Public Health: Courses

Program Information Requirements Public Health: Courses Learning Outcomes

PHEAL 120 Global Health through Film (4)

Global Health through Film provides first and second year students a film-centered introduction to an array of complex real-life social issues and health challenges facing our contemporary world. Students will be introduced to a variety of filmic genres and will screen films produced to meet diverse aims by individuals and organizations from five continents. They will explore how communities in different areas of the world meet their basic human needs and how they contend with new challenges to: the spread of chronic and communicable diseases; occupational and environmental health; substance addiction and gun violence; and human health threats caused by climate disruption. Students will analyze these and other health issues by synthesizing, evaluating and applying knowledge from social and biological sciences and the humanities. The course provides a broad and image-packed introduction to the discipline and practice of global health.

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: World Engagement: CV
Offering: Alternate falls
Instructor: Fofana, Millen

PHEAL 199 Topics in Public Health (1-4)

A semester-long study of topics in Public Health. Topics and emphases will vary according to the instructor. This course may be repeated for credit with different topics. See the New and Topics Courses page on the Registrar’s webpage for descriptions and applicability to majors/minors in other departments.

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
Prerequisite: Topic dependent
Offering: Occasionally
Professor: Staff

PHEAL 201 Introduction to Public Health (4)

This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary study of public health. It covers fundamental public health theories, concepts and methods, and emphasizes evidence-based decision-making involving both quantitative data and qualitative narrative. It highlights the social, cultural, economic, political, and environmental conditions and structures that shape the health of populations at local, state, national and global levels. It also explores the myriad career fields and professional roles of public health practitioners. Course balances scholarly readings and current issues with visits from local public health practitioners, advocates, and leaders to discuss their ongoing work. Course required for PHEAL majors but open to all students with interests in health-related studies and work.

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: PDE
Prerequisite: Closed to seniors
Offering: Annually
Instructor: Basu, Millen

PHEAL 214 Public Health Epidemiology (4)

This course covers the core science of understanding the causes and distribution of population health so that we may better intervene to control and prevent disease and promote health. It surveys the historical emergence of public health epidemiology, and the range of essential methods and practices involved in measuring population health, assessing trends and patterns, investigating outbreaks, and evaluating interventions. Case studies and current controversies are featured, including health data gaps, health disparities, and reconciling equality, efficiency and equity.

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Social Sciences
Prerequisite: Closed to seniors except with instructor consent
Offering: Every semester
Instructor: Iroz-Elardo

PHEAL 299 Topics in Public Health (1-4)

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
Prerequisite: Topic dependent
Offering: Occasionally
Professor: Staff

PHEAL 301 Public Health Ethics (4)

This course focuses on the roles of ethics, advocacy, and leadership in public health theory and practice. What is involved in becoming an ethical public health practitioner? What sorts of ethical criteria and procedural conditions are necessary to ensure the normative rightness of research design, empirical analyses, and programmatic interventions in public health? Given demonstrable inequities in the distribution of health, morbidity, and mortality, how can social justice attentive to underserved and vulnerable populations be advanced through public health? Through case-studies students will practice evidence-based ethical deliberation and advocacy. Intended for HEAL majors, but open to all students with health and justice-related interests.

Prerequisite: Sophomore standing or above; PHEAL 201 recommended
Offering: Annually
Instructor: Basu

PHEAL 399 Topics in Public Health (1-4)

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
Prerequisite: Topic dependent
Offering: Occasionally
Professor: Staff

PHEAL 429 Topics in Public Health (1-4)

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Topic dependent
Prerequisite: Topic dependent
Offering: Occasionally
Professor: Staff

PHEAL 499W Senior Seminar in Public Health (4)

A writing-centered capstone course in which they exercise and demonstrate their abilities to engage independently and collaboratively in public health theory and practice. Students may meet this requirement through one of four structured options: (1) on-site internship, (2) on-site role-shadowing and service, (3) community-based research or service, or (4) independent research paper. Individual option undertaken to be determined in consultation with PHEAL faculty. All options involve appropriate scholarly literature review, written reflections, draft and final report, peer-editing, and formal presentation of results.

General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing-centered
Prerequisite: PHEAL major, 10 courses completed, and junior or senior standing
Offering: Annually
Instructor: Basu

Course Descriptions