PUBLIC HEALTH (PUBH)

This introductory course serves to develop a foundation in the breadth and depth of public health, locally and globally. Students will develop an understanding of the basic concepts of the public health disciplines and research, and how they are used to promote health at a population level.

This is a seminar-based course where students have the opportunity to learn about the diverse array of careers and academic paths in an identified public health discipline. Alumni speakers may represent careers in policy, research, government, consulting, non-profit, entrepreneurship, global health, community organizations, etc. Speakers will illustrate how their work impacts the promotion of health and prevention of disease in communities and populations. A selected public health career discipline will be the focus, but will vary each time the course is offered.

This course offers participants a multidisciplinary perspective on HIV/AIDS -- its etiology, immunology, epidemiology and impact on individuals and society. The course will ask what lessons about pandemics can be learned from studying HIV/AIDS, with a specific focus on parallels with COVID-19. Open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

In this study abroad course, students will learn about, and practice leadership principles related to public health practice in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Throughout the course they will meet important leaders in public health and adjacent fields that serve as role models for improving community and population health. Students will also learn about environmental health issues impacting Brazilian populations and their parallels to environmental issues in the US, the social, economic and political factors/structures that contribute to these issues.

This course is intended for students who know no Spanish or so little that they feel the need to start over. Students with more than two semesters of college Spanish are not eligible. The course covers the curriculum of first-semester Spanish taught within a health context, with a focus on speaking.

This intermediate course is the equivalent of the third semester of college Spanish. Students will hone their listening and speaking skills in class primarily through role-playing activities and class discussion. Activities center on an original film set in a health clinic in rural North Carolina.

Required preparation, third semester Spanish or equivalent. This advanced course reviews the grammar of the third and fourth semester of college Spanish. Students hone their listening and speaking skills through role-playing activities and class discussion. Activities center on an original film set in a Latino-run health clinic.

Introduction to humanitarian crises and emergencies, those who respond to them, interventions and management including evaluation. These tools will be used in recognizing, improving planning and evaluation of international crises response programs. Every other week, evening online sessions are required with instructors. This course meets requirements to serve as a graduate and undergraduate elective. Permission of the instructor.

Permission of the instructor. Sections will focus on specific topics of current interest to health workers. Fliers describing the section offering will be distributed prior to registration each semester. Lecture hours per week dependent upon credit.

Independent Study to address goals and objects of student. Prior faculty agreement is required. Registration for an independent study course must be completed after the learning contract has been approved and no later than the last day of "late registration" (the end of the first week of classes in F/S).

Overview of economic evaluations of public health and health care interventions, understanding basic methods of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) and use of CEA to inform resource allocation decisions. Critically appraise CEA for internal validity and applicability. Explore controversial CEA issues, including methodological controversies and ethical issues for the prioritization of resources.

This course exposes students to a broad range of public health topics while fostering career readiness and professional skill development. Students attend a combination of public health content, career development, and professional development events, engaging directly with Gillings-wide speakers, students and sessions. The course emphasizes interdisciplinary learning, build knowledge, skills, and professional connections outside their primary discipline. Career development activities guide students through self-assessment, career exploration, and job search planning; professional development focuses on enhancing workplace and applied skills. Through structured reflections, students integrate learning from events to strengthen public health understanding, refine competencies, advance short- and long-term career goals.

This course explores the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health and facilitates the understanding of health as an inexorably linked system requiring multidisciplinary collaborative efforts. The One Health concept demonstrates the importance of a holistic approach to disease prevention and the maintenance of human, animal, and environmental health.

This course provides a foundational understanding of the policy process and how evidence-based policy can be used to address major US health system problems, particularly at the nexus of public health and clinical care. There is additional focus on the role of law, politics and public health ethics in addressing public health issues, and the role of clinical professionals in advocating to advance public health policy priorities.

This course helps students cultivate authentic leadership for better teamwork and self-discovery. Students will be exposed to real world challenges and learn about best practices to mitigate those challenges. Students will understand how to incorporate compassion, teamwork, self-confidence, humility and political savvy into the practice of public health. This skill course is for undergraduate and graduate students. Undergraduates should contact professor for approval.

In-depth examination and practice of methods for communicating health messages to and with groups and populations. Public health communication theory, sociocultural issues, and communications contexts including place, are explored while developing communication skills and strategies. Topics include health communication research, data visualization, media advocacy, communication with policy makers, social media, public health presentations, use of technology, health promotion materials development, and health and media literacy. Emphasis on written and oral communication to promote health.

Explores contemporary issues/controversies in global health through an interdisciplinary perspective; examines complexity of social, economic, political, and environmental factors affecting global health; analyzes global health disparities through a social justice lens; and exposes students to opportunities in global health work and research.

This course will introduce students to the theoretical and practical aspects of public health ethics. Develop student's analytical skills to evaluate ethical issues related to public health policy, prevention, treatment, and research. Topics include: ethical reasoning; concepts of justice; principles of interacting with communities; professional conduct and research. Online course.

This course covers the fundamental concepts and tools for monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of global public health programs. Basic concepts and practices in M&E will be covered, such as theoretical frameworks, indicator development, data collection methods, performance monitoring, and evaluation designs. At the end of this course, students will have a broader understanding of M&E principles and methods and be able to critically review the M&E process of a global health program. This course is offered fully online and asynchronously.

Using powerful tools from engineering and management, this course equips students to conceptualize, design, and analyze public health and healthcare delivery systems for successful implementation.

This course offers participants a multidisciplinary perspective on HIV/AIDS and COVID -- their etiology, immunology, epidemiology, and impact on individuals and society. How pandemics are framed by a society determines not only how affected persons are treated but also the degree to which the rights of the individual are upheld.

Students will evaluate systems of care that impact oral health, understand the health policy process, and engage in policy analysis. Issues to be explored will include: access to care for high risk populations; integration of dental services into public health programs; trends in the demand and expenditures for dental services; dental care policy and the health policy process; the legislative process; and managed dental care.

The course uses Daniel Dawes' "The Political Determinants of Health" as its foundational text, with additional readings and resources to further supplement the students' understanding of how the political determinants - voting, government and public policy - operate to structure decisions and systems that allocate opportunities for people and communities to be healthy, to succeed and to thrive...or not.

This course examines migration from a global public health perspective. We take a broad understanding of migration, as the process of moving from one's place of origin to another compelled by different factors (i.e., economic, political, environmental). We discuss social determinants of migration and its health effects, and public health interventions. This class teaches students basic qualitative research skills, including drafting qualitative research questions, interview guides, and conducting and analyzing in-depth interviews.

This online course offers a multidisciplinary perspective on HIV/AIDS -- its etiology, immunology, epidemiology, and impact on individuals and society. How HIV/AIDS is framed by a society determines not only how affected persons are treated but also the degree to which the rights of the individual are upheld.

Overview of continuous quality improvement (CQI) applications in public health in local and global settings including its important relationship to leadership and equity. Focus on practical skills and tools with sufficient theory to understand the origins of the philosophy and describe/analyze processes encompassed by CQI. For working public health practitioners with current or future management/leadership responsibilities driven by equity within their organizations and for individuals interested in applied CQI in their personal lives worldwide.

Course will orient students to market-based strategies, models, and tactics for improving individual and community health status within the framework of marketing, strategic communication, and advocacy. Online course.

This course addresses concepts of place-based public health including the histories of people, landscapes, landmarks, culture, structures, and/or other aspects of place and how they provide assets and barriers for a community's health. Students compare public health concepts of a place-based approach with multiple disciplines' perspectives on place. Students integrate concepts with visits to, and experiences with, people and health institutions in Western North Carolina. Fall.

This course explores the who, what, where, when, why, and how of community health transformation. We learn about cultural context, purpose, and approaches supporting and enacting health justice from community co-educators; engage with models (Participatory Action Research and Community-Based Participatory Research/Action) and resources; explore the roles of history, perspective, relationships, and trust in community work; visit to/with community co-educators, engage in community-collaborative activities, and analyze a community health transformation.

This course will produce foundational knowledge for public health professionals to understand and help mitigate the global and regional human health impacts of climate change. This course leverages the expertise of experts in Asheville at the National Centers for Environmental Information and the Climate Program Office within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This IPEP course uses the 2006 Academy Award winning film CRASH to illustrate the interconnectedness of peoples lives and the triumphs and tragedies that result from our inability to "see" each other's lives and lived experience. Students will explore concepts and strategies that support improved oral and written communication, learn how to approach issues that may be divisive and how to engage in civil discourse. This course is important for helping to build a foundation for developing a stronger school climate of acceptance, inclusion and belonging in the Gilling's School and creating public health professionals with strong interpersonal Communication skills.

This course provides you with the knowledge and skills needed to plan, implement, and evaluate public health interventions. You will refine and enhance your understanding of specific public health problems; identify and prioritize potential solutions; consider community assets, needs, culture and context; adapt evidence-based interventions for a particular context; and develop proposed solutions with an eye on health equity. Final deliverables: written project plan and oral pitch in support of your solution. MPH PHC Concentration Students only.

Graduate students only. Provides an overview of knowledge and skills required for effective project/team leadership and management. Includes modules on leadership, management techniques, application of continuous quality improvement, and project management as well as organizational designs that complement team-based organizations. Online course.

This course will provide students with the knowledge and skills to develop policies that address public health challenges, with an emphasis on improving health equity, promoting social justice, and creating systems in which the human right to health is given full effect.

Designed for students in the Population Health for Clinicians concentration in the MPH program who are preparing to work on their practicum and master's paper. This course focuses on developing Leadership skills at the intersection of healthcare and public health, and preparing students to engage in public health practice. Taken in Fall and Spring semesters.

This course for students in the PHC concentration establishes a framework for examining prevention strategies delivered in healthcare and public health settings and considers several important health problems and the evidence for applying prevention strategies to these health problems. Students learn and apply skills related to identifying public health problems and appropriate prevention strategies, and communicating about risk to different audiences. Encourages active student participation and involves a multidisciplinary faculty.

Emphasizes the process of critical appraisal of existing medical research literature, with examples from a variety of subject areas. Students must be enrolled in the Population Health for Clinicians Concentration or have permission of the instructor to enroll.

Emphasizes the process of critical appraisal of existing medical research literature, with examples from a variety of subject areas. Student presentations of structured critical appraisals constitute about 50 percent of sessions. Students must be enrolled in the Population Health for Clinicians Concentration or have permission of the instructor to enroll.

This course is designed to provide students with the fundamental research and analytic methods needed by public health leaders to assess the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of healthcare in order to improve population health. The focus will be on research skills needed by practitioners with the objective of improving health outcomes.

This course explores the concept of social innovation and its application in promoting community engagement in research. Students will learn various methods of social innovation and how to implement them to enhance participation and collaboration within communities.

Systematic analysis of recent reforms to the U.S. health care system, including passage and initial implementation of the Affordable Care Act, with particular attention to how reform is intended to improve access, quality, equity, and effectiveness and whether reform can accomplish this while controlling cost.

Applied improvisation is a novel approach to cultivating interpersonal skills. This course introduces individuals to applied improvisation from the perspective of a public health scientist and educator. Through several physical and verbal exercises, participants explore skills such as creativity, spontaneity, adaptability, courage, and storytelling. Briefings examine how exercises reinforce public health principles and how they relate to the workplace. Resources for further reading and training are provided. This course helps students to increase confidence, react more effectively to unexpected events, pursue active listening, and build and explore ideas through honest collaboration.

This class will provide students with an opportunity to learn about implementation science and to apply relevant methods and tools to improve population health outcomes. Students will develop an understanding of implementation science frameworks and approaches. Students will also gain an understanding of the importance of implementation science for addressing public health concerns and the role implementation science can play in bringing public health practice and research closer together. This course will draw on concepts and practices related to public health leadership, quality improvement, systems and design thinking, and community engagement, among others.

Team leadership and management practices with an emphasis on successful team leadership in clinical research. Team effectiveness strategies provide framework for development of successful leadership of teams undertaking clinical research.

PUBH 769 is a public health leadership topics course to explore leadership lessons. This section will focus on leadership during crisis using the experiences with the COVID 19 pandemic as examples. By permission of instructor

PUBH 781 could be a co-requisite with another required concentration course, only with instructor permission. This 3-credit course introduces students to a basic understanding of how public health leaders can apply principles of community organizing, community engagement and community building as a necessary approach to improve health. With the course's design grounded in public health practice, you will complete the course with an understanding of how to build and champion multisector collaborations that support efforts to improve health.

This course examines the public health impact of mass criminalization and mass incarceration in the US. Using a public health prevention framework, students will investigate the intersection of the criminal legal system with health outcomes. Students will identify alternative strategies grounded in public health, social justice and human rights principles to create healthier communities.

This course presents classic project management concepts and methods, applicable to research, public health, healthcare, information science and other team projects to develop a toolbox of strategies to effectively manage projects using globally accepted theoretical frameworks; practice is gained via assignments, cases, lectures, and course project. IPEP DS Immersion Experience.

This is an applied service-based course in public health leadership. Students will engage with community-based partners to co-design and develop evidence-driven interventions that will strengthen collaborative infrastructure needed to address Social Determinants of Health.

This course is a ''bootcamp-style'' course that provides an intensive introduction to the structures, functions and values of health systems and to the health system challenges that give rise health disparities and health inequities, particularly structural biases and discrimination in the health system and in society's institutions, policies & attitudes. These foundations, initially explored in the weeklong, intensive bootcamp, are connected to content in four other required courses throughout the semester. Together, these structural underpinnings provide a basis for understanding the mediators of health and many of the levers for improving health and advancing health equity in diverse contexts.

This course is designed to gain a deeper insight into their own and others' leadership styles, behaviors, and emotional intelligence. Students will engage in a day-long active-learning workshop every other week and access videos, readings and assignments online. Students will engage with the instructor and peers in person via reflection journals, large and small group activities, leadership assessments. Students will produce a leadership development plan and generate a set of professional goals.

Course will introduce students to leadership theories and research, provide a context for leadership in public health, and help students learn core leadership skills.

This course bridges coursework and knowledge gained in health inequities with applied practice. Each semester, a specific health inequity and/or social determinant of health will be chosen based on current events. Students will hear from practitioners about how this issue affects public health on-the-ground as well as: participate in related service-learning projects with community/practitioner partners during Spring Break, incorporate reflection-in-action into activities and reflection-on-action to identify how they will incorporate lessons learned into future work.

PUBH 769 is a public health leadership topics course where the leadership topics can vary by semester and by section number. Permission by instructor to enroll is required.

Applied research in public health practice includes study design, methods development, statistical analysis and related topics. This course provides students research opportunities in applied public health research. Consultation with the faculty and approval of subject and proposed program required. May be repeated. Hours and credits will be documented in student/instructor learning agreement. Permission of the instructor is required.

This is the culminating course for the MPH degree. Students enrolling in this class should have completed all core courses and have completed or be enrolled in the final concentration courses AND be in the final term of their MPH program. Permission of the instructor is required.