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 873: Data-Driven Decision-Making for Public Health Leaders
  The public health leadership seminar is one in a series of four 1-credit requirements that will serve as the main integrative pedagogic experience of the DrPH doctoral program. The purpose of this course will be to explore the complexities of data-driven decision-making public health leaders face. The course will be based on group discussion and interviews with senior-level public health practitioners. Student learning will be grounded in gleaning lessons learned from advanced practitioners of public health in both domestic and global settings.
• SPH PH 874: Public Health Practice within Political Contexts
  The public health leadership seminar is one in a series of four 1-credit requirements that will serve as the main integrative pedagogic experience of the DrPH doctoral program. The purpose of this course is to focus on preparing DrPH students to analyze the political context that surrounds a health topic of interest. By understanding the politics involved, students will be better prepared to craft proposals, recommendations, and policies that will not only be grounded in scientific evidence, but be more feasible given existing politics. This course will explore politics while building skills in regional data analysis and recommendation development, to prepare students for their comprehensive exam and help them conceptualize a field-relevant dissertation topic.
• SPH PH 880: Research Dissemination Seminar
  This is an upper-level applied seminar course, in which students are mentored through the development of a manuscript suitable for publication in a peer- reviewed journal. Through a combination of workshops, written assignments, and oral presentations, students will develop research questions and/or hypotheses, conduct literature reviews, perform data analyses, and summarize results in a manuscript.
• SPH PH 890: Mentored Research Experience
  The 400-hour mentored research experience requirement gives students the opportunity to collaborate with a BUSPH faculty member or an approved partner.
• 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.
• SPH PH 975: 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. Students may register for 1, 2, 3, or 4 credits. 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 who do a 2 or 4 credit practicum, see the Practice Office for requirements. Students matriculating prior to Fall 2009 who select a 1 or 3 credit practicum in Fall 2009 or thereafter must follow the new requirements. Practicum course is graded pass/fail.
• SPH PH 976: MPH Health Practicum
  All MPH students must complete a practicum of at least 240 hours by registering for PH 976 or one of the courses listed below. Students who complete a course with a practice-based component will earn 30 hours toward the practicum requirement. Courses with approved practice-based components include GH 743, GH 744, PM 832, PM 835, and SB 806. Others may be added via petition to the Practicum Director. The Career Services office assists students in finding an appropriate practicum site. Students may also find practicums through professional and personal contacts, including SPH faculty. The practicum requirements may include, but may not be limited to the following: Placement approval, registration for SPH PH 976 (0 credit), a learning contract, and a final assessment.
• SPH PH 978: Public Health Practicum
  The purpose of this course is to provide dual MBA-MPH students a structured and mentored opportunity to explore the public health context and implications of their summer internship experiences. The course addresses at least the following MPH competencies. Use systematic approaches to develop, implement, and evaluate public health policies, programs, or services.Communicate effectively to multiple audiences in written and presentation form.
• SPH PH 984: Public Health Practicum
  This 4-credit directed practicum option and is available for the student who will produce an enhanced academic product suitable for publication or for presentation upon completion of the practicum. In order to choose this option, the student must also identify a BUSPH faculty member with whom to work. Expectations and guidelines for the academic product must be discussed with the faculty preceptor at the onset of the practicum. The student must demonstrate the capacity to complete such a project. The faculty member should commit to such a project only if he/she is willing to co-author with the student on the practicum product. The faculty member must also commit to meeting with the student several times during the course of the practicum semester. 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.10. submission of enhanced academic product. For students matriculating prior to Fall 2009, see the Practice Office for requirements. Practicum is graded.
• SPH PH 986: DrPH Practicum
  Required practicum for DrPH students. Students must submit paperwork to Sebastian Bach in the DrPH Program Office for approval prior to registration. Course is pass/fail.
• SPH PH 990: Continuing Study in DrPH Program
  Must be DrPH student working on dissertation. Doctoral students who have completed all academic course requirements, must register for Continuing Study Fee every Fall and Spring semester until they have successfully defended their dissertation and graduated from SPH. Students are certified full time and charged for student health insurance, the equivalent of two credits of tuition, and all relevant fees.
• SPH PH 995: Summer Research for Curricular Practical Training
  This course provides an appropriate registration status for international MS or doctoral students in any SPH department who need Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization in order to conduct off-campus research that is required in their curriculum. CPT authorization is required regardless of whether the research is part of a paid or unpaid position.
• SPH PM 702: Introduction to Health Policy, Delivery, and Management
  Almost 90 percent of the $2.8 trillion spent on health care in this nation in 2012 was used to provide medical services to individuals. High costs, unequal coverage and access, stresses on many caregivers, tradeoffs among quality and cost and access, and growing political tensions afflict U.S. health care. These problems affect all of us who work in public health. This course analyzes these problems, their causes, and ways to solve them. Specifically, how can our vast human and financial resources be marshaled and managed to improve health care delivery for all Americans? To answer this question, the course examines how people are covered, how care is organized and delivered, how money is raised and caregivers are paid, management, politics, ethics, and more. It considers hospitals, physicians and other caregivers, long-term care, prescription drugs, and mental health. NOTE: This course meets the health policy and management MPH core requirement. It is the prerequisite for most others in the department. Peace Corps/MI students who are not HPM concentrators, students studying on F-1 or J-1 visas, students who are not permanent residents of the U.S. and who are not Health Policy and Management concentrators, and all International Health concentrators may substitute IH704.
• SPH PM 714: Healthcare Management as a Profession
  This seminar will provide students with an understanding of the scope of current healthcare management practices and challenges, an introduction to case-based analysis, and the professionalism skills necessary to engage with healthcare managers in practice-based projects and other applied educational activities.
• SPH PM 721: Organizational Behavior in Health Care
  This course provides a framework for understanding, diagnosing, and taking actions to improve individual, group, and system-wide effectiveness in health services organizations. Concepts from the organizational behavior literature are applied to issues in health services organizations. Some of the topics this course addresses and integrates are leadership, motivation, culture, team dynamics, organization design and coordination, and organizational change. Case studies, brief lectures, student presentations, and experiential exercises are used throughout this course, and working in teams is a large component of the course.

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