• Description of Program
• Degree Requirements
• Special Opportunities
• Careers

Description of Program

The content of the online Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree with a major in Parks and Recreation exposes students to public health approaches in the management of recreation services and resources in various settings. This degree is for students interested in public agencies, private/commercial agencies, or general park administration and management. Students in this program will learn about the linkages between recreation and public health, while acquiring administration and leadership skills for developing, delivering, and administering recreational programs and resources with specific public health outcomes in mind.

Students in this program will master competencies in public health core areas including epidemiology, biostatistics, social and behavioral sciences, environmental health, and health policy and management. The concentration courses, field experience, and capstone experience all prepare the student to address public health issues within the parks and recreation sector.

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 44 graduate credit hours is required for this program. A minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) is required for graduation. A minimum grade of C is required in each course. All electives for completing the degree must be approved by the advisor. Prerequisite courses may be prescribed for students lacking sufficient background for graduate study in public health.

M.P.H. Master of Public Health Degree Requirements (44–47 credits)

M.P.H. Degree Core (20 credits)

Public Health Foundations Requirement (0 credits)
All M.P.H. students must complete the Public Health Foundations online course no later than the end of their first semester of graduate study. Complete details and registration information for this course can be found at the following website: https://iu.instructure.com/enroll/MNG3L6

Integrated Public Health Core (12 credits)
Complete each of the following courses.

• SPH-X 601 Assessment and Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-X 650 Evidence-Based Approaches to Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-X 660 Population Health Determinates (3 cr.)
• SPH-X 685 Public Health Policy and Politics (3 cr.)

Professional Development and Practical Experiences (8 credits)
Complete each of the following courses.

• SPH-X 610 Professional Development Seminar 1 (2 cr.)
• SPH-X 611 Professional Development Seminar 2 (2 cr.)
• SPH-X 696 Professional Practice Experience in Public Health (4 cr.)

Parks and Recreation Concentration (12 credits)

Required Concentration Courses (12 credits)
Complete each of the following courses.

• SPH-O 510 Human Health, Quality of Life, and Natural Environments (3 cr.)
• SPH-R 510 Philosophy of Leisure and Recreation (3 cr.)
• SPH-R 512 Administrative Theory and Management Practices in Leisure Services (3 cr.)
• SPH-R 585 Leisure as a Determinant of Public Health (3 cr.) 

Additional Graduate Certificate (12–15 credits)

Complete all courses in one of the following certificate programs. (12–15 credits)

Online Graduate Certificate in Gerontology and Health (12 credits)
Successful completion of the following requirements earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Gerontology and Health.

Complete the following courses.

• SPH-H 524 –or-- EDUC-P 513 Multidisciplinary Perspectives in Gerontology (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 675 Practicum in Public Health (3 cr.)

Complete two (6 cr.) courses from the following.

• EDUC-D 505 Adult Learning through the Lifespan (3 cr.)
• EDUC-D 506 Adult Education Planning and Development (3 cr.)
• EDUC-P 517 Adult Development and Aging (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 535 Contemporary Issues in Aging and Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 615 Health Longevity, and Integrative Therapies for the Later Years (3 cr.)

Online Graduate Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health (15 credits)
Successful completion of the following four courses earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health.

• SPH-B 589 Theory & Conceptual Frameworks in Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 630 Sexual and Reproductive Health Surveillance (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 632 Sexual Health: Contemporary Discoveries and Controversies (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 633 Advanced Instructional Methods in Sexual and Reproductive Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-B 634 Sexual Health Research and Evaluation (3 cr.)

Note: SPH-B 589 Theories and Conceptual Frameworks in Public Health, which is required for this certificate, is already completed as one of the required BSCH concentration courses.

Online Graduate Certificate in Safety Management (12 credits)
Successful completion of the following four courses earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Safety Management.

• SPH-S 502 Instructional Strategies for Safety Education (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 513 Safety Management in Business and Industry (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 610 Occupational Risk Management (3 cr.)
• SPH-S 632 Safety & Health Program Design (3 cr.)

Online Graduate Certificate in Addiction Intervention (15 credits)
Successful completion of the following five courses earns the student an online graduate Certificate in Addiction Intervention.

• SPH-H 664 Public Health Approaches to Substance Abuse Prevention for Adolescents and Young Adults (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 665 Substance Abuse Treatment for Adolescents and Young Adults in the Context of Public Health (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 670 Introduction to Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders for Public Health Professionals (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 667 History of Public Health Approaches to Addiction Treatment and Recovery for Adolescents and Young Adults (3 cr.)
• SPH-H 668 Motivational Interviewing (3 cr.)

Option 2: Other Electives (12 credits)

Complete 12 credits of graduate level elective courses to be chosen in consultation with the student’s M.P.H. advisor.

• XXXX-X XXX (3 cr.) P: Prior permission of advisor
• XXXX-X XXX (3 cr.) P: Prior permission of advisor
• XXXX-X XXX (3 cr.) P: Prior permission of advisor
• XXXX-X XXX (3 cr.) P: Prior permission of advisor

Special Opportunities

The Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) degree program is accredited by the Council for Education in Public Health (CEPH). The curriculum has been designed to provide students with a solid background in public health, leisure philosophy, park and recreation administration, program development in leisure services, with options for specialized ecosystem management and tourism. The field and integrated learning experiences are further designed, such that students are able to utilize and gain mastery of the competencies learned from coursework.

Careers

School of Public Health-Bloomington graduates with a M.P.H. degree in Parks and Recreation will most likely work in administrative positions within municipal and public park sectors, and be able to: (1) effectively develop programs with overarching goals to improve the status of their community’s public health, (2) eloquently articulate the significant role parks and recreation have in supporting public health, and (3) interface with traditional public health professionals (and others) to develop and coordinate innovative and collaborative solutions to community public health challenges. Example roles for graduates include:

• Municipal park superintendent or director
• Program coordinator/director for park agency
• Program coordinator/director for the National Park Service’s Healthy Parks-Healthy People program
• Proprietor of a private recreation facility or service provider
• State park program director/coordinator
• Local (county or city) health department associate
• Extension agent (health and human services position)