MPH Course Descriptions
MPH 502 Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health (3 units)
This course introduces students to the profession and science of public health and the factors related to human health. It explores health disparities, examines the social determinants of health, and the multi-level strategies aimed at reducing the gap in health outcomes within a public health context. The course explores gaps in health outcomes associated with race/ethnicity, socio-economic status (SES), gender, sexuality, and societal, environmental, and institutional factors that underlay health disparities.
MPH 511 Principles of Epidemiology (3 units) -Core Course
This course focuses on the study of the distribution and determinants of urban health issues through the use of vital statistics data. The course provides students with the necessary skills to investigate the epidemiology of diseases as well as to critique population-based studies in urban public health.
MPH 512 Principles of Biostatics (3 units) -Core Course
This course introduces students to the statistical methods commonly used in public health research, including the appropriate uses and common misuses of health statistics. The course provides the students with the necessary skills to analyze interpret and critique urban public health research studies.
MPH 513 Program Planning and Evaluation (3 units)
Program Planning and Evaluation builds on previously-learned skills of epidemiology, biostatistics, and social and behavioral theories in public health. The course provides students with the necessary skills to plan, design, implement and evaluate public health programs for improving health in urban settings.
MPH 521 Environmental Determinants of Health (3 units) -Core Course
Urban environmental factors, including social, physical and chemical factors are examined as determinants of health, with a particular emphasis on urban communities and strategies for reducing or eliminating ambient, workplace, and residential environmental threats.
MPH 522 Social and Behavioral Theories in Public Health (3 units) -Core Course
This course provides students with a review of the concepts and foundations of the social and behavioral theories influencing health related behaviors, and their application in public health programs. The course focuses on the psychosocial determinants of health-related behavior in multiethnic urban communities. Students will have the opportunity to apply critique and recommend theoretically-based public health programs targeting various ethnic groups.
MPH 523 Health Policy and Management (3 units) -Core Course
This course examines the political, structural, economic, ethical, and legal framework in which U.S. public health organizations develop, administer, and evaluate PH programs, and the U.S. policy making processes that affect the health of populations.
MPH 524 Community Engagement in Public Health (3 units)
Formerly MPH 524 Community Organization in Urban Settings
This course examines theories, principles, models, interventions, and effective strategies of engaging and working with communities through mobilization and organizing for improved health outcomes. The course moves beyond traditional public health interventions and identifies novel modes of engaging community and disseminating health promotion via an array of channels, including regular media and new technologies.
MPH 526 Health Communication and Data Visualization (3 units)
Formerly MPH 526 Health Education and Communication
The course provides an overview of the development, design, and delivery process for public health communications strategies and materials through current software platforms used in today's healthcare industry. It is designed to familiarize students with the process of developing public health information, data collecting and displaying techniques, and the application of both traditional and advanced communication technology into understandable information.
MPH 527 Race, Cultural Competency and Health (3 units)
Formerly MPH 527 Race, Culture and Public Health
Working towards "cultural competence" this course discusses the historical and contemporary ways that race and culture have been measured and understood in public health research and practice. The course examines racial formation, medicalization, biological and cultural determinism, and ways that differences between racial/ethnic groups are central to managing health disparities.
MPH 581 Research Methods (3 units)
Fundamentals of research study design, methods and data collection are examined. The course introduces quantitative, qualitative and mixed method approaches to research, as well as ethical issues in conducting research.
MPH 585 Global Health Disparities (3 units)
This course provides an interdisciplinary perspective on key challenges and proposed solutions to global health disparities that impact health and wellbeing. The course covers the relevance of global politics, economics, health systems, culture and society, and the health beliefs and practices that impact global health disparities
MPH 590 Applied Learning Experience (APE) (3 units) - Core
Formerly MPH 590 Urban PH Practicum
This is a Credit/No Credit course. The applied practice experience transitions student from an academic to a practice mindset. It requires the completion of 300 hours in a variety of public/private health settings. The student, in collaboration with the work-site preceptor, identifies the public health competencies and objectives which will be addressed during the applied practice experience. Students must have completed at least two semesters (6 courses) before they can start their practicum experience.
MPH 595 Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) (3 units) - Core
Formerly MPH 595 Culminating Experience
This is a Credit/No Credit course. Students complete a culminating, integrative learning experience that demonstrates synthesis of the foundational public health competencies and emphasis-specific competencies. Students, in consultation with faculty, select foundational and emphasis-specific competencies appropriate to the student's educational and professional goals, on which their final ILE deliverable will be based, at the start of the last semester prior to graduation. The ILE may take many forms, such as a practice-based project, PH program proposal, thesis, or a grant proposal. Regardless of the form, the student produces a high-quality written product, which includes a reflection on and evidence of the competencies attained, and presents a poster of the final ILE product in an open forum format.
Electives: students choose one (1) of the following MPH electives
MPH 520 PH Biology (3 units)
This elective course introduces students to the role human biology plays in public health. The biological and behavioral basis of diseases, including health promotion and disease prevention strategies are introduced through the study of the pathophysiology of lifestyle diseases and their underlying socioenvironmental determinants.
MPH 530 Conversation on Health and Politics (3 units)
Formerly Public Health Seminar
This elective course is designed to expose MPH graduate students to the breadth of public health via invited CDU faculty and guest lecturers. Guest lecturers discuss current research in salient public health issues through the lens of health disparities.
MPH 582A Thesis I (2 units)
This elective course (part of a two-semester series) provides students with the knowledge and skills to develop and refine public health research questions, conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of the literature, select a theory or organizing framework, outline the methods, formulate a data analysis plan.
MPH 582B Thesis II (1 unit)
This is the second course in a two-course series that continues work on the thesis started MPH 582A. The focus of the course is on completing the proposed thesis, culminating in a potentially publishable manuscript with an urban public health disparity impact.
MPH 583 Grant Proposal Development (3 units)
This elective course provides students an opportunity to enhance their skills in grant proposal writing. Student will become familiar with the funding environment, identify potential funders, understand the grant submission and review process, and respond to an official public health "Request for Application" grant.
MPH 584 Global Health Studies-The Cuban Health System Model (3 units)
This elective study abroad, global health studies course exposes students to the Cuban integrated health system. The course utilizes experiential learning, and as such the majority of the instruction take place in Cuba where students receive first hand instruction from those who work within the Cuban health system and are served by it, including faculty in the Cuban School of Public Health, experts in the health field, community members, and patients