Twin Cities campus

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Twin Cities Campus

Sexual Health M.P.S.

CCAPS Graduate Programs Instruction
College of Continuing and Professional Studies
Link to a list of faculty for this program.
Contact Information
College of Continuing and Professional Studies Information Center 20 Ruttan Hall 1994 Buford Ave St Paul, MN 55108 (612-624-4000)
Email: ccapsinfo@umn.edu
  • Program Type: Master's
  • Requirements for this program are current for Fall 2024
  • Length of program in credits: 30
  • This program does not require summer semesters for timely completion.
  • Degree: Master of Professional Studies
Along with the program-specific requirements listed below, please read the General Information section of this website for requirements that apply to all major fields.
The Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Sexual Health provides a broad overview of the human sexuality field in addition to current, evidence-based practices that prepares students for careers as sex therapists or sex educators. Components of the curriculum are accepted by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) toward certification.
Program Delivery
  • completely online (all program coursework can be completed online)
Prerequisites for Admission
The preferred undergraduate GPA for admittance to the program is 3.00.
Other requirements to be completed before admission:
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited post-secondary US institution or an international equivalent. Applications must include: · resume or CV; · professional statement (1-2 pages) articulating reasons for pursuing the Sexual Health MPS and highlighting demonstrated commitment to the field of human sexuality (e.g., previous study, work, volunteer service, professional organizational involvement); and · two academic or professional letters of recommendation.
International applicants must submit score(s) from one of the following tests:
  • TOEFL
    • Internet Based - Total Score: 84
    • Internet Based - Writing Score: 21
    • Internet Based - Reading Score: 19
  • IELTS
    • Total Score: 65.0
    • Reading Score: 6.5
    • Writing Score: 6.5
  • MELAB
    • Final score: 84
Key to test abbreviations (TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB).
For an online application or for more information about graduate education admissions, see the General Information section of this website.
Program Requirements
Plan C: Plan C requires 30 major credits and up to credits outside the major. There is no final exam.
This program may be completed with a minor.
Use of 4xxx courses toward program requirements is permitted under certain conditions with adviser approval.
A minimum GPA of 2.80 is required for students to remain in good standing.
Students must earn a minimum grade of B- for courses taken on the A-F grading basis.
Human Sexuality Core Courses (12 credits)
Take the following courses:
HSEX 6001 - Foundations of Human Sexuality (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6011 - Policy in Human Sexuality: Cutting Edge Analyses (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6013 - Perspectives and Practices in Sexual Health Education (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6015 - Sexual Pleasure & Intimacy (3.0 cr)
Elective Courses (6 credits)
Select courses in consultation with the advisor to meet the 6-credit electives requirement.
IBH 6232 - Sexual Health and Gender (3.0 cr)
Program Sub-plans
Students are required to complete one of the following sub-plans.
Students may not complete the program with more than one sub-plan.
Sex Therapy
Sex Therapy Courses (12 credits)
Take the following courses to complete the 30-credit minimum:
HSEX 6211 - Dimensions of Sexual Functioning (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6212 - Sex and Relationship Therapy (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6213 - Sexual Trauma and Trauma Informed Care (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6311 - Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults (3.0 cr)
Transgender & Gender Diverse Health
Transgender & Gender Diverse Health Courses (12 credits)
Take the following courses to complete the 30-credit minimum:
HSEX 6311 - Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6312 - Intersectional and Decolonizing Approaches to Transgender Health (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6313 - Gender Diversity, Sexuality, & Sexual Health (3.0 cr)
HSEX 6314 - Considerations in the Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents (3.0 cr)
Self Designed Track
Self-design Courses (12 credits)
Select coursework to complete 30-credit minimum.
Take 12 or more credit(s) from the following:
· HSEX 6211 - Dimensions of Sexual Functioning (3.0 cr)
· HSEX 6212 - Sex and Relationship Therapy (3.0 cr)
· HSEX 6213 - Sexual Trauma and Trauma Informed Care (3.0 cr)
· HSEX 6311 - Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults (3.0 cr)
· HSEX 6312 - Intersectional and Decolonizing Approaches to Transgender Health (3.0 cr)
· HSEX 6313 - Gender Diversity, Sexuality, & Sexual Health (3.0 cr)
· HSEX 6314 - Considerations in the Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents (3.0 cr)
 
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· College of Continuing and Professional Studies

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HSEX 6001 - Foundations of Human Sexuality
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Foundations of Human Sexuality covers topics in human sexuality, including biology and sexuality; sexuality across the lifespan, cultures and history; religions, epidemiology and clinical issues; and sexuality and legal/social aspects. Using readings, discussion forums, peer review, and an applied final project, students will understand the interactions between biological, social, and individual factors in producing variations in human sexuality.
HSEX 6011 - Policy in Human Sexuality: Cutting Edge Analyses
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Fall
Policy in Human Sexuality: Cutting Edge Analyses offers an overview of United States and international policy related to gender and sexuality. The course will present the content and impact of such policies across human life stages, from youth reproductive health to aging LGBTQ folks; and a variety of contexts including education, military service, employment, and criminal legal systems. Using readings, multimedia sources, discussion forums, peer review, and an applied final project, students will understand the theory, process, and central actors in policy development and implementation, and the real-world effects of these processes.
HSEX 6013 - Perspectives and Practices in Sexual Health Education
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course covers the history of sexuality education, primarily in the US with international comparison, as well as current and emerging issues in sexual health education. Using readings, discussion forums, peer review, and an applied final project, students will understand the temporal changes in sexual health education in the US and abroad and the empirical, theoretical, and educational foundations of sexual health education.
HSEX 6015 - Sexual Pleasure & Intimacy
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Summer
This course will provide information on sexual intimacy, pleasure, and sexual well-being. It will explore the theoretical understandings of pleasure, and the historical and cultural considerations in understanding sexual pleasure and intimacy. This course will also cover emerging issues as they pertain to intimacy, pleasure, and sexual well-being. This course will utilize readings, discussion forums, and an applied final project to foster students? theoretical, empirical, and sociocultural understanding of sexual intimacy, pleasure, and well-being.
IBH 6232 - Sexual Health and Gender
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Periodic Fall
This is a graduate level course that is meant to broaden your understanding of issues regarding sexual health and gender that you may encounter in the therapy session. A large part of this course is focused on increasing your comfort and competence in having conversations about sexual health and gender with your clients, as well as knowing when to intervene and when to refer. Additional attention will be given to developing and keeping appropriate boundaries with clients when addressing issues of sexual health and gender. Theoretical frameworks regarding human sexuality, sexual disorders, normative vs. non-normative sexual behavior, issues of gender identity and expression, and applicable therapeutic interventions will be discussed. Specific focus will also be given to the co-occurrence of sexual and gender concerns with mental health and substance use disorders, including discussions regarding prevalence and potential presentations. Please be aware that in the process of this course, you will be asked to engage in dialogue about and reflect upon your own beliefs and values around issues of sex, sexuality, relationships, gender identity, etc. It is expected that you be willing to challenge yourself to critically examine course discussions and materials, particularly as they may apply to your future work as a counselor. This course combines the use of lectures, group discourse, group presentations, clinical role-plays, readings, self-reflective activities, and additional experiential exercises to aid you in expanding your knowledge base and competence in managing these issues as they may arise in the therapy session.
HSEX 6211 - Dimensions of Sexual Functioning
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course covers various aspects of sexual function and dysfunction as well as an in-depth overview of sexual health as it pertains to the general public. Using readings, discussion forums, peer review, and an applied final project, students will understand the range of sexual responses people may experience, diagnostic categories of sexual functioning, and the range of therapies available.
HSEX 6212 - Sex and Relationship Therapy
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course will focus on the fundamentals and clinical application of sex therapy for couples and individuals. Course materials will address assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the broad spectrum of sexual health concerns. In addition, it will address theories of practice, and implications for special populations, with emphasis on biopsychosocial dimensions of health.
HSEX 6213 - Sexual Trauma and Trauma Informed Care
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course will provide information on sexual trauma, including theoretical understandings of sexual trauma, historical and cultural considerations in understanding sexual trauma, psychological, sociological, and cultural effects of sexual trauma, and considerations in treating sexual trauma. This course will also cover emerging issues as they pertain to sexual trauma. This course will utilize readings, discussion forums, and an applied final project to foster students? theoretical, empirical, and sociocultural understanding of sexual trauma.
HSEX 6311 - Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults seeks to define trans healthcare through a historical, analytical, and and concern-based curriculum. The first half of the course will explore the components of sexual identity through an intersectional lens, the systemic marginalization of gender-diverse populations, and the historical pathologization of non-conforming sexual identities in the history of healthcare. The second half of this course seeks to define trans healthcare through a tripartite lens of care preceding and during transition, care for non-conforming people, and healthcare for trans concerns before analyzing the historicity of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care and relevant ongoing care for gender-diverse patients. Students will engage in a discussion-rich curriculum that focuses on destabilizing of race, class, and gender-centric assumptions surriounding the topics of gender identity, sexual orientation, birth-assigned sex, and gender expression. They will also complete a number of case studies to critically engage with topics such as broader trans representation, non-binary healthcare options, historical advances in trans health, and reproductive justice for trans communities. The course will culminate in a student-directed final project that asks them to reflect on how they might apply this knowledge to their specific career trajectory.
HSEX 6311 - Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults seeks to define trans healthcare through a historical, analytical, and and concern-based curriculum. The first half of the course will explore the components of sexual identity through an intersectional lens, the systemic marginalization of gender-diverse populations, and the historical pathologization of non-conforming sexual identities in the history of healthcare. The second half of this course seeks to define trans healthcare through a tripartite lens of care preceding and during transition, care for non-conforming people, and healthcare for trans concerns before analyzing the historicity of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care and relevant ongoing care for gender-diverse patients. Students will engage in a discussion-rich curriculum that focuses on destabilizing of race, class, and gender-centric assumptions surriounding the topics of gender identity, sexual orientation, birth-assigned sex, and gender expression. They will also complete a number of case studies to critically engage with topics such as broader trans representation, non-binary healthcare options, historical advances in trans health, and reproductive justice for trans communities. The course will culminate in a student-directed final project that asks them to reflect on how they might apply this knowledge to their specific career trajectory.
HSEX 6312 - Intersectional and Decolonizing Approaches to Transgender Health
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
This foundational course seeks to provide the groundwork for understanding intersectional and decolonizing pedagogy and theory and application to transgender health. Theories will also focus on examining historical, analytical, and community-informed factors that influence access to care. This course explores the components of identity development through an intersectional lens, systemic marginalization of gender-diverse populations, and historical pathologization of diverse gender and sexual identities in healthcare. Students will be exposed to discourse that focuses on destabilizing biases and western assumptions surrounding the topics of gender identity, sexual orientation, sex assigned at birth, and gender expression. Overall, this course aims to prepare students to engage in reflexive thinking about systems-level interventions in transgender health.
HSEX 6313 - Gender Diversity, Sexuality, & Sexual Health
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course seeks to introduce the core conceptual and theoretical approaches to applied sexual health care. The first portion of the course will provide an overview of the components of sexual identity, including gender identity, sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, and gender expression. The second portion of the course will introduce the theoretical and empirical literature within public health, epidemiology, sex therapy, and sexology fields regarding sexual health issues with TGD communities. The course will provide deeper exploration of these broader introductory topics from a sex positive and pleasure oriented framework including medical and relational impacts of medical transition, sex therapy interventions, gender euphoria and gender dysphoria, and gender embodiment. Students will complete a number of case studies to critically engage and apply learnings from the course as well as be exposed to empirical and conceptual readings from an interdisciplinary gender affirming perspective. The course will culminate in a student-directed final project that asks them to reflect on how they might apply this knowledge to their specific career trajectory.
HSEX 6314 - Considerations in the Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Summer
This course will examine the healthcare (broadly defined) needs and care of transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents. To lay the groundwork, we will discuss the importance of a well-balanced, nuanced, and thoughtful approach to the available research, clinical knowledge, and dilemmas in the field. This course will also cover emerging issues and controversies as they pertain to care for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents. Themes discussed will include the WPATH standards of care and gender-affirming practices. This course will utilize readings, discussion forums, and an applied final project to foster students? theoretical, empirical, and sociocultural understanding of healthcare for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents.
HSEX 6211 - Dimensions of Sexual Functioning
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course covers various aspects of sexual function and dysfunction as well as an in-depth overview of sexual health as it pertains to the general public. Using readings, discussion forums, peer review, and an applied final project, students will understand the range of sexual responses people may experience, diagnostic categories of sexual functioning, and the range of therapies available.
HSEX 6212 - Sex and Relationship Therapy
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course will focus on the fundamentals and clinical application of sex therapy for couples and individuals. Course materials will address assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of the broad spectrum of sexual health concerns. In addition, it will address theories of practice, and implications for special populations, with emphasis on biopsychosocial dimensions of health.
HSEX 6213 - Sexual Trauma and Trauma Informed Care
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F or Aud
Typically offered: Every Spring
This course will provide information on sexual trauma, including theoretical understandings of sexual trauma, historical and cultural considerations in understanding sexual trauma, psychological, sociological, and cultural effects of sexual trauma, and considerations in treating sexual trauma. This course will also cover emerging issues as they pertain to sexual trauma. This course will utilize readings, discussion forums, and an applied final project to foster students? theoretical, empirical, and sociocultural understanding of sexual trauma.
HSEX 6311 - Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
Introduction to Healthcare for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adults seeks to define trans healthcare through a historical, analytical, and and concern-based curriculum. The first half of the course will explore the components of sexual identity through an intersectional lens, the systemic marginalization of gender-diverse populations, and the historical pathologization of non-conforming sexual identities in the history of healthcare. The second half of this course seeks to define trans healthcare through a tripartite lens of care preceding and during transition, care for non-conforming people, and healthcare for trans concerns before analyzing the historicity of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) standards of care and relevant ongoing care for gender-diverse patients. Students will engage in a discussion-rich curriculum that focuses on destabilizing of race, class, and gender-centric assumptions surriounding the topics of gender identity, sexual orientation, birth-assigned sex, and gender expression. They will also complete a number of case studies to critically engage with topics such as broader trans representation, non-binary healthcare options, historical advances in trans health, and reproductive justice for trans communities. The course will culminate in a student-directed final project that asks them to reflect on how they might apply this knowledge to their specific career trajectory.
HSEX 6312 - Intersectional and Decolonizing Approaches to Transgender Health
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Spring
This foundational course seeks to provide the groundwork for understanding intersectional and decolonizing pedagogy and theory and application to transgender health. Theories will also focus on examining historical, analytical, and community-informed factors that influence access to care. This course explores the components of identity development through an intersectional lens, systemic marginalization of gender-diverse populations, and historical pathologization of diverse gender and sexual identities in healthcare. Students will be exposed to discourse that focuses on destabilizing biases and western assumptions surrounding the topics of gender identity, sexual orientation, sex assigned at birth, and gender expression. Overall, this course aims to prepare students to engage in reflexive thinking about systems-level interventions in transgender health.
HSEX 6313 - Gender Diversity, Sexuality, & Sexual Health
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Fall
This course seeks to introduce the core conceptual and theoretical approaches to applied sexual health care. The first portion of the course will provide an overview of the components of sexual identity, including gender identity, sex assigned at birth, sexual orientation, and gender expression. The second portion of the course will introduce the theoretical and empirical literature within public health, epidemiology, sex therapy, and sexology fields regarding sexual health issues with TGD communities. The course will provide deeper exploration of these broader introductory topics from a sex positive and pleasure oriented framework including medical and relational impacts of medical transition, sex therapy interventions, gender euphoria and gender dysphoria, and gender embodiment. Students will complete a number of case studies to critically engage and apply learnings from the course as well as be exposed to empirical and conceptual readings from an interdisciplinary gender affirming perspective. The course will culminate in a student-directed final project that asks them to reflect on how they might apply this knowledge to their specific career trajectory.
HSEX 6314 - Considerations in the Care of Transgender and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents
Credits: 3.0 [max 3.0]
Grading Basis: A-F only
Typically offered: Every Summer
This course will examine the healthcare (broadly defined) needs and care of transgender and gender diverse children and adolescents. To lay the groundwork, we will discuss the importance of a well-balanced, nuanced, and thoughtful approach to the available research, clinical knowledge, and dilemmas in the field. This course will also cover emerging issues and controversies as they pertain to care for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents. Themes discussed will include the WPATH standards of care and gender-affirming practices. This course will utilize readings, discussion forums, and an applied final project to foster students? theoretical, empirical, and sociocultural understanding of healthcare for trans and gender diverse children and adolescents.