The focus of this seminar is on the logic and principles for crafting research proposals on health sciencts in a compelling manner and for critically evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. The course aims to develop and enhance student skills in proposal writing and presentation for dissertations and other purposes through a variety of oral and narrative assignments. Each student will prepare an original research proposal following AHRQ/NIH guidelines including: abstract, specific aims, research strategy (significance, innovation, approach), and human subjects.

The focus of this course is to learn how economic, political and social policies produce health inequities. We analyze domestic and international policies through theories of political economy and how they have produced inequities among racial/ethnic, class, gender, and sexual minorities. More importantly, as future public health practitioners, healthcare providers, and community organizers, having some familiarity with the health implications of social and economic policy will allow students to create primary prevention strategies and structural interventions.

Students choose a topic to research on their own under the guidance of a faculty advisor who will then grade the final written report.

This introductory mental health course provides an overview of mental health disorders and associated disease burden and risk factors, and also describes the current configuration of the US mental health industry including associated facilities and providers and best practice methods to treat mental health disorders. This course then emphasizes the importance of public health interventions to supplement existing treatment modalities in order to address mental health disease burden and associated risk factors.

Major methodologies useful in health research. Topics include philosophy of scientific investigation, field research, participant, survey research, experimental design, construction of questionnaires, and attitudes scales; the format for writing a research prospectus.

Concepts of program evaluation and their application to the health field. Emphasis on theoretical concepts and their application to development of practical skills in program evaluation.

Introduction to the philosophy, nature, and scope of health organizations; administration and organization of governmental health programs, economic and political forces and their effects on health services.

This course will introduce students to basic concepts and key issues in health policy in the United States, including how aspects of the policy environment (e.g. government institutions, stakeholders, public opinion) shape public health and the provision of health care services. We will also address the history of national health reform efforts and examine the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in detail. Course content and activities will help students to develop skills and strategies to critically analyze health policy issues and to communicate effectively in the policy context.