Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular term. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• SPH PH 853: Strategic Planning and Communications
  Graduate Prerequisites: Enrollment restricted to DrPH students and other degree candidates wit h consent of instructor. - This course focuses on the development and implementation of program and policy interventions that can improve public health by modifying people's health-related behaviors, and on the design and execution of effective oral and written communications to support those interventions. Working through a sequence of written assignments, students will develop: (1) a set of theory-based learning and environmental change objectives; (2) a strategic plan for a program or policy intervention designed to change an important health-related behavior; (3) a management plan for implementing and maintaining that intervention; (4) a supportive communication strategy; and (5) specific media and communications executions to operationalize that strategy. In class writing workshops and individual consultations are designed to give students ideas for their projects and interim feedback on their written assignments.
• SPH PH 854: Program and Policy Evaluation
  Graduate Prerequisites: Enrollment restricted to DrPH students and other degree candidates wit h consent of instructor. - Evaluation research is critical to the advancement of public health knowledge and the improvement of program services. This course focuses on the theory and practice of program evaluation and the development of student evaluation skills and their implementation in practice. Students will use case study materials. Students will learn to conceptualize the entire evaluation process from the development of program logic, through evaluation design, measurement, sample size calculation and an analysis plan. In addition, students will learn about cost-effectiveness analysis and meta-analysis for policy development.
• SPH PH 856: Law & Ethics for Public Health Leaders
  Graduate Prerequisites: Enrollment restricted to DrPH students and other degree candidates with consent of instructor. - Law, ethics, and human rights often determine, or heavily influence, both the range of choices open to public health policymakers and the means available to achieve public health goals. Using case studies, including rationing flu vaccine, responding to catastrophes such as Hurricane Katrina, protecting and promoting women’s health and reproductive rights in developing countries, and regulating research to prevent exploitation of subjects in resource poor countries, students will recognize and integrate legal, ethical, and human rights concepts into public health policy development.
• SPH PH 857: Health Economics and Financial Management for Public Health
  Graduate Prerequisites: Enrollment restricted to DrPH students and other degree candidates wit h consent of instructor. - This course is an applied, practitioner-oriented survey of major topics in health economics and the financial management of public health organizations and programs. It will provide students with a brief introduction to the theoretical and conceptual underpinnings of health economics and financial management, but the focus will be on practical application to health care market issues, resource allocation policy problems, financial and managerial accounting, performance measurement, and economic evaluation of public health programs.
• SPH PH 859: Cases in Public Health Management
  Graduate Prerequisites: Enrollment restricted to DrPH students and other degree candidates with consent of instructor. - This course will focus on developing tools for, and perspectives on, decision-making in senior public health positions through analysis of a series of case studies. Students will adopt different roles in preparing the cases, sometimes individually and sometimes in groups. The cases will address challenges faced in human resources, facilities design, quality control, organizational change and the integration of policy and program-planning. Students will be assessed on: (1) memos prepared for their roles in individual classes; (2) the quality of their participation in class discussions of the cases; and (3) their response to a case that will be distributed as a final examination.
• SPH PH 867: Evidence-Based Policy and Budgeting
  Public Health leaders must be prepared to both influence and understand policies using evidence. The dynamic relationship between research and policy necessitates specific training in a wide range of methods. This course will build skills to prepare students to (1) assess the strength of existing evidence on a health topic and summarize the data to be used to advise policymakers; (2) understand economic implications of a proposed or existing policy using several economic evaluation approaches; (3) develop evidence-based recommendations to be delivered to policymakers in terms they find most relevant. The main goal is for students to understand when a variety of analyses and their related tools are appropriate; how to apply them when communicating with specialists; and when to deploy them in their own public health leadership practice. Specifically, students will develop skills related to: synthesizing evidence from the peer-reviewed literature; performing meta-analyses; using cost-effectiveness analysis to inform decisions about improving health through policy and decision-making; conducting budget impact analysis and social return on investment analysis; communicating complex evidence to decision-makers. This is a doctoral-level course however, advanced master's students are encouraged to enroll.
• SPH PH 870: Research Skills Seminar
  Researchers are routinely called upon to ensure research project success through the application of many professional skills beyond data collection and analysis. In this course, students will learn and apply concepts and tools relevant to research project management, budgetary concerns, data visualization, and presentation, and the communication of research results to various audiences.
• SPH PH 871: Communication Skills for Public Health Leaders
  The public health leadership seminar is one in a series of four 1-credit requirements that will serve as the main integrative pedagogic experience of the DrPH doctoral program. The purpose of this course will be to explore the many ways in which leaders must be prepared to communicate with various stakeholders including employees, stakeholders, competitors, and the media. Students will work independently and in teams to create content for co-learning sessions, will engage in cases, role play, and simulations to build and refine communication skills.
• SPH PH 872: Mentorship and Coaching in Public Health Leadership
  The public health leadership seminar is one in a series of four 1-credit requirements that will serve as the main integrative pedagogic experience of the DrPH doctoral program. The purpose of this course will be to explore reflective leadership practice through individual and group coaching sessions. Students will engage in personal reflection to identify their own personal goals for professional development as well as an awareness of barriers that may have historically prevented growth in particular areas. Using the DrPH Competencies, students will work with a coach and the program director to make an intentional plan for pursuing a challenging and strategic practicum project
• SPH PH 873: Data-Driven Decision-Making for Public Health Leaders
  The public health leadership seminar is one in a series of four 1-credit requirements that will serve as the main integrative pedagogic experience of the DrPH doctoral program. The purpose of this course will be to explore the complexities of data-driven decision-making public health leaders face. The course will be based on group discussion and interviews with senior-level public health practitioners. Student learning will be grounded in gleaning lessons learned from advanced practitioners of public health in both domestic and global settings.
• SPH PH 874: Public Health Practice within Political Contexts
  The public health leadership seminar is one in a series of four 1-credit requirements that will serve as the main integrative pedagogic experience of the DrPH doctoral program. The purpose of this course is to focus on preparing DrPH students to analyze the political context that surrounds a health topic of interest. By understanding the politics involved, students will be better prepared to craft proposals, recommendations, and policies that will not only be grounded in scientific evidence, but be more feasible given existing politics. This course will explore politics while building skills in regional data analysis and recommendation development, to prepare students for their comprehensive exam and help them conceptualize a field-relevant dissertation topic.
• SPH PH 880: Research Dissemination Seminar
  This is an upper-level applied seminar course, in which students are mentored through the development of a manuscript suitable for publication in a peer- reviewed journal. Through a combination of discussions, written assignments, and oral presentations, students will develop research questions, conduct literature reviews, perform data analyses using a real-world data, and summarize results a manuscript.
• SPH PH 885: Grant Writing for Doctoral Students
  The purpose of this course is to support BUSPH doctoral students/candidates in writing grant proposals in a systematic fashion under faculty guidance and with peer input.The fall portion will focus on general grant writing strategies,while the spring portion will focus on proposal development.Grant writing is an important skill for all doctoral students to develop,particularly those interested in becoming faculty members at academic institutions.The goal of this course is for participants to gain experience in the overall grant writing process while developing a proposal for funding to support dissertation-related research.Upon completion of the grant writing course,the expectation is that participants will submit their proposal for funding.The focus is on NIH/AHRQ F- series and R36-type grants,though students are welcome to use the course to prepare a grant for a foundation or other source of funding. Enrollment is open to BUSPH doctoral students/candidates who are at a stage in their training where they are prepared to actively develop a grant proposal for submission.Students may take the first half of the course and not the second(if they are interested in gaining general knowledge of grant writing but are not aiming to develop their own grant proposal);the first half of the course is a prerequisite for the second half of the course(i.e., students cannot take only the second half).
• SPH PH 886: Grant Writing for Doctoral Students II
  The purpose of this course is to support BUSPH doctoral students/candidates in writing grant proposals in a systematic fashion under faculty guidance and with peer input. Following from the fall portion, which focuses on general grant writing strategies, the spring portion focuses on proposal development (i.e., writing a grant for submission). Grant writing is an important skill for all doctoral students to develop, particularly those interested in becoming faculty members at academic institutions. Despite the importance of grant writing, these skills are rarely taught in doctoral programs. The goal of this course is for participants to gain experience in the overall grant writing process while developing a proposal for funding to support dissertation-related research. Upon completion of the grant writing course, the expectation is that participants will submit their proposal for funding. The focus is on NIH/AHRQ F-series and R36-type grants, though students are welcome to use the course to prepare a grant for a foundation or other source of funding. Enrollment is open to BUSPH doctoral students/candidates who are at a stage in their training where they are prepared to actively develop a grant proposal for submission. Students may take the first half of the course and not the second (if they are interested in gaining general knowledge of grant writing but are not aiming to develop their own grant proposal); the first half of the course is a prerequisite for the second half of the course (i.e., students cannot take only the second half).
• SPH PH 890: Mentored Research Experience
  The 400-hour mentored research experience requirement gives students the opportunity to collaborate with a BUSPH faculty member or an approved partner.
• SPH PH 931: DIRECTED STUDY
  DIRECTED STUDY
• SPH PH 976: MPH Health Practicum
  All MPH students must complete a practicum of at least 240 hours by registering for PH 976 or one of the courses listed below. Students who complete a course with a practice-based component will earn 30 hours toward the practicum requirement. Courses with approved practice-based components include GH 743, GH 744, PM 832, PM 835, and SB 806. Others may be added via petition to the Practicum Director. The Career Services office assists students in finding an appropriate practicum site. Students may also find practicums through professional and personal contacts, including SPH faculty. The practicum requirements may include, but may not be limited to the following: Placement approval, registration for SPH PH 976 (0 credit), a learning contract, and a final assessment.
• SPH PH 978: Public Health Practicum
  The purpose of this course is to provide dual MBA-MPH students a structured and mentored opportunity to explore the public health context and implications of their summer internship experiences. The course addresses at least the following MPH competencies. Use systematic approaches to develop, implement, and evaluate public health policies, programs, or services.Communicate effectively to multiple audiences in written and presentation form.
• SPH PH 986: Dr Public Health Practicum
  Graduate Prerequisites: For DrPH students only. - Required practicum for DrPH students. Course is pass/fail.
• SPH PH 990: Continuing Study in DrPH Program
  Graduate Prerequisites: For DrPH students approved for dissertation only. - Must be DrPH student working on dissertation. Doctoral students who have completed all academic course requirements, must register for Continuing Study Fee every Fall and Spring semester until they have successfully defended their dissertation and graduated from SPH. Students are certified full time and charged for student health insurance, the equivalent of two credits of tuition, and all relevant fees.