Curriculum
Courses
Faculty

• PBHL-E 517 Fundamentals of Epidemiology (3 cr.) This course will introduce students to basic epidemiologic concepts including determinants of health and patterns of disease in populations, population health descriptive techniques, use of health indicators and secondary data sources.  Students will gain an understanding of the role of epidemiology in developing prevention strategies and policy.  Among the topics to be covered are measures of mortality and morbidity, design and analysis of observational studies, community health assessment and program evaluation.
• PBHL-P 600 Epidemiologic Research Methods (3 cr.) P: G651. This course provides an in-depth presentation of the major research designs, analytical methods, and practical issues specifically related to conducting research in the field of epidemiology, outcomes research, and health economics.  Descriptive, observational and experimental designs are included.  In addition, issues of ethics, protocol, data quality, instrument design, and analysis are covered.
• PBHL-E 601 Advanced Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517 and B551 (or concurrent enrollment). This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of advanced epidemiologic concepts introduced in other courses as well as a fundamental understanding of epidemiologic techniques not covered in other classes.  Topics included will represent cutting edge techniques, philosophical issues and insights to appropriately conduct and interpret the findings of epidemiological studies.
• PBHL-E 609 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517. This course is designed to provide a basic overview of the infectious disease process, including disease agents, transmission routes, immunity and public health significance.  The course introduces principles of infectious disease epidemiology, including outbreak investigation and surveillance, using case studies as examples.  Concepts on globalization of disease, microbial ecology, and disease eradication also are discussed.
• PBHL-E 610 Chronic Disease Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517. This course examines chronic health conditions from an epidemiological perspective.  Concepts include geographical distribution, risk factors, person-related determinants, time trends, indicators of control, measures of severity, surveillance measures, and outcome measures.  Research methods, assessment strategies and screening tests will also be presented.
• PBHL-E 618 Cancer Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517. This course is designed to provide an overview of the epidemiology of common cancers, as well as methodological issues in etiologic research and cancer screening. Emphasis will be placed on risk factos that can be modified for cancer control and prevention.
• PBHL-E 635 Foundations of Public Health Informatics (3 cr.) This course will introduce the application of Informatics in the Public Health field. The course will include a brief review of core public health functions, describe the current policies defining the use of informatics in public health, and outline the history of the application of informatics principles in both public health and clinical health systems.
• PBHL-P 650 Readings in Public Health (1-4 cr.) This course is designed to expose the student to different readings in public health.  The course will allow the student to apply skills learned in the public health core courses by collecting data and applying techniques.  The student will be required to read critically published papers and identify research topics.
• PBHL-E 651 Public Health Surveillance (3 cr.) This course will focus on the recognized value of Public Health Surveillance as well as the development and utility of Surveillance Systems.  Included are the historical development of surveillance systems, data sources, informatics of surveillance, data management, and evaluation of surveillance systems.  In addition, descriptive epidemiology techniques, identification of outbreaks and community needs.  Trend analysis based on the data collected from the surveillance system will be covered, along with related ethical and legal issues.  The course discusses how surveillance is conducted in low to middle income countries and the future of public health surveillance. 
• PBHL-B 653 Applied Multivariate Statistical Methods (3 cr.) P: B 551 and B652. This applied course is designed specifically for graduate and professional studies with major in epidemiology. Course will focus on applications to real data which will be analyzed by the professor and the students using the SAS software.  The course will cover the following classic multivariate techniques; canonical correlations, MANOVA, MANCOVA, discriminant analysis, principal components analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling.
• PBHL-E 655 Historical Evolution of Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517. The course will explore the historical developments and public health responses to human disease morbidity and mortality, and their importance and influence on the role of public health in modern society.  Readings and discussion will examine in detail, the evolutionary change in the epidemiologic response of a variety of diseases of national and international importance.
• PBHL-E 645 Information Exchange for Population Health (3 cr.)  This course explores the electronic exchange of data, information and knowledge between clinical and public health organizations in support of population health. Students will examine the strategic, organizational, legal, technical, and socio-political aspects of clinical and public health information exchange in the United States and abroad.
• PBHL-E 670 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in Health Sciences (3 cr.) P: E517 & B551 or B651. This course provides graduate students with an overview of fundamental concepts and methods of systematic review and meta-analysis in health sciences. Principles and methods in conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis are illustrated through case studies of public health and clinical medicine, with emphasis on training students’ practical skills in the conduct of systematic reviews and meta-analyses in various public health and clinical settings.
• PBHL-E 675 Fundamentals of Injury Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517 and B551. This course will introduce students to basic epidemiologic concepts of injury, both intentional and unintentional. We will discuss the burden of injury and its effect on public health, patterns of injury in populations, the use of descriptive techniques, and secondary data sources.  Students will gain an understanding of the role of injury epidemiology in developing prevention strategies and policy. Among the topics to be covered are measures of mortality and morbidity, design and analysis of observational studies, community health assessment and program evaluation.
• PBHL-E 715 Design and Implementation of Observational Studies (3 cr.) P: E517 This course examines fundamental aspects of designing and implementing observational epidemiology studies.  The focus is on developing strategies to increase the validity of the study results by using techniques to control for possible confounding factors and biases.  Topics include sampling methods, sensitivity, data weighting, standardization, selection of cases and controls, matching, data collection and project management.
• PBHL-E 720 Analysis and Interpretation of Observational Studies (3  cr.) P: E715. This course examines fundamental aspects of analyzing data generated by observational epidemiology studies.  The focus is on developing a solid understanding of contemporary analytical techniques to increase the validity of the study and control for possible confounding factors and biases. 
• PBHL-E 730 Molecular and Genetics Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E601 and B652. This course presents fundamental concepts and methods in molecular and genetic epidemiologic research, and explains different study designs commonly used in genetic epidemiology to identify the genetic basis of common, complex disease. Students will learn about available common molecular and genetic measures, different study design searching for disease-causing genes, and their interaction with environmental factors, ethnical issues and genetic testing.
• PBHL-E 731 Design and Analysis of Genetic Association Studies (3 cr.) P: P601. P652, E730. This course introduces the conceptual and practical tools needed for population-based genetic association studies among unrelated subjects. Lectures and selected readings present key issues (such as linkage disequilibrium, "tagging SNPs," haplotypes, population stratification and epistasis) and appropriate statistical methods. Students will be required to present selected papers in class. Students will gain hands-on experience with a range of analytic tools and software packages as part of a class project which gives them the opportunity to design and analyze an association study. This project will require students to work on real-world problems such as marker selection, potential multiple comparisons issues due to multiple markers and multiple outcomes, and missing data. 
• PBHL-E 750 Doctoral Topics in Public Health (1-3 cr.) Courses offered under this course number would include PhD courses on topics expected to be offered only once, such as those taught by visiting faculty, and those that are newly developed and have not yet been assigned a specific course number. The course will focus on a specific topic or technique related to the field of Public Health.  The material to be studied will be determined by the instructor with input from the PhD faculty. 
• PBHL-E 751 Doctoral Readings in Epidemiology (1-3 cr.) This course is designed to expose a PhD student to published material on a specific topic or technique related to their field of study in Epidemiology. The material to be studied will be determined primarily by the PhD student under the direction of a faculty member with input from the student's advisor. The PhD student is expected to work closely with the faculty member to develop a strategy to identify the material to study, plan a time frame for completion of the study and to determine the nature of the study product. Generally the product will be a summary and interpretation of the material studied in a literature review format. The PhD student and faculty member will complete and sign a written agreement, which outlines the scope of work for the semester and will also be signed by the student's academic advisor.
• PBHL-E 752 Doctoral Research in Epidemiology (1-3 cr.) This course is designed to allow PhD students the opportunity to explore research questions by collecting data or using existing data related to their field of study in Epidemiology.  The study topic will be determined primarily by the PhD student under the direction of a faculty member with input from the student’s concentration advisor.  The PhD student is expected to work closely with the faculty member to develop the study protocol, obtain IRB approval if necessary, obtain the data and collect the planned data analysis.  The time frame for completion and the nature of the study product will be determined by the PhD student, faculty member and advisor.  Generally the product will be a manuscript for submission to an appropriate journal. The PhD student and faculty member will complete a written agreement, which outlines the scope of work for the semester.  The concentration advisor will also sign this agreement.
• PBHL-E 765 Nutritional Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517, B551. This course provides students with an overview of fundamental concepts and methods of nutritional epidemiology and the current state of knowledge on well-studied associations between diet and chronic diseases. Emphasis will be placed on the design, implementation, analysis, and interpretation of nutritional epidemiologic studies.
• PBHL-E 775 Doctoral Research Seminar in Epidemiology (1 cr.) This course is designed to expose PhD students to a wide range of specific research topics and issues in Public Health.  The seminar topics will be chosen by the Director of the PhD program with input from other faculty members.  The PhD students are expected to attend each seminar session, read assigned material, and participate in the seminar discussions. The PhD students may be asked to present their research projects during the seminar to obtain feedback and recommendations from the faculty and other students.
• PBHL-E 780 Pharmacoepidemiology (3 cr.) P: P517 or equivalent. This is an introductory pharmacoepidemiology course.  Students will learn how principles of modern epidemiologic methods are used to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and utilization patterns of medical products (drugs, vaccines, and medical devices) in human populations, with a focus on observational studies.
• PBHL-E 795 Cardiovascular Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: E517 or equivalent. This is an advanced graduate course that discusses the topics related to the epidemiology and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The purpose is to give students an overview of the major cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors, and to develop critical thinking skills related to the key issues that epidemiologists consider.
• PBHL-E 800 Epidemiology Doctoral Dissertation Research (1-8 cr.) The dissertation will be written on an original topic of epidemiology research and presented as one of the final requirements for the Ph.D. degree.  The dissertation must be an original contribution to knowledge and of high scholarly merit.