Population and Community Health Practice

This course introduces Master’s level students to the concepts of Population Health, Public Health, and Community Health with an emphasis on social determinants of health and issues of health equity. This course will begin with a brief review of the history of public health and how the concepts and practices of focus of population public and population health efforts have evolved from the first efforts to control the spread of infectious disease to the current emphasis on social determinants of health and emerging infectious disease. The focus will shift to Community Health and how it has evolved to address upstream in fluences on community health, social determinants of health, and health equity. Students will review and discuss specific cases that illustrate differences and similarities between these approaches and will consider how affected populations can be engaged in the development and implementation of community health interventions.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of the social, economic, and environmental factors that contribute to health inequities and disparities in communities and populations. Through an interdisciplinary lens, students will critically analyze how systemic inequities, including racism, poverty, education, and housing, shape the social determinants of health and contribute to differential health outcomes. The course emphasizes strategies for addressing these disparities through policy, community-based interventions, and advocacy, with a focus on promoting health equity in diverse populations.

Students will explore real-world case studies, engage with current research, and participate in discussions about how public health professionals can collaborate with communities to reduce disparities and create equitable health outcomes. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions that address the root causes of health inequities in diverse communities.

In this course, students analyze public health issues from a social and behavioral sciences perspective and examine the strengths and weaknesses of particular theories for developing effective individual and population-based intervention programs. The course will address social and behavioral theories from psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other disciplines that have influenced population health. Students will examine evidence related to the effectiveness of these theories in practice and apply these theories to examples of public health interventions.

Epidemiology is the science of community health, and an understanding of epidemiologic methods is important to evaluate evidence for both community health practice. This course will review basic methods and principles of epidemiology, addressing content areas including, disease transmission, measures of frequency of disease and of mortality and morbidity, study designs, measurement of risk, bias in epidemiology and epidemiology in the policy arena. Basic statistical principles related to descriptive epidemiology, significance testing, and regression analysis will be addressed. Case-studies will be used to illustrate how epidemiological research has informed public health practice. Students will learn to interpret epidemiological research and communicate the relevance of that research in community settings.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of community-based participatory research (CBPR) methods within the field of population and community health. Students will explore the principles and practices of CBPR, which emphasize equitable partnerships between researchers and community members throughout the research process. The course will cover the historical development of CBPR, ethical considerations, power dynamics, and practical strategies for engaging communities in research that addresses health disparities and promotes social justice. Through case studies, discussions, and hands-on projects, students will gain the skills necessary to design and implement participatory research projects that prioritize community involvement and co-creation of knowledge. By the end of the course, students will be able to apply CBPR methods to enhance health outcomes and equity in diverse populations.

The development of community health interventions has become more complex than in the past, often involving coalitions of stakeholders, experts in the field, and professionals from a variety of disciplines. This course will cover the core knowledge, and skills involved in program planning and evaluation and will provide hands-on experience in both program development and evaluation design.  An emphasis will be placed on using evidence-based approaches, assuring fidelity to those approaches, and involving stakeholders in both the design and evaluation of community-based interventions.

Additionally, both public and private health care organizations are important players in addressing community health priorities. An understanding of the roles and influence of the healthcare sector, and of public, private-for profit, and non-profit organizations on community health is essential for creating and implementing effective community health interventions. This course will introduce principles of public health management and administration and will involve case studies of real-life situations. Students will examine cases of both public and private sector health public health administration, and the effect of health policies at the community level. In the process will review finance and budgeting, human resources, health informatics, continuous quality improvement, health law and ethics, principles of leadership, and the importance of communication strategies. The health policy process and advocacy for health policy change and strategies for influencing policy will also be reviewed.

Health communication is of crucial importance to the promotion of positive behavior change, the reduction of community health risks, and the advocacy of public health policies. While providing both theoretical and applied foundations, this course is designed to teach students how to engage community members in communication strategies, effectively frame communication, select media, and construct public health campaigns and community health communication initiatives. Specifically, students will be provided with the knowledge and skills to identify and mobilize community resources to inform, empower, or persuade individuals to adopt healthier lifestyles, follow health advisories, and advocate for health policy change.

This course provides a thorough exploration of health policy development, analysis, and advocacy within the context of population and community health. Students will examine the processes through which health policies are formulated, the stakeholders involved, and the frameworks used to evaluate their impact on public health. The course emphasizes the role of advocacy in shaping health policy, focusing on strategies to influence policy change, promote health equity, and address disparities. Through case studies, policy analysis, and practical advocacy exercises, students will gain the skills needed to critically assess existing health policies and engage in the policymaking process to create meaningful change.

The Practicum in Public Health is a supervised, hands-on field experience designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply and enhance the knowledge and skills gained throughout their academic program in real-world public health, community health, or health care environments. Over the course of three 1-credit hour sessions, students will work closely with their faculty advisor to identify and complete a field experience that aligns with their career goals and fulfills the program’s practicum requirements. The practicum allows students to engage with community health functions, develop practical skills, and gain insight into the complexities of public health practice within various community and organizational contexts.

The Practicum in Public Health is a supervised, hands-on field experience designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply and enhance the knowledge and skills gained throughout their academic program in real-world public health, community health, or health care environments. Over the course of three 1-credit hour sessions, students will work closely with their faculty advisor to identify and complete a field experience that aligns with their career goals and fulfills the program’s practicum requirements. The practicum allows students to engage with community health functions, develop practical skills, and gain insight into the complexities of public health practice within various community and organizational contexts.

The Practicum in Public Health is a supervised, hands-on field experience designed to provide students with the opportunity to apply and enhance the knowledge and skills gained throughout their academic program in real-world public health, community health, or health care environments. Over the course of three 1-credit hour sessions, students will work closely with their faculty advisor to identify and complete a field experience that aligns with their career goals and fulfills the program’s practicum requirements. The practicum allows students to engage with community health functions, develop practical skills, and gain insight into the complexities of public health practice within various community and organizational contexts.

As the capstone in the MS in Community Health and Leadership degree, this course encourages students to reflect on the competencies they have acquired during the academic and fieldwork experiences phases of the program.  Students will develop and present a community heath grant proposal.