Curriculum
Courses
Faculty

• PBHL-B 552 Fundamentals of Data Management (3 cr.) This course teaches concepts related to research data planning, collection, storage, processing, and dissemination. The curriculum includes theoretical guidelines and practical tools for conducting public health research. Hands-on training with real-world examples and problem-solving exercises in SAS will be used to ensure that students are comfortable with all concepts.
• PBHL-B 562 Biostatistics for Public Health II (3 cr.) P: B551. This course introduces the advanced principles and methods of data analysis in public health biostatistics.  Emphasis is placed on public health examples as they relate to concepts such as:  Multiple regression, analysis of variance and covariance, logistic regression, nonparametric statistics, survival analysis, epidemiology statistics, and repeated measures analysis as they apply to public health practice.
• PBHL-E 606 Grant Writing for Public Health  (3 cr.) The course is open to all graduate students. The course will introduce the grant writing format and process and teach some grantsmanship. Student will have an opportunity to exercise the grant writing process.
• 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-E 647 Introduction to Population Health Analytics (3 cr.) This course examines the use of analytics and big data in the context of population health within governmental public health agencies as well as health systems. Students will be introduced to a host of methods used to analyze population health data, and gain technical skills required to perform analytics in support of real-world use cases.
• PBHL-H 514 Health Economics (3 cr.) The course will be conducted over 15 weeks and has two distinct sections. Over the first 8 weeks, we will examine how economic incentives affect the different actors in the health (care) system. The same basic model of individuals trying to achieve their objectives under different financial, regulatory, and technological constraints is used to describe the behavior of different healthcare players. The material should become easier to grasp as you become more familiar with this model. The purpose of this section is to develop a model of the overall system, including the relationships between the respective players. In the remaining weeks, we apply the model developed above to evaluate system performance, identify areas in need of improvement, and the possible system-wide effects of various healthcare reforms. In addition, we will draw on particularly salient aspects of economic thinking to develop your decision-making skills, particularly the assumptions and other information that may be driving your decisions.
• PBHL-H 611 Policy Evaluation, Implementation, and Management (3 cr.) The course will engage students in the examination of the public policy making process, including the politics of health and the implications for the future of health policy at the state, national, and global levels. Health policy topics will be covered from economic, financial, sociological, political, and psychological perspectives. Analytical paradigms are applied to organizational or macro-policy making issues. Topics vary by semester according to current policy challenges faced at the national and state levels.
• PBHL-H 619 Health Economics for Public Health Professionals (3 cr.) P: 3 cr. of undergraduate economics or permission of the instructor. This course examines the principles and application of economic analysis in the health field and the economist’s approach to health care issues. It provides insights offered by economic analysis of specific health issues and problems.
• PBHL-H 628 Healthcare Information System (3 cr.) This course provides an introduction to the management of health information systems. Topics include analyzing system requirements, system design and evaluation, selecting computer resources, and managing the implementation process.
• PBHL-H 658 Health Policy and Program Evaluation (3 cr.) P: S510. This course examines fundamental research methods used in the field of public health.  The focus is on understanding how community in scientifically valid methods and how study results in daily fairly interpreted.
• PBHL-H 670 Topics in Public Health (3 cr.) This course is an introduction to the role of ethics in population health-related programs, policymaking, professions and research. Because public health interventions focus on communities, as contrasted with individuals, they raise distinct and significant ethical questions from those raised in health services delivery (commonly addressed in fields such as medical ethics, bioethics and clinical ethics).
• PBHL-H 747 Health Policy and Management Research Seminar (12 cr.) This course is the ongoing doctoral seminar for PhD students in Health Policy and Management (HPM) as well as those earning a PhD minor in HPM.  The overarching objectives of this course is to train students to be more effective HPM researchers.  This will involve improving skills in critically appraising, developing, and defending research studies in the field.  These are broad skills that should continuously be improved throughout students’ time in a PhD program. Thus, H747 is expected to be taken multiple times while in the program.
• PBHL-H 751 Doctoral Readings in Health Policy and Management (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 Health Policy and Management. 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 concentration 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 a written agreement, which outlines the scope of work for the semester.  The concentration advisor will also sign this agreement.
• PBHL-H 752 Doctoral Research in Health Policy and Management (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 Health Policy and Management. 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-H 781 Research Design in Health Policy and Management Research (3 cr.) This doctoral-level course exposes PhD students to research designs commonly used in the health policy and management (HPM) literature.  Topics covered will include overview of the research process, types of study designs including their benefits and drawbacks with a strong focus on causal inference designs developed in the field of economics and policy analysis.  At the end of the semester, students should come away with an improved grasp of the interdisciplinary language of HPM research and a deeper appreciation of the importance of research design.
• PBHL-H 782 Health Services Empirical Methods (Quantitative Methods) (3 cr.) In this course, we will work towards your mastery of how to apply quantitative methods to theory-based, hypothesis-driven research.   While the course will review quantitative methods useful to health services researchers, the emphasis will be on the practical application of such methods, including issues related to data management, the use of different software packages to implement such methods, and the effective presentation of quantitative findings to a variety of audiences.  The final course deliverable will be an empirical analysis using national survey data to inform an issue of interest to the student.
• PBHL-H 783 Qualitative Methods for Health Services Research (3 cr.) The objective of this course is to introduce doctoral students to qualitative research methods. More specifically, the course will include 1) discussion of the various types of qualitative designs and methods, 2) practical applications of these methods, 3) critique of qualitative studies in the field of health services research and public health, and 4) the development of your own qualitative research ideas.
• PBHL-H 786 Healthcare Organizations Research (3 cr.) This seminar is the introductory seminar for HPM doctoral students and should be taken in the first or second year of your graduate study. The broad goal of the course is to help you develop your skills in analytic reasoning, critical thinking, knowledge translation, and professional self-reflection necessary for a successful research career.PBHL-H787 Health Policy Research (3 cr.) This course will provide students with time to prepare for the qualifying examination and prepare their dissertation prospectus. The prospectus includes the information required by the IU Indianapolis Graduate School.
• PBHL-H 799 Dissertation Proposal for PhD in Health Policy and Management (4 cr.) This course will provide students with time to prepare for the qualifying examination and prepare their dissertation prospectus. The prospectus includes the information required by the IU Indianapolis Graduate School.
• PBHL-H 800 Doctoral Level Directed Study (1-12 cr.) The dissertation will be written on an original topic of research and presented as one of the final requirements for the PhD degree. The dissertation must be an original contribution to knowledge and of high scholarly merit. The candidate's research must reveal critical ability and powers of imagination and synthesis. The dissertation is written under the supervision of a research director and a research committee. The data used by the student may involve analysis of primary or secondary data.
• PBHL-P 504 U.S. Health Care Systems and Health Policy (3 cr.) This course is designed to help students, particularly those interested in careers as public health leaders and health care managers, develop a better understanding of critical health policies and the health policy making process as well as the overall structure and key components of our health care system.
• PBHL-P 506 Population and Public Health (3 cr.) Population health is the distribution of health outcomes within a population, the health determinants that influence distribution, and the policies and interventions that affect the The management of the health of a population requires attention to the multiple determinants of health including: medical care, public health, and the environment. As a key component of population health, this course provides a broad introduction to the principles and organization of public health.
• PBHL-P 510 Introduction to Public Health (3 cr.) Students will learn the basic foundations and disciplines of public health. Explore the public health impact where populations live, work and play will be covered. Students will develop tools to examine and create solutions through a public health lens.
• PBHL-P 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 551 Biostatistics for Public Health I (3 cr.) This course introduces the basic principles and methods of data analysis in public health biostatistics. Emphasis is placed on concepts such as sampling, study design, descriptive statistics, probability, hypothesis testing, chi-square tests, t-tests, analysis of variance, linear regression and correlation. An introduction to SAS statistical software is part of this course.
• PBHL-S 619 Health Disparities and Health Equity (3 cr.) This course provides a broad overview of health disparities. Specifically, this comprehensive course focuses on helping to students to 1) understand what health disparities are and to critically analyze why they exist, and 2) learn about multi-level and evidence-based strategies that are utilized to effectively address health disparities.
• PBHL-S 725 Preparing for Academia in Public Health (1 cr) This 1.0 credit seminar course will prepare advanced graduate students for the roles and responsibilities they may assume as faculty members.  Course content will include an overview of the higher education culture and faculty expectations for teaching, research and service.