Online Master of Public Health Degree

This course examines the historical and chronological milestones of the field of public health; provides an overview of the goals and guidelines for public health practice through the next decade; provides an evaluation of ethical choices, values and professional practices implicit in public health decisions; considers the effect of public health choices on community stewardship and highlights equity, social justice and accountability in decision-making processes.

This course focuses on concepts and methods of social and behavioral sciences relevant to the identification and solution of public health problems. It addresses the behavioral, social and cultural factors related to individual and population health over the lifetime. Research and practice in this area contributes to the development, administration and evaluation of programs and policies in public health and health services to promote and sustain healthy environments and healthy lives for individuals and populations.

This course provides an introduction to the skills needed by public health professionals to critically interpret disease. The main concepts of this course will cover distributions and determinants of disease, disabilities, injury, and death in human populations. This course provides an opportunity for learners to apply epidemiology concepts to case studies.

This course provides a foundation to the ecological basis of health and disease. The application of the principles and framework of ecosystems in managing public health initiatives are addressed, including the social, biological, physical, and chemical factors that affect the health of organizations and communities. Hazardous agents found in occupational environments are reviewed for their potential health effects, and procedures for prevention of occupational illnesses and injuries are examined.

This course focuses on the development and application of health statistics and reasoning; and will discuss methods of addressing, analyzing, and solving problems in public health. The collection, storage, retrieval, analysis and interpretation of health data, and the design and analysis of health-related surveys and experiments are central to the practice of health data analysis.

This course will introduce U.S. public health delivery systems and administration and management of these systems. Major components of administration and management principles within a health system or organization are examined, including the organization and financing of health care systems, access to health care, regulation and policy issues, and the health care workforce.

This course examines public health approaches to improve health through policy change. Theoretical and practical applications of legislative advocacy in the area of health policy are explored, along with the implications of research on public health policy development. Learners will evaluate the collaborative efforts between community groups, institutions, and local and state-level governments to make sustainable changes for improved health outcomes.

This course examines the concepts, methods and practices for assessing the health of a community. Topics include assessment of resources, data, gaps, and strengths; developing community health profiles; identifying determinants of health; and the utilization of community health assessment in prioritizing recommendations and developing public health interventions.

This course examines key principles of community health promotion and community based participatory research principles. Key elements of community organizing for improved health outcomes including establishing community collaborations and partnerships, engagement, coalition building, community assessment, and dissemination of efforts. Principles of community engagement are examined in relation to community health.

In this course, learners create theory-based and evidence-informed community health initiatives. The course will examine use of logic models, intervention activities, budget development, organizational structure, and stakeholder engagement. Course concepts are applied to community health settings and scenarios and students gain opportunity to plan and implement health programs and initiatives.

This course provides learners with an opportunity to plan, implement, and utilize evaluation methods within community health settings. Basic principles and practices of evaluation are addressed, including identifying the goals of a community health initiative; designing and implementing an evaluation plan; using evaluation results to improve processes, programs, policies, and outcomes; and sharing results with stakeholder groups.

This course is designed to provide learners with a critical understanding of the effects of media as a vehicle to promote and impede the achievement of public health goals. Learners will develop communication skills to use a variety of media strategies to advance public health policies and promote social change. Learners are provided with opportunity to advance their personal presentation and communication skills.

This course will provide learners with an opportunity to apply the Community Health Leadership concentration competencies within a community health setting. In this first course of the two-part Field Experience, students should plan to complete approximately 100 of the total 200 required hours, including the following activities: submit an action plan and timeline in the first week; complete approval and tracking forms; submit a proposal of how the concentration competencies will be applied to their development of a capstone project and how this project will be implemented during MPH/690. Weekly student assignments throughout the course all contribute to the proposal due at the end of this course. Additionally, feedback received from faculty, peers, and the site supervisor each week will be integrated into the final product. A part of the student's grade on their project proposal will address how feedback received from all sources was incorporated.

This course will provide learners with an opportunity to apply Community Health Leadership concentration competencies within a community health setting. In this second course of the two‐part Field Experience, students are required to complete the remaining of the total 200 required hours of practicum work; complete tracking forms; complete a final summary report of practicum experience; evaluation of practicum experience; PowerPoint presentation of practicum experience; and a culminating project summary to include how the learner will utilize the practicum experience as part of their community health leadership portfolio or as a presentation at a public health conference or meeting.