The Master of Behavioral Science (MBS) is an interdisciplinary graduate program designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and tools to address the unique health challenges facing rural populations. This program combines principles of behavioral science, public health, and community development to foster innovative solutions to improve health outcomes in underserved rural areas. The MBS degree offers two concentrations for students to pursue: Rural Community Health and Community Counseling. The Rural Community Health concentration is 39 credits and focuses on the "root causes" of health (i.e. poverty, social status) and collaborative health promotion within rural communities. The Community Counseling concentration is a 48 credit track that includes topical coursework in research methods, addiction counseling, clinical community counseling, psychopathology, and diversity and multicultural issues. Students who pursue the Community Counseling concentration have the option of taking an additional semester of courses to be eligible to sit for the Master in Addiction Counseling Exam to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor that is authorized by the Behavioral Health Administration.
Program goals include:
- Improving students' understanding of behavioral and social science, especially with the most current research related to the determinants and effects of childhood trauma, the psychological and social dimensions of addiction, strategies for preventing violence in schools and households, the effects of chronic poverty, and the role of trauma-informed interventions in contributing to community health.
- Developing students' capacities for applied research in behavioral and social sciences, including the use of appropriate methods, research designs, sampling techniques, data collection, management and analysis, training and technical assistance, collaboration, health promotion, and communicating science to public audiences.
- Advancing the role of behavioral and social science in rural communities by preparing practitioners to increase capacity and collaboration among agencies, organizations, and communities to address problems of community health in rural communities.
- Fostering student capacities to work with rural and Native American communities on issues related to health promotion, healing practices, cultural trauma, youth suicide and substance use, and youth-oriented solutions for health and empowerment.
- Enhancing students' opportunities to pursue private and public sector careers, or doctoral-level study, in a range of behavioral and social science fields, including health psychology, prevention, elder care, youth health and empowerment, sociology, education and advocacy, training and technical assistance, and program evaluation.
Program Prerequisites:
BA or BS degree from an accredited institution of higher education is required. Preferred qualifications include a BA or BS in fields such as psychology, sociology, social work, health sciences, public health, Native American Studies, anthropology, regional planning, or communications; completion of an undergraduate course in statistics or quantitative research methods or evidence of a working knowledge of statistics or quantitative methods.
Admissions Criteria:
- Admission will be based on an overall package that considers academic excellence as well as relevant work experience, research, and community involvement. Admissions materials must be submitted online and must include: academic transcripts showing a recommended minimum 3.2 GPA from the degree-granting school; a resume or Curriculum Vitae outlining related research, leadership, outreach, professional experience and /or volunteer work; a letter of purpose describing the student's interests and goals regarding behavioral science and/or community health; a writing sample ( course paper or professional report) of at least 3 single-spaced pages; and two letters of recommendation from professors or supervisors in related fields.
- GRE scores will be accepted but are not required for admissions consideration. International students must submit their score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or IETLS. Students with a degree from a college or university where English is the language of instruction are not required to submit the TOEFL/IETLS score.
- Applicants are expected to have been in contact with an MBS program faculty member prior to submission of application. Documentation of this will be included as a formal expectation in the application process.
Provisional Admittance Policy
Students who have some deficiency in undergraduate training or incomplete credentials may be approved for provisional admission into the MBS program upon the recommendation of the program director and approval by the School of Graduate Studies.
To be admitted provisionally into the MBS program, applicants must demonstrate:
- some formal background or training in community health, psychology, sociology, or related field (e.g. coursework, internships, work study), and:
- ability to manage the assigned graduate courses while completing their undergraduate program or other provisions (e.g. the personal statement and references should indicate the candidate's ability to undertake such an academic load and course work at the graduate level).
In accordance with School of Graduate Studies Admissions Policies, a provisionally admitted student will have a maximum of one calendar year to complete any prerequisite academic coursework.
The MBS Program Director will assess provisionally admitted student progress towards completion of prerequisites and success in all MBS program and course work through meetings scheduled monthly and at the end of each semester within the required completion timeline.
Program Requirements
Community Counseling Concentration
The Community Counseling concentration prepares students and professionals for careers in non-clinical settings, such as school counseling, probation, juvenile justice, grief counseling, public health, community health, peer support services, and policy advocacy. The Community Counseling concentration is a 48-credit track with topical coursework in research methods, addiction counseling, clinical community counseling, psychopathology, and diversity and multicultural issues. Students must also undergo supervised counseling hours with a community partner such as Gunnison Valley Health or Axis Health Systems. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the Master in Addiction Counseling exam to become a Licensed Addiction Counselor, which the Behavioral Health Administration authorizes. Additionally, the Community Counseling concentration allows for a certificate in Restorative Facilitation that enhances leadership, facilitation, and intervention skills.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| MBS 601 | Behavioral Science and Community Health | 3 |
| MBS 602 | Quantitative Methods and Research Design | 3 |
| MBS 604 | Qualitative Methods and Analysis | 3 |
| Community Counseling Concentration Requirements | ||
| MBS 607 | 3 | |
| MBS 608 | 3 | |
| MBS 609 | 3 | |
| MBS 610 | 3 | |
| MBS 613 | Lifespan Development I: Childhood to Emerging Adulthood | 3 |
| MBS 615 | 3 | |
| MBS 619 | 3 | |
| MBS 668 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Violence and Trauma | ||
MBS 616 | ||
MBS 617 | ||
MBS 618 | ||
MBS 620 | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Practicum Courses | ||
| MBS 698 | Community Health Practicum Proposal | 3 |
| MBS 699 | Community Health Practicum | 6 |
| Total Credits | 48 | |
Rural Community Health Concentration
The Rural Community Health concentration is a multidisciplinary 39-credit program that includes coursework in behavioral health, evidence-based prevention practice (qualitative and quantitative) for rural areas, evaluation methods, program planning for community-level health promotions, multi-method research and data handling, and a 9-credit field-based practicum project. The 39 required credits include a 12-credit core and 18 credits of electives, all chosen in close consultation with a faculty advisor and which include optional 6-credit sequences in lifespan development (MBS 613 and MBS 614) and geospatial analysis (MBS 640 and MBS 660). Students must complete these core and elective credits in addition to a 3-credit practicum proposal and a 6-credit practicum.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| MBS 601 | Behavioral Science and Community Health | 3 |
| MBS 602 | Quantitative Methods and Research Design | 3 |
| MBS 603 | Quantitative Analysis in Behavioral Science | 3 |
| MBS 604 | Qualitative Methods and Analysis | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
| 18 credits from the following: | 18 | |
| Health Disparities | ||
| Program Planning and Evaluation | ||
| Violence and Trauma | ||
| Lifespan Development I: Childhood to Emerging Adulthood | ||
| Geographic Information Systems | ||
| Geospatial Analysis | ||
| Psychopathology | ||
| Health Psychology | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Special Topics in Rural Health | ||
| Practicum Courses | ||
| MBS 698 | Community Health Practicum Proposal | 3 |
| MBS 699 | Community Health Practicum | 6 |
| Total Credits | 39 | |