Dual Degree M.D./M.P.H. Program

PHEA 6001. Concepts in Public Health - From Person to Population. 3 Credit Hours.

This introductory, interdisciplinary Foundational Course will examine public health in the US, focusing on our unique local/regional issues. It will emphasize the importance of health promotion, access, and opportunity at both the individual and population levels. The course will cover foundational elements of public health, including its history, development, and impact; careers in public health; core values, leadership, and ethics; concepts and functions of essential public health services; population health and health improvement. The course will also build a sense of community for entering students to learn together and to work effectively in interprofessional teams.

PHEA 6002. Perspectives and Decisions Through Public Health Data. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will introduce students to analytical methods commonly used in public health. The course will provide skills related to epidemiology, data management, sampling procedures, analysis, hypothesis testing, interpretation, and communication of results. Common computer software will be used to apply analytical methods to both quantitative and qualitative data. Relevant epidemiological, biostatistical, and qualitative data from local and regional sources will be used to illustrate methods where available.

PHEA 6003. Designing Public Health Inquiry: Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will introduce the fundamentals of research methods in public health settings. Topics will include principles of research investigation, reviewing scientific literature, research design, research-related epidemiological concepts, sampling methods, measurement, and data collection. Topics will cover quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods. Issues and problems commonly encountered in public health research will be discussed using real-world examples, emphasizing local and regional examples where applicable.

PHEA 6004. Health Promotion and Health Behaviors. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will provide foundational information about health theory, applications, and strategies to affect positive health behaviors in individuals and communities. Course content will include primary health theories and constructs grounded in non-medical determinants of health, and the social-ecological model. Students will examine and apply strategies to real-world public health challenges at all levels of the social-ecological model.

PHEA 6005. Health Policy and Public Health Advocacy. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will provide foundational information about the health policy development process and public health advocacy in the United States. Students will understand how health policies are made at all levels of government, as well as the role of the media and various stakeholder groups in influencing health policy. Students will gain practical experience designing and implementing an advocacy campaign to change health policy on current public health issues at local, state, regional, or national levels.

PHEA 6006. Introduction to Environmental and Occupational Health. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will provide an overview of the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of occupational and environmental hazards. An introduction to the various physical, chemical, radiological, and biological hazards impacting public health are reviewed. Topics covered will include local and global issues, including One Health and planetary health-related concepts.

PHEA 6016. Health Systems Leadership. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will prepare students to lead at the nexus of health systems and public health. Students will become advocates and emerging leaders of data-driven, equity-centered healthcare and health policy while exploring the critical role of effective and adaptive communication of health information to community members, patients, and across diverse health systems. Students will apply their knowledge and skills to leadership challenges facing complex health organizations throughout the course, including community needs, using asset-based thinking. Upon completing this course, students will be informed facilitators of inclusive, innovative clinical and translational research and community-responsive interventions, including structural and systems-level approaches. Prerequisites: PHEA 6001 or consent of the course instructor.

PHEA 6017. Health Systems and Public Health Data. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to work effectively with diverse types of healthcare and public health data and understand how data are used for healthcare decision-making. Throughout this course, students will learn about various data types, sets and systems, how to collect, analyze, interpret, and present data, and how to effectively communicate distribution patterns, determinants of health and well-being with stakeholders. Students will also gain an understanding of data privacy and security and how to ensure data are used ethically and responsibly. By the end of this course, students will be able to work with multidimensional healthcare and public health data to provide actionable insights that improve the delivery and effectiveness of healthcare services. Prerequisites: PHEA 6001 or consent of the course instructor.

PHEA 6018. Health Systems in the Community Context. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will explore how the principles and practices of public health can be used to cultivate comprehensive and people-centered responses to fragmented care delivery and how community and clinical collaborations are critical in healthcare delivery. Students will learn to conduct asset and needs assessments, implement quality improvement initiatives, and foster partnerships with interprofessional teams and community-based organizations. Students will explore and evaluate diverse approaches and barriers to collaboration within communities, including challenges related to communication, role ambiguity, and cultural contexts, and how to lead systems-level changes to achieve practical solutions. By the end of the course, students will have the skills and knowledge needed to improve patient outcomes, patient satisfaction, and community engagement approaches in health systems. Prerequisites: PHEA 6001 or consent of the course instructor.

PHEA 6098. Discovery-Based Paper or Project. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is specifically designed for students pursuing a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree to provide enough time for a discovery-based paper or project under the guidance of a faculty advisor. This course is an integrative learning experience drawing on all competencies presented in the MPH program. Students may only add this course after the student has been approved for MPH degree candidacy, the faculty advisor is approved, and the faculty advisor approves the discovery-based paper or project. Credit will not be given until the discovery-based paper or project is completed. Must complete the listed prerequisites or consent of the course instructor to enroll. Prerequisites: PHEA 6001, PHEA 6002, PHEA 6003, PHEA 6004, PHEA 6005, and PHEA 6006.

PHEA 6099. Capstone Experience. 3 Credit Hours.

As a requirement for the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, this course will enable students to examine a public health issue using the lens of public health practice. This course is an integrative learning experience drawing on all competencies presented in the MPH program. Students may only add this course after the student has been approved for MPH degree candidacy. Throughout the course, students will learn and implement a problem-solving methodology to analyze current public health issues, collaborate to make recommendations on interventions and apply evaluation methods to address specific problems. Must complete the listed prerequisites or consent of the instructor to enroll. Prerequisites: PHEA 6001, PHEA 6002, PHEA 6003, PHEA 6004, PHEA 6005, and PHEA 6006.

PHEA 6397. Applied Practice Experience-Practicum. 3 Credit Hours.

As a requirement for the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, this course will provide students with practical experience that reinforces the academic skills and knowledge they have gained in the broad field of public health. The course is designed to equip students with the necessary skills and exposure to the real-world scenarios they will encounter in their future public health practice. It is mandatory for all students pursuing an MPH degree to complete the Applied Practice Experience-Practicum. Students must also complete a minimum of 180 hours of applied practical experience obtained from field experiences focused on local and regional public health central problems directly relevant to the public health workforce. Must meet requirements established by the site and the applied practice experience coordinator. Prerequisites: PHEA 6001, PHEA 6002, PHEA 6003, PHEA 6004, PHEA 6005, and PHEA 6006.