Interprofessional Human and Health Services Option

The Interprofessional Human and Health Services option of the Master of Liberal Studies degree addresses current issues and ethics in health care and provides students the opportunity to select a specific area for intensive study. This option is designed to accommodate MALS students who are interested in furthering their preparation for advancement in the Human and Health Service areas. This option is available in the online format.

The option provides a broad-based perspective of the health care and human service delivery systems, and is not designed to provide primary professional preparation. Students selecting this option must have a prior training and/or work history in an applicable area for job entry. This option is intended to serve as a mechanism for professional advancement by enhancing the student’s competency level and expanding his/her knowledge base.

The selected readings represent a sampling of established as well as contemporary writing in the areas of (1) Ethics, (2) Current Issues, and (3) Cultural, Social, and Behavioral Perspectives in Health.

Overview of Health and Human Services Courses

CORE COURSES:

Introduction to Graduate Interdisciplinary Study
LSTD 5003
3 credit hours
Letter graded

Interdisciplinary Foundations
LSTD 5013
3 credit hours
Letter graded

Strategic Planning and Evaluation in IHHS
LSTD 5123
3 credit hours
Letter graded

Cultural, Social and Behavioral Issues in Health
LSTD 5133
3 credit hours
Letter graded

Ethics in Health and Human Services
LSTD 5153
3 credit hours
Letter graded

Qualitative Research Methods in Interdisciplinary Studies
LSTD 5913
3 credit hours
Letter graded

ELECTIVES:
Students will choose 9 hours of course work from the following or other courses as approved.

• LSTD 5623 - Theories of Leadership and Management
• LSTD 5633 - Cultures of Organizations
• LSTD 5643 - Individuals and Leadership
• LSTD 5790 - Advanced Topics in Interdisciplinary Studies
• LSTD 5960 - Directed Readings in Interdisciplinary Studies
• LSTD 5890 - Investigative Interdisciplinary Studies
• LSTD 5943 - Advanced Seminar (On-Campus Seminar) This seminar is conducted on campus, normally in January and June of each year and topics will vary upon faculty selected for the seminar.

    OR

• Other online courses offered by the College of Liberal Studies.

Completion Options:

A total of 6 credit hours plus thesis defense or comprehensive examination.

• LSTD 5980 Thesis in Liberal Studies
• LSTD 5940 Research Project in Liberal Studies
• LSTD 5950 Internship in Liberal Studies
• Coursework and Comprehensive Examination

Proceeding through the degree:

Students can complete the MA Interprofessional Human and Health Services option in approximately two years and one term. A College requirement is that students must complete the first 15 hours of the program within three years.

Communication skills are vital to effective participation in civic and professional life. If you or your faculty members feel that you are struggling with the reading or writing tasks in the MA program, your faculty member may recommend remedial work to improve these skills, either prior to or concurrent with other work. We strongly encourage you to consider purchasing study aids to develop your writing skills such as a dictionary, a thesaurus, and a writing guide. Your faculty members may also be helpful in recommending reference guides. All MA students should have a computer with access to the Internet.

Terminology: Other than on-campus seminars, all IHHS option enrollments are online. There is the availability of taking some on-campus seminars given by the College of Liberal Studies, but this may affect your Financial Aid status and each student on Financial Aid should check with the financial Aid Office before enrolling in on-campus seminars.

STEP ONE

LSTD 5003: Introduction to Graduate Interdisciplinary Study

All students are required to enroll in the LSTD 5003 course as the first course in the program. It may be taken by itself or in conjunction with LSTD 5013.

STEP TWO

LSTD 5013: Interdisciplinary Foundations

Required for all MA students, this is an online course that provides a common background for the MA program. The reading and writing assignments cover both interdisciplinary texts and web sites, and are designed to reinforce interdisciplinary approaches to graduate studies and to lay the foundation for your Interdisciplinary Independent Study enrollments and future completion options. This step also serves to introduce paradigms, the underlying formulations that provide the structure for understanding and interpreting information.

You may enroll in Interdisciplinary Foundations once you have been admitted to the MA program. The College recommends that you complete this enrollment in conjunction with or after the Introduction to Graduate Interdisciplinary Study course and before you begin your Interdisciplinary Independent Study assignments.

STEP THREE

Beginning YourCore IHHS Coursework

You should take the core IHHS courses after completing LSTD 5003 and LSTD 5013. The core courses are:

• LSTD 5123: Strategic Planning and Evaluation in IHHS
• LSTD 5133: Cultural, Social and Behavioral Isuues in IHHS
• LSTD 5153: Ethics in IHHS

STEP FOUR

LSTD 5913: Qualitative Research Methods in Interdisciplinary Studies

This enrollment focuses on your area of concentration in preparation for researching and writing your thesis or research project or performing an internship. The reading lists will develop and expand the concepts introduced in Step Two, Interdisciplinary Foundations. In essence, this step will underscore conceptual frames for thinking about inquiry and research in your primary topic. It will do this by exploring recent issues, theoretical approaches, and professional concerns specific to the area of study in which you will be doing research. The amount of reading here will vary by discipline.

Your topic or focus and the academic discipline of your director in the completion phase of the program will determine whether you enroll in Qualitative Research Methods Quantitative Research Methods. If you are doing the coursework completion option you may enroll in either course LSTD 5913 or LSTD 5903.

STEP FIVE

Elective Courses

After you have completed the courses listed above you are ready to take your elective courses. These can be from the IHHS option or from any of the other online courses or seminars offered by the College of Liberal Studies. Please consult with your academic advisor before choosing electives.

STEP SIX

Completing Your Study

Once you have completed the core Interprofessional Human and Health Services courses, the MA LS staff will contact a faculty member to guide you in developing a prospectus (plan) for undertaking the thesis, research project, or internship. If you and your faculty member are agreeable to the pairing, this person will become your committee chair or research director and will help you to narrow and focus your topic. Your Interprofessional Human and Health Services assignments should help you make decisions about the goals and design of your thesis, research project, or internship. The committee chair or research director will guide you in compiling an initial bibliography relating to your topic, including background and issues about research in the matter you are pursuing. You will then write the prospectus. When the director has endorsed your prospectus, the requirement for this step will be satisfied.

NOTE: All students must complete the prospectus before beginning the thesis, research project, or internship.

Human Subjects in Research

The Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of Oklahoma must approve all research proposals that involve human subjects. For the policies and requirements related to human subjects in research, go to http://research.ou.edu/. If you pursue research in this area, the CLS staff will direct all questions to the IRB staff. You will note that there is a required online training program before you can make application to the IRB.
The student is fully responsible for meeting all IRB requirements and for receiving IRB approval BEFORE starting any research related to human subjects.

To contact the IRB, you can call 405:325-8110 or email irb@ou.edu or write to Institutional Review Board, Evans Hall, Room 316, 660 Parrington Oval, Norman OK.

STEP SEVEN

Enrollment in completion option.

• LSTD 5980: Thesis in Liberal Studies
• LSTD 5940: Research Project in Liberal Studies
• LSTD 5950: Internship in Liberal Studies

Coursework – Variable course numbers

As you enter the final phase of your MA LS studies, you must determine which of the completion options you will pursue: thesis, research project, internship or advanced coursework. Each option has specific requirements and each meets specific academic needs. You will discuss this choice with both faculty and College staff.

During this phase of the program, you research and write your thesis or non-thesis research project, complete an internship, or carry out advanced, focused study on the core study topic. In consultation with your committee chair, you will do library research, collect data, read and reflect, conduct surveys – whatever is appropriate for your topic and style of inquiry. You will then draft and redraft the actual copy of the thesis, project, or internship. Normal progress in this step is approximately nine months to one year’s time, and you will work independently in reading, doing research, and writing the thesis or project or in performing the requirements of the internship.

Those students who choose the Coursework completion option will possibly find some online courses that meet their interests and needs. At this stage, it is essential that you keep in close communication with your faculty member as well as with the College and the MALS Academic Advisor.

All four enrollment options in this phase of the program have variable credit with six hours being required to complete the degree. The number of hours in which you chose to enroll and whether for long-term or semester duration will depend on your individual circumstances. Students on Financial Aid must consider those requirements and make their enrollment decisions accordingly.

STEP EIGHT

Degree Completion:

Completion of the thesis means:

1. Your thesis has been defended and signed by your committee members.
2. Your thesis has been approved by the Graduate College.
3. You have submitted the report of the oral examination to the Graduate College and the required number of copies to Bizzell Library.

When your thesis has been deposited in Bizzell Library, you will receive an "S" grade in your final independent study course. You have up to 60 days after your defense to complete and deposit your thesis. If the thesis is not completed within 12 months after the end of the last course enrollment, the grade for final independent study automatically becomes a permanent "I.” If, after the "I" becomes permanent, there is still time to complete the thesis within the five-year limit, you may reenroll in your courses and pay the fees in effect at the time of re-enrollment.

Completion of the research project means:

1. Your project has been presented to and approved by your committee.
2. Your have successfully completed a comprehensive examination and the report has been submitted to the Graduate College.
3. You have submitted a copy of your project to the College of Liberal Studies.

Completion of the internship means:

1. You have successfully met the terms of your internship contract and your director and the agency supervisor have signed to this effect.
2. You have presented an academic paper on the topic of your internship which you committee chair has approved.
3. You have successfully completed a comprehensive examination and the report has been submitted to the Graduate College.
4. You have submitted a copy of your Internship Report and paper to the College of Liberal Studies.

Completion of advanced, focused study means:

1. You have successfully completed 6 hours of course work related to your central topic of study in the MA program.
2. You have successfully completed a four-question written comprehensive examination over your MA program of study.