About Us
CHSS at 30
Formally estblished in 1979, CHSS serves the people of New Mexico and the border region by:
- Educating public health professionals and commmunity health educators, environmental and occupational health professionals, nurses, and soical workers.
- Educating the public through outreach efforts that help individuals and communitites understand health problems and create healthy envrionments and lifestyles as well as improve access to health services for individuals, families, and communities in the border region.
The College of Health and Social Services includes the Health Science, the School of Nursing and the School of Social Work. The college, with its three units, moved into the Health & Social Services Building at the beginning of the Spring 2004 semester. CHSS provides academic programs that prepare professionals to address issues directly affecting the quality of life in a rapidly changing society. The college advises more than 2,000 students including all non-degree and provisionally admitted students. Located at 1335 International Mall on the main Las Cruces campus of New Mexico State University, the HSS building is the first collective home for the college and its units since CHSS became a college 30 years ago.
Our Mission
Dedicated to providing academic programs that address issues affecting the quality of life in a rapidly changing society, the College of Health and Social Services prepares our graduates with the knowledge they need to make an impact in our communities. Our programs focus on improving the lives of individuals, families and communities with majors in nursing, public health/community health education and social work.
Our Departments
Health Science
The Department of Health Science offers the Bachelor of Community Health (BCH), and a Master of Public Health in Community Health Education (MPH). The department also offers minors in Community Health, Gerontology, and US-Mexico Border Health.
The BCH is one of only a few such programs nationally to be fully approved by the Society of Public Health Education/American Association of Health Education Baccalaureate Program Approval Committee. A student who completes this degree will be prepared to take the national exam to become a Certified Health Education Specialist. Graduates hold positions in public health organizations, volunteer health agencies, and agencies for senior citizens.
The Master of Public Health program was fully accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) in June, 2000. The CEPH is the premier accrediting body for graduate programs in all areas of public health. There are only a few CEPH-accredited programs in the United States. The purpose of the MPH is to engage students and departmental faculty in community-based education, research and service. Students will experience training in leadership, advocacy, and program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Accommodating part and full-time students is a priority for the MPH program. Admission to this program is open to qualified professionals and graduates from a variety of backgrounds including health education, social work education, medicine, nursing, dietetics, allied health fields, and other social and behavioral science professions.
School of Nursing
The School of Nursing offers two degrees: The Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Master of Science in Nursing. Both are accredited by the National League for Nursing. The BSN degree plan includes two options to accommodate either the beginning nursing student who, upon graduation, will be eligible to take the examination for licensure as a registered nurse, or the returning registered nurse who wishes to complete the BSN. The MSN curriculum provides students with the knowledge and experience to assume leadership positions in overall health care delivery and to fulfill the fundamental requirements necessary to teach in basic nursing programs, engage in nursing practice as clinical specialists, and secure middle- and top-level administrative positions in health-care agencies.
School of Social Work
The School of Social Work offers the Bachelor of Social Work and the Master of Social Work degrees. Both degrees prepare students for professional social work practice. The BSW program prepares students for beginning generalist social work practice with an appreciation of the cultural diversity of the Southwest. The MSW program prepares students for advanced practice in family centered practice in multi-cultural settings. Liberal arts requirements complement a strong theoretical base introduced through the course sequences of social policy, human behavior and research. Professional skills are taught through practice courses and field placements. Individuals with a degree in social work have a broad range of career opportunities in social service settings. Both degrees are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.