Skip to Main Content

Public Health, BS Courses

The following are courses in the Public Health, BS program.

Required Courses

DA 308: Introduction to Epidemiology

3 Credits
Epidemiology is the foundational science of public health. Epidemiological research helps us understand how diseases occur in certain groups of people and why, in order to identify the determinants of health at the population level. In this course, you will be introduced to the basics of epidemiology. Topics covered will include measures of disease occurrence; measures of association; study designs; the roles of bias, random error, confounding, and effect modification in epidemiological studies; and screening for disease. At the conclusion of the class, you will be able to read and interpret epidemiological studies and explain how an epidemiological study could be designed to answer a particular health question.

DA 309: Introduction to Biostatistics

3 Credits
Biostatistics is a central field for understanding and analyzing health and clinical data. This course will introduce you to the basics of data analysis for health studies. Specific topics will include probability, error, descriptive statistics, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, power size calculations, and different statistical models. At the conclusion of the course, you will be prepared for learning more advanced biostatistical skills and conducting analyses of health data.

HA 401: Health Policy

3 Credits
This course will present the step-by-step process of health policy formulation and implementation. You will gain an understanding of the unique characteristics of policy development in the United States and the values that have helped shape these policies. This course will provide an overview of major health policies that have been implemented in healthcare history, including public health policies, cost-containment policies, and regulatory policies to improve healthcare quality. Emphasis will be placed on the application of health research in the policy formulation process at the state and federal levels.

HE 301: Introduction to Public Health

3 Credits
In this course, students will learn about the structure of the public health system in the United States. The course begins with the development of public health in the United States from the 19th century onward to present day and reviews the philosophy underlying public health. The course covers the 10 core functions and key services of public health and the various means by which these are delivered; it concludes with a module on systems thinking. This course lays the foundation for subsequent coursework and serves as a prerequisite or corequisite for all other public health courses.

This course covers the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) accreditation requirement number three, which covers instruction in the "overview of public health." It also covers criterion B3 for exposure to systems thinking.

Course description subject to change.

HE 302: Health Behavior

3 Credits
This course will survey the major theories of health behavior and behavior change. Students will learn to apply theories at the individual and community levels. Students are introduced to the role of health behavior in health education and promotion programs.

This course meets the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) accreditation criterion number seven by introducing and covering "behavioral factor impacts on human health and health disparities."

Course description subject to change.

HE 304: Health Communication

3 Credits
This course will train students to effectively communicate health information. Students will learn technical and scientific writing as well as professional writing. Communication using mass media and online social media will be covered. Students will learn to choose health communication strategies that are culturally sensitive and that recognize variations in health literacy and access to information. Students will gain experience presenting health communications in a variety of media and settings.

This course covers the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) accreditation criterion number 11, "health communication."

Course description subject to change.

HE 305: Community Health

3 Credits
This course introduces students to the concepts of population and community health. The processes of community health will be covered throughout the duration of this course, with special attention to racial and ethnic minority populations. Specific interventions will be discussed, including the role of community organizing and community building in promoting health. This course will relate concepts to community health threats, including gun violence and drug overdoses.

This course covers the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) accreditation criterion number five for "identifying and addressing population health challenges."

HE 316: Human Disease

3 Credits
This course will cover the major structural and functional mechanisms of human disease, including genetics, inflammation, cells and tissues as the basis for healthy functioning, cancer, and infectious agents. Students will explore the major organ systems of the human body in order to better understand the biological basis of disease.

This course covers the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) accreditation criterion number two, "concepts of health and disease."

HE 401: Environmental Health

3 Credits
This course introduces students to environmental health issues. Students will learn how research informs laws, regulation, and advocacy around environmental threats to health. This course covers the intersection of biological, chemical, and physical contributions to community health and disease. Air-, water-, and land-mediated exposures will be explored in detail. The concepts of environmental justice and environmental ethics will be discussed.

This course covers the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) accreditation criterion number seven, "environmental, and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities."

Course description subject to change.

HE 402: Public Health Ethics

3 Credits
Course description coming soon.

HE 403: Health Disparities and Cultural Diversity

3 Credits
This course will address the multiple factors contributing to health disparities. This course will examine individual internal factors, such as biological and behavioral elements, and external factors, such as socioeconomic background and environmental differences. This course introduces these concepts and serves as a basis for subsequent coverage in health behavior, environmental health, health policy, and law. An emphasis will be placed on ethical considerations.

This course covers the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) B3 domain by introducing "the variety of cultural contexts in which public health professionals work."

HE 406: Program Planning and Evaluation

3 Credits
This course will introduce students to program planning and evaluation. Program planning is the development of a coherent set of interventions focused on a health problem. Program evaluation is the assessment of whether a program is working as intended. Students will explore a variety of tools used to plan and evaluate programs, including logic models and quantitative and qualitative analysis. This course is designed to be taken in the senior year and may prepare students to conduct a program planning capstone project. The course also serves as a prerequisite for the Collaboration and Advocacy in Public Health course; both courses use the same textbook.

This course covers the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) accreditation criterion number eight, "address the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation."

Course description subject to change.

HE 407: Collaboration and Advocacy in Public Health

3 Credits
In this course, students will learn how to advocate for public health at all levels, from individuals to the global community. Students will be introduced to community dynamics, diverse cultural contexts, networking, organizational dynamics, professionalism, teamwork, and leadership. Students will then be required to choose a nongovernmental community organization that addresses a public health need and interview one or more leaders in the organization. Students will then work in teams to design and present an advocacy project based on what they have learned from their interviews.

This course covers most of the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) B3 practice criteria.

Course description subject to change.

HE 420: Public Health Research Methods

3 Credits
Research methods allow students to synthesize their training by applying multiple methods to a public health issue. Students will examine additional material on qualitative methods and survey methods. This course is designed to be taken in the senior year and prepares students to undertake a research-focused capstone project.

This course meets the Council on Education for Public Health's (CEPH) B3 accreditation requirements for "exposure to research methods" and "systems thinking."

Course description subject to change.

HE 450: Public Health Capstone

3 Credits
The capstone project is a student-initiated and faculty-mentored culminating experience. Students may choose among a variety of projects, including epidemiologic research, policy analysis, program planning and evaluation, and health education and health promotion. Students must integrate, synthesize, and apply knowledge across multiple dimensions of their education.
Course description subject to change.

Elective Courses

HA 301: US Healthcare Systems

3 Credits
This course provides a history of the U.S. healthcare system and an in-depth discussion of the evolution of the modern health care system. You will also examine contemporary functions and roles of health organizations and the healthcare workforce. Specific focus will be placed upon healthcare financing, as well as current policies impacting healthcare delivery, quality, and cost in the United States.

HA 303: Managed Care and Insurance

3 Credits
In this course, you will be provided with an introduction to the workings of health insurance and managed care within the U.S. healthcare system. This course offers a historical background of managed care and an overview of current organizational structures, concepts, and practices of the health insurance and managed care industry. It also includes a thorough update on the Affordable Care Act, including political shifts that have effected changes in provider reimbursement models and medical management approaches, impacting the consumer, the provider, managed care plans, and other insurers.

HA 310: Introduction to Health Careers

3 Credits
This course offers an overview of the healthcare workforce, exploring ongoing environmental, technological, political, economic, and demographic trends and issues that impact contemporary and future human resources needed for the optimal functioning of the health care system. In addition, this course provides in-depth exploration of the major health professions, examining crucial aspects of each field, including roles and responsibilities, education and credentialing requirements, work settings, and salary forecasts. The content will also include a brief review of U.S. health delivery systems, public and private financing, reimbursement models, insurance, and new technologies influencing trends in health careers. Finally, this course will provide guidance in job search strategies, preparing a professional résumé, and interviewing strategies.

HA 319: Global Health

3 Credits
A comprehensive overview of current global public health issues will be discussed in this course. Students will investigate and discuss the impact of environmental emergencies and infectious and chronic diseases, as well as ways in which the World Health Organization (WHO) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) respond to health crises. This course provides an overview of various health systems and the delivery of health services in countries with a diverse range of sociopolitical and economic conditions. Health care systems around the world will be explored in terms of the region's health care needs, public policies, values, and economy with an eye toward health disparities and determinants of health.

Course description subject to change.

HE 314: Sexual Health

3 Credits
Course description coming soon.

HE 315: Medical Terminology

3 Credits
Course description coming soon.

HE 317: Health Mapping with ArcGIS

3 Credits
This course introduces students to ArcGIS as a tool for health mapping. Maps are widely used to communicate health data and identify patterns of disease. ArcGIS is the most widely used geographic information system (GIS) on the market. A 60-day trial license is included with the Textbook.

Course description subject to change.

HE 318: Infectious Disease Response

3 Credits
Course description coming soon.

HE 319: Health Education

3 Credits
Health education influences the behaviors of individuals and populations. Students in this course will gain understanding of the many tools available to educate communities, including the use of online social media and social marketing.

Course description subject to change.

HE 321: Nutrition and Physical Activity in Public Health

3 Credits
In this course, students will explore nutrition and physical activity as the cornerstones of health and disease prevention at all levels (primary, secondary, and tertiary). Community nutrition focuses on understanding the behavioral and contextual components of nutrition in the United States, with an emphasis on special needs populations.

Course description subject to change.