College of Health and Social Sciences

The College of Health and Social Sciences was established in 1995 as the College of Health and Human Services. It is organized into the following administrative areas: Child and Adolescent Development; Family, Interiors, Nutrition & Apparel (FINA); Counseling; Criminal Justice Studies; Public Health; Kinesiology; Nursing; Physical Therapy and Clinical Laboratory Science; Recreation, Parks, and Tourism; Social Work; Sociology and Sexuality Studies; and the School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement, which houses Environmental Studies; Gerontology; Public Administration; and Urban Studies and Planning.

Mission of the College of Health and Social Sciences

The College of Health and Social Sciences prepares students to help solve the most pressing and enduring issues confronting the well-being of individuals, families, communities, and society. Students, faculty, and staff participate in a learning process that fosters excellence in their professions and supports them in the pursuit of equity and social justice. To advance this mission, the College is committed to innovative teaching, scholarship, and service that inspires leadership for positive social change.

Vision of Scholarship

Consistent with the social justice mission of the University, the hallmark of the College of Health and Social Sciences is its belief in the potential of scholarship to right a wrong - an act of intellectual advocacy to serve the public good, to wrestle with critical social problems, and to transform how individuals, communities, and institutions function – by disseminating the knowledge from basic, translational, and applied research and by advancing the practice of specific disciplines. This vision is best achieved when scholarship is supported as a faculty-initiated and faculty-driven process that emerges from their intellectual curiosity, expertise, social engagement, and professional identity. To affirm the breadth of faculty interests and to honor the spectrum of academic disciplines, the College embraces an inclusive view of scholarship as discovery, integration, application, teaching, and engagement. Among the qualities valued in scholarship, the College supports work that is ethical, innovative, interdisciplinary, collaborative, theoretical and applied.

Accreditation

All of the programs subject to national accreditation are accredited:

Program Agency
Public Administration Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration
Clinical Laboratory Science National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Counseling Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
Dietetics Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Apparel Design and Merchandising, Dietetics, Interior Design, and Family and Consumer Sciences American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
Nursing Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and the California Board of Registered Nursing
Physical Therapy Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
Public Health Council on Education for Public Health
Recreation, Parks, and Tourism National Recreation and Park Association
Rehabilitation Counseling Council on Rehabilitation Education
Social Work Council on Social Work Education

The Gerontology program meets the guidelines of the Association for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE).

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Arts

  • Child and Adolescent Development
    • Concentrations in:
      • Community, Health, and Social Services
      • Early Care and Education – Last Admit Term Fall 2025
      • Elementary Education Teaching Pre-Credential
  • Child Development Pre-K to 3rd Grade – Last Admit Term Fall 2025
  • Criminal Justice Studies
  • Early Childhood Studies
    • Concentrations in:
      • Care and Education
      • PK-3 Integrated Teacher Education Program
      • Pre-K to 3rd Grade
      • Special Education Integrated Teacher Education Program
  • Family and Community Sciences – Temporarily Suspended
  • Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration
  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Urban Studies and Planning

Bachelor of Science

  • Apparel Design and Merchandising
    • Concentrations in:
      • Design
      • Merchandising
  • Nutrition and Dietetics
    • Concentrations in:
      • Dietetics and Nutrition Science
      • Foods and Community Nutrition
  • Interior Design and Architecture
  • Kinesiology
    • Concentrations in:
      • Exercise and Movement Sciences
      • Integrated Teacher Education Program in Physical Education
  • Nursing Pre-Licensure
  • Nursing (RN-to-Nursing Degree)
  • Public Health

Minor Programs

  • Athletic Coaching
  • Counseling
  • Criminal Justice Studies
  • Early Childhood Development
  • Empowerment Self-Defense
  • Holistic Health
  • Sexuality Studies
  • Juvenile Justice
  • Prison Reentry Studies
  • Public Health
  • Queer and Trans Studies
  • Recreation, Parks, and Tourism
  • Sociology
  • Urban Studies and Planning

Undergraduate Certificates

  • Conflict Resolution (offered jointly by the Colleges of Business, Ethnic Studies, Health and Social Sciences, and Liberal & Creative Arts)
  • Holistic Health

Master of Arts

  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Gerontology
  • Human Sexuality Studies

Master of Public Administration

Master of Public Health

Master of Science

  • Counseling
  • Counseling
    • Concentration in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling
  • Kinesiology
  • Clinical Mental Health Counseling
  • Nursing
    • Concentrations in
      • Adult/Gero Clinical Nurse Specialist
      • Community Public Health 
      • Family Nurse Practitioner
      • Nursing Administration
      • Pediatrics Clinical Nurse Specialist
      • Psychiatric Mental Health
      • Woman's Health

Master of Social Work

Doctor of Physical Therapy

The Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.)  program is offered jointly with the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Graduate Certificates

  • Clinical Laboratory Science
  • Dietetics
  • Exercise Physiology
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Movement Science
  • Physical Activity: Social Scientific Perspectives

Credentials

  • Pupil Personnel Services

College Administrative Offices

Title Officer Office Telephone
Dean Dr. Andreana Clay HSS 336 338-3326
Associate Dean Dr. John P. Elia HSS 239 405-3533

College Directory

Department/Program Chair/Director Office Telephone
Child and Adolescent DevelopmentDr. Linda PlatasSCI 394405-3564
Clinical Laboratory ScienceHuy LeSCI 202338-2332
CounselingDr. Julie ChronisterBH 524338-2005
Criminal Justice StudiesDr. Carina GalloHSS 359405-4129
Family, Interiors, Nutrition & ApparelDr. Gus VouchilasBH 329338-2060
KinesiologyDr. David Walsh GYM 101338-2244
Marian Wright Edelman InstituteDr. David Anderson HSS 257338-6976
NursingDr. Elaine MusselmanBH 371338-6855
Physical Therapy Graduate ProgramDr. Jeanette LeeHHS 118338-1221
Public HealthDr. Juliana Van OlphenHSS 321405-2149
Recreation, Parks, and TourismDr. Erik RosegardHSS 307338-1487
Sociology and Sexuality StudiesDr. Rita MelendezHSS 370405-3570
Social WorkDr. Sonja Lenz-RashidHSS 212405-2459

School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement

Director: Jennifer Shea

Program Coordinator Office Telephone
Gerontology Dr. Darlene Yee HSS 242 338-1684
Public Administration Dr. M. Ernita Joaquin DTC 679 817-4460
Urban Studies and Planning Dr. Jasper Rubin HSS 261 405-4129