This program is designed for professionals in health care and related professions, who wish to integrate complementary health approaches in their practice or organization. It provides a variety of health care professionals with the opportunity to explore and understand the benefits and application of integrative health principles and practices, especially as related to their individual professional area within the broad health care spectrum. The primary audience for this program is two-fold. First, are healthcare practitioners seeking to expand their professional knowledge and skills and complement their current specialty with an understanding of the integrative health field. This audience includes, among others, nurses, social service and behavioral health professionals, allied healthcare professionals, and other licensed/certified healthcare and medical providers. Second, are professionals who support the health care field through their work in administration, management, policy, and advocacy, as well as health and science writing and communication.

The program provides students with an understanding of 1) the fundamental principles and effectiveness of a range of complementary and integrative health practices, 2) how complementary health practices can be integrated with conventional care in a responsible way, 3) research literacy skills unique to the field of integrative health, including how to find, interpret, and apply integrative health research to disease and health challenges, 4) how complementary and conventional health care practitioners can work alongside one another, and 5) the practical considerations of incorporating complementary health approaches in conventional health care settings, including business models, insurance coverage, and professional and legal requirements. This program is comprised of 4 courses (12 credits) and provides foundational knowledge in the theoretical, philosophical, and research foundations of integrative health practices, and the efficacy and effectiveness of such practices, and practical and business models for the inclusion of integrative practices in conventional care settings.

The PBC Integrative Health Studies can also serve as an entry point and advanced standing in MUIH’s M.A. Integrative Health Studies degree. The four courses of this PBC program are transferrable and make up the first four required courses of the M.A. Integrative Health Studies degree.

The PBC Integrative Health Studies can also serve as an entry pathway for registered dieticians into MUIH’s Doctor of Clinical Nutrition degree.

Upon completion of this program students will be able to:

• Explain the foundational principles, philosophies, practice, and models of integrative health care
• Evaluate the principles, practice, and application of particular areas of the integrative health care field
• Apply research literacy skills to critically analyze integrative health research literature
• Select evidence-based integrative health interventions aligned with prevalent health conditions

Required Courses

The program consists of 12 credits of the following required courses:

• ISCI630A Survey of Complementary Health Approaches (3 cr)
• INHS610 Complementary and Integrative Health Interventions for Common Conditions (3 cr)
• INHS620 Integrative Care Models (3 cr)
• RSCH601 Research Literacy in Integrative Health (3 cr)
• MUIH550 Academic Research and Scholarship (0 cr)

Course Descriptions

Course descriptions are available in the Academic Catalog.

Complementary and integrative health care approaches are increasingly a key component of access to high quality, high impact, and affordable health care. McKinsey and Company reported the wellness industry “a demographic sweet spot of enormous potential” and calculated this market as close to $16.5 billion per annum. The 2012 National Health Interview Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics demonstrated significant use and spending on integrative health care approaches. One-third of U.S. adults and nearly 12% of children ages 4 to 17 used complementary health approaches. An estimated 59 million persons aged four years and over had at least one expenditure for some type of complementary health approach, resulting in total out-of-pocket expenditures of $30.2 billion per year. Out-of-pocket spending for complementary health approaches represented 9.2% of all out-of-pocket spending on health care. The 2017 National Health Interview Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics demonstrated continued growth and significant use of complementary and integrative health approaches. A 2010 study conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the American Association of Retired Persons indicated that 50% of Americans age 50 and older reported using complementary and alternative medicine.

Traditional health care organizations, employers, and regulators are responding to increased consumer demand for integrative health therapies. In 1999, only 7.7% of hospitals offered integrative therapies. By 2004 that number had increased to 18.3%, and by 2005 25% of hospitals were offering services in a complementary or integrative fashion. The 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics found that nearly 42% of hospice care providers offered complementary and alternative therapies, had a provider on staff or under contract, or both.

High job growth rates are projected by the U.S. Bureau for Labor and Statistics for the period 2018-2028 for the target audience for this program. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects healthcare occupations to grow 14% from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Two of the top twenty projected fastest growing occupations for the period 2018-2028 are among the audience for this program; these projected growth rates are 31% for physician assistants (#7), 28% for nurse practitioners (#9). In addition, the occupation predicted to add the third most new jobs during the period 2018-2028, registered nurses, is among the audience for this program. Other occupations among the audience also have strong growth projections for the period 2018-2028. Much faster than average growth rates are projected for substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors (22%), physical therapists (22%), massage therapists (22%), athletic trainers (19%), occupational therapists (18%), medical and health services managers (18%), fitness trainers and instructors (13%), social workers (11%), and health educators and community health workers (11%). Faster than average growth rates are projected for exercise physiologists (10%), technical writers (including health and science writers, 8%), physicians (7%), and chiropractors (7%). View more about career opportunities.

Program Format

This program is offered in the online format. Click here to view MUIH’s definition of online, hybrid, and on-campus course and program formats.

Program Schedule

For trimester start and end dates, see the Academic Calendar.

The schedule of courses for this program is shown below.

Trimester 1

• ISCI630A Survey of Complementary Health Approaches (3 cr)
• RSCH601 Research Literacy in Integrative Health (3 cr)
• MUIH550 Academic Research and Scholarship (0 cr)

Trimester 2

• INHS610 Complementary and Integrative Health Interventions for Common Conditions (3 cr)
• INHS620 Integrative Care Models (3 cr)

Marybeth Missenda, RPh. M.S. C.N.S.
Program Director

Rachel Voss, M.P.A.
Department Manager

Chelsey Barrett, M.S.
Academic Advisor