Public Health 345 - Public Health Data Science

Spring
2026
01
3.00
Renu Sharma-Gehring

M W 2:30PM 3:45PM

UMass Amherst
85489
Library Tower 1667-ComputerRm
rsharmagehri@umass.edu
Implementing evidence-based public health requires us to examine evidence in order to make the best decisions we can to improve the health of communities and populations. Data science is a rapidly growing discipline which combines programming skills, statistical knowledge and applied subject expertise to examine data to answer questions and make informed decisions. In this course we will learn which kinds of questions to ask, how to visualize and model data to answer those questions, and how to communicate our findings. You will gain hands-on experience through in-class coding activities as well as homework assignments. The course will culminate in an original data analysis project. The data sets used in this class will be real public health related data sets. All coding will be done in R, a popular free open-source data analysis program. Class sessions will consist of a combination of lectures and group team-based learning exercises.

Open to sophomore, junior, and senior Public Health majors only. If the class and the Spire waitlist are full and/or you are unable to self-enroll in this course (for another reason), please complete this waitlist link: https://tinyurl.com/PHWaitlist-Electives

Seats will open to non-PubHlth majors after pre-registration is complete

Permission is required for interchange registration during the add/drop period only.