Public Health 490RP - Fact or Fiction: EHS in Film

This course explores the errors, inaccuracies, and appropriate portrayals of common principles of environmental health science. Major films such as Erin Brockovich, The Day After Tomorrow, and Outbreak are popular movies that are premised on science and how the environment interacts with human health. This course takes a critical approach to how these topics are conveyed to an audience, explores the scientific principles and relevancy involved in environmental health topics, and evaluates proactive approaches we may take to ensure a complete understanding of environmental health topics in the mass media. The focus of learning is not on artistic license; rather it is centered on ensuring students employ critical thought and skepticism in what they see in popular media in order to be more informed public health citizens. The course covers one movie every week (viewed outside of classroom, provided electronically at no cost), with meeting times including explanation of basic scientific principles, critical evaluation of how the science is presented, and how (or if) this differs from reality.

This class is open to Public Health majors only PUBHLTH 203