PHC 2082   Informatics and Your Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Multi-disciplinary exploration of the nature of information - how it is represented, processed, shared, preserved, and protected in tools and applications directly linked to your health and the health of our planet. Identifies enduring principles; examines impacts on individuals and society; provides practice with a variety of digital technologies and data collection strategies; addresses interpreting results of and concerns in human subject research. This course helps students develop integral professional and technical skills, including presentation of ideas through written and verbal communication, within an informatics framework. Students will have the opportunity to focus on a particular technology company or issue as a mechanism for developing critical thinking and teamwork skills. Meets General Education requirement in Natural Sciences.

PHC 3767   Globalization and Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course examines the role of globalization in the burden of disease and global cooperation in development of interventions that promote health and avert transmission of transboundary pathogens across national boundaries and continents. The course will discuss the role of multinational and bilateral global collaborations for addressing health issues that cross national borders. The emerging threats require consistent multinational approaches and an informed public health workforce at all levels of practice. The course will use case studies to examine the impact of globalization on human health.

PHC 4024   Applied Research Methods in Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

In this applied course, students will learn how to conduct and interpret research in population health and disease, building on their knowledge from epidemiology and biostatistics and other content areas in public health. The course will provide skills in critically reading the literature related to public health-related research, developing a research question and a testable hypothesis, creating an analysis plan, and dissemination of results in paper and digital modes. The course will cover quantitative and qualitative research methods commonly used in public health research and practice.

PHC 4101   Essentials of Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Course teaches basic terms and definitions of public health and the factors leading to disease causation as well as disease prevention. Students study programs and policies that effect healthcare in a positive manner and apply basic principles of scientific reasoning with the use of available data and information. Topics introduced serve as a basis for enhancing the participants' ability to critically evaluate current trends in healthcare and develop programs and policies in an analytical manner.

PHC 4109   Diseases in Human Populations

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course provides students with an overview of the biological basis of public health and the implications of major communicable and non-communicable diseases of public health significant at the state, national, and international levels. Diseases contributing to national and global health disparities and strategies for reducing disease burden are discussed. Before enrolling, students must have at least one semester of a college science such as biology or a comparable course.

PHC 4140   Public Health Planning and Analysis

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course provides students with an overview of public health planning with an emphasis on the use of public health principles and theories of program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Students will gain an understanding of the complex factors that impact needs assessment. Case studies will be analyzed using examples of national, state, or local health programs and interventions.

PHC 4340   Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course provides a foundation in the multidisciplinary approach for the study of industrial hygiene intended for a wide range of health-related professionals who serve in critical roles for assessing, recognizing, evaluating, and controlling environmental or occupational hazards. The course provides students with insight in the management of occupational health hazards and diseases that can be leveraged in professional practice. The course is offered concurrently with PHC 5356. Graduate students are assigned additional work.

PHC 4341   Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course concerns worker protection and is a prerequisite for the advanced study of hazards in diverse work settings. The course places emphasis on principles and standards for the development and management of occupational safety and health programs, the resolution of safety and health issues, and the improvement of safety performance. The course provides an introduction to safety and health fields, an overview of loss control information and analysis, specific safety and health programs, and program implementation and maintenance. The course is offered concurrently with PHC 5355. Graduate students are assigned additional work.

PHC 4363   Occupational Safety and Health in the Health Care Environment

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course offers a multidisciplinary approach to the study of occupational safety and health in healthcare with researcher and practitioner perspectives. Common worker safety hazards and controls are reviewed, and safety improvement strategies are presented. The course promotes the recognition of safety and hazards in healthcare, relevant safety and health standards requirements, and identification and implementation of safety improvement initiatives. Offered concurrently with PHC 5351; graduate students will be assigned additional work, to include a semester project.

PHC 4464   Understanding Health Equity and Health Disparities

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course introduces students to social determinants of health, health equity, and health disparities in the United States. This course provides students with an overview of the societal impacts of racism, poverty, and inequity and the ways these constructs are contributing health disparities among individuals and communities. Students will explore sources of data for health disparities analysis. The course further explores the role of major national stakeholders and programs addressing social determinants of health contributing to disparities and implementing evidence-based strategies for eliminating health inequalities.

PHC 4905   Directed Study

College of Health, Department of Public Health

1-12 sh (may be repeated indefinitely for credit)

PHC 4930   Public Health Seminar

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3-6 sh (may be repeated for up to 6 sh of credit)

This public health seminar course presents current topics in the public health field at the local, regional, national, and international levels that may not be taught in traditional public health courses. Students employ critical thinking in analyzing and articulating opposing viewpoints on contemporary public health problem topics.

PHC 4940   Public Health Capstone

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course provides students with opportunities for practical and experiential high impact practices. The course serves a capstone requirement for undergraduate Public Health majors and is designed to allow students to review, integrate, and apply concepts and methods presented in the foundational core courses. All students complete a cumulative, integrative, and scholarly, and applied experience or inquiry project that serves as a capstone to the BSPH educational experience. Students develop an ePortfolio documenting their experiential learning. The capstone requirement must be taken in the senior year.

PHC 5050   Biostatistics for Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This is a second course in biostatistics for students in the graduate Public Health program. The topics include descriptive statistics, probability, standard probability distributions, sampling distributions, point and confidence interval estimation, hypothesis testing, power and same size estimation, one and two-sample parametric and non-parametric methods for analyzing continuous or discrete data, simple linear regression, logistic regression and other multivariate methods. Students will use a statistical software package for data management and statistical analyses. This is a fully online course with its own office hours and discussions. STA 2023 or equivalent is a pre-requisite for this course (see UWF Catalog). It is important to have a good understanding of inferential statistics, such as confidence intervals and test of hypotheses (for two samples). Students must have completed STA 2023 or equivalent in college.

PHC 5102   Principles of Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course introduces students to the history of public health, the structure of the public health system and the various sectors of public health practice, in order to gain an understanding of the complex factors that determine the health status of a community. Lectures will draw from the public health field, but also related disciplines such as behavioral sciences, healthcare management, medical ethics, and social work. National state, and local level practices will be analyzed, as well as the role that law and government play in the public's health. The course is also intended to stimulate student interest in other public health courses and program offerings.

PHC 5108   Monitoring and Evaluation in Global Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course provides students with fundamental frameworks for monitoring and evaluation in global health practice. The course provides an overview of different types of program evaluation, including needs assessment, formative research, process evaluation, monitoring of outputs and outcomes, and impact assessment. Students gain practical experience through a series of case-studies involving the use of a conceptual framework in the design of an evaluation plan, that includes development of indicators, analysis of computerized service statistics, and impact measurement. The course addresses experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental study designs, including the strengths and limitations of these designs in population and global health practice.

PHC 5123   Biological Basis of Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

An overview of scientific principles of public health and their application to public health problems with significant state, national and international impact. It is recommended that students have at least one semester of a college science such as, biology or a comparable course before enrolling.

PHC 5198   Applied Qualitative Research Methods

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction and overview of qualitative research methodology. Healthcare and public health professionals not only need to use evidence-based information to guide their practice in clinical, administration, and academic positions, but also need to examine, describe, explain and/or understand phenomena or cultures. Using qualitative methods, the researcher can create solutions to practical problems and contribute to the evidenced-based practice literature. This course will introduce the students to the basic principles of qualitative research and will allow them to understand the steps of the qualitative research process.

PHC 5351   Occupational Safety and Health in the Health Care Environment

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course offers a multidisciplinary approach to the study of occupational safety and health in healthcare with researcher and practitioner perspectives. Common worker safety hazards and controls are reviewed, and safety improvement strategies are presented. The course promotes the recognition of safety and hazards in healthcare, relevant safety and health standards requirements, and identification and implementation of safety improvement initiatives. Offered concurrently with PHC 4363; graduate students will be assigned additional work, to include a semester project.

PHC 5355   Fundamentals of Occupational Safety and Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course provides an overview of occupational safety and health and is a foundation for the advanced study of hazards in work settings. Students are provided an introduction to safety and the health fields, an overview of loss control information, and analysis relevant to OSHA standards. Industry-specific principles for the development and management of occupational safety and health programs, resolution of safety and health issues, and improved safety performance are presented. The course is offered concurrently with PHC 4341; Graduate students are assigned additional work.

PHC 5356   Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course provides a foundation in the multidisciplinary approach to the study of industrial hygiene intended for a wide range of health-related professionals who serve in critical roles for recognizing, evaluating, and controlling environmental or occupational hazards. The course provides students with insight into the management of occupational health hazards and diseases that can be leveraged in professional practice. The course is offered concurrently with PHC 4340. Graduate students are assigned additional work.

PHC 5410   Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Covers behavioral and social science contributions to science disciplines, including psychology, sociology, and anthropology, will be reviewed and integrated with public health objectives and outcomes. Using a biopsychosocial framework, the role of social, psychological, and behavioral factors in health and illness are emphasized.

PHC 5442   Global Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course will introduce students to the main concepts of the public health field and the critical links between global health and social and economic development. Students will get an overview of the determinants of health, and how health status is measured. Students will also review the burden of disease, risk factors, and key measures to address the burden of disease in cost-effective ways. The course will review specific topics related to the most important communicable and non-communicable diseases as well as issues related to food distribution, reproductive health and other global major health concerns with an important focus on low- and middle-income countries and on the health of the poor. We will also discuss cross-cutting global health issues such as poverty and equity, human rights and ethical issues in public health; globalization and health and complex emergencies.

PHC 5905   Directed Study

College of Health, Department of Public Health

1-12 sh (may be repeated indefinitely for credit)

PHC 6000   Epidemiology for Public Health Professionals

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This foundational course covers the application of epidemiologic procedures to the understanding of the occurrence and control of conditions such as infections and chronic diseases, mental disorders, community, and environmental health hazards, accidents, and geriatric problems in human populations. The course is critical to developing student competency in the foundational and practical utilities of epidemiology as a tool for disease surveillance and outbreak investigations, disease prevention and treatment. Part of the Master of Public Health degree program.

PHC 6003   Chronic Diseases Epidemiology

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course is designed to give the student current and comprehensive information on the epidemiology, etiology, pathogenesis, risk factors and preventive measures of common chronic diseases at the population level. The course will cover selected topics in chronic disease with an emphasis on disease occurrence in the United States, Florida and the current status of local research projects.

PHC 6005   Urbanization and Population Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course focuses on the impact of urbanization and the transmission of disease-causing organisms, as well as the interaction between human behavior and environmental changes on population health. Factors such as overcrowding, access to quality housing, modernized urban amenities, lifestyle choices and sanitation(WASH) contribute to the spread of disease in urban areas in developed and low-to-middle income countries.

PHC 6015   Epidemiological Research Designs and Methods

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course covers research design and methods commonly used in epidemiology and public health research. The course covers both quantitative and qualitative research designs, including, observational, quasi-experimental, and experimental designs used in epidemiological investigations. Methods for reliable and valid data collection and analysis will be covered. Common statistical methods for the analysis of public health data are discussed.

PHC 6110   Comparative Health Systems

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course will cover the major models for provision and financing of healthcare used around the world today. The historical development of these models will be traced, and the societal values and other factors underlying countries' choice of healthcare systems and policies will be examined. Students will learn to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of various ways of organizing and financing healthcare and to evaluate health policies according to a range of criteria for cost, quality, and equity.

PHC 6150   Public Health Policy

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course explores general principles of planning, management, and evaluation of health care programs, policies and interventions implemented by public and private organizations. The goal of the course is to ensure a broad understanding of critical issues concerning the organization, delivery, and financing of public health and health care in the United States and examines the role of private, community-based organizations, federal, state, and local governments in ensuring healthy communities. The basic conceptual frameworks underlying healthcare decision making and assessment of the financing, organization, outcomes and delivery of healthcare services are presented.

PHC 6194   GIS Applications in Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

An online course providing hands-on training in the use of geographic information systems for public health-related data. Students will complete projects covering the collection, analysis, and visualization of spatial data using both public domain and commercial software tools supporting geospatial data. Through a set of focused case studies, students will learn the basic features and limits of each tool, as well as interoperability with other GIS software products (both public domain and commercial packages). Part of the Master of Public Health degree program.

PHC 6196   Applied Data Analysis in Public Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course provides an overview of computer applications software for public health and health-related data. Fundamentals of data collection, data mining, statistical analysis, interpretation, and reporting of results are covered. Students gain hands-on experience in data management and analysis using real-world public health and health-related data. Enrollment in this course assumes a basic understanding of statistical reasoning and epidemiological experience. Note: Ideally students must have successfully completed PHC 6000, PHC 6300, PHC 5410, and PHC 5050 or equivalents before enrolling in this course.

PHC 6251   Disease Surveillance and Monitoring

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Disease surveillance and monitoring is the systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of data for use in prioritizing, planning, implementing, and evaluating health programs, activities and practices in the United States as well as in other developed and developing countries. We will focus on these fundamental processes and procedures which are utilized to investigate and track infectious and communicable diseases as well as non-infectious chronic diseases. The course will highlight the importance of designing and reporting quantitative and qualitative contents in disease surveillance.

PHC 6300   Environmental Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This foundational pubic health course provides a broad overview of the relationship between humans and their environment, and of the efforts to prevent or mitigate environmental threats. Students will be given an overview of the chemical, physical, and biological hazards present in our living and working environment and their effects on human health. The course is designed to acquaint students with the scientific and technical foundations of population health and examines both the practice of environmental health and problems addressed public health practitioners.

PHC 6310   Environmental Toxicology

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Environmental toxicology is the study of the effects of toxic substances on health and the environment. The student will recognize that human survival depends upon the well-being of other species and upon the availability of clean air, water, and food; and anthropogenic, as well as naturally occurring, chemicals can have detrimental effects on living organisms and ecological processes. Concepts to be covered include occurrence of toxicants, damage process and action of toxicants, factors affecting zenobiotic action, defense responses to toxicants, and others. Will also examine chemicals of environmental interest and how they are tested and regulated. Case studies and special topics will be examined.

PHC 6347   Aerospace and Occupational Toxicology

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course is an overview of practical hazards, assessment, and mitigation techniques used in the unique area of aerospace. The course provides an overview of the chemical, physical, and biological hazards present in our living and working environment and their effects on human health. The course is an elective for students in the MPH program who are participating in the Aerospace Medicine residency program and open to other students with the permission of the Department of Public Health.

PHC 6360   Accident Investigation and Risk Management

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

Accident Investigation and Risk Management includes an aerospace safety overview, biomechanics of impact, restraint systems, crew protection, and crew escape concepts, aviation and space vehicle crashworthiness, aerospace injury mechanisms, conduct of an accident investigation, forensic concepts, legal issues, and promoting prevention strategies to avoid future accidents. This course is an elective restricted to students in the MPH degree program who are participating in the aerospace and occupational medicine residency program.

PHC 6670   Ethical Issues in Global Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of major ethical principles and theories applied to global health, and how culture influences ethical decision-making in health resource allocation. Students will examine some of the primary theories and principles in global health practice and research ethics including virtue, deontology, utilitarian, autonomy, justice, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. The course explores prominent global health issues to build greater knowledge and understanding of global health ethics as a vital tenant of effective decision-making to promote optimal health. Topics will address broad ethical issues related to pandemic preparedness, ethical human subject research in developing countries, human rights, gender based violence, resource allocation, and the effects of globalization on health and quality of life within countries.

PHC 6676   Public Health Response in Humanitarian Emergencies

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course provides an overview of the types of humanitarian emergencies and their public health significance. Students explore the public health impact of emergencies and disasters in low-to-middle income countries. Students are introduced to population health needs assessment during emergencies and key indicators needed for timely response and mitigation. Emphasis is placed on the coordination among local, regional, national, governmental, and non-governmental organizations in the delivery of public health services.

PHC 6905   Directed Study

College of Health, Department of Public Health

1-12 sh (may be repeated indefinitely for credit)

PHC 6945   Applied Public Health Practice Experience

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This Applied Public Health Practice Experience provides students with an applied, scholarly, and mutually beneficial experience in a public health practice setting. It is completed under the supervision of an approved preceptor and a faculty member teaching in the UWF MPH program. The student will work on a problem related to management, development, or administration of a program in public health or related to research in public health. This experience must reinforce academic course work, meet community or agency needs, and provide the student with an opportunity to integrate and apply relevant MPH program competencies consistent with current accreditation standards. All students must produce a minimum of two practice artifacts approved by the Department of Public Health, as well as an ePortfolio showcasing these deliverables. The course is graded on a Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory scale. Permission is required. Students are expected to complete MPH foundational coursework prior to enrollment.

PHC 6946   Public Health Integrative Learning Experience

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The Public Health Integrative Learning Experience course is the culminating experience of the MPH Program that demonstrates synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies consistent with current accreditation standards. It is completed under the supervision of a faculty member teaching in the UWF MPH program. The student produces a high-quality written product that is appropriate for the student’s educational and professional objectives and approved by the Department of Public Health. Written products might include the following: research study design and implementation, program evaluation report, training manual, policy statement, legislative testimony with accompanying supporting research, etc. The written product is developed and presented orally to program faculty and relevant stakeholders. The course is graded on a Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory scale. Permission is required. Students are expected to complete MPH foundational coursework prior to enrollment and register for this course at or near their final semester in the program.

PHC 7011   Advanced Epidemiological Methods

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This doctoral-level applied methodology course is designed for students in the Doctor of Public Health Program. The advanced epidemiology course provides students with the skills and knowledge of special techniques in epidemiological practice, including measurement error, missing data, and intermediate variables. The course is project based and relies on real local population data for informed public health practice.

PHC 7467   Behavioral Health Intervention Strategies

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course is designed for advanced students in population health science to provide them competencies and skills needed to conceptualize, develop, implement and evaluate theory-based programs that influence health-related behaviors. It builds on the content from PHC 5410 in the foundational core courses.

PHC 7704   Community Participatory Research for Health

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

This course provides an overview of Community Participatory Research (CPR) approach as a framework for understanding and addressing population health, including health disparities solutions at the community level. Community participatory research (CPR) is a widely accepted collaborative approach to research that works to understand and protect public health by involving all partners in the research process. Students will apply integrated models and strategies for working with communities and community organizations in promoting health and wellness.

PHC 7710   Qualitative Research Methods and Applications

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction and overview of qualitative research methodology. Public health professionals and health-related social scientists need to use evidence-based information to guide their practice in health promotion and program planning. Using qualitative methods, the researcher can create solutions to practical problems and contribute to the evidence-based practice literature. This course will introduce the students to the basic principles of qualitative research and will allow them to understand the steps of the qualitative research process.

PHC 7944   Doctoral Public Health Practicum

College of Health, Department of Public Health

3 sh (may not be repeated for credit)

The course is a field internship experience in public health agency or work site setting under the supervision of preceptor and university graduate faculty. Requires a significant project proposal approved by public health instructor and a final report. The practicum is designed to provide Dr.PH students with the opportunity to integrate the knowledge and skills developed during their academic program in a structured, supervised, real-world professional setting under the direction of a site supervisor in a public health or social service agency.