This course will introduce students to neighborhoods of Boston and provide opportunities for acquiring and practicing community assessment skills. We address the fundamental question: How do public health scientists and practitioners demonstrate that a health problem in a community warrants intervention? Students will learn to consult the literature, large data sets (such as the U.S. Census, hospitalization data, vital records, and national survey data) and geographic/mapping data, as well as conduct key informant interviews and site visits to assess health promotion needs and assets of a specific neighborhood and groups. The course will culminate in the production of a community needs assessment report integrating the various sources of data gathered over the course of the semester.