Public Health
This is an archived copy of the 2021-22 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://catalog.ewu.edu.
Donna Bachand, Chair department website
Faculty
David Line, PhD, MPH; Nick Swope, MS, RPCV; Pamela Kohlmeier, MD, JD
Programs
MPH–Public Health
Graduate Certificate–Public Health
Dentistry
Food and Nutrition/Dietetics
Health Science
Health Services Administration
Nursing
Required courses in these programs of study may have prerequisites. Reference the course description section for clarification.
Admission
To apply for this program, an individual must have
- an undergraduate degree and grade point average ≥3.0 meeting the Eastern Washington University graduate school requirements. Individuals not meeting this requirement may be admitted on a case by case basis
- computer literacy to include word processing, spreadsheet construction and Internet applications.
- a current resume.
Additionally, it is recommend students are versed in statistics or biostatistics. Resources are provided by the program for those who require content in either computer literacy, statistics, or writing. The EWU DSCI 245 Data Analysis for Business (4) fulfills the statistics recommendation.
Graduate Program
In June 2020, EWU’s fully online MPH program was professionally accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). CEPH is the independent agency recognized by the US Department of Education to accredit schools of public health and public health programs outside of schools of public health.
In line with the mission of Eastern Washington University the Master of Public Health strives for excellence and equity in scholarship, leadership and advocacy to protect, promote and embody health and well-being for all by fostering a diverse educational community in a forward-thinking and inclusive learning environment.
Public Health is a dynamic field recognized for critical and rapidly expanding needs in policy development and research. Professionals are needed to lead change to address critical health and community policy issues. Professionals must be ready to promote effective community response and change, create and support effective health programs and actions to meet critical needs within the health profession and many related fields. This program provides a broad intellectual framework for problem solving the challenges and emerging issues faced by the public health generalist. This program is built on the core functions of public health: assessment, policy development/implementation and assurance.
The fully online Master of Public Health program is designed to provide the student with the skills to work with the following:
- a rapidly changing political, social and economic environment;
- funding from a variety of sources;
- issues related to disparity in health status for a variety of populations;
- new and innovative public and private partnerships;
- a culturally and ethnically diverse workforce;
- organizational challenges both within and outside the public health arena;
- program development and service delivery.
In order to successfully graduate from the program students must successfully complete:
- an Applied Practice Experience to demonstrate chosen competency attainment through successful completion of a portfolio that includes at least two work products.
- an Integrative Learning Experience to demonstrate synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies. Students are provided guidance and options to produce a high-quality written product that is appropriate for the student’s educational and professional objectives.
- an Electronic Portfolio. This culminating project requires students to develop an e-portfolio that documents their ILE, APE, and verifies meeting all program competencies through submission of quality artifacts and reflection. Through successful completion of this eportfolio students effectively demonstrate meeting all CEPH accreditation requirements for a MPH generalist degree.
These program requirements meet the criteria set out by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH).
Public Health Courses
PUBH 500. U.S. HEALTH SYSTEMS. 4 Credits.
Cross-listed: HSAD 500.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course introduces health delivery systems. Topics covered include various health services delivery models and standards that impact population health, experience of care and per capita costs. Current practices are reviewed.
PUBH 500S. ORIENTATION TO PUBLIC HEALTH. 2 Credits.
This course introduces students to the history and background of public health, including successes and failures. It aims to develop a public health orientation among students, and discusses public health issues, concepts and terminology.
PUBH 501. FOUNDATIONS AND THEORIES IN PUBLIC HEALTH. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course provides a foundational and historical orientation for the public health professional including public health issues, concepts and terminology. Theoretical frameworks and program development skills that support the public health generalist are examined.
PUBH 510. BIOSTATISTICS. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course covers the tools needed to collect, analyze, and display data using software. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of biological data is explored. Software is used to apply the collection, analysis, and display of data in all areas of public health.
PUBH 519. HEALTH SYSTEMS FINANCE AND GOVERNANCE. 4 Credits.
Cross-listed: HSAD 520.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course challenges students to understand both the healthcare financial responsibilities and governance oversight for health systems. The student will learn the financial operations and governance to help any organization be successful. The modules, taking a practical approach, will cover subject matters such as; financial operations, revenue cycle management, budgeting, hierarchical reporting process and expectations, governance and regulatory compliance.
PUBH 540. HEALTH POLICY AND LAW. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course begins with an overview of common policy perspectives, before moving on to discuss major relevant policy issues in the United States healthcare system and elsewhere. Healthcare policy impacting private and public entities including Medicare, Medicaid, Department of Defense, Veterans Administration, Indian Health Services are examined. The course concludes with an examination of influencing policy development, including media and community initiatives.
PUBH 560. EPIDEMIOLOGY. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: admission to MPH program.
This course provides students with the foundations of epidemiology, including its principles, concepts, and methods of epidemiologic practice; design, interpretation and evaluation of epidemiologic investigation. The course prepares the student to apply epidemiologic concepts to solve public health problems.
PUBH 564. ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course focuses on environmental and occupational health and epidemiology. An examination of human-environment interactions and the Anthropocene concept as well as environmental influences on health and occupational health.
PUBH 565. HEALTH EQUITY AND ADVOCACY. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course examines the impacts of social determinants of health among local, national, and global populations. Attention to how race, class, power, wealth, structural bias, racism, and sexism undermine health is incorporated as a personal exploration of cultural competence. Students explore mitigating health inequities from a micro and macro lens.
PUBH 572. BIOLOGICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL INCIDENTS. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
Using a systems-based approach to explore public health responses to biological and radiological incidences. Attention is given to legal, governance and ethical dimensions of risk management in vulnerability assessment. Emergency planning and preparedness for ‘major incidents’ are a foci.
PUBH 573. PROGRAM PLANNING, EVALUATION AND PROCESS IMPROVEMENT. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course addresses development of core competencies needed to plan, implement and evaluate public and community health interventions. Students are introduced to a range of theories, evidence-based strategies, and resources critical to effective public health practice.
PUBH 575. PUBLIC HEALTH IN THE ERA OF SOCIAL MEDIA. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course presents concepts of social media and technology from a public health perspective. Students develop strategies in public health promotion utilizing various online platforms. Content includes graphic design, foundations of color, typography, ideas, concepts & forms, and various social media platforms.
PUBH 582. LEADERSHIPS, ETHICS, AND PROFESSIONALISM IN PUBLIC HEALTH. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course explores professionalism, ethics, and leadership in the Public Health profession. Content is designed for application for future leadership roles.
PUBH 585. CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH METHODS AND GRANT WRITING. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This course focuses on the skills to conduct contemporary public health research and grant submission. Students develop an Integrative Learning Experience proposal including a review of the literature.
PUBH 593. APPLIED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: graduate standing.
This experiential course serves as a formative and reflective opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and learned behaviors in a chosen practical experience. Students create a learning plan to implement an applied practice experience that results in a quality work products that demonstrate meeting competence as a public health generalist.
PUBH 601. MPH PORTFOLIO. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: enrolled in last term of MPH program.
This is the culminating course for achieving a Masters in Public Health. Students defend their Integrative Learning Experiences, document their Applied Practice Experiences, and verify meeting all program competencies. Students reflect on these learning experiences through development and submission of an electronic portfolio. Through successful completion of this e-portfolio students effectively demonstrate meeting all CEPH accreditation requirements for a MPH generalist degree.
PUBH 695. INTERNSHIP. 4 Credits.
Pre-requisites: instructor permission and enrolled in MPH program.
Student arranges an internship to fulfill the MPH Applied Practical Experience.