Program Philosophy

Vision

The vision for the Programs in Health Promotion and Education is to create a learning environment that attracts, retains, and graduates leaders who share with faculty a deep commitment to advancing health equity. Through teaching, research and service, professors, students, and graduates strive to favorably alter social determinants of health and transform social structures to improve the health of communities regionally, nationally, and globally. We prepare professionals who work with varied populations across the lifespan from young children to the rapidly growing oldest populations in varied occupational settings such as health care, community organizations, governmental agencies, philanthropies, worksites as well as elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities.  A common core of knowledge and skills stresses learning ways to help people make informed decisions; focusing on social determinants of health; appreciating the importance of cultural humility and sensitivity; and advocating to reduce structural discrimination and social injustices.

Distinguishing Features

Small Program Situated in the World’s Most Comprehensive Graduate School of Education.

• Small class sizes enable students to work closely with professors and each other (most class have fewer to 20 students). 

Interdisciplinary perspective drawing on the natural sciences, behavioral and social sciences, epidemiology and public health as well as well as arts and humanities.

• Health education is a very interdisciplinary field.  The health education programs at TC give students access to the world-renowned faculty within TC as well as within Columbia University.

Emphasis on voluntary behavior change. 

• We do not try to change people’s behavior or tell anyone what to do or not do. In contrast, our goal is to help people make informed decisions about health while also trying to change the environment, especially the social environment, in ways that enhance health and reduce health disparities.

Focus on social-environmental determinants of population health 

• We cover intrapersonal factors affecting decision making, but also emphasize how many decisions are shaped by social environmental factors.  Consequently, many strategies for advancing health equity and improving population health rely on changing policies and the environment.

Work with peers from around the country and around the world

• Fellow students from all over the U.S. and around the world provide many inspiring examples of effective health education practice.  This heterogeneous mix of students fosters rich experiences in courses and other learning opportunities.

Research Orientation

• Faculty all have well-established track records of extramural funding and extensive publications (profiles here).  Also, since there is a comparatively high ratio of doctoral to Master’s students, most students are engaged in applied research, formative and summative evaluation, and implementation science. 

Alumni and Career Advancement

• The doctoral program in health education at TC was the first in the nation.  There are accomplished alumni serving communities locally, regionally and globally. Graduates from the program are in leadership positions within elementary and secondary schools, colleges and universities, health care settings, worksites, governmental agencies, community-based organizations, philanthropies, among other occupational settings

What values do we stand for?

Voluntariness and Self-determination. A distinguishing feature of our approach is self-determination.  As such, we focus on improving understanding about helping people make informed decisions. In turn, this requires appreciation for the many factors influencing human behavior.  We value interdisciplinary perspectives drawn from the natural sciences, behavioral and social sciences, epidemiology and public health as well as arts and the humanities.

Reducing Health Disparities and Advancing Health Equity. Faculty have been focused on reducing health disparities for decades—long before this became one of the Nation’s Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Objectives.

Working Against Discrimination. We are against discrimination, including that based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disabilities, weight, mental health, or other identities. 

Social Determinants of Health. While some of our emphasis is psychology and understanding intrapersonal factors, we have a particularly strong focus on improving the health of communities by influencing the social determinants of health, for example by studying and improving education, health care, media, policies and laws.