PUBH 803 - Principles of Epidemiology
The Principles of Epidemiology course focuses on the investigation of the factors that determine the distribution and dynamics of health and disease in human populations. The course covers measures of disease frequency, descriptive epidemiology, study types, and methods for documenting variation in disease occurrence. The tools of epidemiology applied in public health to describe patterns of illness in populations, design research studies, evaluate public health programs, and monitor changes in population health status.
PUBH 804 - Principles of Biostatistics
Principles of Biostatistics presents the principles and methods of data description and statistical analysis used for planning, development, and evaluation of health problems. This course introduces descriptive statistics, probability distributions, sampling, estimation, inference, and basic parametric and nonparametric tests. Statistical analysis tools are introduced in the course. Emphasis is placed on understanding and interpretation of data used in public health.
PUBH 805 - Health Policy and Management
The focus is on a comprehensive background in the organizational, financial, legal, and political issues surrounding the health care environment. Health Policy and Management examines the major substantive issues confronting health policymakers in health systems, health sector reform, family and community health, and environmental and occupational health.
PUBH 806 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health
This course explores the influence of social, psychological, and cultural factors on the health status of individuals and communities. While this topic may be studied from many perspectives, the class seeks to understand the origins of health-compromising behaviors, their distribution in the population, and ways to change or prevent them.
PUBH 807 - Principles of Environmental Health
In this course, students learn about the interactions between humans and physical, chemical, and biological agents, and the significant impact these agents have on health. This course considers important environmental health issues facing society. Topics include population dynamics, occupational health, air pollution control, water and wastewater management, food protection, hazardous material management, ecology and control of animal vectors of disease, and basic community sanitation issues.
PUBH 813 - Chronic Disease Epidemiology
This course covers principles, methods, and issues in the epidemiology of chronic diseases. Chronic Disease Epidemiology emphasizes preventive medicine and explores the risk factors for various chronic conditions. The course covers major conditions in extensive detail, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, lung disease, arthritis, and neurological disorders.
PUBH 816 - Occupational Health
This course provides students with the knowledge and skills to recognize and evaluate common occupational hazards (e.g., chemical, physical, biological, and psychosocial), followed by a review of approaches to prevent these hazards from causing work-related diseases and injuries. The relationship between workers and their jobs, with respect to health outcomes, is explored from historical, scientific, and policy perspectives. A systematic approach to the study of the causes and extent of work-related injuries and ill health is emphasized. Principles of occupational safety and models of accidents, causation, and investigation are also covered.
PUBH 831 - Concepts, Practice, and Leadership of Public Health
This course focuses on the determinants of health and the philosophical and organizational foundations of the professional practice of the core areas of public health. It provides an integrated overview of the field by surveying epidemiology, biostatistics, preventive medicine, environmental health, social and behavioral aspects of health, and health policy. The course will also give students an understanding of the tools needed to be effective leaders in carrying out the core public health functions of assessment, policy development, and assurance.
PUBH 832 - Public Health Research Methods and Ethics
Public Health Research Methods and Ethics covers the basic research tools needed to work effectively in public health and explores common research methods encountered in public health settings. Topics include qualitative and quantitative data collection, instrument design, data interpretation and dissemination, community assessments, and the presentation of research findings. The course integrates case studies in public health ethics throughout the discussion of research, so that the latter is considered in light of the moral and ethical dilemmas that often arise. A combination of lectures, discussions, literature readings, and computer applications is used to familiarize students with public health research methods.
PUBH 835 - Practical Data Management and Analysis
In this course, students will learn the concepts and practices of sound data management, data editing and cleaning, and plan and conduct an analysis of actual public health data. Students will use data analytics software to create data entry screens and edits, enter and clean data collected, and analyze data from a large cross-sectional survey, as well as from an analytic epidemiologic cohort or case-control study. The knowledge and skills acquired in this course will be useful for any student whose plans include epidemiology, biostatistics, or medical or veterinary research.
PUBH 837 - Environmental Sustainable Development
This course highlights the relationship between public health outcomes and the state of the environment when it reflects, jointly and separately, the attributes of sustainability and development. Many ask, how is sustainable development characterized? What are the features of environmental development that renders it productive and, at the same time, safe and healthy for humans? Principle I of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development (1992) states, “Human beings are at the center of concerns for sustainable development.” Humans and their landscape, as well as animals and plants, have and continue to be immensely impacted by a plethora of anthropogenic undertakings in the name of "growth" and "development." In this course, students will examine relationships between human health and the ecologic, social, and economic factors that constitute the "total environment." Apart from understanding the relationships between the factors, students will also analyze the reciprocity of the impacts on each aspect of the total environment and the possible ultimate results for human existence and well-being. The Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda will be a core subject in this course. Students will assess the potential for environmental sustainability, considering the modern features of production and consumption, industry and trade, transportation, waste management, resource extraction, tourism, settlement, energy, agriculture and other key aspects of human activities.
PUBH 839 - Principles of Health Care Management
This course focuses on the principles, approaches, and applications involved in health care management. It examines organizational structure and design and addresses the organizational challenges of managing the complexity and particularities of healthcare. A theoretical overview of organizational, management, and motivational theories will be applied to the setting of community health care services and hospitals. It allows students to apply a systems approach to solve complex issues in health care management, with a view to driving change. Emphasis on organizational theories will offer the students different alternatives for efficient organization of health care services. An overview of different management styles to develop the necessary leadership and motivational capacities of the health care team will be provided so that students can adopt their own style. The major management challenges for health care organizations will be discussed: quality improvement, financial management, human resource management and training, strategic planning and marketing, information technologies, and ethics. Principles of Healthcare Management provides students with an overview of the particularities and challenges of managing health care services and teams.
PUBH 842 - Intermediate Epidemiology
In this course, students will be exposed to a more in-depth look at basic study designs, including measures of disease occurrence, measures of effect, the concept of validity, methods to address threats to validity, and the definition and assessment of heterogeneity. This course will also expose students to the most common analytic methods used by epidemiologists.
PUBH 843 - Infectious Diseases Epidemiology
During the first half of this course, students are introduced to basic epidemiological concepts and methods, which form part of the standard armament of all epidemiologic activity. This includes the most common measures of disease frequency, measures of effect, basic study designs, concepts of validity, and basic statistical concepts. In the second half, emphasis is placed on how these basic tools are applied in the disease dependence context typical of infectious disease epidemiology. In this part of the course, students will examine models of epidemics, outbreak investigation and analysis, surveillance, measurement of infectivity, contact patterns, and the epidemiology of vaccination. An effort will be made to demonstrate the application of these methods in the context of important infectious diseases of human, animal, and zoonotic origin.
PUBH 844 - Decision-Making for Public Health Policy
The Leadership and Decision-Making course focuses on the concepts, theories, and models that influence, shape, and guide a leader's decision-making within any public health organization. The traits, skills, and styles of leadership are first examined to help students define and develop their own individual style. Building on this foundation of leadership styles, the principles and approaches that guide a leader to effectively practice within any public health organization are then examined. These practical guiding principles for a leader include culture and diversity, team leadership, the role of power, and being able to prepare for a response to any crisis. These theoretical concepts are guided by a leader's decision-making process. An analysis of an evidence-based decision-making model will be used to establish a framework that will lead to more successful outcomes and to becoming a more effective public health leader.
PUBH 849 - Environmental Toxicology
The course covers basic principles of toxicology and the mechanisms by which chemicals cause health problems and environmental damage. The student will be able to apply the principles of toxicology for compounds found in the environment and workplace.
PUBH 851 - Foundations in Health Policy Analysis
Foundations in Health Policy Analysis is the introductory course to health policy concepts and analysis, with special emphasis on the political framework and the problem-centered model. The course is centered around the thinking that good policy analysis is built on economics, resource management strategies, and political processes. This course introduces students to concepts related to the policy process, the roles of political actors, and the implications of research and resources for health policymaking.
PUBH 852 - Environmental Health Management
Environmental Health Management is designed to prepare students to confidently step into community situations in a professional capacity and experience, understand, evaluate, and solve real-world environmental and occupational health issues in the developing world. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the linkages between the physical and social aspects of environmental and occupational health issues. Topics vary and will draw on the cumulative expertise of the Environmental Health Track faculty. The lessons are designed to prepare students for varied field projects, which they undertake to strengthen practice experience during the course.
PUBH 854 - Health Economics
The course will introduce students to the main concepts of the public health field and the critical links between global health and social and economic development. Students will engage in content and activities to provide a perspective on economics for management decision-making, provide theoretical groundwork for the study of finance, accounting, marketing, and planning, and enable students to develop as future health care managers, playing positive roles in the reform of health care. The course will cover key concepts and frameworks, but very practical in its delivery.
PUBH 855 - Community Medicine Seminar Series
This course is a seminar-based series intended to contribute to students' development of effective communication skills, as well as to present public health topics of community medicine significance.
PUBH 857 - Community Health, Culture, & Empowerment
Community and capacity building are central components to the improvement and sustenance of the health and well-being of populations globally. This course will equip participants with knowledge and a plethora of skills to work effectively in a variety of communities and with diverse populations in developed and developing countries. Skills such as conducting a health needs assessment, partnership building, health communication, and cultural competency will be acquired through the course activities. Community engagement and cultural awareness will be cross-cutting themes.
PUBH 858 - One Health: Public Health Application
This course will engage students in ten (10) modules centered on systems thinking, the One Health concept, zoonotic diseases, environmental health, food safety, emerging infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, international health, community service, and interprofessional skills.
PUBH 859 - Sexual, Reproductive Health and Rights
The Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights course introduces the history, ethical dimensions, and current scope of sexual and reproductive health-related issues, programs, and policies aimed at reducing morbidity, mortality, and health disparities globally. Students will explore the social, economic, and political factors affecting contraceptive use, fertility, family planning, pregnancy outcomes, sexually transmitted infections, pleasure, and sexual violence. It provides case studies to examine important problems and programs in socially diverse settings across the life course, in developed and developing countries.
PUBH 861 - Project Management in a Global Environment
As we navigate complex, intricate health-influencing systems, practitioners must also apply skillful management to achieve local and global public health goals. Project managers are required to apply standard processes to the maze of activities that are assigned to oversee or coordinate. Project management requires deliberate and strategic approaches. The impacts of poor planning are very evident in several local, regional, and even global projects. How should this be remedied to ensure that project managers contribute effectively to achieving the goals of public and global health? In this course, we aim to help current and future health practitioners acquire the most critical knowledge and skills for effective performance in project environments. Students will focus on the tools and techniques for managing activities across the project cycle. Key concepts will be introduced, including leadership, the Logical Framework Approach (LFA), evidence-based decision-making, work packaging, risk and issue management, stakeholder analysis, and resource and change control. Students will have the opportunity to apply pertinent concepts to course activities, reflect on their application in real-world settings, and reapply them to a Final Project Management Plan.
PUBH 862 - Fundamentals of Global Health
Fundamentals of Global Health will introduce students to crosscutting issues in global health through a series of cases, reports, videos, and articles addressing a range of global health problems, which include communicable and noncommunicable disease burden, global health cooperation and diplomacy, and humanitarian emergencies, including those caused by climate change and anthropogenically driven factors in the global and regional contexts in which they occur. The course will contextualize current global health efforts and outlook. A major goal of this course is to equip students with fundamental knowledge and skills for effective practice and collaboration to achieve health equity beyond local contexts.
PUBH 863 - Foundations of Preventive Medicine
Foundations of Preventive Medicine introduce the principles and practices of preventive medicine within the context of public health. Students will explore the core concepts of prevention at all levels—primordial, primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary—and their application in reducing disease burden and promoting population health. Through discussion, case studies, and interactive activities, students will learn to analyze health promotion data, critically appraise peer-reviewed literature, and identify evidence-based screening guidelines for common diseases. This course emphasizes the integration of preventive medicine into public health practice and equips students with foundational skills to identify and analyze prevention strategies.
PUBH 864 - Advanced Methods in Disease Prevention and Control – 3 credits
Advanced Methods in Disease Prevention and Control provides a comprehensive exploration of the principles and practices essential for designing and evaluating effective public health strategies. The curriculum equips students with advanced skills in critical areas such as calculating diagnostic test performance, analyzing disease transmission dynamics, and appraising scientific literature. Through a blend of weekly quizzes, discussion forums, and a critical journal appraisal, students learn to justify public health priorities and apply theoretical models. The course culminates in a project where students synthesize their learning by crafting a detailed prevention and control strategy proposal, acting as public health consultants to address a real-world health challenge involving infectious disease, chronic illness, or mental health.
PUBH 889 - Practicum in Public Health
Practicum/Internship in Public Health is a critical aspect of the MPH program; as a field research-based & experiential learning course, Practicum integrates students’ academic experiences with experiential projects facilitated by multidisciplinary public health professionals and institutions worldwide. The Practicum is a planned, supervised, and evaluated exercise that MUST be successfully completed by students pursuing an MPH degree. Thus, internships should be undertaken at an organization, agency, department or community that provides planning and/or services that are relevant to the core areas of public health. Students are strongly encouraged to complete a Practicum within their specialized track, i.e. Epidemiology, Preventive Medicine, and Global Health. Consistent with professional degrees, the MPH program employs the Practicum to address the relevance of developing skills and competencies of Public Health Students, the future of Public Health Practitioners.
PUBH 893 - Capstone Integrated Learning Experience
The Capstone Integrative Learning Experience (CILE) is a culminating experience in the Master of Public Health program, which allows students to synthesize and apply the concepts, skills, and knowledge acquired throughout their course of study to successfully demonstrate public health competencies. CILE is an integrated learning process that begins in the first semester in the Concepts, Practice & Leadership in Public Health course, continues in the Public Health Research Methods and Ethics course, and culminates in the production of the final paper in the final term. Upon successful completion, students are awarded three graduate-level credits.
PUBH 895 - MPH Onboarding
All new (incoming) students will be enrolled in the Master of Public Health (MPH) Onboarding course. This is a zero-credit mandatory course that must be completed before the start of classes. The Onboarding course prepares students to use the online learning management platform and other software programs (e.g., Zoom, Panopto, ProctorTrack) used in the delivery of the program. The course provides pertinent information about the program and courses and university support services for students.