Courses

Fall Semester information

342B: Topics:Pandemics and Global Health: The Past, Present, and Future of Response

This course explores pandemics as critical events that reveal and reshape global health systems, political institutions, social inequalities, and cultural beliefs. Beginning with foundational concepts in global health, we examine how societies have understood, experienced, and responded to outbreaks across time and place. Drawing from public health, anthropology, political science, history, media studies, and ethics, this course examines how pandemics disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and how global responses have evolved. Through case studies and comparative analysis, students will explore key global health topics such as health governance, structural violence, epidemiology, social determinants of health, and the politics of care. They will also develop skills in interdisciplinary analysis, ethical reasoning, and critical writing. Prerequisite: GLH 101 or permission of instructor.

Spring Semester information

342A: Topics:Global to Local Health: Community Health in Action

In this course, students will apply global health frameworks and knowledge to address health challenges in the local community. Over the semester, they will collaborate with organizations in Putnam County to assess needs, evaluate research, and design initiatives that strengthen health outcomes. Guided by the ecological model of health, students will explore issues such as food insecurity, housing, education, and access to healthcare, considering how individual, community, and systemic factors combine to shape health outcomes. Through this applied work, they will gain skills in research, communication, collaboration, and program design, and see how community health translates global knowledge into meaningful change locally and globally.

342B: Topics:Health Policies and Systems

This course introduces students to the study of health policy and systems across national and global contexts. The course will examine the history, organization and financing of the US health system and compare it to other models around the world in terms of design, delivery and health outcomes. Students will also study global health institutions and governance, with attention to the interconnectedness of US and global health systems in addressing cross-border health challenges. Through case studies, discussions, and interdisciplinary readings, the course explores the political, economic, and cultural forces that shape health policies and systems and their impact on population health. Students will develop skills in policy analysis and evaluation to critically evaluate policies and propose strategies for more responsive health systems to improve health globally.

342C: Topics:Cases in Epidemiology

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related states or events, including infectious and chronic diseases, mental disorders, community and environmental health risks, and unintentional injuries. In this course, you will learn to differentiate between the different epidemiological studies. Using a case study approach, you will learn basic qualitative and quantitative methods to measure morbidity and mortality in defined populations, emphasizing the difference between association and causation. You will gain confidence in assessing both the magnitude of global and public health problems, and the success of interventions designed to address them.