The mission of the College of Health and Social Services is to provide academic programs that prepare professionals to address issues directly affecting the quality of life in a rapidly changing society. The college includes the academic departments of Health Science, Nursing and the School of Social Work. The college advises more than 2,000 students including all non-degree and provisionally admitted students.

The Department of Health Science offers the Bachelor of Community Health (BCH), a Bachelor of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH), and a Master of Public Health in Community Health Education (MPH). The department also offers minors in community health, gerontology, and health administration.

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 BEOH involves the development, implementation, evaluation and promotion of methods used to manage indoor and outdoor environments that may have an adverse impact on human health. The EOH professional has an emphasis on prevention rather than treatment, and on human health rather than ecological protection. This degree program is based on a solid foundation in the behavioral, biological, physical and technical sciences. Graduates may find employment in federal, state and local health departments, environmental protection agencies, water supply and wastewater treatment facilities, manufacturing, food processing/management, environmental engineering, insurance companies and the military.

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.

The Department 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.

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.

Among the programs that the College of Health and Social Services offers is the Bachelor of

An interdisciplinary minor in alcohol and drug counseling is offered in the following six graduate programs:

• Counseling and Educational Psychology
• Criminal Justice
• Family, Child, and Consumer Science
• Health Science
• Nursing
• Social Work

Completion of this minor will prepare students to take the exam for licensure as a drug and alcohol counselor in the State of New Mexico.

The College offers US/Mexico Border Health and Social Services Interdisciplinary minors at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. These include optional course work in Spanish immersion for those who already have a basic level of Spanish.

FAMILY PRESERVATION INSTITUTE

The Family Preservation Institute serves as a national center for the development and dissemination of family preservation knowledge and skills. Administered by NMSU's School of Social Work, the institute was founded in October, 1990 with initial funding from a federal grant. Family preservation is a practice philosophy guided by values that uphold the uniqueness, dignity and essential role a family plays in the health and well-being of its members. In keeping with this philosophy, programs, policies and organizations are family-focused. As an approach, family preservation provides services ranging from prevention to intensive in-home services based upon the family's strengths and needs.

HEALTH/COMMUNITY SERVICE PROGRAMS

The Department of Health Science manages the following community service programs:
Southern Area Health Education Center (SoAHEC), Border Health Education Training Center (BHETC) New Mexico Department of Health's Border Epidemiology and Environmental Health Center (BEC).
The SoAHEC and BHETC help address the health-care provider shortages in southern New Mexico through community outreach, and connects both undergraduate and graduate students with health education and other community service opportunities. The New Mexico Outreach office of the US/Mexico Border Health Commission is also supported by the College of Health & Social Services and is located on the NMSU campus.

The college advising process is designed in two parts: pre-major advising in all three disciplines and faculty advising once a student is admitted to their chosen major. Admission to each of our majors is competitive, requiring special applications (available from the pre-major advisors in the Dean's office) and prescribed pre-requisite course work. All students start with a pre-major status: pre-nursing, pre-social work, pre-community health. Once admitted to a major, advising is provided by the faculty of the major. Students admitted to the University on a provisional basis are advised in this college prior to declaring a major in any college of the university.

Graduate Degrees

• Master of Social Work
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Master of Public Health in Community Health Education

Bachelor Degrees

• Bachelor of Social Work
• Bachelor of Science of Nursing
• Bachelor of Community Health
• Bachelor of Science in Environmental and Occupational Health
• Bachelor of Human and Community Services

To earn a baccalaureate degree, a student must complete the requirements established by the department offering the degree as well as the university requirements as specified in the New Mexico State University Undergraduate Catalog