Public Health (PH)

The course covers the main principles of global health along with additional topics such as health determinants and disparities, socioeconomic status and health, human rights, culture and health, unintentional injuries, maternal and child health, water and sanitation, and infectious diseases.

This course introduces concepts of occupational safety and health, including regulatory agencies, financial and human impact of occupational injuries and illnesses, and workers' compensation. It covers basic safety terminology and how to access safety information and resources.

The Introduction to Human Disease course is designed to bring students to a level of understanding of basic human biology, health, and disease, as well as modern biomedical science that will enable them to make rational decisions on personal, ethical, and political issues in their health. Focused analysis of the causes and mechanics of human illness and death will be presented for each of the major human body systems. Selected diseases will be studied in greater detail including etiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, sociology, and therapy.

This course is designed to provide students with an introduction to environmental health and disease. Using the perspectives of the population and community, the course covers factors associated with the development of occupational and environmental health problems. Students gain an understanding of the interaction of individuals and communities with the environment, the potential impact on health of environmental agents, and specific applications of concepts of occupational and environmental health.

This course will focus on the complexities of health service delivery to diverse populations using social-ecological models to provide a deeper understanding of the impacts of health policy, social justice, structural inequities, and the value systems of diverse groups, as well as variables related to gender, age, lifestyle, religion, culture, social class, race, geography, and developmental level and how this relates to health status and health service needs.

The course examines health-related motivation and behavior through the study of relevant psychological, sociological, and educational theory and research. Emphasis is on application of behavioral and behavior-change theories and constructs in designing effective health education and promotion programs.

This course offers students an opportunity to obtain practical experience in public health work. Students will contract for 50-100 hours at an internship placement and participate in a weekly seminar to discuss their fieldwork and apply academic theory to practice. Students will work in settings that familiarize them with concrete examples of the core competencies in the Public Health major. Students will also gain an understanding of industry and organizational structures, cultures, and ethics, and will strengthen their critical thinking, research, and problem-solving skills. They will keep logs of their activities and complete other written assignments for class.

The senior capstone course integrates the knowledge, concepts and professional skills gained from prior coursework in Public Health. Students choose between two different options: (1) an applied project in which the student develops a hypothetical applied case and intervention program for a group or organization in order to synthesize and demonstrate the ability to understand, develop, and advance the principles of Public Health or (2) conduct a research project in which the student displays the development of research techniques, including the ability to define a research problem, write hypotheses, review the literature, apply a research design, collect and analyze data, and interpret the results.

Graduate Students Only This course explores the history of the global expansion of disease. By studying epidemics throughout human history - from the plague of Athens to Ebola - the course encourages students to think about the dynamics of globalization from a historical perspective. We will examine the relations between epidemics and warfare, colonial empires, and the growth of global trade networks, and consider how societies in different times and places have responded to the appearance (or threat) of epidemics. The course is divided into three main units: the first unit examines early epidemics (including plague and smallpox) and the globalization of disease as the result of emerging trade networks and exploration. The second unit will explore the rise of modern states in the 19th century and the need for new kinds of strategies to protect the public's health. The third unit will focus on the twentieth century, particularly on attempts to eradicate disease throughout the globe, the rise of international organizations, and the (re)-emergence of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, SARS, Ebola, and COVID-19.

Graduate Students Only The course is designed to familiarize students with the contribution of social and behavioral sciences to the understanding of the distribution, etiology, and solution of public health problems. The theoretical underpinnings of the most relevant explanation, planning, change, and evaluation theories will be reviewed and illustrated with examples of the application of these models to health promotion and disease prevention with individuals, groups, and communities. The format of the course is a survey of basic concepts, analytic frameworks, and social and behavioral sciences strategies that can be applied to current public health issues. Basic principles from psychology, anthropology, sociology, and other social science disciplines are analyzed in relation to the causes, consequences, and control measures for public health problems.

Graduate Students Only This course is designed to assist students in recognizing and analyzing the interrelationships between individuals, population groups, and communities in determining the health status of each. Students will explore the complex determinants of health and disease, the impact of economic, social, environmental, and cultural concerns on community health status, and community organizations that help shape community health. Course content integrates concepts from behavioral, biological, and natural sciences, with emphasis on epidemiology, to examine the history and foundation of community health. The format of the course is a survey of concepts, analytic frameworks, and social and behavioral sciences strategies that can be applied to current public health issues. Principles from psychology, anthropology, sociology, and other social science disciplines are analyzed in relation to the causes, consequences, and control measures for public health problems.

Graduate Students Only This course introduces basic epidemiological and biostatistical principles, concepts, and procedures for the surveillance and investigation of health-related states or events. Introduces collecting data and analyzing disease incidence and prevalence to provide analyses leading to effective interventions and preventions. Reviews sources of information, associations between diseases and precipitating factors, and statistical representations.

Graduate Students Only This course will provide an overview of inequities in health services, as well as current initiatives to address them. The course will cover some of the historical aspects of inequities in health services, such as legal segregation of health care facilities and how race/ethnicity and sexual identity have been conceptualized over time. We will examine what are some of the factors associated with unequal access and quality of general medical care, as well as mental health care and services for substance use disorders.

Graduate Students Only This course explores contemporary issues, problems, and controversies in global health through an interdisciplinary perspective; examines the complex tapestry of social, economic, political, and environmental factors that affect global health; analyzes global health disparities through a social justice and human rights lens; and exposes students to opportunities in global health program and research.

Graduate Students Only This course will provide a broad overview and deep exploration into the evolving body of relevant health communication research, theory, and practice, examining the powerful influences of communication on the delivery of care and the promotion of health. The course will take an action research perspective to the study of health communication, where our overarching educational goal will be to learn how to use strategic health communication to enhance health outcomes and reduce health disparities, locally and globally.

Graduate Students Only This course will introduce students to the methods and growing range of applications of decision analysis and cost-effectiveness analysis in health care, public health, technology assessment, medical decision making, and health resource allocation.

Graduate Students Only This course will provide students with a basic understanding of how to implement public health programs and evaluate their effectiveness. As this course is designed to be grounded in public health practice, you will complete the course with the skills necessary to develop both a program and evaluation plan. Given the importance of public health planning and evaluation occurring within the context of interdisciplinary teams, students in this course will also discuss and practice skills for building effective teams and accomplishing individual and group objectives through teamwork.

Graduate Students Only The focus of this course is on health problems and diseases affecting both pregnant women and children worldwide. The impact of various common health problems at different stages of the life cycle and their functional outcomes in terms of morbidity, mortality, psychological wellbeing, reproduction, and growth will be highlighted. Students will become acquainted with the epidemiology of maternal and childhood diseases in developed and developing countries. Programs and resources available to combat health and nutritional problems will be evaluated. The role of different international organizations will be discussed in the context of a community.

Graduate Students Only This course will examine current and emerging issues in global and public health nutrition. Students will engage in discussions to address populations of diverse cultures and global nutrition health and nutrition policy. Students learn to recognize how determinants of health, health disparities and availability and accessibility of resources, influence the nutrition status of communities and state, country, and regional programs. Program planning and population needs assessments are addressed. Course topics include an overview of global and US public health nutrition goals, malnutrition around the globe, nutrition surveillance systems and interventions, practices and processes of local and global food markets, global food systems and legislative and regulatory policies.

Graduate Students Only This course will examine current and emerging issues in global and public health nutrition. Students will engage in discussions to address populations of diverse cultures and global nutrition health and nutrition policy. Students learn to recognize how determinants of health, health disparities and availability and accessibility of resources, influence the nutrition status of communities and state, country, and regional programs. Program planning and population needs assessments are addressed. Course topics include an overview of global and US public health nutrition goals, malnutrition around the globe, nutrition surveillance systems and interventions, practices and processes of local and global food markets, global food systems and legislative and regulatory policies.

Graduate students only. Independent research and study in a topic in Exercise Science. Prerequisites: graduate standing and approval of the department chairperson.

Graduate Students Only This course is intended to give the student practical experience in public health. This practicum is spent in an appropriate program, under the guidance of an administrator qualified by education and/or experience. The practicum consists of a 100-150 hour supervised practical application of previously studied theory and is completed by the student by the end of the term. Development and utilization of original activities is stressed, and periodic progress reports are required. Students must secure a supervised position prior to beginning this course. Students are encouraged to consult with their academic advisor with any questions, prior to registration.

Graduate Students Only The main purpose of this course is to provide the culminating, integrative curricular experience for students enrolled in SFC's Master of Public Health program during their last semester prior to graduation. As such, the course draws on students' prior training in the core areas of public health, their required course work and their real world experience gained in the field prior to their graduation. In particular, the capstone class is closely linked to the MPH practicum. More than just providing a review of the MPH curriculum, however, the Capstone is designed to challenge students to reflect and integrate their training and experience with the goal of developing their own individual point of view regarding the role of public health in contributing to the improvement of the health and wellbeing of populations in the United States, as well as abroad.