Mission, Goals, & Objectives
Mission
The mission of the Health Science Department and its undergraduate and graduate programs is to aid and encourage students' development into competent professionals and life-long learners who are responsible for community health/public health disciplines, including health education and related areas. The program fosters the development of health professionals who are person-centered and sensitive to the diverse qualities and the changing face of the health care delivery system of our society. Upon graduation, our students are able to facilitate the physical, psychological, and social well being of people individually and collectively in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic metropolitan context.
Goals
Within this mission, the goals of the department include the following:
- Contribute to the development of a competent student body and faculty
- Develop strong teaching and research or scholarship programs
- Maintain linkages with health care professionals, academic personnel, and the community at large.
Successful completion of the Health Science undergraduate program will result in students’ abilities to:
- Engage in the core functions of public health and health education competencies
- Implement ethical and culturally-relevant practices in public health research and health education
- Demonstrate understanding of key theoretical, research, and practice issues relevant to the fields of public health and health education
Objectives
During the program, students will develop foundational, professional skills necessary to succeed in the dynamic environment of the allied health fields and graduate-level academic programs, including:
- Synthesize in-depth information from relevant sources representing various points of view/approaches for health information
- Written and oral communication skills in order to serve as an effective health resource person as well as facilitate the development and maintenance of collaborative relationships
- Critical thinking and problem-solving skills to enhance program development, implementation, and evaluation efforts related to priority public health issues
- Capacity to understand and interpret research methods and related qualitative and quantitative data to promote evidence-based practice
- Cultural competence necessary to work within diversity and account for contextual influences that impact health equity
- Management and leadership skills to integrate research and practice in the field of public health
