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GRADUATE DEGREES OFFERED:

•  Master’s of Science:
  • Public Health (MPH)
  • Public Health Nutrition

               o Dietetics (M.S.)

•  Doctorate of Health Sciences (DHSc)

   

  Dr. Linda Behrendt, Chairperson
  Department Office: College of Health and Human Services, A-432
  Department Phone:812-237-3079 or 812-237-3297
  Fax: 812-237-8607
  Web site: www.indstate.edu/health/department/ahs
  E-mail: ahs@indstate.edu

  INTRODUCTION

  The Department of Applied Health Sciences offers various programs designed for students seeking graduate degrees to develop master’s or doctoral level proficiency in their chosen profession.

  MAIN OBJECTIVE

  The graduate programs available through the Department of Applied Health Sciences allow students to advance their professional careers in the fields of dietetics, health promotion, and public health through high-quality instruction provided by faculty with a variety of specializations.

   

  All graduate courses are offered in an online only format. Some classes are asynchronous while others may require participation in one synchronous session per week. Courses are delivered using Blackboard and require broadband internet connection. Contact the Department of Applied Health Sciences by emailing isu-ahs@indstate.edu or calling 812-237-3079 for more information about graduate programs.

   

  ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  Doctorate of Health Sciences

  To be considered for admission, a student must satisfy all general requirements of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies as stated in the Graduate Catalog. In addition applicants to the Doctorate of Health Sciences must earn a grade point average of 3.0 or above in all graduate coursework completed.

  Minimum qualifications:

• Master’s degree in a health-related field or Master’s degree in any field with the equivalent of three years full-time work in a health-related field.
• Completion of at least one Master’s level statistics course with a B or better
• Completion of at least one Master’s level research methods course with a B or better

  It should not be assumed that meeting minimal qualifications guarantees admission to the program. The admissions committee must receive all of the following before an application will be reviewed. Please note that the DHSc program only admits for Fall semester and that the review of applications will begin in late February with admission decisions made by late March.

• Completed admission application to the College of Graduate and Professional Studies
• A written statement of purpose
• Your statement should speak to any pertinent background experiences, your interest in the program at Indiana State and identify at least two faculty you feel might be beneficial helping with your research plans.
• A copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae or resume
• Reference letters from at least three people who know the prospective student in a professional capacity
• One official transcript from each school at which any undergraduate or graduate work has been done
• Applicants with a master’s GPA below a 3.0 will be required to submit their scores on the Graduate Record Examination - General Tests (Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical).

  Applicants may also be asked to participate in an interview, which may be conducted by telephone or through online platform. 

  QUALIFYING EXAMINATION AND ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY FOR THE DOCTORATE OF HEALTH SCIENCES

Eligibility for Qualifying Examination

To be eligible to sit for the qualifying examination, students must have approved dissertation committee and completed all coursework.

Qualifying Examination

The department will set date for the administration of the examination. The qualifying examination will comprise of five questions drawn by the student’s dissertation committee. Students will answer a compulsory methods question that covers their dissertation topic, and two other questions of their choice. Students will have up to three hours to complete the examination at a sitting. Students will be examined in content areas covered in classes taken in the program. Dissertation chairs are expected to debrief their students about the content areas of the examination. The grading rubric will be provided before the examination.

Evaluation

The examination will be evaluated by the procedures developed by the program. After evaluation, the department chairperson, the dean of the college, and the dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies will certify results. When there is disagreement at the program level resulting in lack of consensus regarding overall performance, the case will be referred to the department chairperson and dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies.

The qualifying exam will be evaluated according to program criteria as follows:

1. Pass. Students must score at least a B grade in all questions answered. Students who scored less than a B in only one of the three questions answered will have the opportunity to clarify areas of concern with the dissertation committee.
2. Fail. Eligible to retake. Students who scored less than a B in two of the three questions answered will be eligible to retake the exam with new set of questions.
3. Fail. Not eligible to retake. Students who scored less than a B in two of the three questions answered on the second attempt of the examination will result in the student being eliminated from the program.

Admission to Candidacy

A student cannot and does not become a candidate for a doctoral degree until he/she has been formally admitted to candidacy. In addition to successfully passing the qualifying examination, admission to candidacy must be based on other criteria including the academic record of the student and the collective opinion of the student’s doctoral committee concerning the student’s preparedness and readiness for candidacy. Therefore, admission to candidacy requires the approval of the student’s doctoral committee, chairperson of the student’s academic department, the dean of the college where the student is enrolled, and the dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. Before the student applies for admission to candidacy, all appropriate requirements (e.g., course work, residency, research proficiency, qualifying examination) must have been met. In addition, any provisions or special conditions that may have been placed on the student during and/or after admission to the program (including incomplete grades) must have been removed.

When the student has met all requirements for candidacy, the chairperson of the committee will recommend to the department chairperson, to dean of the college, and to the dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies that the student be approved for admission to candidacy. Upon approval, the dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies notifies all concerned.

Master of Science in Health Sciences

Public Health

 For admission applicants must meet the general admission requirements of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies and satisfy standards established by the Department of Applied Health Sciences, including: submission of a letter of interest describing their academic and/or employment experience as well as their reasons for pursuing the master’s degree; a current résumé; and contact information for at least two people who know the applicant in a professional capacity.

The Master’s degree concentration in Public Health provides a general mastery of public health beyond that of the undergraduate level. It is recommended for those students who wish to advance their career beyond entry-level positions, who wish to assume additional organizational responsibilities, or who wish to pursue a doctorate degree. Courses for this concentration are offered in an on-line format.

Additional admissions requirements include:

1. A baccalaureate degree including the following undergraduate courses:
     a. At least two semesters of college-level anatomy and physiology; and
     b. At least one semester of college-level algebra, trigonometry, calculus, or statistics
2. One of the following professional requirements:
     a. Bachelor’s degree in a health related field; or
     b. Two years of professional work experience within the field of health care, public health, or health education/health promotion, as approved by the Department of Applied Health Sciences.

Applicants failing to meet the above requirements may be granted conditional admission on a case-by-case basis.

Master of Science: Dietetics

Students selecting the dietetics option and wishing to be eligible to sit for the Registered Dietitian (RD) exam may apply for admission to the Coordinated Program in Dietetics. This Dietetics program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Included within the required courses are 1,200 clock hours of pre-professional clinical practice experience. Upon completion of the Dietetics graduate option, graduates are eligible to take the national examination to earn the RD credential.

Potential students may apply for admission to the Coordinated Program in Dietetics during the spring semester each year. The program is highly competitive as admission is limited to 16 students per cohort, including undergraduate students. A minimum, overall undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 or minimum grade point average of 3.0 on the last 32 credits of course work is required for entry into the program. Graduate applicants will be evaluated along with undergraduates. Complete entrance requirements and applications may be obtained from the director of the program and are available on the web site of the Department of Applied Health Sciences. Students are required to submit a written application, transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate coursework completed, two letters of recommendation from individuals who have known the applicant in a professional capacity.

A student entering the program having fulfilled the required undergraduate coursework may be able to complete the Master of Science and pre-professional practice in two calendar years. Students who have not completed the necessary prerequisites will be required to complete the following undergraduate courses (or their equivalents) in order to meet the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics registration eligibility requirements:

• Human anatomy with lab
• Human physiology with lab
• Microbiology with lab
• Elementary chemistry with lab
• Elementary organic chemistry with lab
• Upper level biochemistry with lab
• Introduction to human nutrition (B- or better required)
• Fundamentals of foods (B- or better required)

  Driver Education Licensure

  All-grade or secondary content teachers can add this credential to their teacher’s license with the Indiana Professional Standard Board through the Indiana Department of Education. This program consists of three courses (9 total credit hours) that are typically taken in one 8-week summer session. All three courses meet in a synchronous, interactive online format. Upon completion of the licensure courses, students are certified to teach driver education in the private sector. The program is recognized by the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association.

  MPH Graduate Non-Degree Program

  The Department of Applied Health Sciences offers interested persons the opportunity to register for public health courses in a Graduate Non-Degree (GND) status. The GND program provides students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to be successful as a graduate student.  Twelve graduate credit hours must be taken over a period of one year. Once a GND student has completed 12 graduate credit hours, the CGPA (a minimum of 3.0) becomes the primary GPA for admission consideration. Up to 12 credit hours earned as a GND student may be transferred upon acceptance as a degree candidate. Only courses in which a student has earned a grade of B (or 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or better may be considered for transfer. Admission as a GND student does not guarantee admission to the MPH program. GND students seeking admission to the MPH program must apply to the program and meet all requirements. The MPH program has a structured curriculum with specific courses prescribed for each semester; GND students must follow the course sequence.  

   Graduate Non-Degree Program Admission Requirements

   

• Submit to the college of Graduate and Professional Studies a fully completed Non-Degree Admission Application
• Show proof of completion of an undergraduate degree in health sciences, health education or a related field
• Provide to the department a personal statement of goals and experience
• Submit a current resume/CV

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