UNLV offering new health degree

     By Sonya Padgett
     View staff writer
      With increasing evidence supporting the relationship between lifestyle and disease, there's a growing need for professionals who can teach the public how to stay healthy.
      That's why a new master's program offered by UNLV's health and physical education department aims to graduate health professionals who can fill that need.
      Graduates with an advanced health promotions degree will be able to assist individuals, communities and organizations by teaching them how to protect and maintain their health, how to avoid risk factors for diseases and how to change unhealthy behaviors.
      "Research is showing that poor health does increase insurance costs," said Charles Regin, the health and physical education department chairman at UNLV. "In the last month, there's been a lot of angst about health-care costs, particularly prescriptions."
      The best way for an individual to avoid rising health-care costs is to prevent health problems, Regin said.
      "We looked at cause of death in Clark County and each of the top-10 causes of death had a lifestyle component," Regin said. "There are already people who are working on those issues such as doctors, nurses and counselors. The program will help them do their job."
      The degree is designed to prepare graduates to assume leadership roles in school, corporate or medical settings, Regin said. Individuals in health promotions can work in a number of careers, including school health educator, health consultant and employee wellness associate.
      There is a tremendous national need for advanced health education programs, said health and physical education professor Warren McNab.
      "I think it's going to be well-received because it's helpful to the community," McNab said. "We're always talking about issues relating to people, whether it's about HIV, mental health, obesity or diabetes."
      The degree is multidisciplinary, which means students can fulfill their requirements with classes from a variety of fields such as economics or psychology, Regin said.
      Students will have the option of choosing one of four concentrations: education, which is designed for a general health instructor; administration, for people interested in assuming a leadership role in an organization; counseling, for working with individuals and groups; and interdisciplinary or a combination of courses.
      All students are required to take the 21 semester hours of core requirements and 15 hours in their chosen concentration.
      "One of the greatest assets of this degree is it's multi-disciplinary," McNab said. "We'll be able to offer our students a diversified degree and contact with internationally known professors."
      UNLV's health and physical education professors are some of the top professionals in their field, McNab said.
      "What I think will make this program work is the quality of faculty," Regin said.
      Interest in the program has far exceeded anyone's expectation, Regin said.
      The response from applicants was so good that the department didn't have to implement their marketing campaign, Regin said.
      Originally, Regin projected that only four to six students would enroll the first year, which is standard for any new program. Actual enrollment reached 29 students for this fall.
      "For a rookie program, that's phenomenal," Regin said. "We're into our fourth year projections."
      The new graduate students come from a variety of backgrounds, including nursing, psychology and communications studies, Regin said.
      "We felt our biggest pool would be from the allied health field," Regin said.
      Because many of the students in the program are working full-time, classes will take place in the late afternoon and early evening to accommodate everyone, Regin said.
      The early interest in the program is indicative of the need for health educators, McNab said.
      "We think we're creating a program that will help the community as well as the state by providing professionals in health promotion," McNab said.
      Overall, Regin said he thinks the program will affect people in a positive way.
      "Ultimately, it will make people who want to be healthier, healthier," Regin said. "That's the big picture here. To me that's pretty significant. If you're healthier you'll love your job more and your personal relationships will be better."