School of Public Health

CHPR 170. Health of the Individual. 3 Hours.

Examines personal health-related problems in terms of information, services, and actions, as they relate to attainment and maintenance of individual health.

CHPR 210. First-Aid Teaching Practicum. 3 Hours.

This class prepares students to conduct a first-aid course. Students work with the instructor in all aspects of course management. Students who complete this course are eligible to apply for instructor candidate training with the American Red Cross.

CHPR 260. Introduction to Peer Health Education. 3 Hours.

Prepares students to become peer health educators through the study of health concerns of students in higher education and examination of effective teaching strategies that result in positive health outcomes.

CHPR 261. Advanced Peer Health Education. 3 Hours.

Students apply a variety of teaching strategies based on the peer concept to health concerns of college students and other young adults.

CHPR 265. HIV/STD Prevention: Global Challenge. 3 Hours.

Addresses personal, social, legal, medical, and cultural aspects of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases and the health education efforts to stem the pandemic.

CHPR 270. Alcohol/Drug Education for Athletes. 3 Hours.

Chemical use and dependency has a significant impact on people in all walks of life. An overview of chemical dependency and current prevention and intervention is presented.

CHPR 275. Substance Abuse: Student Leaders. 3 Hours.

Provides individuals, particularly those in organizational leadership roles, with an understanding of substance abuse, leadership roles, and decision-making skills for organizations.

CHPR 293. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.

PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

CHPR 320. Drug and Alcohol Abuse Prevention. 3 Hours.

Experiences designed to prevent the development of abusive drug-taking relationships by focusing on psychological variables such as self-esteem, coping skills, and development of support networks.

CHPR 331. Accident Prevention and Control Principles. 3 Hours.

Basic course which structures principles, concepts, and methodology of the safety movement into introductory experiences dealing with accident prevention and control efforts recommended for various social institutions and agencies.

CHPR 332. Safety Education Principles and Content. 3 Hours.

PR: CHPR 331 or consent. Study and analysis of content areas usually recommended for instructional programs within the field of safety, with emphasis on structured learning experiences.

CHPR 333. Foundations of Wellness. 3 Hours.

Provide students with physical, mental, emotional, and environmental health concepts and experiences that will expand their knowledge and skills. These relate to the processes and techniques for promoting and maintaining individual and community health changes.

CHPR 365. Men's Health. 3 Hours.

Optimal health is a theme for men across the lifespan. This course will address men's health specific to race, ethnicity and orientation, to provide skills to be an informed consumer of health information.

CHPR 375. Physical Lifestyle Management. 3 Hours.

This course will provide an experience conducive to the understanding, exploration, experience, and development of scientifically sound physical health behaviors within the framework of the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior.

CHPR 376. Mental Lifestyle Management. 3 Hours.

This course will provide experience conducive to the understanding, exploration, and development of mental, emotional, and spiritual health processes that comprise and support personal holistic health.

CHPR 380. Women and Health. 3 Hours.

Examination of theories, myths, and practices surrounding women's physical and mental health from both historical and present-day perspectives. Exploration of specific health issues and controversies and the rise of the women's health movement.

CHPR 490. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent. Teaching practice as a tutor or assistant.

CHPR 491. Professional Field Experience. 1-18 Hours.

PR: Consent. (May be repeated up to a maximum of 18 hours.) Prearranged experiential learning program, to be planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit by faculty and field supervisors. Involves temporary placement with public or private enterprise for professional competence development.

CHPR 493. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.

PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

CHPR 494. Seminar. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent. Presentation and discussion of topics of mutual concern to students and faculty.

CHPR 495. Independent Study. 1-6 Hours.

Faculty supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.

CHPR 496. Senior Thesis. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent.

CHPR 498. Honors. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Students in Honors Program and consent by the honors director. Independent reading, study or research.

PUBH 101. Introduction to Public and Community Health. 3 Hours.

This course will provide students with an overview of the principles and practice of public and community health. Students will learn about the history, core function, disciplines, and essential services of public health, as well as engage in discussions about current public health events and issues.

PUBH 191. First-Year Seminar. 1-3 Hours.

Engages students in active learning strategies that enable effective transition to college life at WVU. Students will explore school, college and university programs, policies and services relevant to academic success. Provides active learning activities that enable effective transition to the academic environment. Students examine school, college and university programs, policies and services.

PUBH 199. Orientation to Public Health. 1,2 Hour.

Orientation to degree programs and requirements, departmental resources, curriculum options, student responsibilities, and opportunities.

PUBH 200. Introduction to Public Health Careers and Information. 1 Hour.

Students will explore public health careers and popular public health websites, identify and present public health data, and develop information literacy skills.

PUBH 201. Global Perspectives of Public Health. 3 Hours.

This introduction to global public health will strengthen students' perspectives and understanding of disease prevention and treatment issues in westernized and developing/underdeveloped countries. Topics include health disparities, economic/political structures/systems impacting health, maternal and child health (including family planning), socio-cultural factors affecting health care delivery and the global burden of infectious and chronic diseases, injuries and disasters.

PUBH 202. Social Determinants of Health. 3 Hours.

The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the social factors/determinants that influence health. Theoretical and methodological approaches to the study of social determinants will be discussed from a social ecological perspective. The course is designed to help students develop basic literacy regarding social concepts and processes that influence health status and health disparities.

PUBH 205. Writing for Public Health Audiences. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101 and PUBH 202. Students will develop original written materials pertaining to current public health issues that target specific populations. They will also gain a basic understanding of health, information and functional literacy; and evaluate existing materials for literacy levels and readability.

PUBH 211. Biostatistics. 3 Hours.

PR: MATH 121 or higher. This course provides students with an introduction to statistical concepts that are important for solving real-world public health problems. This course will present statistical principles and associated scientific reasoning underlying public health practice and health policy decision-making. Topics include data visualization, summary statistics, statistical inference, and strategies for articulating and evaluating claims using statistical constructs.

PUBH 222. Epidemiology. 3 Hours.

This introductory course will provide students with a foundation in the application of epidemiologic procedures for the understanding of determinants of health-related states or events in human populations.

PUBH 230. Introduction to Health Administration. 3 Hours.

Introduces core concepts in health administration, addressing the organization of health services, administrative theories and applications, performance improvement, decision-making, managing change, and professionalism/communication in healthcare and public health administration.

PUBH 233. The US Healthcare System: Structures and Incentives. 3 Hours.

Exploration of the multifaceted US healthcare system, including its structure, delivery, and financing. Students will learn about key stakeholders within the healthcare system and how they interact with each other. Further, they will gain insight into how these interactions can inform health policy, within the state of WV and beyond.

PUBH 241. Biological Basis of Public Health. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101 and ((BIOL 101 and BIOL 103) or (BIOL 102 and BIOL 104) or higher). Provides a basic understanding of human changes associated with or resulting from those chronic or infectious diseases or injuries that are of public health importance in the US and globally. Students will: 1) understand core concepts of health and disease, 2) recognize common infectious diseases and their influence on public health, and 3) identify chronic disease burden.

PUBH 243. Issues in Environmental Health. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101. Provides an overview of environmental and occupational issues relating to air, water, and solid waste as they relate to human health. Basic environmental health concepts, technologies and underlying data will be examined to better understand local, national and global solutions to environmental health problems.

PUBH 258. Terminology and Communication for Health Professionals. 3 Hours.

Reviews essential skills needed for communicating with a variety of health-related professionals and lay persons, and applies these in professional, clinical, and administrative settings. The student will also become familiar with the basics of medical terminology and the fundamentals of pronunciation, and the structure of medical language and medical terms.

PUBH 260. Principles of Patient Navigation. 3 Hours.

Reviews roles and responsibilities of Patient Navigators. Provides overview of Patient Navigator competencies, comprising: the basics of health services delivery and health insurance; health of the individual; accessing and analyzing health information; approaches to communication, including motivational interviewing and group dynamics; and healthcare ethics. Includes required shadowing experience.

PUBH 293. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.

Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

PUBH 311. Health Data Management and Visualization. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 211. This course will provide an introduction to data management and reporting principles, and the associated tools that are instrumental in public health research. Topics include data documentation, data structure, relational database theory, data manipulation, basic logic for programming, literate programming, and reporting.

PUBH 325. Introduction to Injury Prevention. 3 Hours.

Students gain understanding of overarching topics in injury including assessing the public health impact of injuries, their causes and risk factors, and the development and assessment of appropriate interventions. Topics covered include falls, pedestrian safety, motor vehicles accidents, drug overdose, suicide, intimate partner violence, and adverse childhood experiences, all relevant to the key public health challenges affecting the United States.

PUBH 331. Introduction to Health Policy. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101. This course provides an overview of the inner workings of health care policy making, from the legislative process to socioeconomic impacts, with both historical and modern perspectives. Students will explore factors that shape the United States health care system and policy, such as values, models, and stakeholders, and compare them to other countries for international context.

PUBH 333. Comparative Health Systems and Policy. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 331. In this course, students will examine the structure of healthcare systems in selected countries worldwide. Specific attention is paid to the developmental history of the national healthcare systems, financing, and delivery infrastructure. The impact of international relations is also examined.

PUBH 334. Emergency Preparedness for Public Health. 3 Hours.

This course provides an overview of the dimensions of disasters and emergencies through the lens of Public Health professionals with special focus on the rural environment and uses the Homeland Security Exercise Evaluation Program (HSEEP) model for the final exercise. Students completing this course will also complete several FEMA certifications during the course.

PUBH 337. Climate Change and Public Health. 3 Hours.

Anticipated changes from biodiversity loss, ozone depletion, the incidence of infectious diseases, extreme weather and climate events, ocean acidification, and sea level rise, among other concerns, will all have impacts on a wide range of human systems that affect health. Also addresses policies and technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the need for strategies for mitigation and adaptation.

PUBH 338. Public Health Project Management. 3 Hours.

Introduces students to the basics of project management: the process of initiating, planning, executing, controlling and closing out a project. Project leadership is explored in the context of building effective project teams and maintaining stakeholder relationships. Concepts include developing and monitoring budgets, developing Gantt charts, reporting, working with stakeholders, flow charts and more.

PUBH 352. Social and Behavioral Science and Practice. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 101 and PUBH 202. Covers history and philosophy of social and behavioral sciences, application of theory; strategies for health behavior change; and current issues in health promotion. Service learning incorporated to give students the opportunity to apply course concepts with community partners. Ten (10) service learning hours are required as an assignment by the end of the semester.

PUBH 353. Mastering Health and Wellness. 3 Hours.

This course will provide students with information about current health and wellness issues, diseases and disorders across the lifespan and how to prevent them and improve their health outcomes. Students will examine biological, psychological, and social aspects that affect and can assist in achievement of optimal health. Lecture, discussion, films, and experimental learning activities will be utilized.

PUBH 356. Worksite Wellness. 3 Hours.

Designed to be a comprehensive introduction to the field, integrating health promotion with a primary focus on population health management in a worksite setting. Covers topics such as rationale statements, programmatic models, program components addressing specific wellness topical areas, effectiveness design, implementation, reporting, and evaluation, as well as strategies to maximize employer support.

PUBH 360. Health Navigation: Prevention and Community Health. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 260. Students will explore the relationship between psychosocial, behavioral and biological risk factors as they affect chronic conditions; learn about screening, prevention, diagnosis and treatment for the most common chronic diseases, and discuss proven methods and strategies (including immunizations, health screenings, educational programs, behavior change programs and health policies) to promote prevention among targeted communities.

PUBH 361. Health Insurance for Patient Navigators. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 260. Covers basic concepts, terminology and processes pertaining to Medicaid, Medicare, worker’s compensation, major insurers, and disability insurance, including eligibility, billing, claims and reimbursement. Provides the skills needed to communicate sometimes complex health insurance information to patients and facilitate patient decision making.

PUBH 393. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.

Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

PUBH 400. Field Placement Preparation Seminar. 1 Hour.

Students will coordinate plans for their field placement assignments by completing all on-boarding requirements, developing an up-to-date resume and preparing materials for field practice agencies, job searches and/or graduate school application.

PUBH 423. Introduction to Modern Epidemiologic Research. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 222. This intermediate course will provide students with a foundation in the research tools utilized to explore the determinants of health-related states or events (including injury and disease) in human populations.

PUBH 427. Introduction to Outbreak Investigation. 3 Hours.

Introduces the investigation of outbreaks and issues related to epidemiologic methods, surveillance, detection, and risk communication. Covers basic epidemiologic methods used to quantify and monitor potential outbreaks, data collection and management, coordination with community partners and communication to health service providers and members of the general community as part of a coordinated response.

PUBH 438. Managing Quality Improvement in Healthcare. 3 Hours.

Introduces students to the latest healthcare quality and patient safety improvement thinking through didactic sessions, interactive exercises and case studies with direct relevance for public health practitioners, healthcare administrators or clinicians. Examines healthcare quality and patient safety from a strategic viewpoint to make healthcare administrators effective decision makers.

PUBH 439. Financials Tools for Health Administration. 3 Hours.

This course introduces core concepts and tools for the financial management of healthcare organizations, including: financial management, operating revenue, working capital, and resource allocation. The critical context of health systems and health reform provides the guiding lens for the course.

PUBH 440. Health Systems Leadership. 3 Hours.

This course addresses the foundational principles of leadership, management, and collaboration for public health and healthcare settings. Topics addressed include situational and transformational leadership, leadership ethics, team leadership and self-leadership. Prepares students for entry-level leaderships roles in health services and public health organizations.

PUBH 442. Public Health in the Workplace. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 222 and PUBH 243. Overview of workplace health issues as they affect human health, including exposure to chemical, physical, biological and mechanical hazards. Basic occupational safety and health concepts, technologies and underlying data will be examined to better understand the potential solutions for workplace safety and human health issues.

PUBH 451. Program Evaluation in Public Health. 3 Hours.

Covers program evaluation in public health including needs assessments, formative research, process or implementation evaluation, outcomes, and impact assessments. Students will complete exercises involving the design of a logic model and an evaluation plan. The course will cover experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental study designs and the use of interviews, focus groups, and survey assessments.

PUBH 454. Public Health Research Methods. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 222 and PUBH 352. This course provides an overview of public and community health research methods. Content includes the purpose and foundations of research, identifying and framing topic of interest and formulating research questions, ethical standards and reviews, study populations and samples, study designs, question construction and questionnaire development, data collection and analyses approaches, and the reporting and dissemination of findings.

PUBH 458. Public Mental Health. 3 Hours.

Students apply principles and methods of general epidemiology to the study of mental disorders. Provides updated scientific information regarding the epidemiology and risk factors of major psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, mood, psychotic, personality, drug and alcohol use disorders and the increased prevalence of mental disorders, cost of mental health care, and its burden on society. (co-list with 658).

PUBH 461. Legal and Ethical Issues for Patient Navigators. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 360 and PUBH 361. Covers the rights, responsibilities and concerns of patient navigators in the context of their roles with healthcare consumers and healthcare providers. Focuses on the social, legal, and ethical issues when interacting with patients and how to promote patient-healthcare team partnerships via improved communication and problem solving techniques. Prepares students for Patient Navigator Experiential Agency Rotations.

PUBH 462. Clinical Research Methods and Practice. 3 Hours.

Students learn research methods and techniques for application to a wide variety of cardiovascular, neurological, trauma and social services emergency care topics. Students also participate in real-time clinical research and interact with patients/potential study subjects. Also listed as PUBH 662; only one of which can be counted toward degree requirements.

PUBH 464. Ethical, Legal and Financial Issues in Healthcare. 3 Hours.

Covers the rights, responsibilities and concerns of professionals working in the healthcare arena who are not providing direct patient care but who interact with both patients and other healthcare professionals. Focuses on the social, legal, ethical, and financial issues from the patient context. Includes basic information on concepts, terminology and processes pertaining to major forms of insurance.

PUBH 465. Patient Navigation Strategies: Case Planning. 3 Hours.

PR: PUBH 360. This interactive course is designed to enable students to translate theoretical knowledge about patient navigation into practical strategies. The course is centered on modules that emphasize specific functional domains of patient navigation using a case-based approach and case scenarios. This course is Intended for students with previous patient navigation courses work or experience.

PUBH 481. Public Health Field Experience. 4 Hours.

PR: PUBH 400. Students complete a 75 hour prearranged experiential learning placement that is planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit with a local public or community health agency. Students will develop and complete outcomes and an output or product that is detailed in an affiliation agreement. Reflective journal essays and meetings to discuss observations, successes and challenges are scheduled at strategic times.

PUBH 482. Health Management Internship. 6 Hours.

PR: PUBH 400. Students complete a 125 hour prearranged internship that is planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit with a health-related agency or office. Students will develop and complete outcomes that are detailed in an affiliation agreement. Reflective journal essays and meetings to discuss observations, successes and challenges are scheduled at strategic times during the semester.

PUBH 486. Patient Navigation Agency Rotation. 4 Hours.

PR: PUBH 400. Students complete a 75 hour prearranged placement that is planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit with a clinical or health-related agency or office. Students will develop and complete outcomes that are detailed in an affiliation agreement. Reflective journal essays and meetings to discuss observations, successes and challenges are scheduled at strategic times during the semester.

PUBH 489. School of Public Health Undergraduate Capstone. 2 Hours.

PR or CONC: (PUBH 481 or PUBH 482 or PUBH 486) with a minimum grade of C-. Students demonstrate attainment of knowledge and skills in their major and area of emphasis (where applicable) through the development, practice and presentation of a poster comprising their field experience, outcomes and outputs, and reflective journal essays. The poster is presented to and evaluated by SPH stakeholders.

PUBH 490. Teaching Practicum. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent. Teaching practice such as a tutor or assistant.

PUBH 491. Professional Field Experience. 1-18 Hours.

PR: Consent. (May be repeated up to a maximum of 18 hours.) Prearranged experiential learning program to be planned, supervised, and evaluated for credit by faculty and field supervisors. Involves temporary placement with public or private enterprise for professional competence development.

PUBH 493. Special Topics. 1-6 Hours.

PR: Consent. Investigation of topics not covered in regularly scheduled courses.

PUBH 495. Independent Study. 1-6 Hours.

Faculty supervised study of topics not available through regular course offerings.

PUBH 496. Senior Thesis. 1-3 Hours.

PR: Consent.

PUBH 497. Research. 1-6 Hours.

Independent research projects.

SHED 250. Foundations of School Health. 3 Hours.

The goals for this course include introducing students to the field of school health education and promotion and developing the theoretical background, philosophical approach, and professional skills required to effectively serve as a school-based public health professional. Further, this course emphasizes child and adolescent health promotion and advocating for student health and wellbeing in school and community settings.

SHED 300. Health Education for Elementary School Teachers. 2 Hours.

Designed specifically for future elementary school teachers, this course provides an overview of the elementary coordinated school health program. It emphasizes goals for elementary school programs, current research related to the 10 priority school health content areas, program development and organization, community and national partnerships, and instructional methods and student assessment in elementary school health education/promotion. No field experience required.

SHED 401. Elementary School Health Program. 4 Hours.

Designed specifically for our majors, this course provides an overview of the elementary coordinated school health program. It emphasizes goals for elementary school programs, current research related to the 10 priority school health content areas, program development and organization, community and national partnerships, and instructional methods and student assessment in elementary school health education/promotion. It culminates in a field experience.

SHED 402. Secondary School Health Program. 4 Hours.

This course provides an overview of the coordinated school health program for secondary schools. It includes goals for the secondary school program, a review of current research related to the 10 priority school health content areas, organizing the program, participating in community and national partnerships, and instructional methods and student assessment in secondary school health education and promotion.

SHED 403. Health in the School Community. 3 Hours.

Examines the role of public schools as an important community in which health promotion takes place. Additionally, we discuss the major structural and social forces that influence school and student health outcomes and consider the unique needs of diverse communities of children, adolescents, and families represented within the broader school organization.

SHED 450. Contemporary Issues in School Health. 3 Hours.

This course addresses current and emerging issues in child and adolescent health that should be of significance to school health educators. These issues include public health and prevention priorities related to the top causes of premature death and disability among children and adolescents as well as developmental risk factors associated with diminished health throughout the lifespan.

SHED 480. Supervised Field Experience in School Health. 3 Hours.

This course emphasizes applying the pedagogical skills and content-based learning acquired in the school health academic curriculum to developing, delivering, and evaluating school health lessons and programs in professional practice. With the support and assistance of the course instructor, students will develop original school health programming, implement those programs in the field, and evaluate relevant student, faculty, and community outcomes.

SHED 485. School Health Teaching Seminar. 2 Hours.

This course is designed for students who plan to complete their student teaching requirement in health education. The format of the course will include lecture, discussion, and student teaching in a public school.