Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management

UW-PARKSIDE 2019-21 CATALOG

College:
Natural and Health Sciences

Degree offered:
Master of Science

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management is a fully online degree program offered collaboratively by UW-Parkside, UW-Green Bay, UW-River Falls, UW- Stevens Point, UW-Superior, and UW-Extension. This online M.S. in Health and Wellness Management program focuses primarily on adult and nontraditional students who hold an undergraduate degree and have the desire to continue their education to achieve a graduate degree.

Goals of the Program

This program is designed to increase the student’s knowledge of the fundamentals of health and wellness and learn next-level program management skills. Upon completion of the M.S. Health and Wellness Management program students will be able to integrate health informatics, information technology, and communication strategies in the design, implementation and evaluation of programs. Additionally, students will demonstrate familiarity with best practices in behavior change facilitation, understand ethical and legal issues relevant to health policy and wellness management. Finally, students will recognize and know how to analyze the interrelations among health providers and key stakeholders including understanding how these relationships influence health care systems.

Admission to the Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management

All applicants will need to demonstrate that they have taken the following prerequisite courses.

Program Prerequisites:

Personal Health or Equivalent
Anatomy and Physiology or Human Biology or Equivalent
Intro to Psychology or Equivalent
Elementary Statistics or Equivalent

Students seeking admission to the M.S. in Health and Wellness management program require:

A bachelor’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited university, (in any discipline), and a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0. Students with a GPA less than a 3.0 may be considered for a provisional admission. The Academic Director has the discretion to waive a perquisite that will allow a student to take a HWM course. Please contact the Academic Director, Dr. Penny Lyter at lyter@uwp.edu for more information.
A personal statement of not more than 1,000 words describing your reasons for pursing a Master of Science in Health Wellness and Management, your short and long term career goals, and what value you would add to the learning experience of your fellow students. Space for the personal statement is included in the online application.
Resume
Two letters of recommendation

Writing samples or recommendations may be requested and used toward an admission decision if warranted. Admissions will occur on a rolling basis with new applicants able to start the program during each of the academic terms: fall, spring, and summer.

Requirements for the Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management (36 credits)

To graduate with a Master of Science in Health and Wellness Management students must satisfy all degree requirements.

Required Courses (36 credits):

HWM 700	Contemporary Health and Wellness Perspectives	3 cr
HWM 705	Strategic Management for Wellness Managers	3 cr
HWM 710	Research Methods for Wellness Programs	3 cr
HWM 715	Persuasion Skills for Wellness Managers	3 cr
HWM 720	Exercise and Nutrition in Health and Disease	3 cr
HWM 730	Biopsychosocial Aspects of Health	3 cr
HWM 740	Health Systems and Policy for Wellness Managers	3 cr
HWM 750	Planning and Evaluation for Wellness Managers	3 cr
HWM 760	Wellness Law	3 cr
HWM 770	Behavior and Development in Organizations	3 cr
HWM 780	Best Practices and Emerging Issues in Wellness	3 cr
HWM 790	Health and Wellness Management Capstone Experience Course	3 cr

Courses in Health and Wellness Management (HWM)

700	Contemporary Health and Wellness Perspectives Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. In this course, students will examine health and wellness concepts and probe foundational thinking associated with the contemporary health and wellness field. Expectations and development of the wellness professional will be explored.	3 cr
705	Strategic Management for Wellness Managers Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. This course introduces students to management concepts to create strategic direction and the role of leadership in setting strategy capable of meeting competitive challenges within the wellness industry. Topics include key management theories; role of stakeholders; issue identification; program evaluation; and business plan development.	3 cr
710	Research Methods for Wellness Programs Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. This course covers research methods and designs relevant to wellness program managers. Students will be introduced to various research designs including experimental and nonexperimental, as well as quantitative and qualitative research methods. The course will focus on providing a practical understanding of several statistical tools used in wellness-related research.	3 cr
715	Persuasion Skills for Wellness Managers Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. In this course, students will develop communication and persuasion skills, which are essential for wellness managers. Utilizing a variety of media and techniques, students will hone their communication skills. Students will apply key marketing concepts to mount effective marketing campaigns for their organization.	3 cr
720	Exercise and Nutrition in Health and Disease Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. This course introduces students to the roles that physical activity and nutritional practices play in the prevention, management, and treatment of chronic diseases and conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, COPD, arthritis, depression and anxiety.	3 cr
730	Biopsychosocial Aspects of Health Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. This course is a survey of biological, psychological and social-environmental aspects of wellness. Taking an applied focus, students will learn current theoretical and evidenced-based approaches in psychology, integrative medicine, and behavioral economics that impact wellness.	3 cr
740	Health Systems and Policy for Wellness Managers Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. This course provides information pertaining to the US Health Care system with emphasis on health and wellness. It provides an overview of the major public and private stakeholders including public health, insurance, and health care providers. Participants will examine how health policy impacts the design and financing of wellness programs.	3 cr
750	Planning and Evaluation for Wellness Managers Prereq: HWM 705, 710. Freq: Occasionally. This purpose of this course is to examine planning and evaluation as inter-related, cyclical activities. Students will examine major activities and processes involved in planning and evaluating wellness programs.	3 cr
760	Wellness Law Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. This course introduces students to the legal and ethical environment of wellness management. Topics include the Affordable Care Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and HIPAA. Students will learn effective negotiation skills that can be used when dealing with contracts and vendors.	3 cr
770	Behavior and Development in Organizations Prereq: None. Freq: Occasionally. In this course, students will study organizations, their members and why people and groups behave as they do. Processes and methods that improve behavior, effectiveness, and efficiency in organizational settings will be examined. The course will also cover various methods for assessing organizational behavior and change.	3 cr
780	Best Practices and Emerging Issues in Wellness Prereq: HWM 700, 705, 710, 720, 730. Freq: Yearly. In this course, students will study emerging trends, innovations, and best practices in the health and wellness industry with emphasis on preventative health care. Students will investigate major health challenges, programs, and policies to determine the influence of social, economic, multicultural, and global pressures on successful wellness practices.	3 cr
790	Health and Wellness Management Capstone Course Prereq: HWM 780. Freq: Occasionally. This course provides a cohesive experience designed to synthesize and apply information from the MS HWM curricula. Students complete an individual capstone experience that demonstrates thorough understanding of the knowledge, skills and disposition necessary to be a successful health and wellness manager.	3 cr

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