Public Health (PBHL)

An exploration of significant questions and concepts, beliefs and creative visions, theories and discoveries in Public Health designed for first-year students. A grade of C- or better fulfills the COLL 100 requirement. Although topics vary, the courses also seek to improve students' communication skills beyond the written word.

This course will serve as an introduction to the field of Public Health through the study of the practices, programs, systems and policies that affect the health of a population. It will provide an overview of the field through case studies, readings, assignments and class discussions that will provide the context necessary for pursuing further study. The course will explore the evidence-based approach of public health: identifying problems, determining causes, making recommendations, and implementing and evaluating interventions. Through coursework, students will understand tools of Public Health and how to apply them to health concerns at a population-level.

An exploration of a specific topic in Public Health. A grade of C- or better fulfills the COLL 150 requirement. Although topics vary, the courses emphasize academic writing skills, reading and analysis of texts, and discussion.

An introduction to the core concepts of epidemiology, which is a study of the distribution of disease within a population and the factors that influence that distribution. The course will apply an epidemiologic lens to current issues in public health and clinical medicine.

The course will introduce students to health issues around the world. Emphasis will be placed on social, economic, political, and environmental determinants of health, and health inequities.

This course will prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to think critically about current health policy. This is an undergraduate course that introduces the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the US health system as well as the differences in systems in other countries and global governance of health. Students will study the basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health and the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government. Basic concepts of public health communication, including technical and professional writing and presentation will be studied.

This course explores how the environment impacts human health. It introduces the methods used to study environmental health, surveys the nature and control of environmental hazards, and touches on some hot topics and current controversies in the field.

This course will cover how cultural and psychological factors, as well as socioeconomic status, affect food choices, and how those choices can create nutrition and health problems within a community. The class includes identifying the potential causes of nutrition problems, the target populations, and a plan for community-based interventions that may solve those problems. Students will gain working knowledge of federal, state and local programs as well as learn how to conduct a community-based assessment and plan, and how to design and evaluate interventions.

This course presents the most important concepts that link human nutrition with environmental sustainability at the local, regional, national, and global scales. This course emphasizes the structural drivers and outcomes of human decision-making as they relate to food choice, nutrition, and ecological stewardship, with a lens toward developing sustainable nutrition recommendations for the public. Critical appraisal of contemporary evidence underlies all aspects of this course.

This course presents the fundamental concepts that link food policy with human nutrition at the population level. The main areas of emphases are: how national-level food policies are created and implemented, the effects of these policies on the health of large populations, and epidemiologic approaches to collecting and analyzing nutrition data.

The course will introduce students to historical and current applications of the social and behavioral sciences in public health research and practice. The course will also examine social and behavioral determinants of health equity.

An exploration of the conditions in which individuals are born, live, work, and age as determinants of health outcomes. Such conditions as race, class, sexual orientation, income, zip code, and job security and autonomy will be considered. To be explored are such health domains as adverse birth outcomes; injuries and homicides; adolescent pregnancy; HIV-AIDS; addiction; heart disease; chronic lung disease; mental health, and age-related disability. Readings include newspaper and magazine accounts; medical journals; and such texts as U.S. Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, (on-line) and M. Marmot, The Status Syndrome (N.Y. :Holt, 2004).

The course will explore behavioral, social, and environmental determinants of physical activity. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of these issues to the obesity epidemic, and to widening health disparities based on class and race.

This seminar will serve as a culminating experience for the Public Health Minor, and an opportunity for students from different tracks to interact and collaborate. In the seminar, students from different tracks will engage in class discussions and assignments to integrate content from Public Health coursework and experiential learning, and juxtapose it within Public Health research and practice. Students will also collaborate to design and present multilevel interventions to respond to domestic and global Public Health challenges. Prior to registering for the seminar, students must have completed an Experiential Learning Activity (ELA) that has been approved by a Public Health Minor co-director. Registration requires Instructor permission.

Exploration of a particular topic in Public Health. If there is no duplication of topic, courses with this number may be repeated for credit. Based on the specific course content, credits will count towards the appropriate category of the minor.  Some topics may have pre-requisites or co-requisites.

Global Health Issues will offer a cross cultural comparative analysis of the definitions of health and health care delivery, as well as an overview of specific chronic and acute health issues. The course will address global health broadly and focus on global health disparity. We will analyze disparity with a multidisciplinary perspective, evaluating the political, economic, and sociocultural aspects of health inequality. Special topics in this course will focus on health care and health issues of women.

What factors impact whether someone is able to stay healthy? This course will explore factors related to health with an emphasis on how those factors impact Washington DC residents. In addition, it will examine approaches for improving health in this geographic area. Students will engage with individuals and organizations in the Washington D.C. area that tackle these issues on a daily basis. Class sessions will be interactive and involve a blend of D.C. site visits, guest speakers, discussion, and lecture. As a COLL 350 course, students will engage in dialog and reflection to examine the relationship between race and other societal factors, such as wealth on health.

Topics not covered in regular offerings. Subjects, prerequisites and instructor will vary from year to year.

The course will explore medical and social aspects of maternal, neonatal, and child health, with an emphasis on health systems and the continuum of care for women and children. Basic knowledge of global public health or epidemiology is expected.

This course is a capstone experience where students will assist the instructor during class time and supervise open learning hours in large lecture and laboratory courses.

An independent study program for the advanced student involving reading, research and the writing of a paper.

A course for the advanced student affording an opportunity for independent laboratory or field research under the supervision of a faculty member.

Students admitted to Honors study in Public Health will enroll for both semesters of their senior year. Requirements include (a) supervised readings in the field of interest, (b)the preparation and presentation by April 15 of an Honors essay or an Honors thesis based on the students own research, and (c)satisfactory performance in an oral examination based on the Honors project and related background. Consult the chair for eligibility, admission and continuance requirements.

Students admitted to Honors study in Public Health will enroll for both semesters of their senior year. Requirements include (a) supervised readings in the field of interest, (b)the preparation and presentation by April 15 of an Honors essay or an Honors thesis based on the students own research, and (c)satisfactory performance in an oral examination based on the Honors project and related background. Consult the chair for eligibility, admission and continuance requirements.

This course is designed to allow students to gain first-hand knowledge through practical experience in real-world Public Health settings. Students will complete an internship, engage with the instructor, and complete a research paper on a topic related to their internship and approved by the instructor. As a COLL 400 course, students will also communicate their work to a diverse audience.