Master of Science in Community Health & Prevention Science

Take an active role in preventing and promoting social, physical, and mental health of your local community with the University of Cincinnati’s online MS Community Health and Prevention Science program.

This degree is designed to provide students with the fundamentals of Prevention Science and Community Health. Students will focus on measuring risk and protective factors that modify health behavior and will learn to take those factors to potentially develop and implement prevention programs and interventions.  Graduates of this degree program will possess skills needed to positively impact communities through evidence-based prevention practices.  Bringing research and practical applications together, graduates will be highly prepared to initiate health behavior change at the family, school, and community settings.

What is Prevention Science?

Prevention science is an emerging, interdisciplinary field of public health that focuses on preventing negative health outcomes by introducing behavior changes.

In this program, students will develop skills to plan, implement, and evaluate community health behavior change programs using a prevention science framework.

Prevention science has significant growth potential in the United States and across the globe. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fields involving social and behavioral science are anticipated to grow between 11% and 20% by 2028, which is higher than other occupations. ​

Students will be eligible to pursue three highly recognized credentials following graduation:

• Prevention Specialist from the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium.
• State-level Prevention Specialist credentialing from the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium state level boards in the United States.
• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam through the National Commission on Health Education Credentialing.

Cincinnati’s Online MS in Community Health and Prevention Science Program Offers You:

• 100% online; no campus visits required, as well as no testing requirements to apply. This program can be completed in as few as 3 semesters.
• Instruction from award-winning faculty including cutting-edge prevention science experts, scholars, and highly experienced prevention science professionals.
• Develop strategic leadership and professional decision-making skills, including critically analyzing data and applying those concepts to effective programs and health behavior change.
• A culminating portfolio project, reviewed and approved by your instructors to prepare you for credentialing exams.
• Elective course offerings such as drugs and society, suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, minority and vulnerable population health, community organization and grant writing.