Community Health Track
Advisement
West Chester University MPH Program
Community Health Track
Advisors

Last Name A-E
Dr. Lynn Carson
lcarson@wcupa.edu

Last Name F-H
Dr. Sharon DeJoy
sdejoy@wcupa.edu

Last Name I-O
Dr. Stacie Metz

Last Name P-Z
Dr. Debra Bill
smetz@wcupa.edu
dbill@wcupa.edu
MPH Core Courses (24 credits)




HEA 520 Public Health
Epidemiology
FALL/SPRING
HEA 526 Biostatistics for Public
Health
FALL/SPRING
HEA 632 Social and Behavioral
Aspects of Health FALL/SPRING
HEA 648 Research Methods in
Public Health
FALL/SPRING


ENV 530 General Environmental
Health
FALL/SPRING
HEA 516 Health Care Management
FALL/SPRING


HEA 649 Applied Learning
Experience I
FALL/SPRING/SUM
HEA 650 Applied Learning
Experience II
FALL/SPRING/SUM
Community Health Track Required
Courses (21 credits)


HEA 531 Community as a Basis for
Health
FALL
HEA 543 Transcultural Health


FALL

HEA 544 Program Administration of
Health and Human Services
SUM/WINTER

HEA 539 Health Promotion Program
Planning
SPRING
HEA 538 Evaluation of Health
Programs
SPRING
2 Health Electives
FALL/SPRING/SUM/WINTER
Course Prerequisites




An introductory statistics course is required before you can
enroll in either Epidemiology or Biostatistics. You can satisfy
this requirement by taking either MAT 121 at WCU or a similar
course at another university. Students also have the
opportunity to complete a Statistical Competency Examination
in lieu of the introductory course with the approval of Dr.
Stacie Metz.
Biostatisics and Epidemiology must be successfully completed
before enrolling in Research Methods.
Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Research Methods must be
successfully completed before the start of ALE I.
All core course and electives must be successfully completed
before the start of ALE II.
Full Time Course Rotation
Fall Start
FALL 1
SPRING 1

Epidemiology

Research Methods

Biostatistics

Program Planning

Program Evaluation

Community as a Basis
for Health
FALL 2

Soc/Behav. Aspects of
Health
Transcultural Health

Health Elective 2


SPRING 2



SUMMER 1

Environmental Health
Health Care
Management
ALE I
Program
Administration
Health Elective 1
SUMMER 2

ALE II
Full Time Course Rotation
Spring Start
SPRING 1
SUMMER 1

Epidemiology

Health Elective 1

Biostatistics

Health Elective 2

SPRING 2
Environmental Health

Program Planning

Program Evaluation


Health Care
Management

FALL 1
Soc/Behav. Aspects of
Health
Community as a Basis
for Health

Transcultural Health

Research Methods
SUMMER 2


Program
Administration
ALE I
FALL 2

ALE II
Full Time Course Rotation
Summer Start
SUMMER 1
FALL 1
SPRING 1

Health Elective 1

Epidemiology


Health Elective 2

Biostatistics

Community as a Basis
for Health

Program Planning
Transcultural Health

Program Evaluation


SUMMER 2

Program
Administration
FALL 2

Soc/Behav. Aspects of
Health

Environmental Health

ALE I
Research Methods
Health Care
Management
SPRING 2

ALE II
Part Time Course Rotation
Fall Start
FALL 1


Epidemiology
Community as a Basis
for Health
SPRING 1

Program Planning

Program Evaluation

Biostatistics



Program
Administration
SUMMER 2
Research Methods
Environmental Health

Health Elective 1
Transcultural Health
FALL 3


SPRING 2
FALL 2

SUMMER 1
Soc/Behav. Aspects of
Health
Health Elective 2
SPRING 3


Health Care
Management
ALE I
SUMMER 3

ALE II
Part Time Course Rotation
Spring Start
SPRING 1
SUMMER 1
FALL 1

Biostatistics

Health Elective 1

Transcultural Health

Program Planning

Health Elective 2

Epidemiology
SPRING 2

Environmental Health

Program Evaluation
SUMMER 2

Program
Administration
FALL 2


SPRING 3


Research Methods
Health Care
Management
Soc/Behav. Aspects of
Health
Community as a Basis
for Health
SUMMER 3

ALE I
FALL 3

ALE II
Part Time Course Rotation
Summer Start
SUMMER 1

Health Elective 1
FALL 1


Epidemiology
Community as a Basis
for Health
Program
Administration


Soc/Behav. Aspects of
Health
Biostatistics
SUMMER 3

Health Elective 2

Program Planning

Program Evaluation
FALL 2
SUMMER 2

SPRING 1
SPRING 2

Research Methods

Environmental Health
FALL 3



Transcultural Health
Health Care
Management
ALE I
SPRING 3

ALE II
Fast Track Course Rotation
Fall Start
FALL SENIOR YEAR
SPRING SENIOR YEAR

HEA 400-level Course

HEA 400-level Course

Epidemiology

Biostatistics

Community as a Basis
for Health
SPRING GRAD YEAR






Program
Administration
MAT 121 (if
necessary)
FALL GRAD YEAR

SUMMER POST-SENIOR
YEAR
Transcultural Health
Soc/Behav. Aspects of
Health
Research Methods
Environmental Health
Health Care
Management

Program Planning

Program Evaluation
SUMMER GRAD YEAR

ALE I

ALE II
Modified Fast Track Course Rotation
Summer Start
SUMMER 1 GRAD YEAR

Program Administration
SPRING GRAD YEAR
FALL GRAD YEAR

Biostatistics

Epidemiology

Community as a Basis for Health

Transcultural Health

Health Care Management

Research Methods
SUMMER 2 GRAD YEAR

Environmental Health

ALE I

Program Planning

ALE II

Program Evaluation

Soc/Behav. Aspects of Health
Modified Fast Track Course Rotation
Fall Start
FALL 1 GRAD YEAR
SPRING GRAD YEAR

Community as a Basis for Health

Program Planning

Soc/Behav. Aspects of Health

Program Evaluation

Epidemiology

Environmental Health

Biostatistics

Research Methods

Transcultural Health

Health Care Management
SUMMER GRAD YEAR

Program Administration
FALL 2 GRAD YEAR

ALE I

ALE II
Modified Fast Track Course Rotation
Spring Start
SPRING 1 GRAD YEAR

Epidemiology

Biostatistics

Program Planning

Program Evaluation

Health Care Management
SUMMER GRAD YEAR

Program Administration
SPRING 2 GRAD YEAR
FALL GRAD YEAR

Community as a Basis for Health

ALE I

Soc/Behav. Aspects of Health

ALE II

Research Methods

Environmental Health

Transcultural Health
Course Sequencing




Most courses are offered once per year, while
some are offered in the fall/spring/summer
semesters.
Students who miss a course may delay their
graduation date.
Consult with your advisor to make sure you are
taking your courses in their proper order.
Course offerings iare subject to change. Check
the course catalog prior to registration.
Summer Courses


Many summer courses are offered as weeklong intensives (8AM-5PM or 4:15PM-10PM).
Students may need to make arrangements to
take time off from work to complete these
courses.
Other summer courses are offered during the
regular summer course semester during
evening hours.
ALE I & II Time Commitments




The total time commitment for ALE is 300
hours (100 hours ALE I, 200 hours ALE II).
Students are expected to spend time at their
agencies to complete their projects.
Students and Site Supervisors will need to
agree on the time needed on site to complete
their projects at the start of ALE I & II.
Students may need to make arrangements to
take time off from work to complete their ALE
projects.
ALE at Student's Place of
Employment


Students are permitted to complete their ALE
at their place of employment.
However, their ALE project cannot be related
to their job duties. E.g., a nurse working in
the pediatric ward of a hospital may conduct
her ALE project at that hospital, but not in the
pediatric ward.
GPA Requirements for ALE


Students are expected to achieve a minimum
of a 3.00 GPA after completeing all MPH core
and Community Health Track courses.
A GPA of 3.00 or higher is required to be
eligible to begin ALE I & II.
Degree Candidacy



Degree candidacy application must be made
immediately upon completion of 12-15
semester hours of course work.
Students must file an application with the
Dean of Graduate Studies.
Students will receive a letter from the Dean of
Graduate Studies either approving or denying
their application.
Time Needed to Complete Degree



All requirements for one's MPH (including ALE I
& II) must be met within six years from
commencement of the program.
This advisement session offers two course
rotations to complete the degree in either to
or three years.
Students have the option of taking only one
course per semester, but this option may
require up to six years to complete the
program.
Application for Degree Candidacy

Information, fees and forms related to
graduaton may be found on the Office of
Graduate Studies webpage.
Graduate Studies forms

Graduation Application Deadlines

May Graduation
February 1st

August Graduation
June 1st

December Graduation
October 1st
Issues that May Delay Desired
Graduation Date





Failing to follow advising sheets when
registering for courses
Failing to register for courses on time
Undergraduate statistics requirement not met
at time of enrollment
Failing to take prerequisite courses in the
recommended sequence
Failing to complete ALE I & II in consecutive
semesters (completing both in one semester is
acceptable with advisor approval)
Important Graduation Information

Students who complete course requirements in
the summer may participate in the previous
May's commencement ceremony. These
students need to apply for spring graduation.
However, since all course requirements will
not be completed until the summer, official
graduation clearance will not occur until
September, and diplomas will be issued at that
time.
Academic Probation/Dismissal
Policy


Students whose GPA falls below 3.00 will be
placed on academic probation. These
students must raise their GPA to 3.00 by the
end of the next semester for which they
register. If a student fails to meet the
conditions of academic probation, he/she is
subject to dismissal.
Students with a GPA of 2.00 or lower will be
dropped from the program.
Academic Probation Policy




All students on academic probation must meet with their
advisors to select their courses for the probation
semester.
Students on probation must complete the MPH Academic
Probation Form prior to registering for courses.
Students on probation with a GPA between 2.90 and 3.00
may be granted an additional probationary semester.
Students on probation with a GPA below 2.90 will be
dropped from the program at the end of their first
probationary semester.
CHES Exam Dates

April 26, 2014

Registration: 11/1/13 – 2/1/14


Late Registration: 2/2/14 – 3/1/14


Student fee: $210
Student fee: $265
October 18, 2014

Registration: 5/1/14 – 8/1/14

Student fee: $210

Late Registration: 8/2/14 – 9/1/14

Student fee: $265
CHES exam info on NCHEC website
Important Links

Office of Graduate Studies

College of Health Sciences

Master of Public Health Program

Master of Public Health Program FAQ

Past Community Health ALE Sites

MPH Facebook Page

Current MPH Student Resources
(NOTE: MPH job bank and list of searchable job titles is under Current
Development & Educational Services)

MPH Forms/Policies