Courses
Courses by Department
Department of Public Health
- PBHL–H 500 Philosophy/Principles of Health Education (3 cr.) Explores the principles of health education and behavioral science and strategies for their application to health problems in communities and among special populations.
- PBHL–P 500 Philosophy and Principles of Social and Behavioral Health Science Applied to Public Health Practice (3 cr.) Explores the principles of health education and behavioral science and strategies for their application to health problems in communities and among special populations.
- PBHL–C 501 Program Planning in Public Health Education (3 cr.) This course is designed to illuminate health planning models and key steps in health promotion planning. Students will develop a health promotion campaign through needs assessment and brochure development.
- PBHL–H 501 U.S. Health Care: Systems, Policies and Ethical Challenges (3 cr.) Explores health, illness and disease trajectories and the systemic components that mold the health care system. Ideological paradigms predicting utilization and health behaviors are addressed, as are guidelines of ethical decision making/problem analysis. Formulations and implementation of organizational and governmental policies and their associated theoretical assumptions are addressed.
- PBHL–H 502 Developing Strategic Capability in Health Care (3 cr.) Explores management roles in health care. Application of management theories, concepts, and principles and an understanding of managerial roles in organizations are emphasized. Managerial process, management theories, leadership, organizational design, and strategic management are examined.
- PBHL–P 504 Health Services Administration for Public Health Professionals (3 cr.) Explores health, illness, and disease trajectories and the systemic components that mold the health care system. Ideological paradigms predicting utilization and health behaviors are addressed, as are guidelines of ethical decision making/problem analysis. Formulations and implementation of organizational and governmental policies and their associated theoretical assumptions are addressed.
- PBHL–H 514 Health Economics (3 cr.) Examines the principles and applications of economic analysis in the health field and the economist’s approach to health care issues. It also provides insights offered by economic analysis of specific health issues and problems.
- PBHL–H 517 Fundamentals of Epidemiology (3 cr.) Introduces basic epidemiologic concepts including determinants of health and patterns of disease in populations, and implications of disease processes on prevention strategies and policy development. Among the topics to be covered are measures of morbidity, and mortality, sources of data, and design of research studies and clinical trials.
- PBHL–H 519 Environmental Science in Public Health (3 cr.) Examines national and international environmental factors that influence health such as population, toxic substances, energy, food quality, and air and water quality. Students will discuss risk analysis as well as prevention strategies.
- PBHL–P 600 Epidemiologic Research Methods (3 cr.) 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. Descriptive, observational, and experimental designs are included. In addition, issues of ethics, protocol, data quality, instrument design, and analysis are covered.
- PBHL–P 601 Advanced Epidemiologic Methods and Applications (3 cr.) Provides students with an in-depth understanding of advanced epidemiologic concepts and techniques not covered in other classes. Topics include cutting edge techniques, philosophical issues, and insights for appropriately conducting and interpreting the findings of epidemiological studies.
- PBHL–P 602 Internship (3 cr.) Integrates public health theory and practice in a practice setting. Students have the opportunity to apply concepts from core and concentration courses, conduct projects, and interact with a range of health professionals in a designated setting. Linked to the student’s chosen concentration, this work experience exposes the student to new issues and new ways to solve problems in greater depth and with more responsibility than the M.P.H. community project (P503). The student works with both a faculty advisor and an academically and professionally qualified preceptor in the agency.
- PBHL–P 603 Seminar in Behavioral Health Science (1 cr.) This course provides an overview of the fundamental elements used in conducting research in public health. Topic areas include: elements of a research proposal; the basic structure of inquiry; human subjects and ethical issues; formulating behavioral health science research questions; qualitative and quantitative measurement; sampling design; data collection and analysis.
- PBHL–P 606 Seminar in Epidemiology (1 cr.) This course provides experience in the development of an epidemiologic research grant using specific submission criteria. Topics are chosen by each student, generally the subject of their culminating research project. Students practice their grant reviewing skills by performing a critical review of a grant.
- PBHL–P 607 Seminar in Health Policy and Management (1 cr.) This course provides an overview of the fundamental elements used in conducting research in public health. Topic areas include: elements of a research proposal; the basic structure of inquiry; human subjects and ethical issues; formulating health policy research questions; qualitative and quantitative measurement; sampling design; data collection and analysis.
- PBHL–P 609 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3 cr.) Examines infectious health conditions from an epidemiological perspective. Concepts include distributions, determinants, diagnosis, measures of severity, treatment modalities, surveillance measures, survival and prognosis, and quality of care measures. Research methods, prevention strategies, and screening tests will also be presented. Clinical experts will present diagnosis and treatment methods.
- PBHL–P 610 Chronic Disease Epidemiology (3 cr.) Examines chronic health conditions from an epidemiological perspective. Concepts include distributions, determinants, diagnosis, measures of severity, treatment modalities, surveillance measures, survival and prognosis, and quality of care measures. Research methods, prevention strategies, and screening tests will also be presented. Clinical experts will present diagnosis and treatment methods.
- PBHL–P 611 Policy Design, Implementation, and Management (3 cr.) This course will examine the implications for the future of health policy in the United States. Further, health policy topics from economic, financial, sociological, political, and psychological perspectives will be covered. Analytical paradigms are applied to organizational or macro-policy making issues. Topics vary by semester according to current policy challenges faced at the federal level.
- PBHL–P 612 Health Outcomes Research (3 cr.) Focuses on patient-centered outcomes research in the health care field. The different types of patient-centered outcomes assessment tools and their application in determining patient health status, change in health status, and the effectiveness of health care interventions will be discussed.
- PBHL–P 613 Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Public Health’s Role and Response (1–3 cr.) This course is designed to familiarize learners with biological agents used for terrorism in the past, and agents the Centers for Disease Control consider most likely to be used at present.
- PBHL–H 617 Human Disease and Prevention (3 cr.) This course has two components. First, students acquire knowledge of selected diseases and social pathologies of importance in public health. They turn this knowledge into educational materials for public health presentations and interventions. In the second component, students evaluate different prevention interventions for the previously selected pathologies and develop formal recommendations.
- PBHL–P 618 Cancer Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: H517. This course is an overview of cancer epidemiology, focusing on key concepts, etiologic research, applications to public health practice, and major epidemiologic methods. This course is designed for students who have an interest in epidemiology.
- PBHL–P 631 Maternal, Child, and Family Health (3 cr.) Overview of maternal and child health with emphasis on conditions and issues affecting reproductive, childhood, and women’s well-being. Includes classroom lecture, discussion, and student presentations.
- PBHL–P 632 History of Public Health (3 cr.) This course surveys the history of public health from antiquity to the late twentieth century with the aim of providing students an understanding of how history may inform present day challenges regarding the health of populations, including emerging infectious diseases; climate change; dislocation of populations from conflicts and natural disasters; malnutrition; and chronic diseases in aging populations. Using a chronological and thematic approach to history, students will learn the origins, natural histories, and important determinants of the structure and function of modern systems of public health in the United States. The course will explore the complex interactions within populations of disease, science, social and cultural norms, moral/ethical values, economic and legal precepts, health professionals, institutions, and government in shaping the rate of adoption and diffusion of public health systems. The course will use a readings/discussion format with limited didactic teaching and an emphasis on active learning. Each week students will read four to seven papers and be prepared to discuss them in class. Important goals of the course are to stimulate interest in the history of public health, learn about methods and tools used in historical research, and promote critical thinking.
- PBHL–P 650 Readings in Public Health (arr. hrs.) (arr. cr.) 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 researcgh topics.
- PBHL–P 650 Public Health Law and Policy (3 cr.) This course will explore the various ways laws and policies impact public health in the United States. Public health concepts, the three core functions, and the ten essential public health services will be integrated into discussions. The course will review how policies are developed and investigate their impact on a variety of public health issues. The course will focus on the states and the constitutions of the states as well as the federal government’s relationship to the states in public health issues.
- PBHL–P 651 Biostatistics for Public Health I (3 cr.) Introduction to biostatistics for those planning a career in public health or public health-related research. Students learn to apply statistical techniques to the processing and interpretation of data from health studies. They will study probability, descriptive statistics, study design, and linear regression, among other topics.
- PBHL–P 652 Biostatistics for Public Health II (3 cr.) Designed to give students experience with more advanced statistical methodologies. Topics include multiple linear regression, logistical regression, survivor analysis, and Cox’s regression.
- PBHL–P 655 Historical Evolution of Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: H517. 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 varity of disease of national and international importance.
- PBHL–P 657 Application of Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Public Health (3 cr.) Cost-effectiveness analysis is widely used in evaluating the performance of public health programs and policies. In this course, students will learn to frame the conceptual model, to collect and synthesize data regarding “cost” and “effectiveness,” to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis, and to form recommendations based on the analysis. Meta-analysis and various survey/interview techniques will be introduced as essential tools for data collection in cost-effectiveness analyses. Learning will be facilitated by numerous examples of the application of this popular method. Health Policy and Management students have the option of taking this course in place of H509.
- PBHL–P 702 Social and Behavioral Health Science Concentration Project (3 cr.) This course provides students the opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired through course work and the public health internship. Student projects will include components of behavioral health science research and application.
- PBHL–P 704 Epidemiology Concentration Project (3 cr.) This course provides students the opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired through course work and the public health internship by conducting an epidemiological study. Satisfactory projects include epidemiological research and applications that involve protocol development, data collection and analysis, and preparation of an oral presentation and written report.
- PBHL–P 705 Health Policy and Management Concentration Project (3 cr.) This course provides students the opportunity to synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired through course work and the public health internship. Student projects will include components of health policy analysis or management research and applications.
