Studies 400-500 level BHLTH course except for BHLTH 435, 436, 437, 438, 439, 496, University of Washington 400-500 level courses (across the three campuses), and/or transfer up to 6 graduate credits approved by faculty and the Graduate School.
From the diverse faculty experience and expertise of students, this master's program should prove to be very different from more traditional MPH programs in that it is deeply focused on the equitable and respectful approach to community health.
