MPH 561. Exploring Holistic Health - Implications for Care and Policy. 3 credits.

This course explores different understandings of health and how these influence perceptions and practices of care as well as policies pertaining to public health care. Students will compare and contrast their own understandings with those of diverse groups and professionals encountered during a two-week program abroad.

MPH 601. Organization and Management of Public Health Services. 3 credits.

This course examines the organization, delivery, and financing of health care services from a managerial and policy perspective. Specific focus will be given to the role, responsibilities, and functions of public health services; the integral relationship of public health within the larger health system; and management principles and practices applicable to public health organizations.

MPH 602. Community Health Assessment. 3 credits.

This course examines the concepts, methods and practices for assessing the health of a community. Topics include measuring community health status, developing community health profiles, identifying the determinants of health, and the utilization of community health assessment in developing public health interventions.

MPH 604. Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health. 3 credits.

This course is an exploration of concepts and methods of social and behavioral sciences relevant to the identification and solution of public health problems. This course will focus on the basic set of competencies that is central to the field, including identifying theories, concepts, and models from a range of social and behavioral disciplines that are used in public health research and practice.

MPH 605. Epidemiology. 3 credits.

This course offers a foundation for the study of the distribution, history, and determinants of disease and disability in human populations. In addition to examining the biological basis of health, the course will explore social epidemiology and the interrelationship between the social and biological determinants of health.

MPH 606. Environmental Health. 3 credits.

This course examines the environmental factors that impact population health. This course focuses on the biological, physical and chemical agents affecting human health. Additional topic areas that will be explored include the regulatory framework for environmental health, workplace health, and contemporary issues in environmental justice.

MPH 607. Biostatistics. 3 credits.

This course focuses on descriptive and inferential statistical concepts, methods, and the applications of statistical methods in the analysis and assessment of population health.

MPH 608. Health Communication and Informatics. 3 credits.

This course provides a foundation for understanding the concepts and best practices in health communication and for developing skills in building effective communication campaigns with multiple and culturally diverse audiences. Recognizing the importance of informatics in health communication, this course will also address skills in the use of information technology for the retrieval, management and dissemination of information that promotes population health.

MPH 609. Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research. 3 credits.

This course provides an introduction to Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR). This course is NOT a methodology course; CBPR is an approach to conducting research that can be used with many research designs and methodologies. lt is intended to provide students a grounding in the goals and application of CBPR; the theoretical background that informs CBPR; an introduction to theories of race, ethnicity, power, difference, gender and sexuality; the formation and maintenance of community partnerships; the use of CBPR to promote health equity and social justice; and the introduction of CBPR techniques to institutional review boards and funders.

MPH 611. Practice Experience. 3 credits.

Opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills acquired through core courses and elective/area of concentration under the supervision of a qualified preceptor who is a public health professional. P: Completion of pre-applied practice experience checklist (P-APEx).

MPH 612. Capstone. 3 credits.

In this final required course of the degree program, students are expected to integrate insights gained and competencies acquired throughout the program. Applying methods of scholarly inquiry and composition, students will synthesize insights and findings from their practice experience in a publishable-quality article or commentary and will present the findings to fellow students and faculty. P: MPH 611.

MPH 615. Ethical Issues in Public Health: A Global Perspective. 3 credits.

This course provides students with a foundational understanding of the ethical issues related to public health as a discipline and to its practice. The course will emphasize the global dimension of these issues along with their national and local repercussions. While students will explore the theoretical issues with the discipline itself (about the ethical framework best fits population health enterprise), there will also be a more in-depth study of concrete cases that will highlight the multiple and global dimensions of health and healthcare. Global public health ethical issues will be explored within the context of the social and systemic factors that affect population health across the globe. Concrete cases that will be explored may include (but will not be restricted to): globesity, pandemics and vaccination, disasters and humanitarian aid, conflict of interest in screening and medical guidelines, medical research agenda and global justice.

MPH 617. Emerging Global Health Issues. 3 credits.

This course presents an overview of global health issues through examination of major determinants of health and key areas of disease burden. Student will be introduced to the complex tapestry of social, economic, political, and environmental factors that affect the health of populations globally.

MPH 632. Human Resources for Healthcare Managers. 3 credits.

This course approaches human resources in healthcare organizations from a strategic perspective. It is designed to equip human resource managers and those acting in that capacity with an understanding of how human resource practices need to align with the strategic plan and mission of the organization. We will cover key human resources aspects: 1) job analysis, 2) recruitment and selection, 3) managing a diverse workforce, 4) performance management, 5) rewards and compensation, 6) organizational development and learning, and 7) quality improvement in human resources. In addition, we will discuss the legal contexts around human resource management and the broader labor market.

MPH 633. Health Economics and Finance. 3 credits.

The course examines fundamental theories in health economics and health care finance and the application of these theories in public health administration. The course emphasizes an understanding of economic issues within the larger social and political context in which public health operates. Economic and finance theories and practices pertinent to the public health sector as well as concepts and practices in financial management that support the successful leadership and administration of public health organizations will be explored in this course.

MPH 634. Health Planning and Marketing. 3 credits.

This course focuses on the understanding and application of health planning and health care marketing models and practices. The course encompasses a range of health planning and marketing models, methods and applications including health systems planning, strategic planning and marketing, program planning and social marketing for public health services. Recognizing the integral role of program evaluation in the planning process, this course will also review best practices for the integration of program evaluation as a component of the overall plan.

MPH 635. Public Health Leadership. 3 credits.

The purpose of this course is to explore leadership theories, identify leadership challenges, and analyze best practices in public health leadership. Emphasis is given to reflection and self-development of decision-making and leadership styles in assuming leadership roles within public health organizations.

MPH 636. Public Health Intervention. 3 credits.

In this course, students will explore critical foundation concepts of public health promotion and intervention, including the use of behavior-oriented theories and environment-oriented theories. Students will discuss how to apply these theories in a systematic step-by-step process for intervention development called intervention mapping.

MPH 637. Environmental Health Risk Communication. 3 credits.

This course covers key concepts of risk communication theory as well as their practical application to the collection and sharing of information in support of individual and community decision-making about public health issues. Emphasis in the course is on professional best practices, especially how to communicate with the general public, special populations, and the news media. Use of social media, especially for disaster communication and response, will also be explored. Challenges in communicating with underserved and non-English speaking populations will be discussed.

MPH 639. Communicable Disease and Prevention. 3 credits.

This course takes a comprehensive look at the history, theory and practical aspects of public health and communicable diseases. An overview will be given of critical topics related to the identification, control, and prevention of newly emerging, as well as long recognized infectious diseases with public health importance. The clinical presentation, modes of transmission, geographic distribution and prevention of these infections will be considered form an epidemiologic perspective. This course provides foundational knowledge that help prepare public health and healthcare professionals to work in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. Selected communicable disease control programs and policies will be assessed for their strengths and weaknesses.

MPH 640. Planetary Health and Sustainability. 3 credits.

This course will provide students with a big picture perspective of planetary health, research, policy, and practice issues related to it, and the implications and opportunities related to planetary health for public and population health globally. A key theme throughout will be consideration of health and social equity issues and the differential impacts of climate and other environmental changes on populations in light of these issues.

MPH 641. Environmental Health Policy. 3 credits.

This course provides an overview of the development, structure, function, and implementation of environmental health policy at local, national, and global scales.

MPH 643. Public Health Grant Writing. 3 credits.

Grant funding is critical to develop public health knowledge and infrastructure. Organizations such as community-based agencies may write grants to obtain funding to improve the health of their community, and other organizations, such as universities, may write grants to conduct research. In this course, students will learn major grant writing aspects: developing an idea for a project, writing a succinct and impactful one page summary of an idea, considering potential funding sources, and writing a grant application. This course presents a step-by-step approach to writing grants. Throughout this course, students will develop an idea into a written grant proposal. The course culminates in this draft proposal, not an actual grant submission. However, submission may be possible with further development.

MPH 645. Global Health Epidemiology. 3 credits.

This course focuses on the studies of the classic functions of field epidemiology and the application of epidemiological methods to unexpected global health issues. Students will examine global health interventions to understand features of successful programs.

MPH 707. Introduction to Mixed Methods. 3 credits.

This course provides an overview and introduction to mixed methods research, which involves collecting, analyzing, and integrating both quantitative and qualitative research in a study. After a brief review of the similarities and distinctions between quantitative and qualitative research, this introduction consists of defining mixed methods research and its foundations. We will then examine the types of mixed methods designs available and discuss the process of research as it relates to each of these designs. Throughout the course, we will cover the components of rigorous mixed methods.

MPH 795. Selected Topics MPH Pre-Practicum. 1-3 credits.

Students will complete the necessary pre-practicum requirements for their practicum placement in MPH 611. To achieve a successful practicum placement, MPH 795 Selected Topic Pre-Practicum requires the student to work in collaboration with their practicum course director and practicum course instructor.