Indiana University has historically been at the forefront of sexual health, thanks to such organizations as the Kinsey Institute and the Center for Sexual Health Promotion. So it comes as no surprise that this fall, the SPH-B Department of Applied Health Science will usher in the next innovative chapter in this area by introducing the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (B.S.P.H.) in Sexual and Reproductive Health, thanks to the tireless efforts of Clinical Associate Professor Heather Eastman-Mueller, Ph.D.
This groundbreaking new degree program is the first of its kind in the nation and 1.5 years in the making. An informative webinar will be available for IU Bloomington students on Monday, April 21 at 12:30 p.m. EDT.
Supporting Dr. Eastman-Mueller on these efforts has been Department Chair Eric Walsh-Buhi, Ph.D. and colleagues Kathy Finley and Catherine Sherwood-Laughlin, HSD, MPH The idea began when Eastman-Mueller witnessed the interest for a sexual and reproductive health career focus through her role as a faculty member, as well as her involvement in outreach and education efforts at the IU Student Health Center.
"The students that would find me were the ones that didn’t have a degree with what they wanted to do in their career," says Eastman-Mueller. "I started to do research on the enrollment and needs of our students here on campus and then, in the U.S., what degrees are available related to sexual and reproductive health. Honestly, I found there were none. There were some focused on gender studies and human sexuality, but none of them had that public health lens."
When Eastman-Mueller began looking into the details of making this program a reality, she realized that between existing courses on offer; mainstay faculty (such as Provost Professor and Director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion Debby Herbenick, Ph.D.) with expertise in this area; and existing ties to the Student Health Center and other community groups; this degree program was a natural fit.
"There is a whole list of classes in this field of study that students know about if they have been around, but if they are new to IU they often don’t have the wherewithal to know about these courses," says Eastman-Mueller. "The purpose of this is to not only create a new degree and meet the needs of the students but cull the best of the best that IU has to offer from across our Bloomington campus."
Veteran colleague Sherwood-Laughlin assisted Eastman-Mueller in developing all the documents to propose this new major—from the department right up to the state level—for approval.
"We have programs in other key public health areas—for example, community health, safety and nutrition—and the addition of this degree acknowledges sexual and reproductive health as an important aspect of one’s overall health and wellness," shares Sherwood-Laughlin. "We want to train our students to become more comfortable and confident in all areas of sexual and reproductive health so they can share the importance of healthy sexuality among individuals and within a variety of communities."
Sherwood-Laughlin applauds Eastman-Mueller’s perseverance in making this degree program a reality, stating that she "never gave up."
Walsh-Buhi adds, "This program is monumental. It is not only the first of its kind in Indiana, but in the entire country. It also makes sense, as Indiana University is home to one of the largest concentrations of sex researchers in the world."
Eastman-Mueller says this degree program encompasses numerous courses across campuses, such as maternal and child health, sociology of sex, and sex therapy/counseling that can help students tailor this major to their specific career goals. The degree also goes beyond its name to cover violence prevention, healthcare access, healthy relationships, communication, and acknowledging a variety of personal experiences, including asexuality.
Finley, who serves as the consulting colleague specific to the internship portion of the degree (in addition to the degree in Community Health and Epidemiology), adds: "This degree will create health education professionals that will empower and educate communities about the importance of sexual and reproductive health, thereby improving the health of populations."
Interested in this pioneering program? Register for the webinar now.
For more stories on SPH-B students, faculty and staff making a difference locally and worldwide, visit go.iu.edu/48bx.