Public Health & Community Health Education program

PH 335 Environmental Health This course will examine the interdisciplinary and global impacts of human-environment relationships. Emphasis is placed on the critical nature of our understanding these relationships in order to improve ecosystem health, human health and well-being, global economics and sustainability. Politics, economics, science, technology, human behavior (both individual and collective), history, ethics, and the media are examined for the purpose of improving the quality of life for all people through the creation of a sustainable global society. The science, methods and processes of environmental health will be considered. The role of environmental health in public and population health will be examined. Prerequisite: admission to the public health and community health education major or an environmental studies minor. Offered Fall, Spring.

CHE 360 Methods and Strategies for Health Education The purpose of this course is to help participants develop skills and strategies in relation to facilitation, instruction, as well as the use of theoretical concepts to more effectively implement health education and health promotion programs. Course participants will gain an understanding of the various ways in which people learn and develop a variety of skills to create effective learning strategies. Participants will also comprehend the fundamentals of social marketing as well as health literacy and how these concepts should be used to create more effective health education and health promotion programs. Additionally, participants will learn how to use health behavior theories and models to create culturally appropriate health education materials. Prerequisite: admission to the public health and community health education major. Offered Fall, Spring.

PH 340 Epidemiology and Human Disease Prevention This course provides an introduction to epidemiology as a basic science for public health. It will address the principles of the quantitative approach to public health. The course will introduce measures of frequency and association, introduce the design and validity of epidemiologic research, and give an overview of appropriate data analysis for understand population health. An introduction to the skills needed by public health professionals to interpret critically the epidemiologic literature. The influence of epidemiology on legal and ethical issues will be presented. Prerequisite: admission to the public health and community health education, school health education major, or healthcare analytics management minor. Offered Fall, Spring.

CHE 370 Motivational Interviewing for Health Educators This course introduces participants to principles, concepts, and spirit of Motivational Interviewing (MI), which is an evidenced-based method, grounded in theory meant to facilitate behavior change. Participants will learn the process of exploring and resolving the ambivalence that often creates barriers to change in various populations. Participants will also learn how to properly share information, give advice, and plan for action using the spirit and methods of MI. Additionally, participants will also gain an understanding of how to interpret and apply a behavioral screening or diagnostic questionnaire as they relate to the referral individuals for MI with various health concerns that need to be addressed. Prerequisite: admission to the public health and community health education major. Offered Fall, Spring.

CHE 400 Health Policy, Advocacy, and Community Organizations This course focuses on the process of engaging communities in health education and behavior change programs of various kinds. Several organizing paradigms for fostering healthy communities are examined, and their practical and ethical implications are considered. Skill development for community assessment, constituency-building, and leadership of participatory planning efforts is emphasized. Students are paired with health and human services, health policy and social justice agencies, and coalitions to gain an in-depth knowledge of agenda setting, legislative research, and legislative advocacy in relation to specific legislation being proposed in the Wisconsin state legislature. Course will tie policy theory to real-world practice. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students will have additional course requirements/expectations. Prerequisite: PH 335; PH 340; CHE 360; CHE 370; junior standing. Offered Fall, Spring.

CHE 480 Senior Capstone This course is designed as a culminating course that will engage participants in applying the skills and concepts they have developed throughout the program curriculum. In particular, students will apply the profession's areas of responsibility as well as ethical standards in various activities, discussions, and projects. In addition, participants will 1) review selected community health topics in our Public Health and Community Health Education program, 2) be introduced to current issues in community health education, public health and population health, 3) be introduced to the employment, educational, and political dynamics in selected occupational settings, and 4) assess and discuss their specific pre-professional needs at this point in time. Prerequisite: CHE 350 or CHE 380; CHE 400. Offered Fall, Spring.