This course is the graduate level offering of PHS 3825. Through interactive lectures & small group activities, we learn about important advances in global health, factors that determine health, current threats, & effective ways to implement change. In addition, as a graduate student, you will have numerous opportunities to demonstrate attainment of MPH foundational knowledge & competencies.

Supervised Independent Research

Covers the fundamentals in medical statistics including descriptive statistics, estimation, hypothesis testing, precision, sample size, correlation, problems with categorization of continuous variables, multiple comparison problems, and interpreting of statistical results. Covers the basics of statistical software programming so that students can create, run, and debug programs. Prerequisites:  Graduate in PHS programs or instructor permission.

Introduces the field of Epidemiology and the methods of epidemiologic research. Students learn how to interpret, critique, and conduct epidemiologic research, including formulating a research question, choosing a study design, collecting and analyzing data, controlling bias and confounding, and interpreting study results. May be open to undergraduates as PHS 5010 with instructor permission. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in the PHS program or instructor permission.

Required fall course for Community & Public Health track. Explores the legitimacy, design, and implementation of a variety of policies aiming to promote public health and reduce the social burden of disease and injury. Highlights the challenge posed by public health's population-based perspective to traditional individual-centered, autonomy-driven approaches to bioethics and constitutional law. Other themes center on conflicts between public health and public morality and the relationship between public health and social justice. Illustrative topics include mandatory immunization, screening and reporting of infectious diseases, prevention of lead poisoning, food safety, prevention of firearm injuries, airbags and seat belts, mandatory drug testing, syringe exchange programs, tobacco regulation, and restrictions on alcohol and tobacco advertising. May be open to undergraduates as PHS 5050 with instructor permission. Prerequisites:  Instructor permission.

Provides students with the opportunity to engage in the policy development & advocacy process. This includes defining & analyzing a policy issue, synthesizing info & data from numerous sources to generate policy options, examining the legal, ethical & other implications of potential policy options, understanding the preferences & perspectives of key stakeholders, & clearly communicating & advocating for policy options with different audiences.

Provides an overview of the principles and methods of evaluation in public health and health informatics. Covers evaluation paradigms, program planning, evaluation plan design, and use of evaluation findings. Frequent tools in evaluation (surveys, focus groups, and interviews) will be discussed in depth. Students will have the opportunity to design and conduct an evaluation for an existing program in public health or application in health informatics. May be open to undergraduates as PHS 5060 with instructor permission. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.

Reviews principles of economics most relevant to analyzing changes in health care provision and applies those principles to current health care institutions and their performance, trends in health care service delivery, and methods of forecasting future trends. Prerequisite: Graduate standing in the PHS program or instructor permission.

An introduction to the terminology, structure, & function of the U.S. health care system with an emphasis on the social, economic, & political forces that impact the organization, financing, & delivery of health & health care.

Explores the use of data in population health sciences incorporating cases from public health & health care practice. Covers the basics of loading data into SAS, manipulating variables, & generating output in a PC environment. Students will learn how to detect, diagnose, & correct mistakes. The course draws upon & integrates Biostatistics & Epidemiology.Prerequisite: Instructor Permission