[key to abbreviations]

Summer Public Health Institute 2008 - Course Descriptions

155 Introduction to the Biology of Aging. 2 cr. An overview of the biological changes in people with the passage of time, which affect one's ability to adapt within the environment. Prerequisite: One semester of general biology at college level.

308 People, Chemicals, Environment. (Cross listed with Environmental Studies) 2 cr. An interdisciplinary approach to problems related to the presence of biologically active substances and potentially hazardous synthetic chemicals in man's environment. Principles of toxicology, drugs and drug abuse, pesticide chemicals, radiation hazards, industrial chemicals, food poisoning, and problems related to exposure to foreign compounds such as carcinogenesis, mutagenesis, and teratogenesis.  Prerequisite:  A course in biology & one course in chemistry or cons inst.

375 Concepts and Methods in Population Health Sciences. 1 cr. Introduces concepts and methods of epidemiology, health services research, health policy and financing, disease prevention, and public health.  Intended as an overview for undergraduates of all disciplines and who might consider graduate work in population health science. Prerequisite:  Junior status or cons inst.

380 Contemporary Population Problems for Honors. 3 cr. This course is designed to identify, examine the nature and evaluate the evidence regarding key population problems affecting modern societies in the developed and developing world. The course emphasizes the development of demographic models as a tool to frame, define and investigate these problems. Examples of problems studied include: relations between population growth and environment, population growth and socioeconomic development, population and emergence of new diseases.  Prerequisite:  Course in college level math; course in college level biology; or cons inst. Open to Freshmen.

471 Introduction to Environmental Health. (Cross listed with Environmental Studies) 3 cr. Impact of environmental problems on human health; biological hazards to human health from air and water pollution; radiation; pesticides; noise; problems related to food; occupation and environment of the workplace; accidents. Physical and chemical factors involved. Prerequisite: A course in biology; Junior status. 

502 Air Pollution and Human Health. (Cross listed with Environmental Studies) 3 cr. Toxicologic, controlled and epidemiologic studies on major air pollutants. Overview of study methods, lung physiology and pathology; air pollution sources, types, meteorology, sampling methods, controls and regulations. Prerequisite: Junior status, a course in biology.

548 The Economics of Health Care. (Cross listed with Econ, Public Affairs) 3-4 cr. Analysis of the health care industry. Markets for hospitals and physicians' care, markets for health manpower, and the role of health insurance. Prerequisite: Econ 301, or Public Affairs 880 or cons inst.

551 Introduction to Biostatistics for Population Health. 3 cr. Course designed for population health researchers. Topics include descriptive statistics, elementary probability, probability distributions, one- and two-sample normal inference (point estimation, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals), power and sample size calculations, one- and two-sample binomial inference, underlying assumptions and diagnostic work.  Prerequisite:  College algebra; enrollment in Population Health MS or PhD program & cons inst.

553 International Health and Global Society. 3 cr. Major problems in international health from 1750 to the present. Focus on disease epidemiology and ecology; political economy of health; migration; quarantine; race, ethnicity, and health care; international health research; cross-cultural healing; mental and maternal health; growth of international health organizations.  Prerequisite:  Junior or Senior status, or cons inst.

575 The Biological Processes of Aging. (Cross listed with Anatomy) 3 cr Lecture. Theories and mechanisms of the aging process with special reference to biological changes within and between cultures. Studies of decreasing ability to adapt to environment with age, due to anatomical and physiological changes in the human body, organ systems, cellular and molecular levels. Prerequisite: Junior status, 2 semesters of chemistry, general biology or zoology, intro physiology or cons inst.

603 Clinical and Public Health Microbiology. (Cross listed with MM&I) 5 cr. Lecture-seminar sessions. Lectures (44) describe microorganisms of clinical and public health significance. Seminar sessions (14) discuss issues and controversies of specimen receiving and processing, bacteremia, serodiagnosis of infectious agents, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, laboratory management, and novel approaches to detect infectious agents. Prerequisite: MM&I 301 & 302 or equivalent.

621 Introduction to Nutritional Epidemiology. (Cross listed with Nutritional Sciences) 1 cr. Techniques used to evaluate relationships of diet to health and disease in human populations; integration of knowledge gained with results of animal and clinical studies toward understanding dietary risk or protective factors for disease. Includes advanced diet assessment and basic epidemiologic approaches.  Prerequisite: Statistics 301 or equivalent & Nutritional  Sciences 332 or cons inst.

625 Toxicology I. (Cross listed with Environmental Toxicology, Medicine, Oncology, Pathology, Pharmacology, AHABS, Pharmacy Science) 3 cr. Basic principles of toxicology and biochemical mechanisms of toxicity in mammalian species and man. Correlation between morphological and functional changes caused by toxicants in different organs of the body. Prerequisite: Biochemistry 501 & Physiology 335 or cons inst. Pathology 401 & Pharmacology 401 or equivalent recommended.

626 Toxicology II. (Cross listed with Environmental Toxicology, Medicine, Pathology, Pharmacology, AHABS, Pharmacy Science) 3 cr. A course surveying the basic methods and fundamental biochemical mechanisms of toxicity. Toxicity in mammalian organ systems, techniques for evaluating toxicity, as well as mechanisms of species specificity, and environmental interactions (with toxicant examples) are presented. Prerequisite: Environmental Toxicology 625 or cons inst.

640 Foundations in Global Health Practice. 1 cr. Interdisciplinary course designed to prepare graduate students in the health sciences and related fields, as well as health professionals who are special students, for specific global health field experiences.  Prerequisite:  Graduate or health professional students; Junior or Senior status, or cons inst

650 Special Topics. 1-3 cr. Variable content course. Prerequisite: Junior/Graduate student & cons inst. The Pop Health 650 course number is used for temporary courses. Each section is a distinctly separate course.

650 Section 030: Health and Disease in Uganda.  2 cr. This course will introduce students to global health challenges and interdisciplinary strategies to address health problems in developing countries with an emphasis on Uganda.  The knowledge and skills from these courses will be critical for students who wish to develop a deeper understanding of health problems beyond the boundaries of the United States.

650 Section 033: Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health. 3 cr. Covers the predominant theories to describe, explain, or predict human behavior to address the social and behavioral determinants of health and promote behavior change.  Pre-requisite: admission to the MPH program, graduate standing, or consent of instructor.

650 Section 037-038: Intro to Public Health Seminar. 1 cr. The purpose of this seminar is to introduce MPH students to various aspects in the field of public health.  Students, Faculty, Staff, and Public Health specialists will contribute to the seminar through presentations, workshops, and discussion sessions.  These seminars will serve to familiarize MPH students to the various opportunities the program provides and to facilitate frequent conversation and dialogue between faculty, staff, and students. In addition, various public health speakers will be invited to discuss their areas of expertise and to describe potential field placement sites.   Prerequisite: MPH students.

650 Section 039: MPH Field Experience Seminar. 1 cr. This seminar outlines the policies, procedures and expectations for students undertaking the MPH field work requirement. Students will learn basic field work skills to assist them in the implementation of a MPH field placement project. 

650 Section 042: Health Management Policy.  3 cr.  This course will cover topics including healthcare system structure, health policy, management and organization, and healthcare reform.

650 Section 044-045: MPH Field Experience. 1-3 cr.  A practice-oriented program for students who want to strengthen general knowledge and skills in public health.  The program also helps meet the public health needs of the people in the state of  Wisconsin through the ongoing training and education of the state's public health workforce. Cons inst.

650 Section 46: Culminating Experience. 1-2 cr.  Independent study course, where students work closely with their UW Public Health Mentor.  Selection of the topic area should begin in the Public Health: Principles and Practice (POP HEALTH 780) course and be refined over the following terms to have immediate, professional relevance to the student. Didactic and special studies coursework should support this effort, as well as the field work experience.

650 Section xx: Language, Culture, and Community Health in Ecuador. See Timetable for section number and credits. 

699 Independent Reading. 1-5 cr. To gain additional information on specific research problems or advanced training in the areas covered by Population Health staff. Prerequisite: Graduate student or cons inst.

703 Quality of Health Care: Evaluation and Assurance. 1-3 cr. Implementation, oversight and management of quality-oriented activities in health care settings.  Overview of current and historical activities, approaches, and issues confronting health care related to quality assessment, assurance, and improvement.  Prerequisite:  Major or minor in Population Health, or cons inst.

717 Principles of Population Medicine and Epidemiology. 2 cr. Focuses on the basic science of public health and population medicine. Students learn about epidemiologic methods to understand the causes of disease, and evidence-based approaches for disease prevention, early detection and treatment, at the individual and community level.  Prerequisite:  1st year Med student.

718 International Health Systems. 2 cr. Addresses and analyzes differences in health status and methods of organizing and providing health services in countries with varying levels of development and types of socio-political systems. Develops an understanding of the various avenues of international cooperation in health. Prerequisite: Graduate student or cons inst.

719 Seminar--Contemporary Issues in Health Care. (Cross listed with Med Sc-M) 1-2 cr. Lecture. Social, economic and political aspects of health care delivery, including health needs and demands, doctor shortage, health team, models of delivering care, health planning, cost and financing, quality of care and international systems. Prerequisite: cons inst.

740 Health Impact Assessment of Global Environmental Change. 3 cr. Covers contemporary methods of impact assessment in a framework to address global environmental health threats (e.g., global climate change, deforestation and biodiversity loss, and urban sprawl). Issues dovetail well (but do not overlap) with Introduction to Environmental Health.  Prerequisite:  Graduate student; Population Health 797 or 471; or cons inst.

780 Public Health: Principles and Practice. 3 cr. An interdisciplinary graduate-level course addressing population-based approaches to community health improvement, and features problem-based learning. A focus on contemporary issues; opportunities to work with a public health mentor and lectures by local, state and national figures.  Prerequisite:  Enrollment in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program at UW-Madison, Graduate student, or cons inst.

791 Physical Activity Epidemiology. ( Cross listed with Kinesiology) 3 cr. Recommendations for and surveillance of physical activity in the U.S., and associations with health and disease at the population level. Emphasis on measurement techniques, study design and research considerations.  Prerequisite:  Grad student or cons inst.

794 Biological Basis of Population Health. 2 cr. This course covers the physiology, biology and biochemistry of selected disease processes deemed to be important to students of Population Health Sciences by virtue of their clinical significance including incidence, mortality and morbidity. Prerequisite:  Graduate student or cons inst.

795 Principles of Population Health Science. 3 cr. Introduces students to the multiple determinants of health including medical care, socioeconomic status, the physical environment and individual behavior, and their interactions. Also covered will be the definition and measurement of population health, economic concepts in population health, and ethical and managerial issues in population health improvement. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health or cons inst.

796 Introduction to Health Services Research. 3 cr. Introduces students to a variety of perspectives, substantive areas and methodological approaches to health services research that provide the foundation for understanding the structure, process and outcomes of the U.S. health care system. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health & Population Health 795; or cons inst.

797 Introduction to Epidemiology. (Cross listed with Sociology.) 3 cr. Lectures and discussions on design, implementation and interpretation of epidemiologic studies; emphasis on methodologic problems in the measurement of disease frequency, natural history and risk factors. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Clinical/Life Science or cons inst. 

798 Epidemiologic Methodology. 3 cr. Design and implementation of epidemiologic research, including sample selection, recruitment, data collection and management. Strategies to address methodological limitations are emphasized. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health & Population Heath 797; or cons inst.

800 Quantitative Methods in Population Health I. 3 cr. Topics include: Rates and risks, classical analysis techniques for epidemiologic studies, ordinary and logistic regression. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health and Statistics 541 or equivalent; or cons inst.

802 Advanced Epidemiology: Etiology and Prevention. 3 cr. The course addresses the epidemiological basis for understanding the etiology and prevention of major diseases. Students integrate information about disease patterns, epidemiological methods, and published studies to identify research questions and design a project.     Prerequisite: Graduate student, Population Health 797 & 798 or cons inst.

803 Monitoring Population Health. 3 cr. Students learn applied techniques for community health assessment--a core function of public health. Actual population health data (including census, natality, mortality, hospital discharge, behavioral risk factor) are retrieved from the Web for analysis and interpretation. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health & Population Health 795, 797, 798, & 800; or cons inst.

820 Graduate Research Seminar. 1 cr. Research seminar for students in the Population Health graduate program. Presentations by graduate students, professors, public health professionals and experts designed to cover the depth and breadth of research in the field of population health.  Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health graduate program.

848 Health Economics. (Cross listed with Econ) 1-3 cr. Health economics issues including demand, supply and pricing, market structure, medical malpractice, technological change, value of life, role of insurance, and other aspects of uncertainty. Prerequisite: Graduate student.

875 Assessment of Medical Technologies. (Cross listed with Industrial Engineering) 2-3 cr. Basic ideas and tools of cost effectiveness analysis as applied in evaluating medical technologies. Addresses special problems and methods in assessing diagnostic technologies, including ROC analysis, and in measuring health for technology assessment. Uses "classical" and current journal literature. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health & Population Health 797 & 800; or cons inst.

876 Measuring Health Outcomes. 3 cr. Provides a comprehensive understanding of health outcome measures, including generic health status measures, disease-specific measures, and consumer reports of the quality of care. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health & Population Health 795, 797 & 800; or cons inst.

900 Quantitative Methods in Population Health II.  3 cr. Principles and applications of regression analysis of observational data with unequal variance, unequal sampling weights, missing observations, correlation between observations and non-normally distributed outcomes, and related statistical methods in population health. Examples use data sets from ongoing population health research. Prerequisite: Graduate student in Population Health & Population Health 795,797, 798, & 800; or cons inst.

904 Special Topics in Epidemiology. 1-3 cr. In-depth focus on current areas of epidemiologic investigation.  Each semester multiple modules (e.g., cardiovascular, cancer, infectious diseases, women’s health, international, etc.) will be offered. Prerequisite: Graduate student and Population Health 794; Med1 or Med2; or cons inst.

911 Epidemiology Elective-Division of Health. 4 cr. Prerequisite:  4th year Med student.

912 Computer Utilization in the Clinical Laboratory-State Lab. 1-5 cr. Prerequisite:  4th year Med student.

913 Clinical Chemistry-Newborn Screening-State Lab. 1-5 cr. Prerequisite:  4th year Med student.

914 Individual Training & Experience in the Clinical Laboratory-State Lab. 1-5 cr. Prerequisite:  4th year Med student.

915 Fundamentals of International Health-MSC. 2 cr. Prerequisite:  4th year Med student.

916  Chronic Disease and Injury Epidemiology-Division of Health. 2-12 cr. Clinical elective for fourth year medical students. Prerequisite:  4th year Med student.

941 Individual Training & Experience-Clinical Lab or Epidemiology. 1-4 cr. Supervised training and independent investigational opportunities in one of: diagnostic microbiology, cytogenetics, clinical chemistry and medical toxicology. Contact department office for correct section number.  Prerequisite: Cons inst.

990 Research. 1-8 cr. cons inst. Prerequisite: cons inst.