MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH ONLINE

This course introduces students to the use of data, measurement, and basic statistics in the field of public health. This introduction to biostatistics provides an overview of data collection, sample sizes, normality of data sets, basic measurement statistics, parametric and non-parametric statistical comparisons, and statistical significance. Students apply concepts through in-class labs and real-world data collection.

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Apply basic statistical methods.          
2. Describe the role of data in making inferences and decisions about comparison groups, treatments, and interventions. 
3. Examine data sets for suitability for statistical analysis.
4. Use a statistical software package to perform basic statistical analyses. 
5. Understand approaches to data collection, data evaluation, and statistical comparisons.

This course covers the appropriate use of data in characterizing the health of a population and provides an overview of probability and statistical inference in public health. Students learn the principles of collecting, analyzing, and presenting data. Topics include random variation, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, chi-square distribution, and linear regression.  Students apply concepts through in-class labs that evaluate statistics used in public health publications.

Upon completion of this course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Describe the role of biostatistics in planning, conducting, analyzing, and interpreting public health research.
2. Apply basic statistical methods commonly used with public health data.
3. Use a statistical software package to perform basic statistical analyses, including descriptive and inferential techniques.
4. Identify the principal national and state public health data sets that are available for analyses.
5. Articulate the benefits and pitfalls of using statistical significance in interpreting findings.
6. Evaluate the use and interpretation of statistical analyses in public health publications.

This course provides basic epidemiologic concepts and methods for public health practitioners, including an understanding of various measures of risk, disease, and mortality in populations. Students learn types of epidemiologic strategies used to examine associations between risk factors and morbidity and mortality and how to distinguish between a statistical association and a causal relationship. The course includes an overview of chronic and infectious disease epidemiology using historical and current public health challenges. In addition to studying various aspects of disease in populations, the importance and types of disease prevention are included.

Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to do the following:

1. Distinguish between a clinical and a population approach to risk factors and disease.
2. Articulate biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health.
3. List major causes and trends in morbidity and mortality in the United States or other large population.
4. Illustrate how globalization affects global burdens of disease.
5. Calculate and interpret common epidemiologic measures (incidence and prevalence rates, relative risk, odds ratios) to draw appropriate inferences.
6. Discuss how various epidemiologic studies (cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, ecologic, and intervention) are used to study statistical associations between risk factors and disease or death outcomes.
7. Critically evaluate strengths and weaknesses of epidemiologic methods.
8. Use an existing database to describe risk factor prevalence and morbidity and mortality rates for a specific disease in a specific geographic area.
9. Differentiate between a statistical association and a causal relationship between a risk factor and a health outcome.
10. Discuss the science of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in population health including health promotion and the use of clinical prevention services.
11. Identify ethical and legal implications of epidemiologic practice.
12. Interpret epidemiological data, evaluating the strengths and limitations of epidemiologic reports.
13. Interpret results of data analysis in technical and lay language both in writing and through oral presentation.

Explore the research and process of designing effective public health programs and interventions. You'll use tools and techniques used to engage and involve the community, so programs are based on community need. Course topics include behavior change theory, logic models, community engagement and participation, rationale development, and timeline and budget creation.

Focus on community organizing as a collaborative process among communities and organizations. You'll learn to identify public health issues, set mutual goals, assess and gather resources, and develop culturally competent actions.

Learn how to plan educational, political, environmental, regulatory, and organizational mechanisms that promote and support wellness conditions and activities for individuals, populations, or communities. You'll learn to use social media and other technology, as well as marketing methods like visuals and group communication strategies, to create and disseminate understandable public health information and data.