The Department of Applied Psychology offers an undergraduate minor in health psychology that is designed for students from a variety of disciplines within Bouvé and across Northeastern University who wish to expand and to apply their understanding in key concepts of behavioral science and how they inform and intersect with public health, prevention science, clinical applications, and interdisciplinary and interprofessional care. The department also offers an undergraduate minor in mindfulness studies—which is designed for students who seek to enrich their understanding of mindfulness practice, including its benefits and potential applications—and a minor in early intervention—which is designed for students who enjoy working with very young children and their families. In addition to these minors, the department offers three PlusOne programs to accelerate the advancement of undergraduate students to a master's degree in applied behavior analysis, applied psychology, and school psychology.

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Minors

The Department of Public Health and Health Sciences in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences at Northeastern University provides a unique, transdisciplinary setting that incorporates instruction, research, and practice and seeks to prepare students for a wide range of career paths. The department offers two bachelor’s degrees—a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Health—and options for combined majors with the D’Amore-McKim School of Business; the College of Arts, Media and Design; the College of Social Sciences and Humanities; the College of Science; the College of Engineering; and the Khoury College of Computer Sciences. In addition, the department offers minors in exercise science, public health, global health, and nutrition. We offer Master of Public Health degree programs, including a one-year accelerated, experiential Master of Public Health.  We also offer an innovative Master of Science in Real-World Evidence in collaboration with Northeastern’s Roux Institute. We collaborate with the Khoury College of Computer Sciences to offer a Master of Science in Health Informatics, as well as dual degrees with the School of Pharmacy, the Physician Assistant Program, and the School of Law. At the doctoral level, we offer a PhD in Population Health and, in cooperation with Khoury, a PhD in Personal Health Informatics.

Our diverse faculty has expertise in the fields of population health; health disparities; nutrition; social epidemiology; exercise science; medical sociology; public policy; personal health technologies; neurodevelopmental disorders; environmental, occupational, and mental health, including addictive behaviors and responses to traumatic events; among many more. Students have the opportunity to work side by side with faculty in conducting cutting-edge research in these fields.

In line with Northeastern’s commitment to interdisciplinary research and urban engagement, we teach and work closely with many other schools, colleges, centers, and departments in the university, including the Institute for Health Equity and Social Justice Research, the Center for Community Health Education Research and Service, the Social Science Environmental Health Research Institute, and the Center for Health Policy and Healthcare Research, as well as community agencies and neighborhood health centers in the local Boston area and beyond.


 

Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Bachelor of Science (BS)

Combined Majors

Minors

Accelerated Programs

See Accelerated Bachelor/Graduate Degree Programs

Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology Courses

CAEP 1280. Introduction to Mindfulness. (4 Hours)

Explores modern mindfulness practices and how these practices were derived from Eastern spiritual teachings, including Buddhism and Hinduism. Describes the current literature related to potential health and wellness outcomes of a mindfulness practice. Examines various meditation techniques, as well as accompanying practices such as yoga and breath work. Focuses on developing and practicing daily mindfulness using a highly experiential approach. Offers students an opportunity to learn and discuss the foundations on which such practices are based.

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture


CAEP 1290. Personal Behavior Change. (4 Hours)

Designed to help students to develop an awareness of and strategies for the management of their behaviors. Examines how behavior is influenced via operant and respondent conditioning, motivating variables, and reinforcement and punishment. Requires students to design and implement a self-management project that involves goal setting, measuring behavior, selecting and implementing an intervention based on the research, and monitoring and evaluating progress. Offers students an opportunity to develop skills to support their goals, including time management and effective communication.


CAEP 1990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


CAEP 2012. Health Psychology: An Introduction. (4 Hours)

Introduces the field of health psychology, which studies the role of psychology in health, illness, and healthcare. Topics include sustaining and promoting health, as well as experiencing illness and the body. Discusses focusing on people’s behaviors, perceptions, emotions, and understandings of health and illness, within the contexts of relationships and culture. Also discusses how the theories and concepts of health psychology are instrumental in health promotion and prevention (including relevance to students’ own well-being). Specific themes include the biopsychosocial model of health; stress, coping, and social support; health-promoting and health-risk behaviors; behavior change theories and approaches; gender and health; health disparities; and the relevance of health psychology for health promotion.


CAEP 2030. Education and Learning in Ghana. (4 Hours)

Explores education and learning in educational institutions in Ghana, West Africa. Examines learning with a focus on primary and secondary schools in the context of Ghanaian policies, structures, and culture. Examines issues of educating the Ghanaian citizenry in contrast to issues faced in the United States. Introduces the current standards of education in Ghana and the policies that guide those standards. Offers students an opportunity to witness how Ghanaian culture educates students with disabilities.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience


CAEP 2040. Higher Education in Ghana. (4 Hours)

Examines the academic programs and the administration of student services/affairs and student development in institutions of higher education in Ghana, West Africa.Explores higher education institutions and student development in the context of Ghanaian culture and society. Considers college student development theories as they relate to Ghanaian students. Compares Ghanaian colleges and universities with institutions in the United States.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


CAEP 2050. Health Systems, Services, and Education in Ghana. (4 Hours)

Explores healthcare systems, services, education, and training in Ghana, West Africa. Discusses Ghana’s medical facilities, services, training institutions, and policies that affect prenatal care, women's health, chronic and communicable diseases, traditional medicine, and general health issues. Explores preventative, immediate, and remedial care and healthcare delivery issues and challenges in Ghana.This is a Dialogue of Civilizations course.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience


CAEP 2060. Health and Well-Being in Ghana. (4 Hours)

Explores issues involving health and well-being in a Ghanaian context. Utilizes frameworks of well-being to examine ways in which Ghanaian healthcare institutions provide services to its citizenry. Offers students an opportunity to engage in a comparative analysis of college student health and well-being to that of students in U.S. institutions of higher education.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


CAEP 2101. Behavioral Assessment and Treatment of Health Problems in the 21st Century. (4 Hours)

Focuses on the application of principles of behavior analysis to address health problems in the 21st century, such as obesity, addiction, and adherence to medical procedures. Offers students an opportunity to develop an understanding of basic behavioral principles and how those principles are applied to assess and treat health problems. Compares and contrasts a behavioral approach with other traditional methods in health psychology. Emphasizes systems of measurement, evaluation (single subject design), and treatment. Studies how a behavioral approach is integrated into a multidisciplinary treatment plan.


CAEP 2105. College Student Mental Health. (4 Hours)

Explores the mental health issues of college student populations, especially the mental health challenges that exist in students prior to college enrollment that may affect their matriculation through college. Explains those mental health issues that arise as a result of being a college student. Includes the mental health advocacy needed by these students as well as the services and activities that exist to address their needs.


CAEP 2106. History and Systems of Psychology. (4 Hours)

Offers an overview of the major people and ideas that have helped to shape the field of psychology. Considers both historical and philosophical influences, as well as systems relevant to Western intellectual thought. Affords students the opportunity to become aware of, and gain knowledge about, some of the assumptions, criteria, and systems shaping past and current theories of psychology.


CAEP 2107. Introduction to School Psychology. (4 Hours)

Introduces the field of school psychology, including the history, foundations, and future of the profession; the different roles and functions; the professional issues and standards; licensing and credentialing issues; ethical and legal issues; and the various associations of school psychologists. Discusses the influences of organization and operation of school systems, policy development, and school climate on children as well as school psychologists.


CAEP 2280. The Yoga Tradition in Nepal: Philosophy, Methods, and Practice. (4 Hours)

Introduces key aspects of the yoga tradition including preclassical, classical, postclassical, and modern aspects. Explores teachings from both the Hindu and Tibetan traditions, including the eight limbs of yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Yantra Yoga practices. Describes the research on mental and physical health outcomes from a regular yoga practice.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience, NUpath Interpreting Culture


CAEP 2290. The Yoga Tradition: Philosophy, Methods, and Practice. (4 Hours)

Introduces preclassical, classical, postclassical, and modern aspects of the yoga tradition. Explores teachings from both the Hindu and Tibetan traditions, including the eight limbs of yoga, Hatha Yoga, and Yantra Yoga practices. Describes the research on mental and physical health outcomes from a regular yoga practice.

Attribute(s): NUpath Interpreting Culture


CAEP 2460. Special Education. (4 Hours)

Surveys the characteristics and the development and learning needs of children and youth with special needs. Reviews legislation and current trends, with an emphasis on integration and full inclusion of children and youth with special needs in regular education settings and also in the community. Introduces principles of assessment and intervention and strategies for the development of individualized education programs (IEPs).


CAEP 2899. Introduction to College Student Development and Student Affairs. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to obtain a basic understanding of the role of the student affairs professional and the theories of college student development that serve as a foundation for practice. Emphasizes the importance of cocurricular educational experiences of students attending institutions of higher education as well as leadership development, problem solving, and career exploration in student affairs.


CAEP 2990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


CAEP 2991. Research in Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology. (1-4 Hours)

Offers an opportunity to conduct introductory-level research or creative endeavors under faculty supervision. May be repeated once.


CAEP 3000. Contemporary College Student Activism. (4 Hours)

Explores college student activism from historical foundations, present-day causes, and the possible burgeoning motivations for student activism. Describes student movements in the context of the times in which they exist, such as free speech, antiwar, Occupy Wall Street, and Black Lives Matter, as well as in the time of a pandemic and social unrest. Presents activism as college student development and as a continuing catalyst for changing higher education. Considers the role of media and social media in student activism. Explores the significance of quasi/backlash student movements such as the white student scholarship movement. Offers students an opportunity to work in task groups to think critically about the next generation of student activism.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


CAEP 3200. Childhood Adversity and College Attainment. (4 Hours)

Introduces students to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and their prevalence in the childhoods of certain college student populations. Examines how these potentially traumatic events that occur during the ages of 0–17 are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance misuse in adulthood. Studies how the manifestation of ACE during the college years has implications for student development theory application and administration of services and programs on campuses, as well as ACE’s impact on education, job opportunities, and college student degree attainment. Explores the classifications of ACE—pandemic, natural disaster, terrorist attack, or racial and social injustice—and the possible implications of living through, making life adjustments, or absorbing constant media coverage as a result of these experiences.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity


CAEP 3310. Say It Loud: The Black Power Movement and Higher Education. (4 Hours)

Explores the impact of the Black Power movement on American colleges and universities. Examines the history of the movement and its relationship to the civil rights movement and the various impacts of Black Power on contemporary higher education. Traces how the movement led to distinct ideologies, scholarship, practices, and terminology that provided new lenses through which institutions of higher education viewed Negroes in terms of the preservation, transmittal, and enrichment of their culture by means of instruction and scholarly and scientific work. Explores Negro college students’ adoption of a Black identity and making demands on campuses that manifested in curricula, programs, and services that represented this identity.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity


CAEP 3480. Counseling Theories and Practice. (4 Hours)

Surveys major theoretical approaches to counseling. Provides training and practice in listening skills to aid in the development of facilitative responses. Combines didactic representations and experiential activities to assist in understanding and implementing a variety of counseling approaches. Requires prior completion of one introductory social science course.


CAEP 3485. Mental Health and Counseling. (4 Hours)

Explores those characteristics that constitute a mentally healthy person, factors in society that impact emotional health, the mind-body relationship, stress, and ways to achieve a higher level of emotional well-being. Offers students the opportunity to work in triads, small groups, and large group discussions. Role-play is utilized where appropriate. Requires prior completion of one introductory social science course.


CAEP 3899. Relationships in College. (4 Hours)

Explores the interpersonal interactions of traditional-age college students with their peers, faculty, roommates, romantic partners, and family. Investigates the implications of relationships on the college student’s well-being, growth, and development. Requires students to discuss and analyze the impact of technology on relationships and how it enhances or diminishes effective communication in college. Emphasizes the importance of cultivating relational skills that can be applied in students’ postacademic lives.


CAEP 3990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


CAEP 4505. Human Sexuality. (4 Hours)

Presents an in-depth study of human sexuality mostly through role-play, small groups, and self-exploration. Addresses issues that affect the individual and society including intimate relationships, sexual behaviors and lifestyles, gender roles, and current health issues associated with human sexual behaviors. Focuses on counseling and intervention approaches as we explore current issues in human sexuality and trends in the field such as teen sexuality and pregnancy, rape, early sexual experiences, ethics, abortion, HIV and STIs, sex addiction, and sexuality across the life span.

Prerequisite(s): (BIOL 1113 with a minimum grade of C- or BIOL 1147 with a minimum grade of C- ); CAEP 2012 with a minimum grade of C


CAEP 4511. Assessment, Program Planning, and Implementation in Special Education. (4 Hours)

Presents the process of assessment, program planning, and implementation for children and youth with special needs. Requires students to administer education assessments, summarize the results in a case report, propose a program of education intervention, and identify methods to facilitate and monitor its implementation, in the context of an individualized education program (IEP).

Prerequisite(s): CAEP 3460 with a minimum grade of D-


CAEP 4525. Introduction to Professional Psychology. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to gain an understanding of the roles and functions psychologists have in different work settings and how psychological theory, techniques, and research can be applied in real-world situations. Studies the several different areas of professional psychology, including counseling psychology, school psychology, clinical psychology, early intervention, applied behavior analysis, and organizational psychology. Students also have an opportunity to learn how to prepare themselves for graduate school and how to put together an application to graduate school programs. Intended for students considering graduate study in psychology or allied disciplines.


CAEP 4990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


CAEP 4991. Research. (4 Hours)

Offers an opportunity to conduct research under faculty supervision.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience


CAEP 4992. Directed Study. (1-4 Hours)

Offers independent work under the direction of members of the department on a chosen topic. Course content depends on instructor. May be repeated without limit.


CAEP 5150. Early Intervention: Family Systems. (3 Hours)

Introduces students to the theory and practice of family interventions with a diverse population including infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with special needs. Discusses family systems, developmental, coping, crisis, and ecological theories and practices. Teaches assessment and intervention skills. Integrates theories of exceptionality as they pertain to family systems into course material.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity


CAEP 5151. Early Intervention: Infant and Toddler Development, Risk, and Disability. (3 Hours)

Introduces students to the major theories of development and their implications for intervention. Presents and discusses infant/toddlers’ development, risk, and disability in the areas of cognition, communication, motor skills, social/emotional development, and adaptive skills, and considers variation in development as a result of multiple factors. Is team-taught by professors drawn from school psychology, special education, speech-language pathology, counseling psychology, nursing, and physical therapy.


CAEP 5153. Early Intervention: Assessment and Intervention. (3 Hours)

Covers assessment models and the multidomain tests used in early intervention. Students become familiar with informal and formal instruments used in different areas including cognition speech and language, motor, and social/emotional domains. Explains the process and responsibilities for the writing of individualized service plans (ISPs), as well as variety of intervention models, methods, and strategies to be implemented in natural environments. Is taught by professors drawn from special education, speech-language pathology, counseling psychology, nursing, and physical therapy. Students participate in Northeastern’s Global Early Intervention Network.


CAEP 5330. Applied Animal Behavior Analysis. (4 Hours)

Introduces the reverse translation of behavior from the animal laboratories of Pavlov and Skinner to the world of human behavior change via applied behavior analysis, and back to the socially significant behavior of animals that live in proximity to humans. Discusses how to identify problem behaviors of dogs, cats, and other animals and how to ethically assess and analyze these behaviors through this lens, as well as how to design an ethical course of intervention.


CAEP 5876. Mental Health Education and Program Planning. (3 Hours)

Describes dominant models of health education and program planning for mental health. Emphasizes the importance of collaboration with end users, stakeholders, and the development of partnerships. Highlights cross-cultural differences in health service systems and underserved populations.


CAEP 5877. Research Methods in Applied Psychology. (3 Hours)

Provides an opportunity for students to learn basic concepts in applied research in psychology, education, and related behavioral and mental health fields. Provides a solid foundation for students to conceptualize the purpose, process, and key methods of applied research. Introduces relevant statistical topics within the context of their respective designs.


CAEP 5878. Pediatric Psychology. (3 Hours)

Introduces the field of pediatric psychology, which studies the role of psychology in health, illness, and healthcare among children and adolescents. Reviews various psychological, emotional, and behavioral factors associated with onset, course, and management of specific pediatric illnesses. Explores related evidence-based prevention and treatment interventions.


CAEP 5879. Trauma and Mental Health. (3 Hours)

Introduces the foundations of trauma theory to offer students a trauma-sensitive perspective to the continuum of practice from policy making to direct client service. Reviews the neurophysiology of trauma. Examines causative factors and evidence-based treatments of trauma-related mental health issues (e.g., PTSD). Reviews current theory and research on topical areas related to trauma including intimate partner violence, child abuse, sexual assault, school and community violence, war and terrorism, and other emerging trauma issues.


Cardiopulmonary and Exercise Sciences Courses 

EXSC 1120. Introduction to Exercise, Fitness, and Health. (4 Hours)

Explores the fundamental role of exercise and fitness in health. Introduces principles of exercise and various components of fitness and wellness. Discusses the development of basic exercise prescription for cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, and endurance and flexibility and provides hands-on experiences of measuring these components. Includes discussions on a wide range of topics, including advances and innovations in health and fitness and practices that lead to more healthful living.


EXSC 2991. Research in Exercise Science. (1-4 Hours)

Offers an opportunity to conduct introductory-level research or creative endeavors under faculty supervision. May be repeated once.


EXSC 4500. Exercise Physiology 1. (4 Hours)

Introduces exercise physiology. Covers the muscular, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, ventilatory, endocrine, and metabolic responses to acute exercise and the physiological adaptations to chronic exercise and physical activity. Basic concepts related to physical fitness, body composition, weight control, and training principles are discussed.


EXSC 4501. Lab for EXSC 4500. (1 Hour)

Accompanies EXSC 4500. Offers experiments in the exercise physiology laboratory that introduce concepts related to the lecture content of the course and include techniques such as strength testing, ergometry, graded exercise testing, indirect calorimetry, and body composition assessment.


EXSC 4990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


EXSC 5200. Cardiopulmonary Physiology. (3 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to gain an understanding of physiological principles of the cardiopulmonary system. Covers the structure and functional operation and regulation of the cardiopulmonary system, disease-associated physiological changes and cardiopulmonary dysfunction, and exercise-induced acute responses and physiological adaptations of the system and their applications to chronic cardiopulmonary diseases. Integrates knowledge of exercise and physical activity with cardiopulmonary health and fitness, as well as cardiopulmonary disease prevention and treatment.

Prerequisite(s): ((BIOL 2217 with a minimum grade of C- ; BIOL 2219 with a minimum grade of C- ) or EXSC 4500 with a minimum grade of C- ) or graduate program admission


EXSC 5210. Physical Activity and Exercise: Prescription, Measurement, and Testing. (3 Hours)

Studies the general principles of physical activity and exercise prescription, measurement, and testing. Offers students an opportunity to learn the fundamental concepts and techniques to measure physical activity, exercise, and related testing procedures through a hands-on approach. Topics include the use of questionnaires and activity monitors to measure physical activity; measurement of body composition, fitness, muscular strength, and endurance; and clinical exercise testing. The fundamental concepts of exercise prescription and use of measurement techniques taught in this course are applicable to careers in physical therapy, exercise physiology, and as a physician assistant. Requires prior completion of EXSC 4500 or equivalent undergraduate course or permission of instructor.


EXSC 5220. Advanced Exercise Physiology. (3 Hours)

Covers the advanced study of concepts, principles, and research in the field of exercise physiology. Discusses advanced concepts in the muscular/neuromuscular, cardiovascular, ventilatory, endocrine, and metabolic responses to exercise and exercise training. Specific study of the physiological control mechanisms regulating these systems are also addressed during periods of rest, acute exercise, and following chronic exercise training.

Prerequisite(s): EXSC 4500 with a minimum grade of D- or graduate program admission


EXSC 5230. Physical Activity and Exercise: Effects on Musculoskeletal Health and Disease. (3 Hours)

Seeks to provide a foundation for understanding the benefits of physical activity and exercise and the detrimental effects of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior on musculoskeletal health. Studies the function/dysfunction of the musculoskeletal systems resulting in common/uncommon disorders and the prevalence, etiology, and benefits of physical activity/exercise. Students apply previously learned exercise physiology principles, such as exercise prescription and neural and motor control adaptations, to physical activity and exercise. Discusses key physiological mechanisms underlying common/uncommon musculoskeletal disorders. Examines the preventive and beneficial effects of physical activity and exercise endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. Restricted to graduate students in exercise science and to undergraduate students minoring in exercise science.

Prerequisite(s): EXSC 4500 with a minimum grade of D- or graduate program admission


EXSC 5240. Clinical Nutrition Applications in Health and Disease. (3,4 Hours)

Prepares health professionals to effectively communicate principles of diet and nutrition to their clients and the public. Covers public health promotion strategies, techniques used to teach diet and nutrition, and behavioral theories used in diet and nutrition intervention. Emphasizes clinical applications for the treatment of weight disorders, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, and nutrition in the life cycle.


EXSC 5976. Directed Study. (1-4 Hours)

Offers independent course work under the direction of members of the department on chosen topics. Requires submission of a written proposal to the program adviser prior to the intended semester. May be repeated without limit.


Health Science Courses 

HSCI 1000. College: An Introduction. (1 Hour)

Provides an introduction to the University, college, and health professions to enhance students’ understanding of self and the decisions they make academically and socially as members of the University’s diverse, multicultural community. Group activities and individual assignments along with active participation in a learning community help students adjust to life on an urban campus, develop a better understanding of the learning process, acquire essential academic skills, and make connections with the faculty and students in the college.


HSCI 1105. Human Nutrition. (4 Hours)

Examines the fundamental role of nutrition in promoting health and how lifestyle and the socioecological model work together. Covers the physiological functions of energy-providing nutrients in the body and interrelationships, including the key functions of macronutrients and micronutrients. Introduces the use of two different diet assessment tools to assist individuals in selecting food for health promotion. Offers students an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to make healthy choices and the role nutrients have on a person’s wellness.

Prerequisite(s): BIOL 1107 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or BIOL 1111 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or BIOL 1115 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or BIOL 1117 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or BIOL 1147 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or BIOL 2217 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or CHEM 1101 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or CHEM 1161 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or CHEM 1211 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or HSCI 1106 with a minimum grade of C- or PHSC 2301 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C- or PHSC 2303 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C-

Attribute(s): NUpath Natural/Designed World


HSCI 1106. Contemporary Issues in Nutrition. (4 Hours)

Explores the fundamental role of nutrition in promoting health. Offers an overview of nutrient functions, compositions, and digestion/absorption. Relates concepts covered in class to current topics of interest in nutrition. Offers students an opportunity to discuss their dietary behaviors in relation to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Attribute(s): NUpath Natural/Designed World


HSCI 1990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


HSCI 2000. Professional Development for Bouvé Co-op. (1 Hour)

Introduces students to the Bouvé Cooperative Education Program and provides them with the opportunity to develop job-search and career-management skills. Offers students an opportunity to perform assessments of their workplace skills, interests, and values and discuss how they impact personal career decisions. Students also have an opportunity to prepare a professional-style résumé, learn proper interviewing techniques, and gain an understanding of the opportunities available to them for co-op. Introduces career paths, choices, and career decision making. Familiarizes students with workplace issues relative to their field of study and teaches them to use myNEUCOOL database in the job-search and referral process. Presents and discusses co-op policies, procedures, and expectations of the Bouvé Cooperative Education Program and co-op employers.


HSCI 2350. Advanced Nutrition in Health and Disease. (4 Hours)

Designed for health professionals to increase their knowledge and skills in advanced nutrition in health and disease. Builds on a foundation of nutrition and introduces nutrients and their physiological impacts, including the nutritional guidelines for good health and disease prevention. Through case studies, offers students an opportunity to interpret nutrition in the prevention and treatment of diet-related health problems, such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 1105 with a minimum grade of C


HSCI 2500. Public Health Nutrition in the Community. (4 Hours)

Explores the role nutrition plays in promoting and improving health in the community. Examines modern aspects of public health nutrition in the healthcare system by applying the principles of nutrition to design policies, behavior, program planning, food insecurity, marketing, and children and adult nutrition programs. Offers students an opportunity to develop and deliver nutrition education to various populations in the community, including school-age children, college students, and the elderly population.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 1105 with a minimum grade of C


HSCI 2983. Special Topics. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to participate in a small seminar to explore selected topics within the vast subject of healthcare. May be repeated twice.


HSCI 2990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


HSCI 2991. Research in Health Science. (1-4 Hours)

Offers an opportunity to conduct introductory-level research or creative endeavors under faculty supervision. May be repeated once.


HSCI 3990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


HSCI 4700. Health Science Capstone Introduction. (0 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to integrate their coursework, knowledge, and experiences into a proposal for a spring semester capstone experience. Students propose their health science culminating experience from options in the form of developing and implementing their own project with faculty mentor support or participating in a faculty-led seminar.

Prerequisite(s): PHTH 2210 with a minimum grade of C ; (PHTH 2300 with a minimum grade of C or PHTH 2301 with a minimum grade of C ); (PHTH 2350 with a minimum grade of C or PHTH 2351 with a minimum grade of C ); PHTH 2515 with a minimum grade of C ; (ENGW 3302 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3304 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3306 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3307 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3308 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3314 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3315 with a minimum grade of C )


HSCI 4720. Health Science Capstone—Service. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to integrate their course work, knowledge, and experiences into a project that results in a written report and presentation regarding an issue within the field of health or healthcare. The project is a culminating experience in the health science program. Includes working with a mentor in a field experience in public health education or health policy, public affairs, social service, or other healthcare environment in which the student is qualified. Requires students to present their projects to the seminar class and possibly to the agency or group with which they are working.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 4700 with a minimum grade of S

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


HSCI 4730. Health Science Capstone—Research. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to integrate their course work, knowledge, and experiences into a project that results in a written report and presentation regarding an issue within the field of health or healthcare. The project is a culminating experience in the health science program. Students may choose to participate in an ongoing research project or create and implement their own research project as their capstone project. Requires students to present their projects to the seminar class and possibly to present a poster at a professional/research expo.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 4700 with a minimum grade of S

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


HSCI 4740. Health Science Capstone Seminar. (4 Hours)

Offers intensive study on the public health approach to a specific, relevant issue. Through a combination of close readings of empirical literature and interactive class discussion, students critique public health approaches and policies regarding the topic of the seminar. Requires students to complete an in-depth study, write a paper, and present their findings on a topic of interest within the larger discussion.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 4700 with a minimum grade of S

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


HSCI 4950. Seminar. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity for an in-depth study of selected topics within healthcare.


HSCI 4970. Junior/Senior Honors Project 1. (4 Hours)

Focuses on in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. Combined with Junior/Senior Project 2 or college-defined equivalent for 8 credit honors project. May be repeated without limit.


HSCI 4971. Junior/Senior Honors Project 2. (4 Hours)

Focuses on second semester of in-depth project in which a student conducts research or produces a product related to the student’s major field. May be repeated without limit.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 4970 with a minimum grade of D-

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


HSCI 4983. Topics. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to study contemporary issues in healthcare and to expand their breadth of knowledge and engage diverse perspectives.


HSCI 4990. Elective. (1-4 Hours)

Offers elective credit for courses taken at other academic institutions. May be repeated without limit.


HSCI 4991. Research. (4 Hours)

Offers an opportunity to conduct research under faculty supervision.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience


HSCI 4992. Directed Study. (1-4 Hours)

Offers independent work under the direction of members of the department on a chosen topic. Course content depends on instructor. May be repeated without limit.


HSCI 4994. Internship. (4 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity for internship work. May be repeated without limit.

Attribute(s): NUpath Integration Experience


HSCI 5130. Introduction to Real-World Evidence. (2 Hours)

Introduces students to the generation of real-world evidence (RWE) from real-world data (RWD) collected through different forms of observational health data. Examines how RWE is used to inform regulators and other stakeholder groups in life sciences and healthcare. Emphasizes the role of team science in executing an RWE analysis.


HSCI 5140. Foundations of Data Models. (2 Hours)

Introduces students to design principles behind data modeling in life sciences and healthcare. Examines and compares approaches to common data models across different research communities. Explores the rationale for popular data models through the use of industry case studies.


HSCI 5150. Methods for Observational Research 1. (3 Hours)

Surveys approaches to observational research across pharmacoepidemiology, emphasizing approaches used by the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics community.


HSCI 5151. Methods for Observational Research 2. (3 Hours)

Examines advanced methods in conducting observational research across pharmacoepidemiology, emphasizing approaches used by the Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics community. Focuses on using open-source software and open-science principles to conduct and interpret a real-world evidence (RWE) study.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 5150 with a minimum grade of B- or HSCI 5150 with a minimum grade of B-


HSCI 5160. Standardization of Real-World Data. (2 Hours)

Introduces students to the principles of interoperability protocols in healthcare and life sciences to support clinical data standardization. Explores the process of extract, transform, and load (ETL) in the harmonization of healthcare data. Emphasizes real-world case studies driving current standardization approaches.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 5140 with a minimum grade of B- or HSCI 5140 with a minimum grade of B-


HSCI 5170. Data Model Transformation. (2 Hours)

Examines the process for transforming data into a common representation that can be used across research environments. Covers the technical and business processes for data model adoption. Establishes the framework for evaluating data quality and the implementation of agile principles in data model release management.

Prerequisite(s): HSCI 5140 with a minimum grade of B- or HSCI 5140 with a minimum grade of B-


HSCI 5180. Phenotyping. (2 Hours)

Surveys the process for constructing heuristics to define a population of interest in observational research. Emphasizes the principles of phenotype curation across real-world data feeds and strategies to ensure robust, reproducible research.

Prerequisite(s): (HSCI 5130 with a minimum grade of B- or HSCI 5130 with a minimum grade of B- ); (HSCI 5140 with a minimum grade of B- or HSCI 5140 with a minimum grade of B- )


HSCI 5190. Cohort Building. (2 Hours)

Examines approaches to defining cohorts in pharmacoepidemiology, emphasizing common analytical tools, knowledge objects, and assessing the appropriateness of clinical heuristics to answer a clinical study question.


Public Health Courses 

PHTH 1260. The American Healthcare System. (4 Hours)

Introduces the organization and dynamics of the healthcare system and the role of consumers. Explores basic elements of healthcare including financing, personal insurance, high-risk status, and patient rights within the context of the U.S. system. Central to this exploration is an analysis of healthcare issues requiring informed consent from patients: patient bill of rights, healthcare directives, and the use of a proxy for decision making. Introduces the roles and responsibilities of various healthcare workers within the framework of an interdisciplinary model of healthcare.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


PHTH 1261. Comparative Healthcare Systems. (4 Hours)

Designed to enable health profession students to develop a basic understanding of health-delivery systems and key issues confronting healthcare in the United States and in the study country in this study-abroad course. Explores issues such as the affordability of medical care, patient rights, health risks and behaviors, disease prevention, quality and access to care, the growth of managed care and corporate influence on healthcare, new medical technologies, the aging population, the impact of biotechnology, and trends in employment of health professionals. Incorporates self- and group-reflection exercises, Internet and contemporary media exploration, and in-class discussions. Compares and contrasts key healthcare issues in the study country with those in the United States using literature, Internet and contemporary media, observations in the study country, and discussions with guest speakers.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


PHTH 1270. Introduction to Global Health. (4 Hours)

Introduces global health in the context of an interdependent and globalized world focusing on four main areas of analysis: infrastructure of global health; diseases; populations; and terms, concepts, and theories. While the focus is on lower-income countries, the course examines issues in a broader global context, underscoring the interconnections between global health disparities and global health policy response. Applies case studies describing interventions to improve healthcare in resource-poor settings in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere to help illuminate the actors, diseases, populations, and principles and frameworks for the design of effective global health interventions. AFRS 1270 and PHTH 1270 are cross-listed.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


PHTH 2210. Foundations of Biostatistics. (4 Hours)

Introduces the fundamental concepts of biostatistics. Offers students an opportunity to learn to apply statistical thinking to practical problems across several health disciplines. Draws examples and readings from clinical and public health literature. Introduces R programming language.

Attribute(s): NUpath Analyzing/Using Data, NUpath Formal/Quant Reasoning


PHTH 2211. Recitation for PHTH 2210. (0 Hours)

Offers small group discussion format to cover material in PHTH 2210.

Corequisite(s): PHTH 2210


PHTH 2300. Communication Skills for the Health Professions. (4 Hours)

Offers students in the health professions an opportunity to learn how to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues, and other professionals. Covers interpersonal communication with patients and families from culturally diverse backgrounds, public speaking and presentations, and communicating as a leader. Requires students to create/prepare and deliver several presentations throughout the semester.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Creative Express/Innov


PHTH 2301. Communication Skills for the Health Professions—Global. (4 Hours)

Studies how to communicate effectively with patients, colleagues, and other professionals—regardless of race, culture, or ethnicity—on interpersonal, organizational, and global levels. Introduces traditional and new media health communication strategies, public speaking/presentation techniques, and communication as leaders in a global environment. Compares cultures and healthcare systems in the country of study with the American system by engaging with health professionals, patients, caregivers, and communications and other specialists. Introduces students to art and techniques of health communication for informing and influencing patients, caregivers, and the community-at-large. Offers students in the health professions an opportunity to learn interpersonal, organizational, mass media, and global communication skills to empower individuals to become health literate and participate in their own healthcare. May be repeated without limit.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Creative Express/Innov


PHTH 2350. Community and Public Health. (4 Hours)

Provides students with a basic familiarity with and appreciation of public health and community-based methods for improving the health of populations. Explores the purpose and structure of the U.S. public health system, contemporary public health issues such as prevention of communicable diseases, health education, social inequalities in health and healthcare, public health responses to terrorism, and control of unhealthy behaviors like smoking, drinking, drug abuse, and violence. Prior completion of PHTH 1260 is recommended but not required.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


PHTH 2351. Community and Public Health - Global. (4 Hours)

Offers a basic familiarity with (and appreciation of) public health and community-based methods for improving the health of populations in a global context. Discusses the purposes and structures of the public health systems of the United States and the host country. Explores contemporary public health issues, including the global burden of disease; social determinants of inequalities in health and healthcare; communicable disease detection and management; environmental health risks; nutrition and physical activity; and unhealthy behaviors, such as substance use and violence. Analyzes the application of public health practices and principles to urban health concerns through the use of comparative case studies.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


PHTH 2414. Environmental Health. (4 Hours)

Offers an overview of the field of environmental health, with focus on what the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences terms “environmental public health.” This broad field increasingly involves transdisciplinary approaches that use social science/environmental health collaborations, and it includes the physical, built, and social environments. Asks students to think critically about the economic, scientific, social, and political factors that shape environmental health and to consider how the field is relevant to other public health issues.


PHTH 2515. Healthcare Policy and Administration. (4 Hours)

Focuses on management and policy issues in healthcare. Discusses management and administrative structures in hospitals and other healthcare organizations, including community clinics and health organizations, both private and public. Introduces the financial systems, economic information, and payment mechanisms necessary to understand healthcare financing. Also explores the variety of factors that influence population health from a healthcare policy perspective. Offers students an opportunity to learn how to analyze, prepare, and write policy briefs based on understanding the various economic, legal, and political forces shaping healthcare in the United States.

Prerequisite(s): PHTH 1260 with a minimum grade of C or PHTH 1261 with a minimum grade of C


PHTH 2616. Rural Health: An Interdisciplinary Seminar. (4 Hours)

Addresses current issues in rural health. Maine, one of the nation’s most rural states, is the primary case example. Highlights interdisciplinary approaches to identifying priority health concerns, addressing root causes of diseases and poor health and developing sustainable policy and programmatic interventions for improving health outcomes of individuals, families, and communities in rural areas. Reviews models of rural healthcare delivery, rural public health systems and practices, rural public policy and health reform, the role of health technologies in rural practice, and health disparities among vulnerable rural populations (including but not limited to immigrants, migrant workers, older people, people living with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ persons, and indigenous/first peoples). Critically analyzes the complex contextual factors that must be addressed to sustainably improve health outcomes in rural settings.

Attribute(s): NUpath Societies/Institutions


PHTH 2991. Research in Public Health. (1-4 Hours)

Offers an opportunity to conduct introductory-level research or creative endeavors under faculty supervision. May be repeated once.


PHTH 3250. Fundamentals of Qualitative Research. (4 Hours)

Discusses the role of qualitative research in topics related to healthcare delivery and public health practice. Qualitative research aims to achieve in-depth and contextualized understanding of people, cultures, and societies and usually employs texts, interviews, archival materials, and focus group discussions as sources of data. Describes all stages of a research project, from the initial selection of a topic, through data collection, data analysis, and presentation of results. Surveys the research design approaches most commonly used in healthcare settings, public health agencies, and human service organizations. Students formulate a research question, develop an appropriate research plan, and describe how best to collect or access relevant data. Offers students an opportunity to learn how to assess the rigor and generalizability of qualitative research.


PHTH 4120. Global Perspectives on Discrimination and Health. (4 Hours)

Explores how discrimination can lead to population-level health disparities among marginalized groups globally. Topics include constructions of social categories, such as race and gender; differences in patterns of disease across populations, both intra- and internationally; how work from various disciplines, such as anthropology, medicine, and public health, inform understanding about how discrimination relates to health; and theoretical models from different disciplines that explain public health disparities.

Prerequisite(s): (PHTH 2350 with a minimum grade of C or PHTH 2351 with a minimum grade of C ); (ENGW 3302 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3304 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3306 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3307 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3308 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3314 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3315 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Interpreting Culture, NUpath Writing Intensive


PHTH 4202. Principles of Epidemiology in Medicine and Public Health. (4 Hours)

Introduces the principles of epidemiology necessary to critically evaluate the published research in medicine, public health, and related fields. Through careful reading of literature, class discussion, and lectures, familiarizes students with the study of design-related considerations that are an indispensable part of interpreting scientific literature. Offers students an opportunity to learn how to recognize critical elements of research design and execution (e.g., loss to follow-up in randomized clinical trials and other cohort designs, selection bias in case control studies, etc.); identify the strengths and limitations of different approaches to research questions; deepen their understanding of causal inference; and recognize the provisional nature of scientific knowledge. Covers issues of statistical methods and data analysis; however, there are no computational requirements.

Prerequisite(s): (ENGW 3302 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3304 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3306 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3307 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3308 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3311 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3314 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3315 with a minimum grade of C ); (CRIM 3700 with a minimum grade of C or ECON 2350 with a minimum grade of C or ENVR 2500 with a minimum grade of C or INSH 3102 with a minimum grade of C or MATH 2280 with a minimum grade of C or MATH 3081 with a minimum grade of C or MGSC 2301 with a minimum grade of C or NRSG 5120 with a minimum grade of C or PHTH 2210 with a minimum grade of C or POLS 2400 with a minimum grade of C or PSYC 2320 with a minimum grade of C or SOCL 2320 with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Natural/Designed World, NUpath Writing Intensive


PHTH 4511. Healthcare Management. (4 Hours)

Provides an opportunity to develop skills and abilities related to management within the context of interdisciplinary study. Students explore issues in healthcare management in small-group, case-based educational experiences or problem-solving approaches. Within the context of small groups, students explore complex problems frequently encountered in clinical practice. Group projects related to leadership, management, or administrative issues are pursued and developed as classroom or poster presentations.

Prerequisite(s): PHTH 1260 with a minimum grade of C or PHTH 1261 with a minimum grade of C


PHTH 4515. Critical Issues in Health and Public Health Policy. (4 Hours)

Explores current public health and healthcare policy issues. Uses a case-based format to analyze, explain, and address ongoing problems within the U.S. public health and healthcare systems. Assesses the status of U.S. healthcare reform. Evaluates alternative payment mechanisms. Reviews national and state drug pricing negotiations, implications for drug development and patient access, and other current issues in public health and healthcare.

Prerequisite(s): PHTH 2515 with a minimum grade of C ; (ENGW 3302 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3304 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3306 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3307 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3308 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3314 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3315 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of C )

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience, NUpath Societies/Institutions


PHTH 4540. Health Education and Program Planning. (4 Hours)

Offers a writing-intensive course that introduces concepts central to health education and the program-planning process. Examines current public health issues that require intervention through health education or other types of prevention programs. Studies and applies models and theories used in health education and program planning. Offers students an opportunity to conduct a needs assessment; design and plan a program for a public health issue; create a mission statement for the program as well as goals, objectives, and strategies; and design the intervention, develop an evaluation plan, and create a budget and marketing plan. Prior completion of PHTH 2300 and PHTH 2350 is recommended but not required.

Prerequisite(s): ENGW 3306 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3302 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3304 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3307 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3308 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3314 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 3315 with a minimum grade of C

Attribute(s): NUpath Writing Intensive


PHTH 4616. Addressing Rural Health Inequities. (4 Hours)

Presents an overview of health inequities among rural populations and seeks to facilitate understanding of the complex causes through a public health perspective. Investigates innovative approaches to addressing rural health challenges, and provides examples of evidence-based policy, program, and technological interventions that impact the health and well-being of rural communities. Explores public health and healthcare issues that have been at the core of the health sciences/public health curriculum. Offers students an opportunity to select a specific rural health inequity in a defined geographic area as the focus of a final capstone project.

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


PHTH 5120. Race, Ethnicity, and Health in the United States. (3 Hours)

Explores the role of economic, social, and individual factors in explaining racial and ethnic health disparities and examines intervention approaches to eliminate them. Topics include genetic and social constructions of race and ethnicity, measuring race and ethnicity, and the differences in prevalence and patterns of disease across groups; cultural and structural factors that affect healthcare delivery, such as discrimination, racism, and health status; and public health approaches to prevention and improving healthcare delivery.

Attribute(s): NUpath Difference/Diversity, NUpath Interpreting Culture


PHTH 5202. Introduction to Epidemiology. (3 Hours)

Introduces the principles, concepts, and methods of population-based epidemiologic research. Offers students an opportunity to understand and critically review epidemiologic studies. Lectures and discussions aim to serve as a foundation for training in epidemiology, quantitative methods, and population-based health research. The course is a required introductory course for students in the Master of Public Health program and is appropriate for students who are interested in epidemiologic research. Students not meeting course restrictions may seek permission of instructor.


PHTH 5210. Biostatistics in Public Health. (3 Hours)

Offers public health students an opportunity to obtain the fundamental concepts and methods of biostatistics as applied predominantly to public health problems and the skills to perform basic statistical calculations Emphasizes interpretation and comprehension of concepts. Topics include descriptive statistics, vital statistics, sampling, estimation and significance testing, sample size and power, correlation and regression, spatial and temporal trends, small area analysis, and statistical issues in policy development. Draws examples of statistical methods from the public health practice. Introduces use of computer statistical packages. Requires permission of instructor for students outside designated programs.


PHTH 5212. Public Health Administration and Policy. (3 Hours)

Offers students an opportunity to obtain practical knowledge concerning the planning, organization, administration, management, evaluation, and policy analysis of health programs. Surveys what we know and think about public health administration and policy and what we do in practice. Introduces the main components of public health policy and administration using notable conceptual frameworks and case studies. Requires permission of instructor for students outside designated programs.


PHTH 5214. Environmental Health. (3 Hours)

Introduces the field of environmental health, which encompasses concerns related to physical, built, and social environments. Discusses the tools used to study environmental exposures and diseases. Examines environmental health hazards, the routes by which humans are exposed to hazards, various media in which they are found, and disease outcomes associated with exposures. Offers students an opportunity to become familiar with methods used to conduct environmental health research and with the federal and state agencies responsible for protecting environmental health.

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


PHTH 5222. Health Advocacy. (3 Hours)

Seeks to educate students about the role of advocacy in public health while providing tools and support to address current healthcare issues. Provides information and theory about advocacy, education, and community organizing in public health practice and skills geared toward direct application. Covers various techniques related to developing and conducting an advocacy project within a community setting. Offers students an opportunity to develop, communicate, and refine a community-based advocacy program. Requires permission of instructor for students outside designated programs.


PHTH 5226. Strategic Management and Leadership in Healthcare. (3 Hours)

Focuses on management challenges facing healthcare organizations, particularly community-based agencies and their role in the public healthcare delivery system. Introduces strategic thinking and leadership approaches that must be considered for managing a successful healthcare organization. Selected topics include strategic planning; organizational development and the barriers to organizational change; relationship management with key internal and external constituencies; marketing, financial management, and contract negotiation; evolving principles of health insurance and the changing role of the consumer; and the key elements for effective organizational leadership in today’s evolving healthcare marketplace. When appropriate, outside experts are used to supplement readings, case studies, and lecture and discuss practical real-world challenges in leading various healthcare initiatives. Requires permission of instructor for students outside designated programs.


PHTH 5230. Global Health. (3 Hours)

Presents an overview of global health issues and focuses on less economically developed countries. Covers measures of disease burden; demography of disease and mortality; Millennium Development Goals (under the auspices of the United Nations); infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria and their prevention; vaccine utilization and potential implications; chronic diseases; tobacco-associated disease; nutritional challenges; behavioral modification; mother and child health; health human resources; and ethical issues in global health.

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


PHTH 5232. Evaluating Healthcare Quality. (3 Hours)

Focuses on the conceptual and methodological foundations for evaluating the quality of care of healthcare providers—both individual providers and healthcare organizations. Aimed at students pursuing careers in public health, public policy, healthcare management, and the various health professions in the growing field of quality evaluation and improvement. Also designed to give healthcare providers an appreciation for how they may be evaluated. Examines scientific issues in the measurement of quality of care as well as key quality evaluation methods. Also covers the use of risk adjustment and other methodologies for comparing the quality of healthcare providers. Focuses on mechanisms that assess quality, including licensure, accreditation, and board certification.


PHTH 5234. Economic Perspectives on Health Policy. (3 Hours)

Uses basic economic concepts to illuminate the many factors that shape health, healthcare, and the healthcare system in the United States. Examines the role of these concepts in explaining the challenges faced in achieving three core goals of the healthcare system: increasing access, limiting cost, and improving quality. Explores how policy makers, market participants, and others can remedy access, cost, and quality deficiencies. Illustrates how economic concepts can be applied to the study of health and health behaviors.


PHTH 5236. Food, Nutrition, and Health. (3 Hours)

Offers a capstone experience to explore public health nutrition issues among individuals, communities, and populations living in urban settings. Emphasizes planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs and policies to improve nutrition and reduce food insecurity among vulnerable populations. Complements familiarity with concepts of nutrition knowledge with real-world activities and experiences. Focuses on integrating and synthesizing information to analyze, explain, and address problems in healthcare, community, and public health.

Attribute(s): NUpath Capstone Experience


PHTH 5300. Project Management in Public Health. (1 Hour)

Presents principles of project management as applied to public health organizations and their programs. Offers students an opportunity to learn the components of the project management life cycle, including human resource components, material resources, and related components.


PHTH 5310. Budget Principles in Public Health. (1 Hour)

Details the public health revenue and funding environment, identifies key budget development functions, and describes the importance of utilizing the budget process for sound management of the programs. Public health programs in public agencies and nonprofit organizations require managerial skills to assure that programs are implemented efficiently and effectively. Funding for public health frequently comes from governmental revenue sources—federal and state budgets or grants from government or foundations. It is critical that the funds are utilized well and appropriate to the objectives of the agency and program. Advancing the environment for public health through effective budgeting and promotion of program impact is important to support the continued funding for public health. The course takes students through these topics and offers them the opportunity to gain the practical experience of developing a budget for a public health program as the central activity.


PHTH 5320. Grant Writing in Public Health. (1 Hour)

Explores the grant funding landscape, identifies different types of funders and grants,and identifies potential funders. Offers participants an opportunity to develop their skills in grant writing and in reviewing grants, to develop a grant proposal, and to understand the submission and peer review process.


PHTH 5350. Using SAS in Public Health Research. (1 Hour)

Introduces students to the SAS statistical software system to manage, report, summarize, and analyze public health data. The SAS suite can be used to provide a broad analysis of different types of data. Public health research often requires one to access, manipulate, and analyze data sets relating to individuals, groups, or healthcare systems. Explores approaches in SAS to accessing data sets, data manipulation, working with multiple data sets, summarizing and reporting data, and analytic results. Includes various statistical methods and testing procedures, such as t-tests, chi-square tests, and linear regression, to illustrate applications of SAS. The second part of the course explores more advanced programming methods including SAS macros, using the Output Delivery System (ODS), and data arrays.

Prerequisite(s): PHTH 5210 with a minimum grade of B- or PHTH 5210 with a minimum grade of B-


PHTH 5540. Health Education and Program Planning. (3 Hours)

Focuses on underlying concepts of health education and explores current health education issues that require intervention. Covers program planning models and theories used in health education. Offers students an opportunity to develop a working knowledge of the planning process for health education through the analysis of case studies and by creating a program plan to address a health issue of their choice.

Prerequisite(s): (ENGL 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGL 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1102 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1111 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1113 with a minimum grade of C or ENGW 1114 with a minimum grade of C ) or graduate program admission

Attribute(s): NUpath Writing Intensive


PHTH 5603. Qualitative Methods. (4 Hours)

Introduces the principles and use of common qualitative methods with a particular focus on their application in the social sciences. Students practice designing qualitative research. Offers students an opportunity to gain experience using diverse analytic and theory building techniques, conducting field observations and interviews, and analyzing content. Examines the foundation of core concepts in research. Topics include objectivity, bias, empiricism, validity, triangulation, and ethical issues surrounding human subjects—such as confidentiality, anonymity, and vulnerable populations.