Behavioral and Community Health (MBCH)
Graduate Degree Program
College: Public Health
Abstract
The Department offers graduate study leading to the Master Public Health (MPH) in Behavioral and Community Health and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Behavioral and Community Health. The graduate programs are designed to prepare behavioral health professionals with specific skills and the ability to implement theoretical knowledge in a practical setting.
The mission of the MPH program is to promote the development of behavioral and community health professionals who understand the science, theory, and practice of public health and can apply this knowledge toward the enhancement of health status of communities. The MPH program is designed as a professional degree to prepare behavioral and community health professionals working in public health service as practitioners, administrators, supervisors, educators, consultants, and researchers. Students will participate in both academic and applied training in program planning and implementation, program evaluation, public policy analysis, research, and management.
Degree programs may be completed either full-time or part-time. All classes are held from either 4:00pm-6:45pm or 7:00pm-9:45pm Monday through Friday. Faculty support coursework, research and practice experiences in many areas, including: health communication; health behavior; adolescent health; women’s health; health literacy and health disparities. Faculty hold doctoral degrees in public health, psychology, health education, sociology, and epidemiology. The Department offers excellent research and laboratory facilities including the Center for Young Adult Health and Development, Laboratory for Health Behavior Assessment and Intervention and The Center for Health Behavior Research.
Financial Assistance
The Department offers a limited number of fellowships, and graduate teaching and research assistantships. Contact the Director of Graduate Studies for further information.
Contact Statement
Contact
Katherine Sharp
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Behavioral and Community Health
1234V School of Public Health Building
4200 Valley Drive
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Telephone: 301.405.2464
Fax: 301.314.9167
Email: ksharp1@umd.edu
Website: http://www.sph.umd.edu/bch
Courses: HLTH
Relationships: Epidemiology (EPID), Health Administration (HLSA), Maternal and Child Health (MCHS)
Admission Requirements
- Minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- GRE scores for exam taken within the past five years (UMD SPH code = 0485)
- Three Letters of recommendation that address your academic capabilities
- Statement of goals and interests
- Resume or CV
An undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 is required for admission to the MPH program. For best consideration, completed admission applications (those that include all supporting materials including GRE scores and letters of recommendation) must be received by December 15th to be considered for Fall enrollment. The final deadline in April 15th.
How to Apply: Applications should be submitted through the Schools of Public Health Application Service (SOPHAS) at www.SOPHAS.org. Remember to designate the University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, as one of your school choices along with your desired program. The University of Maryland School of Public Health GRE Code in SOPHAS is 0485 (the GRE is required in all applications).
For information please see http://sph.umd.edu/content/graduate-admissions.
Application Deadlines
| Type of Applicant | Fall Deadline |
|---|---|
| Domestic Applicants | |
| US Citizens and Permanent Residents | Priority Consideration: 14 Dec / Final: 12 April |
| International Applicants | |
| F (student) or J (exchange visitor) visas; A,E,G,H,I and L visas and immigrants | Priority Consideration: 14 Dec / Final: 15 Feb |
Other Deadlines: Please visit the program website at http://www.sph.umd.edu/bch
The Department has research specializations in a variety of areas including:
- Minority health/social inequalities in health
- Alcohol and drug abuse
- Safety and health
- Sexual health
- Adolescent health and risk behavior
- Violence prevention/community violence
- Public health communication
- Treatment of nicotine dependence
Specialized laboratories operating within the Department include:
- The Laboratory for Health Behavior Assessment and Intervention
- The Center for Health Behavior Research
- The Center for Young Adult Health and Development
The proximity of the nation’s capital, the National Institutes of Health, the National Library of Medicine, the Food and Drug Administration, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and numerous public health focused private and not-for profit organizations/agencies render the University of Maryland unusually well suited for graduate work in behavioral and community health.
| Last Name | First/Middle Name | Graduate Faculty Status | Academic Credentials | Positions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aparicio | Elizabeth | Full Member | M.S.W., Catholic University of America, 2005; Ph.D., University of Maryland Baltimore, 2014 | Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Arria | Amelia | Full Member | B.S., Cornell University, 1986; Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 1993. | Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Baur | Cynthia | Full Member | Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Professor, Behavioral and Community Health | |
| Beck | Kenneth H. | Full Member | B.S., Pennsylvania State University-University Park, 1972; M.A., Syracuse University, 1975; Ph.D., 1977. | Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Boekeloo | Bradley O. | Full Member | B.A., Kalamazoo College, 1981; S.C.M.,Johns Hopkins University, 1985; Ph.D., 1989. | Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Borzekowski | Dina | Full Member | B.S., 1998, Cornell University; M.S., 1989, Columbia University; Ed.M., 1990, Harvard University; Ed.D., 1994, Harvard University | Research Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Research Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Butler | James | Full Member | Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Community Health | |
| Clark | Pamela I. | Full Member | Research Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Research Professor, Behavioral and Community Health | |
| Curbow | Barbara | Full Member | Chair, Behavioral and Community Health Chair, Behavioral and Community Health | |
| Desmond | Sharon M. | Full Member | B.A., University of Toledo, 1982; M.S., 1984; Ph.D., 1988. | Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Feldman | Robert H. | Full Member | B.A., City University of New York-Brooklyn College, 1964; M.A.,Pennsylvania State University-University Park, 1966; M.S., Syracuse University, 1972; Ph.D., 1974. | Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Fryer | Craig S. | Full Member | B.S., Case Western University; MPH, University of Pittsburgh; DrPH, Columbia University | Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Gold | Robert S. | Full Member | B.S., SUNY-College at Brockport, 1969; M.S., SUNY-College at Brockport, 1971; Ph.D., University of Oregon, 1976; D.P.H., University of Texas, 1980 | Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Green | Kerry | Full Member | B.S., College of William and Mary; M.A., University of Maryland; Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University | Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Assistant Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Holt | Cheryl L | Full Member | B.S.,SUNY-Brockport; M.S.,East Tennessee University; Ph.D.,St. Louis University | Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Horowitz | Alice Munkhoff | Associate | B.A., University of Iowa, 1964; M.A., University of Iowa, 1965; Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1992 | Associate Research Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Research Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Howard | Donna E. | Full Member | B.S., University of Massachusetts-Amherst, 1978; M.P.H., University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1980; D.Pub.Hlth., Johns Hopkins University,1994. | Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| King-Marshall | Evelyn Claire | Associate | B.S., University of Florida, 2005; M.P.H., University of Florida, 2007, Ph.D., University of Florida, 2013 | n/a, Behavioral and Community Health Assistant Research Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Portnoy | Barry | Special Member | Distinguished University Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Distinguished University Professor, Behavioral and Community Health | |
| Sawyer | Robin G. | Full Member | B.S., George Mason University, 1978;M.Ed., University of Virginia, 1980; Ph.D.,University of Maryland-College Park, 1990. | Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Sharp | Katherine E. | Full Member | B.S., University of Maryland, 1990; MPH, Emory University, 1996; Ph.D., Kent State University, 2005. | Graduate Director, Behavioral and Community Health Graduate Director, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Clinical Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Associate Clinical Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |
| Wang | Min Qi | Full Member | Ed.D., Syracuse University; B.S., M.S., The City College of New York | Professor, Behavioral and Community Health Professor, Behavioral and Community Health |