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Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research

The main causes of preventable illness and death in the U.S. are unhealthy behaviors such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and nonuse of safety belts.  Applied health behavior research addresses the science of health behavior change and applies this to the development and evaluation of programs in clinical and community settings designed to improve health behavior.  The Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research (AHBR), formerly M.H.S. in Health Care Services, is a multidisciplinary program that delivers skills and resources to professionals who manage health behavior programs and related research studies.  (Print Brochure here)

Students choose between two concentrations of study depending on professional goals and interests: 

1) Health Education, Program Planning, and Evaluation; or

2) Health Behavior Research.  Designed primarily for working professionals pursuing studies on a part-time basis, the program features a diverse faculty with extensive experience in health behavior research, practice, and teaching. 

In addition to 12 units of required core courses in Applied Health Behavior Research, and required AHBR concentration courses, students may select up to six units of elective courses from various disciplines and perspectives including biology, education, human resources management, and nonprofit management.  Classes meet on the Washington University campus during late afternoon and early evening hours.  The Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research is sponsored by Washington University School of Medicine and offered through University College, the evening and continuing education division of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis (Request Info).

The Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research helps prepare students for a range of careers in health promotion and health behavior research, including positions such as:

  • Research Study Manager or Project Director
  • Program Manager
  • Evaluation Specialist for Health Behavior Program or Intervention
  • Health Educator
  • Health and Wellness Coordinator
  • Outreach Coordinator for Health Department or Nonprofit Agency
  • Health Communications Manager
  • Health Program Planning Analyst

Admission

You must fill out and submit a printable Application for Graduate Admission form.

  • $35 non-refundable application fee
  • Official transcripts of all previous college work (undergraduate and, if applicable, graduate work and degrees granted); (University College can request the transcript(s) on your behalf, click here for the transcript release form)
  •  Three letters of reference.  Academic references are strongly encouraged
  • Other material that either the student or the Program Committee may consider relevant

Admission Time Line

University College reviews completed applications and makes admissions decisions on a rolling basis. The process typically takes four to six weeks, so applicants should submit materials by the following schedule in order to ensure a timely decision: mid-November for spring; mid-April for summer; mid-July for fall. If you plan to apply for federal financial aid, please note that this process can take six to eight weeks. It is suggested that applicants begin by completing their FAFSA at the time of application. For additional information about Financial Aid and step-by-step Financial Aid application instructions, click here. Qualified students may take up to six units on a non-degree basis. To do so, fill out and submit this Graduate Unclassified Study Program Application form. For more information, contact Irene Fischer, Associate Director, Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research Program, at (314) 286-1916, or E-mail IFischer@wustl.edu.

Degree Requirements

Students are required to complete 30 units of graduate-level course work (400-level and above) with a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade-point average, including 12 units of required core courses and 18 units of required and elective coursework comprising a concentration in either 1) Health Education, Program Planning, and Evaluation; or 2) Health Behavior Research.  Students who fulfill all program requirements are awarded the Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research.  The degree is conferred by University College, the evening and continuing education division of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

Core Courses—12 Units

U88 AHBR 514 Health Behavior Theory

U88 AHBR 523 Introduction to Statistics for the Health Sciences

U88 AHBR 508 Project Management in Clinical and Community Settings

U88 AHBR 581 Professional Development Seminar

Concentration in Health Education, Program Planning, and Evaluation—18 Units

Required:

U88 AHBR 536 Health Education: Methods, Planning and Evaluation

U88 AHBR 582 Evaluation of Health Service Programs

Four authorized three-unit elective courses selected from the list below.

Concentration in Health Behavior Research—18 units

Required:

U88 AHBR 524 Foundations of Health Care Research

Five authorized three-unit elective courses selected from the list below.

Elective Courses

U88 AHBR 512A Counseling Skills for Health Care Professionals

U88 AHBR 515 Health Psychology

U88 AHBR 516 Seminar in Interpersonal Communication and Group Dynamics in Health Care

U88 AHBR 532 Principles of Management Health Care Services

U88 AHBR 535 Health Disparities:  Applications in Clinical Settings

U88 AHBR 540 Community Health Promotion

U88 AHBR 562 Leadership and Change in Health Care Services

U88 AHBR 588 Epidemiology for Clinical Research

U88 AHBR 548 Applied Data Management

U88 AHBR 517 Survey Development and Evaluation

Other authorized electives from AHBR, Biology, Education, Human Resources Management, and Nonprofit Management

Transfer Credit

A maximum of 6 units of related and comparable graduate-level course work may be transferred from another university or from a related graduate program at Washington University with the approval of the program director. Students seeking transfer credit for a statistics course are required to pass a placement exam.

Related Degrees and Certificates

Graduate Certificate in Health Behavior Planning and Evaluation

For more information, contact Irene Fischer, Associate Director, Master of Science in Applied Health Behavior Research Program at (314) 286-1916, or E-mail IFischer@im.wustl.edu.

Learn more about other health-related master’s programs at Washington University:  http://publichealth.wustl.edu/degrees/Pages/default.aspx