Dear Community/Public Health major: Welcome to the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) Community/Public Health Program! We are glad to have you here. Some things you may want to know about your program are: o We are nationally approved through SABPAC (The SOPHE-AAHE Baccalaureate Program Approval Committee) and our program is steadily growing. o We are housed in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Studies and the College of Education and Professional Studies here at UCO. o We are the first (and only) program at an academic institution in the state of Oklahoma with an Eta Sigma Gamma chapter. o Our program is well known and respected in public health circles throughout the state. o We have a Community/Public Health Advisory Council made up of professionals in the field who refer to graduates of this program as career ready. o This program will incorporate your desire to help others with the skills needed to work with communities in order to improve the health of all. We are actively engaged in the community with service learning projects incorporated into our classes on a regular basis. As faculty in your program, we hope that you have found your niche, and we are excited to be the first to welcome you into this rewarding discipline. We look forward to developing a professional partnership with you as you grow in your specialty. There are several things that we want to share with you as you begin your work in this major. Successful students have many things in common. o Most importantly, they are passionate about serving others by promoting health and preventing disease among diverse populations. o As we do our part to prepare you for working in this important field, we have expectations (as do your future supervisors and colleagues) about what you will practice here and ultimately, what you will be able to do upon entering the workforce as a professional. o Because of this, you will acquire various professional skills within your classes in addition to the critical academic knowledge that you will gain. Ultimately, our program is designed to prepare you for the CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist) certification. o This is a critical and valuable credential in our discipline as it communicates to prospective employers that you have met standards that are expected in the field and that you are committed to lifelong learning. o You will find CHES competencies in your syllabi in all classes for your major. o For more information on CHES, you may see program faculty and also visit nchec.org. In addition to preparing you for CHES certification, our program offers a Community/Public Health Club and Eta Sigma Gamma, the National Health Education Honorary, chapter. o By connecting with the club or being inducted into Eta Sigma Gamma, you gain opportunities to connect with your community, expand your résumé, and develop in your profession. You will hear of opportunities to connect with the club in your classes. For more information on Eta Sigma Gamma, you may visit: http://etasigmagamma.org.
There are projects in your classes that will provide you with skills and resources that you will need at a later time. o There is no busy work in this major. o Please maintain appropriate course notes and copies of all of your work, even after your coursework ends. o Specific needs are addressed in the handout provided with this letter. In preparing you for a successful career in this field, faculty will model respectful and professional interactions with you, one another, and in classroom and email communications. o Your interactions with faculty and fellow classmates are also expected to be professional and respectful. o When we all take responsibility for our part in promoting a warm and respectful environment, we achieve it. o These skills serve you well in future work relationships as well as the work you will do within the communities that you serve. If you have questions or concerns at any point in time, please do not hesitate to meet with us. o If our office hours do not work with your schedule, we will schedule an appointment for a time that does work for you. o We have an open-door policy and are here to do our part in helping you apply the tools needed to be successful in this program. Again, welcome to this exciting and dynamic field! We hope that you have found your calling, and we look forward to helping you develop the skills that you need in order to have a successful and rewarding career. Sincerely, Dr. Cowan Community/Public Health Program Faculty: Dr. Cowan J. Sunshine Cowan, Ph.D., MPH, MCHES Professor Community/Public Health Program Coordinator jcowan1@uco.edu 405-974-5238 Dr. Dunnington Jamie Dunnington, Ph.D., MPH Assistant Professor M.S. in Wellness, Health Studies Coordinator jdunnington@uco.edu 405-974-5058 Dr. Harris LaNita Harris, Ph.D., MPH, CHES Assistant Professor lharris26@uco.edu 405-974-5216 Mrs. Wise Tiffany Wise, MPH, CHES Lecturer twise1@uco.edu 405-974-5990
Courses and Resources Please maintain a copy of the Suggested Course Schedule (attached to this packet). This new copy is for the fall 2017 catalog and forward. If you are not on the fall 2017 catalog, notations are listed for you on the form. for you as you seek entry into your career. CHES exams are offered every April and October. It is critical that you use this sheet when planning ahead for classes. While some classes have been offered in more semesters than listed here (as our numbers have grown), this is a good indicator of when you can count on courses being offered. An issue that may create problems for students and their graduation is the Health Assessment & Evaluation course. This is a fall-only course that is a pre-requisite to Community Intervention, which is a spring-only course. Because we are working with partners in the community, it is not possible to take Community Intervention without having first completed the Health Assessment & Evaluation course. Please make sure to enroll in Health Assessment & Evaluation in the fall immediately prior to your final spring semester. Please bookmark our Community/Public Health Program page so that you are aware of program updates as they occur: http://www.uco.edu/ceps/dept/professional- Studies-Programs/khs/communityhealth/index.asp. Coursework and Projects to Maintain Maintain copies of all submitted assignments, especially written papers. You will be provided with feedback on ways to improve your writing (an important skill and a skill that can be improved by everyone), and you are expected to apply those recommendations to future papers. Resume Project: Additionally, you will develop a resume and gain feedback on it. You will add to this resume throughout your career here: presentations at our KHS Department Symposium, community work that is developed and implemented through class projects, introduction to SPSS data entry and analysis, and the like. In your internship, you will be expected to provide an updated and professional resume that shows that you are career ready. Build on your first resume by tracking the work you do, the presentations you give, and the services that you provide the community. See notes about activities and skills to include on your resume in this packet. At this webpage, you will also find a link to the current degree sheet, information about our program, a link to NCHEC (for CHES certification questions and information), and links to a wide array of professional organizations and resources. Finally, you will also find a link to the UCO Community/Public Health Club Facebook page. You will learn more about NCHEC and CHES throughout your classes. Graduating with a Community/Public Health degree allows you to sit for this certification (and prepares you for it), which in turn builds your resume and ensures that you are current in your field. This certification opens doors These skills will serve you well in both acquiring a position that you love and allowing you to promote to positions that you desire. Welcome again. We are happy to be working with you!
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN COMMUNITY/PUBLIC HEALTH - MAJOR CODE 3101 KINESIOLOGY AND HEALTH STUDIES DEPARTMENT Suggested Course Schedule (Fall 2017) Freshman/Sophomore First Semester Healthy Life Skills and other University Core courses MATH 1513 (or HS Algebra II): required pre-requisite math for STAT 2103 Classes listed below are HLTH prefix unless otherwise noted 2203 Intro to Community/Public Health (pre-req: HLS) ** 3513 Health Administration & Policy (pre-req: HLTH 1112 and junior standing) 4901 Practicum 50 hours/1 credit hour 3163 Environmental Health (pre-req: HLS or junior standing) Also part of Sustainability minor 3113 Contemporary Issues in Public Health (pre-req: HLS) 2212 First Aid with CPR 3263 Media Advocacy & Health Communication (pre-req: 3223 Applied Anatomy HLS and junior standing) 3403 Leadership and Ethics in Health Education (pre-req: BIO 2102 Bio & Medical Terminology (pre-req: 1 course in HLS and junior standing) After satisfactorily completing these 15 hours (those listed here + HLTH 1112) with a 2.75 average, students may apply for admission to the Community/Public Health Program by submitting their application, transcript, and written assessment to the KHS Office. Must be taken during the same semester **Spring only biological sciences) STAT 2103 Intro Statistics for Sciences or 3 hours of Statistics (pre-req: MATH 1513 or HS Algebra II) Human Development, First Aid CPR, Internship, and other courses are offered during summer semesters; please check availability. Additionally, elective courses will be needed in order to graduate. Please ensure you have enough upper-division electives, hours at UCO, and total coursework hours in order to graduate. Senior *3203 Introduction to Epidemiology (pre-req: Admission to program and junior standing or above) # ** 4223 Health Equity & Determinants of Health (prereq: Intro to Community/Public Health) Also part of Sustainability minor **4523 Health & Aging (pre-req: HLS and junior or senior standing) *3323 Program Planning (pre-req: Admission to program and junior standing or above) # 4103 Human Development **4433 Community Intervention (pre-req: Program Planning and Health Assessment & Evaluation) # *4313 Healthy Aspects of Sexuality (pre-req: HLS, junior standing) *4203 Health Assessment and Evaluation (pre-req: Admission to program, BIO 2102, and junior standing or above) # In order to graduate on time: this course MUST be taken in the fall before your last spring semester pre-req for Community Intervention *Fall only 4054 Internship-320 hours/4 credit hours # (pre-reqs: Admission to program, Intro to Epi, Health Assessment & Evaluation, plus an additional 4 hrs of 3000/4000 level Health courses, and written permission of instructor) ** Spring only # Admission into the Community/Public Health Program required for those on the fall 2017 catalog and newer Majors on a catalog prior to Fall 2017: (1) must take CHEM 1003 (or any 3 hours of Chemistry) rather than STAT 2103 and (2) must complete a minor. These majors may substitute HLTH 3113 Contemporary Issues in Public Health for HLTH 3313 Contemporary Issues in Drug Prevention and are not required to apply for admission into the program. Additionally, majors on a catalog prior to Fall 2015 may enroll in HLTH 3453 or HLTH 3513 Health Admin & Policy.
Community/Public Health Program Setting the Path to Begin Your Career Your resume is a reflection of your experience and skillset. New graduates often feel overwhelmed by seeing job postings which require previous experience. The good news is that you will get a great deal of experience in this program. You will need to be able to highlight these experiences and skills on your resume and to talk about what you have learned in job interviews. (In the past, recent graduates have either misunderstood how important it is to include many of these items on their resume, or they have assumed that all baccalaureate programs provide this level of experience. This is simply not the case. Be sure to highlight your experiences in order to better market yourself for positions in the field.) This list is intended to serve as a general outline for you. Your activities (those items that are italicized) may differ slightly depending on community needs and partnerships while you are in specific classes in the program. You should be able to communicate work you have been engaged in (bolded) within the following areas: Media Advocacy & Health Communication Focus: Develop a media advocacy plan Program Planning Focus: Plan and implement a program with a community partner Previous projects: Girl Scouts programs in public housing throughout the metro Healthy Aspects of Sexuality Focus: Provide education on comprehensive sexuality education Previous projects: Sexual Health Awareness Week on campus; group project with Boys & Girls Club of Central Oklahoma and Youth Services of Oklahoma County to provide education and information Focus: Develop an interview question path and conduct interview with sexual health professional Previous project: Students selected sexual health professional to interview, developed interview question paths in groups, and conducted group interviews with sexual health professionals Introduction to Epidemiology Focus: Partner with community organization to conduct research and/or provide education Previous project: Extra credit opportunity to partner with the Oklahoma City-County Health Department to conduct disaster preparedness assessment with epidemiologists; extra credit project with Teen empower to provide facts sheets about sexually transmitted infections Environmental Health Focus: The built environment and public health Previous projects: City of Oklahoma City partnership to conduct walkability audits and park assessments (data collected used to create the city s Pedestrian Master plan and improve physical activity environments in OKC) Contemporary Issues in Health Promotion Focus: Resource gathering Previous projects: Students taught drug lessons to middle and high school students at New Land Academy or Harding Preparatory High School (lessons include drug use prevention, tobacco, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, hookah, alcohol, marijuana) Community/Public Health Program 08/2017
Health Assessment & Evaluation Focus: Protecting Human Rights Participants (PHRP) certification; IRB protocol development and adherence; introduction to SPSS statistical software; data collection in the community; data analysis and reporting; working with quantitative and qualitative data Previous projects: Students completed tobacco surveys within public housing; focus groups for INTEGRIS as a part of their required reporting to the IRS under ACA regulations as a non-profit hospital; campus surveys; focus groups with Homeless Alliance Day Shelter patrons and staff; Buy For Less surveys Health Equity Focus: Resource sheets on topic of interest; zip code data collection; often includes a project Previous projects: Students developed an online petition promoting equity in local grocery chain; presentations and demonstrations against social injustice in food industry on campus and in community Health & Aging Focus: Project specific to students interacting with senior adults focusing on health, active living, and fitness in later life Previous projects: Program partnership with Key Health Institute, Bradford Village, and CALL at UCO Wellness Center Community Intervention Focus: Health promotion events in the metro based on data analysis from Health Assessment & Intervention; planning, implementation, evaluation; committee service and leadership role Previous projects: Students developed and held resume workshops for patrons at Homeless Alliance Day Shelter; medical screenings and health promotion at senior public housing or mixed-income housing developments Other notable experience By graduation, all students will have completed a 50-hour practicum and a 320-hour internship with a specific agency or organization. Detailed skills specific to these experiences should be listed. All students should have at least one group presentation at a KHS Symposium. Many will have two or more. Presentations should be listed in APA format in the order listed in the presentation. Students should bold their last name and initials so that a reviewer can quickly identify them in group presentations. Community/Public Health Program 08/2017
Community/Public Health Program Faculty Scientific/Political Statement Faculty in the Community/Public Health Program at UCO are committed to the exploration of the public health field through scientific inquiry and investigation. This consists of embracing health promotion, including the accurate dissemination of research through health education; the advancement of ongoing advocacy efforts; the support of public policy as guided by scientific study; and the continued improvement of physical, social, economic, and political determinants of health. As professionals in the field, we wholeheartedly believe that scientific research should ultimately drive public policy (rather than the other way around). We embrace the foundation of public health which is social justice and we hold true to the belief that all policy that impacts the health of populations is health policy. Research and dissemination of health education on a host of topics (e.g. teen pregnancy prevention, gun violence prevention, climate change, racism, health equity, access to healthcare, living wage advocacy, etc.) are often politicized in our society - despite the fact that these issues directly influence the longevity and quality of life among populations and thus, should be researched and discussed rather than ignored due to polarization. It is a core professional value among our program faculty to continue to research, discuss, and advocate for best practices on a host of public health matters that significantly impact the lives of those we serve. Ethically, we owe it to you our students as well as to the broader communities we serve, to ensure that your education provides both breadth and depth on these topics, while addressing the relevant factors of our field. Ultimately, we concern ourselves with the improvement of the public s health and your education as a future practitioner over and above any controversy surrounding what is credible research. For this reason, our faculty consistently share credible and reliable research, best practices, and data on pertinent public health issues. We ensure that your education includes feedback on how to work in cultural and political climates; however, we do not address these topics based on politics nor are we swayed from our commitment to social justice based on any given political climate. Instead, we focus our work and promote health for broad populations and diverse communities based on scientific study and best practices in our field. / Public Community/Public Health Program 08/2017