Health Department
Jill Murphy, chair
Margaret DiVita, graduate coordinator
Moffett Center, Room 103
607-753-2987
Fax: 607-753-4226

Overview

No matter what your background, if you want to promote personal and community health through community-based organizations such as local health departments, the American Lung Association, the American Cancer Society and others, you can begin by studying for the M.S. in community health at SUNY Cortland. Options include:

• Full time, on campus
• Part time, on campus
• Part time, through combined classroom and online delivery methods

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Assess needs, resources, and/or capacity for community health education/promotion.
2. Plan community health education/promotion.
3. Implement community health education/promotion.
4. Plan evaluation of community health education/promotion.
5. Apply models, theories, and frameworks appropriately in community health education/promotion.
6. Manage community health education/promotion.
7. Advocate for health, community health education/promotion, and the profession.
8. Communicate and promote health using a variety of communication strategies, methods, and techniques.
9. Train staff members, volunteers and others in community health education/promotion.

Program Highlights

Consistent with national standards, our program offers you the opportunity to learn about research methods and techniques for assessment and evaluation in health education and promotion, as well as applied epidemiology and methods and practices in community health education. You'll also explore current issues in community health and health education through seminars where you can meet new professional colleagues, collaborate with your peers and engage with SUNY Cortland's distinguished faculty.

Culminating Experience

Your culminating project in community health will provide you with an opportunity for hands-on experiences with a community agency where you will work on a special project that affords you the resources to address a health issue in depth. You might undertake a needs assessment regarding services of the local American Cancer Society office, generate an educational program about smoking avoidance for teenagers through the local American Lung Association or create a program to help residents at a local senior center learn about exercise and nutrition.

Career Potential

If you currently work or would like to work in a local community health department, voluntary health agency, health care facility or human service agency, the community health program at SUNY Cortland provides excellent preparation. You'll also gain the skills to make a career change into community health, or move up in the workplace by adding the M.S. in community health to your undergraduate studies. 

Graduate Admissions

Evaluation Policy

At the State University of New York College at Cortland, we seek a diverse and academically strong student body. Our admission policy and practice will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin or marital status.

Required Materials

1. Completed online Graduate School Application - Apply Now
2. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended to be forwarded directly to SUNY Cortland Graduate Admissions Office
3. Names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references, submitted online with the application

Admissions Criteria

Entry into the Health Department graduate programs is very competitive with more eligible applicants than can be accommodated. The 3.0 cumulative undergraduate grade point average criterion is the minimal acceptable grade point average but does not guarantee admission into a degree program.

Deadlines

Fall semester applications: July 1
Spring semester applications: Dec. 1
Summer semester applications: April 1

Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered on a space availability basis.

Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 607-753-4800 to check availability.