Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Overview

Epidemiology is the core discipline of public health and is the study of the distribution and determinants of disease, disabilities, and death in human populations; the characteristics and dynamics of human populations; and the natural history of disease and the biologic basis of health. Closely linked to epidemiology is biostatistics, which is the development and application of statistical reasoning and methods in addressing, analyzing, and solving problems in public health, health care, and biomedical, clinical, and population-based research. Upon graduation, a student with a BSPH should be able to

1. Explain the importance of epidemiology for informing scientific, ethical, economic, and political discussion of health issues.
2. Define the basic concepts and terminology used in epidemiology.
3. Calculate basic epidemiology measures.
4. Describe the leading causes of mortality, morbidity, and health disparities among local, regional, and global populations.
5. Describe the risk factors and modes of transmission for infectious and chronic diseases and explain how these diseases affect both personal and population health.
6. Apply epidemiology measures to evaluate strategies to safeguard the population’s health

Biostatistics is the development and application of statistical reasoning and methods in addressing, analyzing, and solving problems in public health; health care; and biomedical, clinical, and population-based research. Upon graduation, a student with a BSPH should be able to

1. Describe the basic concepts of probability, random variation, and commonly used statistical probability distributions.
2. Explain common descriptive techniques used to summarize public-health data.
3. Analyze basic public-health data using common statistical methods for inference.
4. Interpret results of statistical analyses found in public-health studies.

Core Discipline Courses

• FMPH 101. Epidemiology
• FMPH 102. Biostatistics in Public Health

Note: All six upper-division core courses still required.

Electives

• BICD 136. AIDS: Science and Society
• BIEB 100. Biostatistics
• BIEB 152. Evolution of Infectious Diseases
• BIMM 110. Molecular Basis of Human Disease
• BIMM 124. Medical Microbiology
• BIMM 134. Biology of Cancer
• MATH 111A. Mathematical Modeling I
• MATH 111B. Mathematical Modeling II
• MATH 181A. Introduction to Mathematical Statistics I
• MATH 181B. Introduction to Mathematical Statistics II
• MATH 181C. Mathematical Statistics—Nonparametric Statistics
• MATH 181E. Mathematical Statistics—Time Series
• MATH 183. Statistical Methods
• MATH 185. Introduction to Computational Statistics
• MATH 186. Probability Statistics for Bioinformatics
• MATH 189. Exploratory Data Analysis and Inference
• REV 160GS. Public Health and Epidemiology I
• REV 165GS. Public Health and Epidemiology II
• SIO 187. Statistical Methods in Marine Biology

Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health

Overview           

The social and behavioral sciences in public health address the behavioral, social, and cultural factors related to individual and population health and health disparities over the life course. Research and practice in this area contribute to the development, administration, and evaluation of programs and policies in public health and health services to promote and sustain healthy environments and healthy lives for individuals and populations. Upon graduation, a student with a BSPH should be able to

1. Describe the multiple determinants of health and the interconnectedness of the physical, social, and environmental levels of influence.
2. Identify the basic theories, concepts, and models from a range of social and behavioral disciplines that are used in public health research and practice.
3. Identify the causes of, and disparities in, social and behavioral factors that affect the health of individuals and populations.
4. Apply evidence-based approaches in the development and evaluation of social and behavioral science interventions to improve public health.

Core Discipline Course

• FMPH 110. Health Behavior and Chronic Diseases

Note: All six upper-division core courses are still required.

Electives

• BIBC 120. Nutrition
• BIPN 108. Physiology of Exercise
• COGS 174. Drugs: Brain, Mind, and Culture
• PSYC 134. Eating Disorders
• PSYC 155. Social Psychology and Medicine
• PSYC 173. Psychology of Food and Behavior
• PSYC 179. Drugs, Addiction, and Mental Disorder
• PSYC 181. Drugs and Behavior
• PSYC 188. Impulse Control Disorders
• SOCI 134. The Making of Modern Medicine
• SOCI 135. Medical Sociology
• SOCI 136F. Sociology of Mental Illness in Contemporary Society
• SOCI 137. Sociology of Food

Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Overview

Environmental and occupational health sciences represents the study of environmental and occupational factors, including biological, physical, and chemical factors that affect the health of a workforce and the community. Upon graduation, a student with a BSPH should be able to

1. Describe the direct and indirect human, ecological, and safety effects of major environmental and occupational agents.
2. Describe federal and state regulatory programs, guidelines, and authorities that control environmental and occupational risk assessment methods.
3. Specify current methods of environmental and occupational risk assessment.
4. Evaluate different approaches for assessing and controlling environmental hazards that affect occupational and community health.

Core Discipline Course

• FMPH 130. Environmental and Occupational Health

Note: All six upper-division core courses are still required.

Electives

• ANBI 130. Biology if Inequality
• ANSC 143. Mental Health as Global Health Priority
• ANSC 144. Immigrant and Refugee Health
• ANSC 146. A Global Health Perspective on HIV
• ANSC 147. Global Health and the Environment
• ANSC 148. Global Health and Cultural Diversity
• ANSC 150. Culture and Mental Health
• ANSC 164. Introduction to Medical Anthropology
• COMM 114J. Food Justice
• ECON 131. Economics of the Environment
• ETHN 142. Medicine, Race, and the Global Politics of Inequality
• ETHN 157. Madness and Urbanization
• ETHN 190. Research Methods: Studying Racial and Ethnic Communities
• GLBH 181. Essentials of Global Health
• LTCS 165. The Politics of Food
• POLI 125B. The Politics of Food in a Global Economy
• SIO 189. Pollution, Environment and Health
• USP 144. Environmental and Preventive Health Issues
• USP 146. Research Methods for Built Environment and Active Living

Health Policy

Overview

Health policy is a multidisciplinary field of inquiry and practice concerned with the delivery, quality, and costs of health care for individuals and populations as well as laws and regulations aimed at influencing health-related behavior. Upon graduation, a student with a BSPH should be able to

1. Define public health and the related roles and responsibilities of government, non-government agencies, and private organizations.
2. Recognize the impact of policies, laws, and regulations on both individual behaviors and population health.
3. Apply the principles of policy analysis to the evaluation in policy interventions.
4. Undertake analyses of legislation, administrative regulations, and interpretations of judicial opinions and agency rulings.

Core Discipline Courses

• FMPH 120. Health Policies for Healthy Lifestyles
• USP 143. The US Health-Care System

Note: All six upper-division core courses are still required.

Electives

• ECON 130. Public Policy
• ECON 140. Economics of Health Producers
• ECON 141. Economics of Health Consumers
• HISC 180. Science and Public Policy
• POLI 160AA/USP 101. Introduction to Policy Analysis
• POLI 168. Policy Assessment
• SOCI 152. Social Inequality and Public Policy
• USP 133. Social Inequality and Public Policy