Courses
Courses by Department
Environmental and Occupational Health
- Environmental and Occupational Health - SPH-V
- SPH-V 215 Food Pathogens, Toxins and Surveillance (3 cr.) Foodborne diseases may cause significant morbidity and mortality and high financial costs. While foodborne illness is common, costly, and preventable, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that about 48 million people get sick every year from foodborne illness, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,00 die. Foods contaminated with pathogens or toxins are associated with major foodborne illnesses outbreaks. This course will focus on : definition of food safety, food insecurity and food defense; description of major foodborne pathogens and toxins, associated disease burdens, treatment and economic implications; methods for sample preparation and detection of pathogens and toxins; foodborne disease surveillance, control and prevention and the role of regulatory agencies; effects of global food supply chain in food safety; workplace safety; antimicrobial resistance and food safety; discussion of recent outbreaks and related effects.
- SPH-V 310 Natural Resource Issues and Environmental Health (3 cr.) This course approaches the issues of human health from the broad perspective of natural resources such as air and water quality, climate change, and habitat fragmentation and how these issues impact public health. In order to accomplish this task, this course will encompass a variety of readings, class discussion, guest speakers, and several experiential learning components (ELCs). Students should complete core and required courses before beginning this course. Instructor permission required.
- SPH-V 311 Human Health and Natural Environments (3 cr.) This course approaches the issues of human health and quality of life from the perspective of the natural environment. That is, in what ways do natural environments impact human health and an individual's reported sense of quality of life? In order to accomplish this task, this course will encompass a variety of readings, class discussion, guest speakers, and several experiential learning components (ELCs).
- SPH-V 350 Hot Topics in Environmental and Occupational Health (3 cr.) After exploring the fundamentals of climate change science, the course provides an overview of the direct and indirect adverse impacts of climate change on public health in the United States. This introductory class will offer students an in-depth experience of researching climate change and public health information and the mitigation and adaptation strategies that are being implemented to protect public health across the US. An emphasis will be placed on vulnerable populations, environmental justice and equity, and climate change communication strategies. Course content will be taught through a combination of lectures, independent research projects, and guest lecturers in the climate change field.
- SPH-V 342 Toxic Chemicals and Human Health (3 cr.) P: ANAT-A 215 and PHSL-P 215, OR MSCI-M 115; BIOL-L 112; BIOL-L 113; CHEM-C 117 and CHEM-C 127 Toxicology is the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms and is an essential component of environmental health and public health. This course will provide the basic principles of toxicology in its application to public health. The course will be divided into three components: the general mechanism of toxic agents, the effect of toxic agents on target tissues and organs, and selective toxic chemicals or class of chemicals. Students should complete core and required courses before beginning this course. Instructor permission required.
- SPH-V 496 Field Experience in Environmental Health (3-5 cr.) Recommended prerequisites: Completion of all Public Health Core classes; completion of all required Environmental Health courses; IU GPA of at least 3.0. Public health skills are developed through professional experiences in public health settings facilitated by preceptors and supervised by faculty. Regular critiques will be held with supervisors, written progress reports and development of a major independent project are required. Instructor permission required. S/F grading.
- SPH-V 546 Risk Assessment Policy and Toxic Regulations (3 cr.) (Cross-listed with SPH-V450) Covers hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. Through case studies, addresses concepts of risk management and their application to environmental health policies and toxic regulations.
- SPH-V 343 Environmental Samplings and Analysis (3 cr.) P: BIOL- L112, BIOL-L113, CHEM-C117, CHEM-C127 Collecting reliable and defensible environmental data requires proper sampling and analytical techniques, and is an essential job function for many environmental professionals. Currently, a diverse and diffuse array of environmental sampling and analysis tools are used in the field of environmental health. The overall objective of this class is to provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of environmental sampling and analysis for students in environmental health and others interested in sampling and analytical work. Topics covered will include planning, sampling, analysis, QA/QC, and reporting with respect to air, water, solid liquid, and biological samples matrices. Active learning activities will be used to encourage class participation while maintaining interest in the course material.
- SPH-V 230 One Health: The intersection of Human, Animal, and Environmental Health (3 cr.) There are increasing global public health challenges due to the complex interactions among humans, animals, and the environment, requiring a holistic approach, One Health, for solutions. This interdisciplinary course is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in expanding their knowledge about the concept of One Health. This course will cover key concepts, theories, and applications of environmental health sciences in the context of One Health. An emphasis will be placed on topics associated with bidirectional impacts of human and animal health, earth’s changing ecology on health, human-wildlife conflict, and issues of food and water security. Students will experience such issues and solutions in Bloomington and elsewhere through the combinations of lectures, independent research projects, a public blog, and community involvement.
- SPH-V 360 Hot Topics in Environmental and Occupational Health (3 cr.) [Cross listed with SPH-V 560] Environmental justice exists to the extent that all people regardless of race, income, or other social differences enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental hazards, and have equal access to environmental health decision making processes. Conversely, the course will consider the proposition that people of color and socio-economically disadvantaged individuals bear a disproportionate burden of environmental pollution and its health consequences, in the US and globally. This course is designed to orient upper level undergraduate and graduate students to concepts, foundations and evidence regarding environmental justice, including its history, challenges, and future.
- SPH-V 450 Understanding and Preventing Risks to Environmental Health (3 cr.) [Cross listed with SPH-V 546] This course that is focused on introducing students to the fundamentals of environmental health risk assessment through a series lectures, case examples, readings, assignments, and a final project. From these course activities, students are expected to gain knowledge and understanding to identify environmental health risk and to interpret and perform quantitative human health risk assessments of environmental hazardous substances. Students have the opportunity to use the statistical and analytical approaches discussed in the class to solve practical risk assessment problems.
- SPH-V 460 Capstone in Environmental and Occupational Health (3 cr.) The SPH V-460 capstone course focuses on a semester-long project that tackles an environmental health-related research question for a company, faculty member or even a client. Capstones allow students to apply and hone the skills they have learned throughout their SPH career in an experiential or field-based academic experience akin to positions they might apply for after graduation. These include research laboratories, consulting firms, private companies, non-profit organizations, local or federal government agencies, or an academic setting typical of graduate school. The projects are intentionally environmental health focused and provide an opportunity for students to bring their unique skill sets to solving a pressing environmental health need. Students may work on a group project or individual capstone project. Regardless of the project format, students will come away with skills that are critical for acquiring and maintaining future employment.
- SPH-V 560 Environmental Justice in the Anthropocene (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisites: Graduate standing. [Cross listed with SPH-V 360] Environmental justice exists to the extent that all people regardless of race, income, or other social differences enjoy the same degree of protection from environmental hazards, and have equal access to environmental health decision making processes. Conversely, the course will consider the proposition that people of color and socio-economically disadvantaged individuals bear a disproportionate burden of environmental pollution and its health consequences, in the US and globally. This course is designed to orient upper level undergraduate and graduate students to concepts, foundations and evidence regarding environmental justice, including its history, challenges, and future.
- SPH-V 201 Introduction to Occupational Safety and Health (3 cr.) Occupational health has become an increasingly important area within the field of environmental health. Occupational health, as discussed in this course, includes occupational safety as the two topics work together to protect the individual's health in the work environment. Noise exposures, physical hazards, chemical hazards and industrial hygiene are just a few of the topics covered in this class. Students will learn how to evaluate hazards in the work environment and interpret standards that apply to employee safety and health.
- SPH-V 214 Environmental Regulations and Code Compliance (3 cr.) In this course, students will be introduced to the federal, state and local environmental regulations and learn about methods of compliance with these laws. At the federal level the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and others will be studied. At the state level, current regulations found in the Indiana State Department of Health administrative codes will be examined. Topics will include radon, lead-based paint, indoor air quality, food safety, and other relevant regulations. Active learning activities will be used to encourage class participation while maintaining interest in the course material.
- SPH-V 235 Introduction to Public Health Biology (3 cr.) This course will examine the biological and chemical basis for human disease, its prevention and treatment. Topics covered will include the etiologies of acute and chronic diseases and their impacts on public health.
- SPH-V 241 Foundations of Environmental Health (3 cr.) An understanding of Environmental Health issues that affect Public Health is essential for any student of Public Health. This course is designed to introduce the student to the many varied areas of Environmental Health and demonstrate the important role this field plays in Public Health.
- SPH-V 250 Hot Topics in Environmental and Occupational HealthTitle (3 cr.) This course will provide students with an overview of contemporary topics relevant to environmental and occupational health. It is intended for students with freshman and sophomore status. This course number is used for temporary courses, with each section representing a distinctly separate course. This course is repeatable for credit with different topics.
- SPH-V 341 Environmental Health Management and Policy (3 cr.) P: SPH-V-214; SPH-V-241. Environmental health management and policy issues in public health using case-based approaches. Study of environmental health management and policy making at the local, county, state, federal and global scales.
- SPH-V 422 Issues in Global Environmental Health: Investigations and Interventions (3 cr.) This course is designed to provide undergraduate students an overview of the most important environmental health challenges across the world. Many public health students may plan to seek employment opportunities in various environmental programs and projects of the United Nations other international agencies and some other international NGOs. This course will provide knowledge of global environmental health problems from toxicological, risk management and epidemiological perspectives. Additionally, region-specific intervention studies will be discussed for deeper understanding of mitigation options. Lectures will address issues in the areas of air, water and soil pollutions, global warming and climate change, infectious diseases, genetically modified foods etc. Strategies and programs that have successfully minimized the risks of environmental exposures and associated outcomes will be mapped.
- SPH-V 443 Environmental Sampling and Analysis (3 cr.) P: BIOL-L 112; BIOL-L 113; CHEM-C 117 and CHEM-C 127; PHYS-P 101 OR PHYS-P 201; SPH-V 235 OR BIOL-L 211; Open only to admitted Environmental Health majors or official Environmental Health minors. Collecting reliable and defensible environmental data requires proper sampling and analytical techniques, and is an essential job function for many environmental professionals. Currently, a diverse and diffuse array of environmental sampling and analysis tools are used in the field of environmental health. The overall objective of this class is to provide a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of environmental sampling and analysis for students in environmental health and others interested in sampling and analytical work. Topics covered will include planning, sampling, analysis, QA/QC, and reporting with respect to air, water, solid liquid, and biological samples matrices. Active learning activities will be used to encourage class participation while maintaining interest in the course material.
- SPH-V 492 Research in Environmental and Occupational Health (1-3 cr.) Environmental health represents a broad discipline that involves recognizing, assessing, understanding and controlling the impacts of people in their environment and the impacts of the environment on public health. This course will provide undergraduate students with an opportunity to work on a research project under the direction of a member of the environmental and occupational health faculty. Enrollment is limited to advanced undergraduate students upon the approval of faculty. Repeatable for up to 6 credits.
- SPH-V 510 Human Health and Natural Environments (3 cr.) Numerous textbooks address the relationship between human health and natural environments from either the perspectives of toxicity or environmental degradation. This course approaches the issues of human health and quality of life from the perspective of the natural environment. That is, in what ways do natural environments impact human health and an individual’s reported sense of quality of life? In order to accomplish this task, this course will encompass a variety of readings, class discussion, guest speakers, and several experiential learning components (ELCs).
- SPH-V 522 Global Environmental Health Issues (3 cr.) This graduate level course approaches issues of human health from the broad perspective of natural resources including air and water quality, climate change, disease vector migration, and habitat fragmentation and how these issues affect public health through increased vulnerabilities, impacts to recreational endeavors, and specific events such as heat islands.
- SPH-V 532 Foundations of Global Environmental Health (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Graduate standing. Global environmental health is concerned with health problems caused by environmental exposures that transcend national boundaries. This introductory graduate elective course for public health and other majors from the environmental, biological, medical, and social/behavioral sciences examines current and emerging global environmental health problems, priorities, programs, and policies using an interdisciplinary perspective. Covers climate change, environmental degradation, globalization, and other complex environmental factors affecting health. Discusses local, regional, and global initiatives and strategies designed to improve health/well-being and prevent and control disease. Course places special emphasis on the "One Health" concept which recognizes that the health of humans is connected to the health of animals and the environment and on environmental justice for low resource communities in the U.S. and low-income and middle-income countries. Instructor permission required.
- SPH-V 533 Human Health Assessment Methods in Global Settings (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Graduate standing. The applied research course will examine health assessment strategies and instruments commonly used in surveys and other field research studies conducted in the low-resource communities in the U.S. and low- and middle-income countries. Students will learn how to select the appropriate health indicators for specific types of global health projects, the advantages and disadvantages of each, and receive hands-on training in their use. Emphasis on standardized data collection procedures and quality control. Training received in course is useful for public health and other students who plan to conduct field research on health-related topics for a graduate thesis or dissertation. Instructor permission required. Students should have completed at least one graduate-level environmental health class before enrolling in this class.
- SPH-V 541 Environmental Health (3 cr.) Environmental health management and policy issues in public health using case-based approaches. Study of environmental health management and policy making at the local, county, state, federal and global scales.
- SPH-V 542 Principles of Toxicology (3 cr.) Examines the basic concepts of toxicology as they apply to public health. Covers distribution cellular penetration, metabolic concision, and elimination of toxic agents and fundamental laws governing the interaction of foreign chemicals with biological systems. Applied to public health prevention using case study format concepts.
- SPH-V 545 Exposure Assessment and Control (3 cr.) Addresses: methodologies and applications of exposure assessment, determination of exposure monitoring strategies, assessing dose-response and intervention control strategies, exposure assessment models, exposure route, populations at risk and ecological impacts.
- SPH-V 548 Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (3 cr.) Examines effects of environmental factors on human health. Covers the health effects from exposure to physical, chemical and biological agents including the contribution of social, economic and cultural factors that are related to these exposures.
- SPH-V 549 Public Health Biology (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisites: Graduate standing. This course explores pathophysiology within the context of the disciplines and profession of public health. Students will understand the pathogenesis of various disease conditions and how to identify critical points at which such pathogenesis could be prevented or interrupted through lectures and labs.
- SPH-V 598 Graduate Research Project (3 cr.) P: SPH-E 651; SPH-Q 501; SPH-V 541; SPH-V 549; SPH-V 692. Participate in a research project related to environmental and/or occupational health. Designed to provide non-thesis graduate students with research experience in environmental and/or occupational health.
- SPH-V 599 Master's Thesis (1-6 cr.) P: Completion of all core courses in the MS in Environmental and Occupational Health degree. Thesis research focused in an area of environmental and/or occupational health under the direct supervision of a graduate faculty member.
- SPH-V 625 Integrated Modeling for Environmental Health Research (3 cr.) This course introduces mathematical methods and quantitative techniques to model the transport and fate of chemicals in the environment as well as in the body. Statistical modeling approaches are applied to link the exposure scenarios with adverse health outcomes for risk assessment to support environmental decision making.
- SPH-V 633 Field Research Methods in Global Environmental Health (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Graduate standing. Introduction to methodological concepts and techniques commonly used in environmental health field research conducted in low-resource communities in the U.S. and low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Course emphasizes a problem-based, practical approach to field research. Includes qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods study designs commonly used in community health assessments, interventions, and evaluations. Development of knowledge and skills including ethical considerations and practices in global environmental health research, community participatory research, location and critiques of extant data sources, and global health research project design (identification of global environmental health problems, community needs assessment, research question conceptualization and hypothesis testing, variable selection, computerized database design, data analysis and interpretation, and presentation of results in community and scientific/ professional venues. Instructor permission required. Students should have completed at least one graduate-level class in statistics, biostatistics, or epidemiology, before enrolling in this class.
- SPH-V 635 Interdisciplinary Field Research in Global Environmental Health (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Graduate standing. Faculty-supervised, immersive field research experience in low-resource U.S. communities or other countries where students gain experience in the informed consent process, data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Students are required to present a written report and an oral/poster presentation at an approved seminar or similar venue to complete the field experience. Instructor permission required.
- SPH-V 650 Special Topics in Environmental Health (3 cr.) This course is designed with the flexibility to provide the student with the opportunity to explore a variety of current issues in Environmental Public Health. Topics will vary by instructor and topic. Topics might include ethics, nanotechnology, alternative energy sources, or occupational diseases. Course format will also vary. Repeatable for credit with different topic.
- SPH-V 691 Readings in Environmental Health (1–3 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Graduate GPA of at least 3.0. Planned readings in specialized areas of professional interests in environmental health are conducted under the direction of a member of the Environmental Health graduate teaching faculty. Enrollment is limited to Advanced Graduate students, and reading proposals must be approved by faculty in Environmental Health. Instructor permission required. Repeatable for credit.
- SPH-V 692 Research in Environmental Health (1–8 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Graduate GPA of at least 3.0. Research projects are conducted under the direction of a member of the Environmental Health Graduate teaching faculty. Enrollment is limited to Advanced Graduate Students upon the approval of Faculty. Research proposals must be approved in advance. Instructor permission required. Repeatable for credit.
- SPH-V 696 M.P.H. Field Experience in Environmental Health Health (1–7 cr.) Public health skills are developed through professional experiences in public health settings facilitated by preceptors and supervised by faculty. Regular critiques will be held with supervisors, written progress reports and development of a major independent project are required. Instructor permission required. Graduate GPA of at least 3.0 required. Graded by S/F only.
- SPH-V 698 M.P.H. Culminating Experience in Environmental Health (1–3 cr.) This course provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate the extent to which they have met the MPH Program Competencies in Environmental Health. Students must be in their final year of the MPH program to enroll in the Fall SPH-V 698 course. SPH-V 696 is a prerequisite or a co-requisite. Enrollment in the Spring SPH-V 698 course requires successful completion (passing grade) of the Fall SPH-V 698 course. Instructor permission required. Graded on S/F basis only. Repeatable for credit.
- SPH-V 741 Molecular Toxicology (3 cr.) Recommended prerequisite: Graduate standing. This is a lecture, laboratory and discussion-based class. The molecular mechanisms of several toxicant classes is covered. Emphasis is placed on the effects of xenobiotics on cellular processes, including biochemical reactions and signaling pathways.
- SPH-V 743 Environmental Health Sampling (3 cr.) This course introduces students to the basic principles of environmental sampling and analysis to prevent or reduce public health hazards. Lectures and labs will examine sampling and analytical methods used to measure contaminants in the workplace and in community environments. This course is for Environmental Health students.
- SPH-V 745 Advanced Toxicology (3 cr.) P: SPH-V 542 Principles of Toxicology. Advanced Toxicology is a course designed for the toxicology student interested in broadening his/her experience into the sciences of toxins (poisons) and their influences on biological systems and the environment. Course content will cover specific toxicant types (poisons, pesticides, solvents, oils, estrogen, estrogen mimics, triclosan, carcinogens, teratogens, natural toxins and pollutants), adsorption, distribution, metabolism, biological elimination, sequestration, and remediation. Lectures will cover mammalian systems with emphasis on target organs, detoxification and adverse effects. Methods to extract toxicants from soil, water, air, and plant material will be covered from journal articles, EPA published methods, and methods developed in our labs. Pesticide toxicity and organ effects will be demonstrated in invertebrate systems focusing on routes of entry, solubility, sequestration, elimination, and detoxification.
- SPH-V 747 Carcinogenesis (3 cr.) P: Graduate standing. Fundamental aspects of oncology at the cellular and molecular levels; mechanisms of cancer initiation and progression, oncogene action, DNA damage and repair, carcinogenesis by radiation, chemicals, viruses; tumor immunology, anticancer therapies through lectures and laboratories.
- SPH-V 749 Advanced Occupational Health (3 cr.) Lectures will provide an introduction to the principles and practice of occupational hygiene. Occupational hygiene is concerned with the Anticipation, Recognition, Evaluation and Control of work place hazards to health and safety.
- SPH-V 750 Current Topics in Environmental Health (2 cr.) Course organization varies from year to year. We will be examining any environmental health topic from the basis for swimming beach water quality standards to low-dose exposures to agrochemical pesticides over long periods of time. Repeatable for credit with different topic.
- SPH-V 752 Toxicology in Rural Environments (3 cr.) P: SPH-V 542 Principles of Toxicology. This course explores the way that toxicological risks are controlled in the rural environments - looking at the way that various government programs are established, organized and operated to prevent or control toxicological hazards in rural communities.
- SPH-V 753 Rural Environment Epidemiology (3 cr.) P: SPH-V 548. This course offers an overview of selected important topics in rural environmental epidemiology. Epidemiologic methods for studying rural occupational and environmental determinants of disease will be presented in the context of studies of specific health outcomes, such as cancer, non-malignant respiratory diseases, adverse reproductive outcomes, and neurologic diseases.
- SPH-V 755 Rural Public Health Policy and Environmental Law (3 cr.) This course will discuss and explore the intricacies of rural public health law and policy analysis in a context of competing ethics, values, and powers.
- SPH-V 757 Women's Health: Law, Environment, and Health Policies (3 cr.) Through lectures this course will examine the preservation of wellness and the prevention of illness in women and their surrounding environments through the law.
- SPH-V 782 Environmental Health Research Rotation (3 cr.) This course will provide doctoral students with an opportunity to work directly with faculty and research staff in a specific laboratory.
- SPH-V 791 Advanced Environmental Health Readings (1–3 cr.) The main goal of this variable credit hour class is to help doctoral degree students develop some of the readings skills required for successfully completing the dissertation. Instructor permission required. Repeatable for credit.
- SPH-V 792 Advanced Environmental Health Research (1–3 cr.) The main goal of this variable credit hour class is to help doctoral degree students develop some of the research skills required for successfully completing the dissertation. Instructor permission required. Repeatable for credit.
- SPH-V 794 Environmental Health Seminar (1–3 cr.) The purpose of this course is to expose students to a broad range of environmental and occupational research, practice, and policy issues through seminar series. Repeatable for credit.
- SPH-V 799 PhD Dissertation-Environmental Health (1–30 cr.) Every dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for an advanced degree must represent the equivalent of at least 30 semester hours of work. Repeatable for credit.
- SPH-V 733 Research Methods in Environmental Health (3 cr.) This course is required for doctoral students in Environmental and Occupational Health. Students will be introduced to methodological concepts and techniques, and use problem-based, practical approaches to research in environmental health. Emphasis will be placed on research question conceptualization, study design, hypothesis-testing, data analysis and interpetation, and results presentation.
