HSPH 201 Introduction to Public Health (3)
This course provides a general introduction to public health, public health’s societal and population significance, and how public health functions in combination with science and politics. Students will learn about the intersection of public health, health care, and the roles of personal behavior and social determinants on health outcomes. Students will also learn about the 3 P’s of the discipline: prevention, protection, and promotion of health within domestic and global contexts.
HSPH 202 From Cholera to Cancer: History, Challenges, and Achievements in Public Health (3)
Public health crosses political, disciplinary, social, and economic borders. Within this context, students will discuss key events in the history of public health and the philosophical basis of studying the health of populations. Readings and outside assignments include popular plays and books, as well as films and various self-teaching streaming videos.
HSPH 203 Integrative Care in Personal and Public Health (3)
This course examines the role of yoga, meditation, and optimal nutrition in managing stress and maintaining a sense of health and wellbeing. Students will be guided in personally practicing these lifestyle interventions and examining their emerging role in public health.
HSPH/HSNG 210 Human Anatomy & Physiology for Health Sciences I with Lab (4)
This course is the first half of a two-semester sequence in Human Anatomy and Physiology. Students will be introduced to basic chemical and biological aspects of life including the structure of cells, tissues, and organs. The class will also begin discussing the organ systems including the integumentary system, the skeletal system, joints, the muscular system, and the nervous system. Only one of HSPH 210 or HNSG 210 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): restricted to Nursing B.S. 1+2+1 majors and intended majors.
HSPH/HNSG 211 Human Anatomy & Physiology for Health Sciences II with Lab (4)
This course is the second half of a two-semester sequence in Human Anatomy and Physiology. Students will continue examination of the organ systems including blood, the circulatory system, the lymphatic system, the respiratory system, the digestive system and aspects of nutrition, the urinary system, and the reproductive system. Only one of HSPH 211 or HNSG 211 may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): HSPH/HNSG 210 with a grade of C or better to register for HSPH/HNSG 211. Restricted to Nursing B.S. 1+2+1 majors and intended majors.
HSPH 231 Concepts in Epidemiology (3)
This course is designed to introduce students to the science of epidemiology. Specific subjects will include causal thinking, the epidemiologic framework, and study designs utilized in epidemiologic studies and the role of epidemiology in public health. Prerequisite(s): AMAT 108.
HSPH 259 Topics in Public Health (3)
Introductory study of a special topic in Public Health. May be repeated for credit when topic varies.
HSPH 270 Issues in Global Health (3)
This introductory course in global health introduces students to critical global health issues and ways to address or solve them. Focusing on low- and lower-middle-income countries, this course covers the main principles of global health along with additional topics such as the determinants of health, the global burden of disease, ethical priority setting, the environment, nutrition, maternal and child health, and communicable and non-communicable diseases. The main focus will be to describe and analyze variation in health between and within countries.
HSPH/HBMS 305 Biological Basis of Personal and Public Health (3)
This course is designed to provide students with a foundation of how biological processes, infectious diseases, pathologies and immunological tools impact personal and public health. This course is designed for students with minimal formal training in the biological sciences. The primary emphasis of this course is to provide the necessary information to students with diverse backgrounds such that they learn both the breadth and depth of how biological processes are important in the health sciences and public health. Prerequisite(s): one semester of college level biology.
HSPH 321 Global Environmental Issues and Their Effect on Human Health (3)
Globalization has made the earth a much smaller place so that we can no longer focus merely on issues in the United States. This course will address global environmental concerns and their impact on human change, atmospheric pollution, sanitation, etc., within the context of their impacts on populations throughout the world. Faculty and invited lecturers will be guest presenters. Prerequisite(s): one semester of college-level course in biology or chemistry.
HSPH/HEHS 323 Environmental Laboratory Perspectives in Public Health (3)
The course will define current public health issues in environmental health sciences, highlighting emerging concerns faced by researchers and practitioners. This course will explore environmental agents of disease, including elemental, organic and biological current and emerging contaminants from an environmental laboratory perspective. The course will define characteristics of and describe toxicological and analytical considerations of disease derived from environmental agents. Heavy emphasis will be placed on how laboratory techniques have driven policy and regulation. Only one version may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): one year of college-level biology.
HSPH 330 Maternal and Child Health (3)
This course introduces undergraduate students to the field of Maternal and Child Health (MCH). This course will give students a beginning knowledge base of MCH within a public health context, focusing on the major life course issues addressed in MCH and public health approaches and programs to address these issues. This course will also introduce the student to some of the educational and career opportunities within MCH. Prerequisite(s): HSPH 201.
HSPH/HEPI 332 Introduction to Biostatistics (3)
This course will be a basic introduction to statistics as used in the field of Public Health. Students will learn basic descriptive statistics, measures of central tendency and dispersion, basic rules of probability spaces, binomial and normal probability distributions, sampling distributions, estimation and hypothesis testing. In addition, students will learn how to use a computer program to analyze data. Prerequisite(s): students must complete AMAT 108 with a grade of B or better to register for HSPH/HEPI 332.
HSPH 341/341Z Promoting Healthy People and Communities (3)
This course focuses on how health promotion strategies influence healthy behaviors, healthy people, and healthy communities. Current public health issues will guide us in examining key health promotion concepts, health concerns at different ages, and the multilevel causes of different health behaviors. Health inequalities will be weaved into most topics. In this first of two capstone courses for the Public Health major, students will synthesize public health literature and prepare a professional paper. Prerequisite(s): HSPH 201 and 231. HSPH 341z and HSPH 460 may not be taken concurrently without permission of department. Restricted to Junior and Senior Public Health Majors.
HSPH 342 How U.S. Health Care Works: Myths and Realities (3)
This course will introduce students to everyday realities of the U.S. health care system related to current issues like health care quality, access to care, the uninsured, patient safety, health care inflation, prescription drugs, physician-patient interaction, use of health care technology, and end-of-life care. The course is intended to provide students with an understanding of the various actors, stakeholder interactions, and functions of the U.S. health care system, through a case-based approach interweaving real world events, practice experience, and research about those events.
HSPH 343 Mass Media and Health Behavior (3)
The course will focus on examining how entertainment media, including the Internet, influences health behavior, including topics such as tobacco use, obesity, and violence. The course will also look at the role that advertising has on health, and discuss how the media can be used to educate people about healthy behavior.
HSPH/HHPM 381/AECO 381/W Economics of Health Care (3)
Economics concepts are used to explain the nature of demand and supply in the health care field. The behavior of consumers and health care providers is examined from an economic perspective. Areas of market failures and the rationale for government intervention are also described. Only one version may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): AECO 300 or permission of instructor.
HSPH 397 Independent Study in Public Health (1-3)
Independent study or research on selected topics in public health will be offered under the direction of a faculty member. The student is responsible for locating an appropriate faculty member who is willing to direct the research of independent study. An independent study or research assignment may be repeated for credit, but no more than 6 credits may be earned. Prerequisite(s): permission of instructor and undergraduate program director, and junior or senior standing. S/U graded.
HSPH 417 Alcohol, Society, and Health (3)
This course offers an in-depth, epidemiologically grounded exploration of alcohol use and its effects on health and society. Students will examine how alcohol is measured and studied, patterns of consumption across populations and the lifespan, the social and structural determinants of drinking behavior, and the physical and mental health consequences of alcohol use. We will explore how alcohol-related harms are distributed unequally across racial, socioeconomic, and geographic lines, and evaluate the evidence base for public health policies and interventions aimed at reducing those harms.
HSPH 421 Preventing Disease, Disability, & Premature Death (3)
This course discusses the major health behaviors and demographic factors that lead to death, disease & disability throughout the lifespan. It describes policies and programs that address those underlying causes of ill health and provides a framework for developing strategies for promoting health and wellness. Prerequisites: HSPH 201; HSPH 341 preferred.
HSPH/HHPM 430 Health Literacy (3)
In a society where the health system has grown increasingly complex and difficult to navigate, and where people may have instant access to information from multiple sources, health literacy has become a major issue. This course is designed to introduce students to the concept of health literacy, the significance of health literacy as a determinant of health outcomes, the measures developed to assess health literacy, and best practices for improving health literacy. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing.
HSPH 435 Social Determinants of Health: Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Applications (3)
This course provides an overview of social determinants of health. Examples of topics include health effects of educational attainment, social integration/networks, racial discrimination, childhood psychosocial environment and job strain. Mixed teaching methods will be used, such as small and large group discussions, debates, student presentations, and lectures. Prerequisite(s): HSPH 201.
HSPH 460 Capstone II: Evidence-Based Public Health (3)
Public health programs and policies typically aim to influence, facilitate, or promote healthy behavior change. However, not all programs are equally effective at changing behavior and improving population health. Therefore, a critical skill for public health practitioners is the ability to determine which programs or policies are likely to be the most effective, as well the ability to develop and improve programs in order to maximize their effectiveness. As the second course in the capstone sequence it will provide students with practical guidance on how to identify and implement public health programs that are known to be effective based on rigorous study and testing (i.e., evidence-based programs), how to develop new programs that are based on a strong foundation of existing knowledge, and how to evaluate programs and policies so that they can be improved, retained, or discontinued. Prerequisite(s): HSPH 201 and HSPH 231. HSPH 460 and HSPH 341Z may not be taken concurrently without permission of department. Restricted to junior and senior Public Health majors.
HSPH 475 Universal Health Care in Costa Rica (3)
This course focuses on the universal health care system of Costa Rica, a middle income country, that has health status indicators, including longevity and infant mortality rates, to rival that of the U.S. while spending much less on health care. The importance of primary health care is stressed as a means of improving health within vulnerable and poor populations. An international field component/exchange visit to Costa Rica is included in this course which is offered during Winter session. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing.
HSPH 459 Advanced Topics in Public Health (3)
Advanced study of a special topic in Public Health. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing.
HSPH 460/460Z Evidence-Based Public Health (3)
Public health programs and policies typically aim to influence, facilitate, or promote healthy behavior change. However, not all programs are equally effective at changing behavior and improving population health. Therefore, a critical skill for public health practitioners is the ability to determine which programs or policies are likely to be the most effective, as well the ability to develop and improve programs in order to maximize their effectiveness. As the second course in the capstone sequence it will provide students with practical guidance on how to identify and implement public health programs that are known to be effective based on rigorous study and testing (i.e., evidence-based programs), how to develop new programs that are based on a strong foundation of existing knowledge, and how to evaluate programs and policies so that they can be improved, retained, or discontinued. Prerequisite(s): HSPH 201, 231, and 341Z.
HSPH/HHPM 469 Topics in Health Policy, Management, and Behavior (3)
Advanced course on selected topics in Health Policy, Management, and Behavior. Topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. Prerequisite(s): senior standing and permission of instructor.
HSPH 490 Field Placement in Public Health (3)
Supervised placement in a public health agency or organization. Provides practical experiences to engage students in the application of public health principles and practices to complement knowledge gained in the classroom. Prerequisite(s): open only to public health seniors; at least 9 credits of public health major core coursework, including HSPH 201 and HSPH 231, which must be completed prior to enrolling in HSPH 490; G.P.A. of 3.00 or above; permission of instructor. S/U graded.
HSPH 491 Occupational Health: Achievements, Continuing Challenges and Evolving Issues (3)
Most adults spend between a third to a half of their time at work. Workplace conditions have a huge effect on both individual and population health. Worker health is a public health issue that crosses many boundaries such as social, economic, scientific and political. Within this context students will discuss key accomplishments that have improved worker health and explore conditions that still put worker health at risk both nationally and globally. Prerequisite(s): restricted to Public Health juniors and seniors or by approval of department.
HSPH 499 Research Placement in Public Health (1-3)
Research Placement in Public Health will provide a supervised research experience with a School of Public Health faculty member. The goal of the placement is to provide an opportunity for students to integrate and apply the knowledge learned in the public health major courses while learning about public health research. May be repeated for up to 6 credits. Prerequisite(s): HSPH 201 or permission of instructor. S/U graded.
Health Policy and Management Courses
HHPM/HSPH 381/AECO 381/W Economics of Health Care (3)
Economics concepts are used to explain the nature of demand and supply in the health care field. The behavior of consumers and health care providers is examined from an economic perspective. Areas of market failures and the rationale for government intervention are also described. Only one version may be taken for credit. Prerequisite(s): AECO 300 or permission of instructor.
HHPM/HSPH 430 Health Literacy (3)
In a society where the health system has grown increasingly complex and difficult to navigate, and where people may have instant access to information from multiple sources, health literacy has become a major issue. This course is designed to introduce students to the concept of health literacy, the significance of health literacy as a determinant of health outcomes, the measures developed to assess health literacy, and best practices for improving health literacy. Prerequisite(s): junior or senior standing.
HHPM/HSPH 469 Topics in Health Policy, Management, and Behavior (3)
Advanced course on selected topics in Health Policy, Management, and Behavior. Topics may vary from semester to semester. May be repeated for credit when topic varies. Prerequisite(s): senior standing and permission of instructor.
Biomedical Sciences Courses
HBMS/HSPH 305 Biological Basis of Personal and Public Health (3)
This course is designed to provide students with a foundation of how biological processes, infectious diseases, pathologies and immunological tools impact personal and public health. This course is designed for students with minimal formal training in the biological sciences. The primary emphasis of this course is to provide the necessary information to students with diverse backgrounds such that they learn both the breadth and depth of how biological processes are important in the health sciences and public health. Prerequisite(s): one semester of college level biology.