Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• SPH PH 801: Community Engaged Research: Theory, Methods, and Applications
  This course provides an overview of theory and methods for working with communities to conduct research that informs public health practice and policy. Through a combination of lectures, discussion, case-studies, and interaction with practitioners, we will explore the history of research in community settings; theoretical, ethical, and methodological considerations for engaging non-scientists in research; the role of particular communities of interest in transforming research funding and infrastructure; and specific examples from local research initiatives. The course also trains students in the necessary skills to form a research question, work with communities to form research questions, identify appropriate research methods in response to such questions, to write a proposal to conduct community engaged research.
• SPH PH 820: Capstone Course in Chronic and Non-communicable Diseases
  This course examines key issues related to chronic and non-communicable diseases. Through the course, students learn to select and apply frameworks and concepts learned throughout their coursework to identify public health solutions to issues of chronic and non-communicable disease determinants, prevention, treatment, management, and financing.
• SPH PH 825: Analysis of Emerging Infections Using the One Health Approach
  This class employs One Health, a public health approach that emphasizes the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and the environment, to provide an understanding of factors involved in the natural history of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs), and of approaches required for sustainable control and prevention of these diseases. The number of reported EIDs is steadily increasing and some EIDs (e.g., influenza, chikungunya, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] and, recently, SARS-CoV-2) have had enormous global public health impact. Localized outbreaks can often be quite severe, particularly in certain settings (e.g., Ebola in West Africa and COVID-19 in China). EIDs are vector-borne and/or zoonotic, and a wide range of social, behavioral, and physical environmental factors contribute to their emergence. In this class, case studies of specific EIDs are used to illustrate the multi-factorial nature of disease emergence and spread. Emphasis is on understanding the natural history and pathogenesis of these EIDs, and the laboratory methods commonly used for their diagnosis and surveillance. At the course conclusion, students will be able to apply the principles they have learned to analyze and determine the factors involved in the new emergence or re-emergence of an infectious disease; essential knowledge for determining appropriate control and prevention strategies.
• SPH PH 842: Research Theory and Design
  This course focuses on the philosophy of science and the practice of research in public health. It compares and contrasts different approaches to scholarship and examines what makes some research interesting and important. The course will focus on developing research questions, objectives and aims in the context of what is already known/not known about an area of study. Students will develop the background and specific aims sections for a research proposal by the end of the course.
• SPH PH 843: Introduction to Quantitative Analysis for Public Health and Health Services Research
  Through this course, doctoral students and advanced masters students will build their skills and intuition to use statistical methods to conduct public health and health services research. Rather than providing a menu of options for statistical analysis, the course will emphasize key concepts that unify different approaches, using linear regression as a case study in statistical and causal inference. The course will cover critical sources of bias in estimating point parameters and standard errors, including: confounding, measurement error, missing data, and correlated and heteroskedastic errors. The instructional model for the course will be the integration of lectures, in-class and at-home simulation exercises in R, critique of existing studies, and analysis of real data. Students completing this course will have built the intuition and gained the hands-on-experience needed to implement regression-based analyses in their own future work; to take higher level courses in statistical analysis and study design successfully; and to engage with the quantitative literature in public health and health services research with a critical eye.
• SPH PH 844: Introduction to Qualitative Analysis for Public Health and Health Services Research
  Qualitative methods are increasingly used either independently or as part of mixed-methods designs to answer "how" and "why" questions that other research methods may not inform. In this course, students will learn to identify different types of qualitative methods and the types of research questions and problems for which they are appropriate; different approaches to the analysis of a variety of types of qualitative data and to critically assess examples of such methods used in the literature.
• SPH PH 845: Integrated Learning Experience for MPH
  The BU MPH Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) affords students the opportunity to synthesize foundational and certificate competencies. Students will integrate and apply the knowledge and skills obtained throughout the degree program. ILEs will be tied to the student's required functional certificate and will incorporate skills and content from their context certificate as appropriate. Students will only complete one ILE, regardless of the number of certificates they pursue. Students working to complete two functional certificates will meet with their faculty advisors and Career Services staff to determine which ILE option is best for their career interests. The ILE is a required, 0-credit component of the MPH. It is student-initiated and faculty guided. Students will register for PH 845 for the ILE in their last semester.
• SPH PH 851: Needs Assessment
  This course examines the processes by which local and regional health status and services can be assessed and analyzed. Students will learn approaches to: quantitatively and qualitatively defining public health problems; setting a community agenda by prioritizing distinct public health problems; engage the community in assessing local capacity to address those problems; visualizing those problems with Geographic Information Systems; and presenting the results of their assessment to audiences of decision makers and the public.
• SPH PH 853: Strategic Planning and Communications
  This course focuses on the development and implementation of program and policy interventions that can improve public health by modifying people's health-related behaviors, and on the design and execution of effective oral and written communications to support those interventions. Working through a sequence of written assignments, students will develop: (1) a set of theory-based learning and environmental change objectives; (2) a strategic plan for a program or policy intervention designed to change an important health-related behavior; (3) a management plan for implementing and maintaining that intervention; (4) a supportive communication strategy; and (5) specific media and communications executions to operationalize that strategy. In class writing workshops and individual consultations are designed to give students ideas for their projects and interim feedback on their written assignments.
• SPH PH 854: Program and Policy Evaluation
  Evaluation research is critical to the advancement of public health knowledge and the improvement of program services. This course focuses on the theory and practice of program evaluation and the development of student evaluation skills and their implementation in practice. Students will use case study materials. Students will learn to conceptualize the entire evaluation process from the development of program logic, through evaluation design, measurement, sample size calculation and an analysis plan. In addition, students will learn about cost-effectiveness analysis and meta-analysis for policy development.
• SPH PH 856: Law & Ethics for Public Health Leaders
  Law, ethics, and human rights often either determine or heavily influence both the range of choices open to public health policymakers and the means available to achieve public health goals. Using case studies, including rationing flu vaccine, responding to catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina, protecting and promoting women?s health and reproductive rights in developing countries, and regulating research to prevent exploitation of subjects in resource poor countries, students will recognize and integrate legal, ethical, and human rights concepts into public health policy development.
• SPH PH 857: Health Economics and Financial Management for Public Health
  This course is an applied, practitioner-oriented survey of major topics in health economics and the financial management of public health organizations and programs. It will provide students with a brief introduction to the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of health economics and financial management, but the focus will be on practical application to health care market issues, resource allocation policy problems, financial and managerial accounting, performance measurement, and economic evaluation of public health programs.
• SPH PH 858: Cases in Public Health Management
  This course will focus on developing tools for and perspectives on decision- making in senior public health positions through analysis of a series of case studies. Students will adopt different roles in preparing the cases, sometimes singly and sometimes in groups. The cases will address challenges faced by senior leadership including human resources, facilities design, quality control, organizational change and integration of policy and program planning. Students will be assessed on: (1) memos prepared for their roles in individual classes; (2) the quality of their participation in class discussions of the cases; and (3) their response to a case that will be distributed as a final examination.
• SPH PH 866: Public Health Leadership Seminar
  The public health leadership seminar will be the main integrative pedagogic experience of the DrPH doctoral program. It will provide a place for combining and applying knowledge from previous courses and field experience to address substantial complex multidimensional public health programs. It will also address crosscutting issues that may not be covered in any single DrPH core or departmental course. This integrative leadership doctoral seminar will model/demonstrate the multidimensional approaches and cross-cutting leadership needed to address a complex public health practice issue, including students' dissertation projects. The seminar will also provide an opportunity to meet/learn from/and interact with senior Public Health officials/practitioners.
• SPH PH 931: Directed Study
  
• SPH PH 944: Advanced Field Experience 1
  All Executive MPH students must complete a practicum of at least 140 hours. The Career & Practicum Office can assist students in finding an appropriate practicum site, students may also find practicums through professional and personal contacts, including SPH faculty. The practicum requirements include, but may not be limited to, the following: Placement approval through the online Practicum Portal, registration for PH 944 (0 credits), approval of a learning contract, and a final assessment of two work products linked to program competencies, which is reviewed and approved by faculty.
• SPH PH 945: Advanced Field Experience 2
  All Executive MPH students must complete a capstone project in their final semester that synthesizes the skills and knowledge gained throughout the degree program. The faculty advisor assists students in determining the best capstone project for their intended career trajectory. Students attend weekly seminars as they develop and complete their projects. The capstone project requirements include, but many not be limited to, the following: Registration for PH 945 (2 credits), project approval, a final assessment, a presentation, and a short reflection paper.
• SPH PH 950: Public Health Nutrition Culminating Research Experience
  The culminating research experience in the MS Public Health Nutrition program provides the opportunity to integrate and apply classroom learning towards the development of a research-focused product. All students must complete an integrative paper that combines their research interests and program training. Examples include but are not limited to: narrative reviews, systematic reviews, critical appraisal of existing policies or programs, and research concept proposals. Students will be encouraged to format their papers for submission to academic journals and conferences. Students must meet with their advisors to plan their integrative papers, submit a signed approval form, and complete the drafts and final product according to the established deadlines.
• SPH PH 970: Public Health Practicum
  This course allows students the opportunity to integrate and apply classroom learning in a public health work environment through an approved, planned and supervised practicum. For students matriculating in Fall 2009 and after, course components include: 1. placement in an agency or organization with a scope of work which develops and applies learned public health skills. 2. minimum of 112 practicum work hours 3.approved learning contract 4.faculty and agency oversight 5.midpoint review 6.written abstract 7. poster presentation and integration seminar 8.evaluations 9. attendance of 2 skill-based professional development seminars. For students matriculating prior to Fall 2009, see the Practice Office for requirements. Practicum course is graded pass/fail.
• SPH PH 971: Public Health Practicum
  This course presents an opportunity for students to use his/her second year SSW field placement to fulfill the MPH practicum requirement. Course components include one, 2-hour seminar and an individualized learning experience (choice of seminars or reflective essay, focusing on social work and/or public health practices). Students must also attend two skill-based professional development seminars. Practicum is graded Pass/fail.

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