The Rural Community Health MBS develops expertise in behavioral science for topics as diverse as positive youth development, trauma, mental health, suicide, violence, isolation, food insecurity, addictions and the geographic patterning of health inequalities. Western’s dedicated faculty and campus location in the small-town of Gunnison enable rich opportunities aimed at sharpening students’ interpersonal skills with problem-framing, focus group interviewing, quantitative analysis and uncovering a community’s needs. MBS graduates will be prepared to contribute at a high level in many organizations including government entities, nonprofits, healthcare and other service-oriented organizations, community foundations, planning agencies and public-private partnerships.
Program Overview
Sharpen your skills in behavioral science to enrich community health.
The Master of Behavioral Science (MBS) in Rural Community Health program prepares students for work in behavioral and social science fields including substance abuse prevention, health promotion, elder care, youth health and empowerment, early childhood interventions, violence prevention, and education and advocacy around a range of community issues. You’ll sharpen your awareness about suicide prevention, school violence, addictions, trauma-informed interventions, stress and social isolation, poverty and much more. The program emphasizes culturally sensitive and multiscale definitions of “health” that include evidence-based practices and a variety of strategies for healing, advocacy, education, assessment, research and consultation.
Creating Community Wellness
Community-level education about nutrition is key to health and well-being. The Rural Community Health MBS prepares students to apply behavioral and social science principles (theories and methods) to develop, implement and evaluate programs oriented around various prevention and promotion models for community health.
GET INVOLVED
Get involved and gain experience.
Your student experience doesn’t end in the classroom at Western. Learn more about opportunities you can pursue to enhance your understanding of content, make peer and professional connections, and build your resume before graduating.
- MBS Spring Colloquium: Coming Spring 2022!
Empowering Generations
Children’s social and emotional health is crucial for their later-life outcomes, and it can be challenging to rigorously investigate how these are linked. The MBS program trains interested students to pursue a range of youth-oriented research, especially regarding the long-term payoffs of creative expression, social-emotional skills, and positive youth development strategies.
News & Research
Additional Resources
Department Information
Master of Behavioral Science in Rural Community Health
Director
Matt Aronson, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Sociology
Administrative Assistant
Deanna Banker, B.S.Graduate Program Coordinator
Campus Location
Western Colorado University
Kelley Hall 218
1 Western Way
Gunnison, CO 81231