PROPOSAL OUTLINE:

MINOR IN PUBLIC HEALTH

 

I.       DESCRIPTION

 

Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, private and public organizations,  communities and individuals. This minor provides an interdisciplinary opportunity for undergraduate students to develop practical skills in program development, and increase knowledge in the areas of social systems and policy as well as leadership in public health.  The minor is designed to appeal to various disciplines and offers students from a variety of majors a greater appreciation for the application of public health concepts to their field of study.

 

Upon completion of the minor, the student will be able to:

1. Explain the population health perspective and the methods used by public health to define and address population-wide/social concerns and the needs of vulnerable populations through the provision of essential services.

 

2. Explain principles of epidemiology necessary to understand health and impairments of health including the uses of rates, the meaning of causation, and the evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions.

 

3. Explain from a global perspective the burden of disease, social-economic determinants of health, the links between health and development, and approaches to international cooperation to monitor, promote and protect health.

 

4. Synthesize interdisciplinary approaches to the analysis of the determinants of health and disease as well as interventions to eliminate or control diseases and other health impairing conditions.

 

5. Apply options for intervention frameworks including when, who and how to intervene.

 

6. Describe the current U.S. public health and health care delivery systems; explain structures for and approaches to development of health policies; and apply principles for conducting a health policy analysis.

 

7. Explain the impacts of the physical environment on health and use these explanations to understand human actions that alter, detect, and/or minimize these impacts.

 

The learning outcomes will be assessed through course assignments, exams, and the student’s ability to maintain a C- or better.

 

             

II.    RATIONALE AND DEMAND

1.      Institutional Factors

1.      The minor in Public Health is compatible with the Academic Priorities of the University by addressing the following goals of undergraduate education:

 

·        Attain effective skills in oral and written communication, quantitative reasoning, and the use of information technology

 

·        Learn to think critically to solve problems

 

·        Be able to work and learn both independently and collaboratively

 

·        Engage questions of ethics and recognize responsibilities to self, community and society at large

 

·        Understand the diverse ways of thinking that underlie the search for knowledge in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences

 

·        Understand the foundations of United States Society including the significance of its cultural diversity

 

·        Develop an international perspective in order to live and work effectively in an increasingly global society

 

 

2.      The minor in Public Health planning process began in January 2009 and was conducted by seven faculty committee members who served as representatives from the College of Health Sciences (including the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences and School of Nursing), College of Education and Public Policy, and the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. The committee also collaborated with Thomas Jefferson University throughout the planning process.

 

3.      The minor curriculum will complement other instructional, research, and service programs of the University through its multi-disciplinary approach. It will also provide opportunity for students campus-wide to receive academic exposure to the field of public health and its associated concepts and issues.

4.      The multi-disciplinary appeal of the minor in Public Health enables the provision of existing University courses from a variety of disciplines for the fulfillment of requirements.

 

2.      Student Demand

1.      Enrollment projections of 40 students per year were derived from reviewing the Medical Scholars Program and seeking input from faculty members serving on the Public Health Planning Committee. Enrollment projections were also developed through collaboration with Thomas Jefferson University and results from their survey of public health interest among UD undergraduate students.

 

2.      The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students at the University.

 

3.      Transferability
N/A

 

4.      Access to Graduate and Professional Programs

The proposed course of study would prepare students for graduate school in the field of Public Health if they so desire. Most public health graduate programs accept students from a variety of disciplines; however, these programs typically include a statistics course as a pre-requisite for entry. An advanced degree in public health will prepare students to work in a variety of settings including hospitals, universities, and state and local public health departments. More than ever, organizations and government agencies are playing a role in influencing the health of the entire populations. Careers in the public health field will continue to grow as more efforts are being made to prevent disease through health promotion and as professionals become increasingly aware of the health effects of pollutants and waste in the environment.

 

5.      Demand and Employment Factor

The Public Health Minor curriculum is designed to meet the needs of undergraduate students in various disciplines across the University. The purpose of the minor is to broaden student perspectives about the field of public health and how public health concepts can be applied to various disciplines.

 

 

 

 

 

6.      Regional, State, and National Factors

1.      The following is a list of universities offering both undergraduate majors and minors in public health. The curricula for these programs have been reviewed by the Public Health Minor Planning Committee.

·        Temple University

·        Rutgers Edward J. Bloustein School

·        Johns Hopkins University

·        Boston University

·        George Washington University

·        University of Albany SUNY

·        University of California at Berkeley

·        University of North Carolina

·        Tulane University

·        University of Washington

·        University of Massachusetts Amherst

Following the review of the program curricula, it was found that the majority of programs required an Introduction to Public Health and an Introduction to Epidemiology course, with fewer programs offering Introduction to Global Health as a core course. Many of the programs also required the completion of a statistics course for a major in public health.

2.      The recommendations for developing public health programs that are provided through the Curriculum Guide for Undergraduate Public Health Education Version 3.0 by the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) and the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) assisted in the development of the curriculum of the minor’s three core courses and provided insight on the electives to offer. The curriculum guide is designed to assist faculty with providing students with the essential learning outcomes presented by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in their Liberal Education and American’s Promise (LEAP) initiative.

 

In addition, the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) and the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) guided the committee in identifying accredited schools of public health for the purpose of public health program comparison and the guidance of the minor’s development. The Public Health Planning Committee collaborated with Thomas Jefferson University to further aid in the development of the minor.

 

7.      Describe Other Strengths

1.      The introduction of the minor at the University of Delaware will be the first undergraduate public health program offered in the state. The minor curriculum includes the three core courses of Introduction to Public Health, Introduction to Epidemiology, and Introduction to Global Health as recommended by APTR and AAC&U. The majority of the public health minor programs evaluated by the committee did not offer all three of the aforementioned core courses. Additionally, electives from a variety of disciplines are offered through the minor, which will attract students from majors across the University. The curriculum was also created so that students could meet the pre-requisites for graduate studies in public health or population health-related programs upon completion of the minor.

 

2.      The minor was developed through collaboration among the committee members, who represented various disciplines across the University, as well as input from Thomas Jefferson University MPH program. Resources to aid in the implementation of the minor were provided through the UNIDEL Grant, which was acquired by former Provost Daniel Rich, and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) Grant given by Thomas Jefferson University. 

 

 

III. ENROLLMENT, ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID

 

1.      Enrollment

It is estimated that approximately 40 students per academic year will enroll in the Public Health Minor. The minor will be open to students of all majors and a three- credit statistics course is required as a co-requisite. Students must have completed at least one semester of coursework and have a GPA of 2.0 or above. The program will be implemented during the fall semester of 2010.

 

2.      Admission Requirements

1.      Course registrations will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis. Students are required to complete a three-credit statistics course as a co-requisite.  To retain the minor, students must remain in good academic standing in accordance with University policies.

2.      The minor is open to all students to provide exposure to the field of public health among various disciplines of study.

 

3.      Student Expenses and Financial Aid

Financial aid information is not applicable to the program.

 

 

 

 

IV.  CURRICULUM SPECIFICS

 

1.      Institutional Factors

No additional degree will be awarded to students who complete the minor in Public Health. The purpose of the minor is to enhance focus and knowledge obtained in the student’s major field of study.

 

2.      Describe the Curriculum

1.      The minor requires the completion of 18 total credit hours. Nine credit hours are to be completed through three required courses (3 credits each) and nine credit hours are to be completed through three electives (3 credits each). Students must select one elective from each of the following areas: Program Development; Social Systems and Public Policy; and Leadership, as defined by the Public Health Minor curriculum guidelines. Six of the nine elective credits may count towards the student’s major. Students also are required to take a statistics course as a co-requisite.

 

Below is a list of the curriculum requirements and associated courses within each of the three elective areas:

 

Required Courses: (9-credit hours)

HLPR 211 / UAPP 211:  Introduction to Public Health (3 Cr Hrs)

HLPR 222 / UAPP 222:  Introduction to Epidemiology (3 Cr. Hrs)

HLPR 233 / UAPP 233:  Introduction to Global Health (3 Cr. Hrs)

 

Elective Courses: (9-Credit hours).  3 Credit hours from each elective areas:

 

Program Development Courses: (2/3-credits)

HDFS230: Families and Their Communities (3)
HDFS346: Delivery of Human Services (3)
HDFS347: Program Development and Evaluation (3)

HESC332: Health Behavior Theory and Assessment (3)
HESC490: Development of Health Promotion Programs (3)

HLPR610: Health and the Media (3)

NURS382: Communities and Health (2)

 

Social Systems and Policy courses: (3-credits)

ECON311: Economics of Developing Countries
ECON343: Environmental Economics
ECON390: Economics of Healthcare
ECON490: Economics of Health Policy

HDFS402: Child and Family Policy

SOCI311: Sociology of Health and Illness
SOCI349: Aging and Society (being proposed for permanent number this cycle)

UAPP110: Changing the World: The role of Public Policy
UAPP225: Crafting Public Policy
UAPP325: Public Policy Analysis
UAPP410: Making Convincing Policy Arguments
UAPP419: Policy Leadership and Ethics
UAPP427: Evaluating Public Policy
UAPP657: Health Policy

WOMS 389: Topics: Women and Health Issues

Leadership courses:  (3-credits)

COMM330: Communication and Interpersonal Behavior

HESC329: Dynamics of Team Problem Solving

LEAD100: Leadership, Integrity and Change
LEAD101: Global Context for Leadership
LEAD200: The Leadership Challenge
LEAD300: Leadership, Creativity, and Innovation
LEAD400: Leadership for the Common Good

 

2.      Sample Curriculum  (18 Credit hours)_

HLPR 211: Introduction to Public Health (required 3 cr. hrs)

HLPR 222: Introduction to Epidemiology (required 3 cr. hrs)

HLPR 233: Introduction to Global Health (required 3 cr. hrs)

HDFS347: Program Development and Evaluation (Program Development Course, 3 cr. hrs)

UAPP225: Crafting Public Policy (Social Systems and Policy Course, 3 cr. hrs)

LEAD100: Leadership, Integrity and Change (Leadership Course, 3 cr. hrs)

STAT 200 (or equivalent) taken as a co-requisite
 

3.   Six of the nine elective credits that students select for the minor may be   
      counted toward the requirements for their major or University core  
      requirements.

4.  Permission to include elective courses in the minor was secured from Chairs, Directors, and faculty of collaborating departments and courses.  These course approvals are available upon request.

 

V.     RESOURCES AVAILABLE

 

1.      Learning Resources

Standard library, classroom, and research facilities will be available to students for the minor. The University library already has many Public Health Journals available for student use. The following are examples of those publications:

·        American Journal of Public Health

·        American Journal of Public Health and the Nations Health

·        Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health

·        BMC Public Health

·        European Journal of Public Health

·        Public Health

·        Public Health Ethics

·        Public Health Forum

·        Public Health Nursing

·        Public Health Nutrition

·        Public Health Papers and Reports

·        Public Health Reports

 

2.      Faculty/Administrative Resources

Dr. P. Michael Peterson will dedicate 10% of his time to serve as the program director. Dr. Peterson is a Full Professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences. He earned his Doctoral degree at the University of Kentucky. All elective courses offered within the minor are currently taught by faculty members at the University of Delaware.

 

 

3.      External Funding

The Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) Grant was given by Thomas Jefferson University to support the implementation of the Public Health Minor.   In addition, UNIDEL funds were supplied to help with the formulation, and launching of the minor.  No external funds will be required to sustain the program.

 

VI.  RESOURCES REQUIRED

 

1.      Learning Resources

No additional learning resources required accept classroom space to teach the three required courses.

 

2.      Personnel Resources
Additional faculty resources would include both the dedication required by Dr. Peterson to direct the minor and faculty hires for the three core courses within the minor. Dean Gamel-McCormick (College of Education and Public Policy) and Dean Matt (College of Health Sciences) are currently pursuing faculty hires.  Elective courses within the minor are already being taught by current faculty members.

 

3.      Budgetary Needs
There are no budgetary needs other than those typical of supporting a course at the University that are required for the implementation of the minor.

 

 

VII.           IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION

 

1.      Implementation Plan

It is anticipated that HLPR 267, Introduction to Public Health will be taught in Spring ’10 on S-contract funds supplied by the UNIDEL grant.  The minor, if approved, will officially begin Fall ’10.  The Introductory courses (Epidemiology, Global Health, Public Health) will be taught, pending faculty hires which are being pursued by Deans Matt and Gamel-McCormick, during the 2010-11 academic year.  Elective courses will be offered as currently scheduled within each of the collaborating departments.  Marketing of the program will commence in Spring ’10.  TJU grant funds are provided for marketing initiatives.  A community advisory committee comprised of community-based public health professionals will be established in Spring-Fall 2010 to help guide and assess the minor.  The director of the program will work to formulate and coordinate the community advisory committee in cooperation with the currently formed UD Public Health Minor planning committee members. The director will also serve as the primary advisor to students enrolled in the program, and serve to process applicants to the minor.

 

 

2.      Assessment Plan

The program will be evaluated quantitatively based on the amount of student interest and enrollment in courses, course GPAs, and qualitatively based upon faculty and advisory committee feedback on achievement of program learning outcomes. Additionally, the advisory committee will meet annually to provide input, guidance and feedback regarding the minor.

 

 

VIII.         APPENDICES

 

1.      Letters of Approval from Contributing Departments