Graduate Course Descriptions

PHC 6065 Health Statistics (3). An introduction to the basic principles of inferential statistics as applied to public health. The course includes those components of biometry routinely used in public health. Prerequisite: Undergraduate course in statistics. Open only to graduate students in Public Health. (F,S)

PHC 6718 Quantitative Research Analysis in Health and Urban Affairs II (3). Application of quantitative techniques used for research analysis in health and urban affairs practice settings with focus on multivariate analysis.  Prerequisites: STA 6167 or equivalent; IHS 6509.

PHC 6719 Quantitative Research Analysis in Health and Urban Affairs III (3). Application of quantitative techniques used for research analysis in health and urban affairs practice settings with focus on statistical modeling.  Prerequisites: STA 6167 or equivalent.

PHC 6000 Introduction to Public Health Epidemiology (3). Introduction to the study of the distribution, determinants, and measurement of health and disease in populations, including study methods and their application to specific diseases and conditions. (F,S)

PHC 6001 Environmental and Occupational Epidemiology (3). This course covers outbreaks; cluster analysis; cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, ecological and time series designs; surveillance programs; environmental cancer; reproductive hazards, biological monitoring and biomarkers. Prerequisites: PHC 6315 and PHC 6000.

PHC 6002 Infectious and Chronic Disease Epidemiology (3). A review of selected epidemiologic research methodology as it applies to infectious and chronic diseases and its application towards understanding selected major infectious and chronic diseases from a population based perspective.  Prerequisite: PHC 6000 Intro to Epidemiology.

PHC 6003 Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3). This course covers principles specific to infectious disease epidemiology, explores the application of epidemiologic methods to infectious disease problems, and examines surveillance, and outbreak investigation.  Prerequisites: PHC 6000 and IHS 6508.

PHC 6004 Injury Epidemiology and Prevention (3). Analyzes the impact and extent of injuries as a public health problem. Issues of prevention, sources of data, environment, social and occupational aspects are included in an epidemiological approach. Prerequisite: PHC 6000. (SS)

PHC 6007 Cancer Epidemiology (3). This course will provide an understanding of the epidemiological patterns, etiology and risk factors of cancer from a community and population perspective. Prerequisite: PHC 6000.

PHC 6009 AIDS Epidemiology and Control (3). Reviews the epidemiology, virology, immunology, and clinical aspects of HIV, and also examines its impact upon risk groups and the responses of society to the epidemic. (S)

PHC 6012 Current Research in Epidemiology (3). This course will examine current areas of research in epidemiology and bring students into contact with researchers in various fields. Prerequisites: PHC 6000, IHS 6508. (S)

PHC 6014 Behavioral Epidemiology (3). This course will examine human behaviors as determinants of health and disease, methods of exploring these relationships, and ways of altering risk behaviors. Prerequisite: PHC 6000.

PHC 6015 Epidemiological Methods (3). This course will examine epidemiological methods emphasizing the actual conduct of studies. Students will undertake a simulated research project. Prerequisites: PHC 6000, IHS 6508. (S)

PHC 6016 Social Epidemiology, Health Promotion and Policy (3). Explores the epidemiological aspects of health and medical care of the poor and disadvantaged population groups. Emphasis on the relationship of organization and delivery of health care, including health promotion, prevention, and related topics. Prerequisite: PHC 6000. (F)

PHC 6017 Clinical Epidemiology (3). Focus on experimental study design; development phases, recruitment of subjects and data collection; assessment of adverse effects, measurement and adherence to therapy; and sub-group analysis. Prerequisites: IHS 6508, PHC 6000, PHC 6xxx Intro to Biostatistical Computing.

PHC 6056 Longitudinal Health Data Analysis (3). Applied longitudinal health data analysis; methods to compare different health treatments and behavioral interventions. Focus will be on models for single and multiple correlated public health outcomes. Prerequisites: PHC 6xxx Regression Analysis, PHC 6xxx Analysis of Variance, Matix Algebra.

PHC 6062 Research Synthesis and Meta-Analysis in Public Health (3). Use of meta-analysis to explore data, identify sources of variation among studies and identify future research questions; meta-analytic methods and software reviewed and applied to data sets.

PHC 6064 Models for Binary Public Health Outcomes (3). This course will offer students a focused introduction to statistical models for the analysis of binary medical and public health data. The course will provide an introduction to the application of statistical models for PH outcomes in epidemiology, dietetics and nursing. Prerequisite: IHS 6510.

PHC 6076 Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (3). This course will increase understanding of epidemiological patterns, etiology and risk factors of selected major cardiovascular disease from a population based perspective. Prerequisites: PHC 6000, IHS 6508.

PHC 6115 International Public Health (3). This course describes international differences in the distribution and determinants of disease and health, and examines interventions aimed at improving health status. (F)

PHC 6157 Introduction to Public Health Policy and Management (3). This course introduces students to the underlying principles of public health policy and management.  Emphasis is on the philosophy, and extent of public health structure, organization and administration of public health law and regulations will be analyzed.

PHC 6197 Data Management and Applied Epidemiologic Analysis (3). Covers practical issues related to the management, security, and analysis of epidemiologic data by creating, managing, and analyzing an epidemiologic database using statistical software packages.

PHC 6305 Disaster and Emergency Epidemiology (3). Disaster and Emergency Epidemiology studies the public health response to natural disasters, environmental emergencies and perpetuated acts of terrorism.

PHC 6315 Public Health and Environmental Management (3). An overview of public health philosophy and government organization in the provision of official agency, environmental, and preventive medicine services, with particular emphasis on the regulatory and surveillance responsibilities authorized in the public sector. (F,S)

PHC 6410 Health Behavior and Public Health (3). The overall goal of this course is to introduce the student to the learning and behavioral science theories that provide the framework for the practice of health promotion and public health. Prerequisites: Public Health major or permission of the instructor. (F,S)

PHC 6539 Health Demography (3). The study of basic population structure, composition, trends and relationship to health status. Implications of demographic trends, policies for public health; population growth, immigration, infant mortality. Prerequisites: IHS 6508 or permission of the instructor. (SS)

PHC 6700 Methods and Analysis in Epidemiological Research (3). This course provides understanding of principles, methods and analytical techniques applied in epidemiologic research using multimedia and interpersonal approaches of instructions to motivate and explain with real life examples. Prerequisite: PHC 6000.

PHC 6703 Epidemiologic Research Methods III (3). Focus on complex study design, methodological and analytic issues in epidemiologic studies. quantitative framework, inferences, confounding, synergism, and modeling techniques will be addressed. Prerequisites: PHC 6015.

PHC 6901 Readings in Public Health (1-3). Individual advanced study in a comprehensive overview of Public Health or in-depth advanced study of a speciality.  Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and Advanced standing in the graduate program.

PHC 6907 Independent Study: Public Health (1-3). Allows student investigations of special topics and issues utilizing literature searches, analysis, or active performance in public health settings under the direction of faculty supervision. Prerequisite: Permission of the faculty advisor.

PHC 6931 Emerging Public Health Issues Seminar (1). Investigation of emerging public health issues, such as public health informatics, genomics, global health, policy and law, and public health ethics, within the framework of ecological model.

PHC 6934 Scientific Writing and Oral Presentations in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (3). Covers the planning and execution of written and oral presentations in epidemiology/biostatistics by critically evaluating published articles and preparing a manuscript and an oral presentation. Prerequisites: PHC 6000 and IHS 6508.

PHC 6939 Special Topics in Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology (3). The purpose of this course is designed to impart in-depth knowledge of a particular cardiovascular disease or risk factor that is affecting populations nationally and or internationally. Prerequisites:  PHC 6000, IHS 6508, or permission of the instructor.

PHC 6945 Supervised Field Experience in Public Health (1-6). Preceptor guided experience in a public health organization. Experience will include orientation; observation; and participation in the aspects of the agency’s program. Prerequisite: Permission of the faculty advisor. (F,S,SS)

PHC 6977 Master’s Research Project (1-6). This course provides the student with an opportunity to explore indepth a specific topic or issue of interest in public health.

PHC 6XXX Master’s Thesis (1-6). Supervised research on an original public health problem or topic submitted in partial fulfillment of master’s degree requirement. Prerequisite: Permission of major professor. (F,S,SS)

PHC 7705 Methods in Evidence Based Public Health (3). Review of methods in evidence based public health; study designs addressing patient reported outcome measures; health status measures, area-based health intervention evaluation, quality of life and survival measures in health interventions. Prerequisite: PHC 6000.

PHC 7711 Methodological Issues in Scientific Inquiry of Public Health Research (3). Understanding and application of analytical methods in the philosophy of  science in order to explore systematically the critical methodological issues underlying public health research.  Prerequisite: Doctoral standing.

PHC 7980 Dissertation (1-12). Research for doctoral dissertation under the supervision of a major professor and a doctoral committee.  Prerequisites: Permission of instructor and doctoral candidacy.

PHC 7933 Seminar in Biostatistics (1-6). Course emphasis on the biostatistical methods used in research. Various biostatisticians will present their current research and lead class discussions on the development of their research agenda. Prerequisites: Fundamentals of Biostatistics I, II, III.

PHC   7050  Advanced Biostatistics I  (3)  Application of general linear statistical model to public health data held in Public Health Informatics Laboratory.  Utilizes various statistical software.

PHC  7051  Advanced Biostatistics II  (3)  Design and analysis of experiments for public health data.  ANOVA and mixed model analysis, testing assumptions and disgnositics, uses the Public Helath Informatics Laboratory.  Utilizes various statistical software.

PHC  7054  Advanced Biostatistics III  (3)    Generaslized linear model and estimating equation approaches for non-linear public health data.  Held in the Public Health Informatics Laboratory utilizing various statistical software.

PHC  7711  Methodological Issues in Scientific Inquiry of Public Health Research (3)   Understanding and application of analytical methods developed in the philosophy of science in order to explore systematically the critical methodological issues underlying public health research.

PHC 7716  Advanced Research Methods:  Survey Research   (3)  Conceptualization of survey research including how to conduct a survey and present results for professional publication.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions

PHC 4009 Principles of Applied Epidemilogy (3)   This course provides the student with a basic understanding of epidemiologic methods and study design and of the place of epimeiology in preventive and clinical medicine, disease investigation, program evaluation and public policy.

PHC 4500 Statistical Applications in Health Care (3)  A course in descriptive and inferential statistics for the health services.  Topics include probability distributions, point and interval estimation, hypothesis testing, regression and correlation, and contingency table analysis.