Public Health Courses (College of Public Health) (CPH)

CPH Courses

This is a list of courses with the subject code CPH. For more information, see College of Public Health in the catalog.

CPH:1000 First-Year Seminar 1 s.h.

Small discussion class taught by faculty member; topics chosen by instructor; may include outside activities (e.g., films, readings, visits to research facilities).

CPH:1050 College of Public Health Direct Admit Seminar 1 s.h.

Introduction for first-year students to student life and the public health profession; tips for student success, resources on campus, coping with adversity, advising responsibilities, curriculum choices and career objectives, and community building events.

CPH:1400 Fundamentals of Public Health 3 s.h.

Introduction to public health; emphasis on issues, challenges, achievements, careers; historical events that serve as a foundation for public health practice. GE: Social Sciences.

CPH:1600 Public Health Science: Inquiry and Investigation in Public Health 3 s.h.

Introduction to epidemiology, biostatistics, and the interdisciplinary nature of public health research and practice; how public policy and population-based interventions are subsequently shaped by public health evidence. GE: Quantitative or Formal Reasoning.

CPH:1800 Social and Psychological Determinants of Health: Changing Behavior, Improving Health 3 s.h.

Study of the social and psychological aspects of health, including understanding behavior change to improve health.

CPH:2050 Career Planning: Exploring Careers in Public Health 1 s.h.

Preparation for experiential learning opportunities, including development of interpersonal, teamwork, leadership, and communication skills; ethical decision-making; understanding the cultural contexts in which professionals work; working with communities and the role of advocacy; professionalism. Requirements: second-year College of Public Health major.

CPH:2200 Climageddon: Understanding Climate Change and Associated Impacts on Health 3 s.h.

Discovery, underlying principles, and impacts of global climate change; scientific evidence, global climate models, international treaties, ethics, advocacy and denial of climate change; strategies for climate adaptation and mitigation of unsustainable practices. GE: Sustainability. GE: International and Global Issues.

CPH:2220 Building a Healthier Tomorrow: Public Health Methods to Minimize Disease and Pollutant Exposures 3 s.h.

Introduction to historical public health practices developed to prevent exposures to environmental contaminants; major sources of those contaminants that adversely affect natural waters and air are evaluated relative to methods used to provide safe drinking water and clean air; in-class exercises involve critical thinking and creativity to understand concepts and tools needed to utilize prior public health successes and application to current and future environmental health events.

CPH:2230 Finding Patient Zero: The Exploration of Infectious Disease Transmission and Pandemic Threats 3 s.h.

Exploration of lay and scientific literature, pandemic infection games, and popular culture television programming to evaluate past and fictional pandemics—are these pandemics rooted in fact or fiction?

CPH:2240 Health, Intersectionality, and Diversity 3 s.h.

Exploration of intersectionality related to gender and health disparities, particularly as they impact diverse populations in the United States. Same as GWSS:2400, LATS:2400.

CPH:2400 The U.S. Health System in a Global Context 3 s.h.

Fundamental organizational structures of the U.S. health system and the difference between systems globally; basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and policy and roles, influences, and responsibilities of government agencies.

CPH:2600 Introduction to Public Health Methods 3 s.h.

Introductory quantitative and qualitative methods used in public health practice and research. Prerequisites: CPH:1600 with a minimum grade of C-.

CPH:3050 Career Planning: Preparing Post-Graduation Plans 1 s.h.

Development and preparation for post-college plans, including how to conduct a job search, write a résumé and cover letter, interview, and apply to graduate programs in public health and related fields. Prerequisites: CPH:2050.

CPH:3100 Health Economics 3 s.h.

Introduction to microeconomic theory and applications to health and health care, including demand for health and health services, health insurance coverage, health care markets, behavior of health care providers, and role of government.

CPH:3200 Death at Work: Case Studies of Workplace Safety and Health 3 s.h.

Case-study approach to understanding the rights of workers to a safe and healthful workplace; relevant risk factors (physical, economic, social) among several working environments.

CPH:3210 Nutrition in Public Health 3 s.h.

Concepts and methods of obtaining and using food and nutrition information from federal databases and research publications; how food and nutrition knowledge, policy, and research are used for improvement of the health of populations.

CPH:3220 Public Health as a Public Good: Economics and Decision Making in Public Health Systems 3 s.h.

Role of government in the economy from a public health perspective; emphasis on the importance of public goods, behavioral economics in public health solutions, and key methods for evaluation of public programs.

CPH:3240 Global Health Today 1 s.h.

Attendance at diverse on-campus, local, and regional global health events. Same as GHS:3030.

CPH:3300 Undergraduate Independent Study in Public Health arr.

In-depth pursuit of an area of special interest in public health.

CPH:3400 Health, Work, and the Environment 3 s.h.

Survey of environmental and occupational health hazards and the associated health risks of exposure; how public health protects society from these hazards; how public health policy can be influenced by science. Same as GEOG:3210.

CPH:3500 Global Public Health 3 s.h.

Exploration of historical, current, and forecasted trends in global public health, the factors influencing health demographics in human populations, sources of health inequalities, and appropriate policy and intervention approaches for addressing global public health challenges. Same as GHS:3500.

CPH:3600 Applied Public Health Methods 3 s.h.

Application of quantitative and qualitative methods used in public health practice and research. Prerequisites: CPH:1600 with a minimum grade of C- and CPH:2600 with a minimum grade of C-.

CPH:3700 Methods for Program Implementation and Evaluation 3 s.h.

Introduction of theory and practice of program implementation and evaluation for health care and public health interventions focusing on programs implemented at the community level, including projects in government and nonprofit organizations. Prerequisites: CPH:1600 and CPH:2600.

CPH:3750 Undergraduate Service Learning in Public Health arr.

Community service learning experience directly related to goals and objectives of a specific public health course for undergraduate students; faculty-guided planning and reflection; satisfies the experiential learning public health degree requirement for undergraduate public health majors. Recommendations: CPH:2050 strongly recommended.

CPH:3800 Why We Eat What We Eat: Public Health Theories and Society 3 s.h.

Examination of public health and social science theories as they relate to socioeconomics, policy, institutions, communities, individual decision-making, behavior, and health.

CPH:3900 Fundamentals in Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response 3 s.h.

Basic concepts and principles used in emergency prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery at the local, state, and national levels with emphasis on roles and responsibilities of public health that align with policies, laws, and systems.

CPH:3999 Undergraduate Research Experience in Public Health arr.

Hands-on involvement in scholarly public health research activities under the supervision of faculty or research staff; satisfies the experiential learning degree requirement for undergraduate public health majors. Recommendations: CPH:2050 strongly recommended.

CPH:4200 Agriculture, Food Systems, and Sustainability 3 s.h.

Identification and development of tools to measure environmental and social sustainability of global agricultural practices, including interactions with the environment, social considerations, and the ability of agriculture to support farmers' livelihoods.

CPH:4210 Making a Difference: Public Health Policy and Advocacy 3 s.h.

Important role of policy in health, including policy structures, implementation, advocacy, and evaluation; students focus their work on a policy of their specific interest.

CPH:4220 Global Road Safety 3 s.h.

Road safety problem, data sources, research methods used in field, and how intervention and prevention programs are developed and evaluated; lecture, hands-on approaches. Same as GHS:4530, OEH:4530.

CPH:4230 Injury and Violence Prevention 3 s.h.

Theory, research, and practice of injury control; unintentional and intentional injuries; local, national, international injury issues. Same as EPID:4510, OEH:4510.

CPH:4240 Special Topics arr.

Didactic material in public health; may include tutorial, seminar, or faculty-directed work; may be a special topic or experience taught one time or on a first-time basis.

CPH:4250 Field Experiences in Public Health 1 s.h.

Direct involvement in actions being taken at local community level; topics include environmental health, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, and pediatric health; practical examples and hands-on experiences during site visits for topic-specific field investigations. Offered spring semesters. Prerequisites: BIOL:1140 or BIOL:1141 or BIOL:1411. Requirements: biology or microbiology coursework. Same as EPID:4314.

CPH:4260 College of Public Health Strike Force 0 s.h.

Provide support to public health organizations, health care systems, and nonprofit organizations throughout Iowa, nationally, and globally; students deploy to assist with diverse public health related projects; use of surge capacity, service learning, and just-in-time training models; hands-on learning opportunities that transition theory into practice while addressing real-life situations.

CPH:4750 Undergraduate Global Learning in Public Health arr.

Global public health experience; satisfies the experiential learning public health degree requirement for undergraduate public health majors. Recommendations: CPH:2050 strongly recommended.

CPH:4755 International Perspectives: Xicotepec 2 s.h.

Interdisciplinary service-learning course to enrich understanding of Mexican culture and history; students hone teamwork, leadership, cultural sensitivity, cultural humility, and project management skills while developing and carrying out public health projects that address community-identified needs; coordinated with the support of Rotary International.

CPH:4850 Undergraduate Public Health Internship arr.

Public health internship experience; satisfies the experiential learning public health degree requirement for undergraduate public health majors. Recommendations: CPH:2050 strongly recommended.

CPH:4990 Mentored Independent Undergraduate Research in Public Health arr.

Independent student research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor; satisfies the experiential learning degree requirement for undergraduate public health majors. Corequisites: CPH:3600. Recommendations: CPH:2050 strongly recommended.

CPH:4999 Public Health Capstone: Practice of Evidence-Based Public Health 3 s.h.

Students in their final year synthesize and apply knowledge through cumulative and integrative activities that serve as a capstone to their educational experience. Prerequisites: CPH:1800 and CPH:2400 and CPH:3050 and CPH:3400 and CPH:3600 and CPH:3700.

CPH:5100 Introduction to Public Health 3 s.h.

Concepts, structures, and activities in public health practice. Offered fall semesters and summer sessions.

CPH:5203 Interprofessional Education and Practice for MPH Students 0 s.h.

Students gain knowledge and skills in interprofessional practice between health professionals including medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, physical therapy, nursing, health administration, and public health; understanding roles/responsibilities, values, and ethics across health professions; development of teamwork skills.

CPH:6100 Essentials of Public Health 2 s.h.

Introduction and overview of the scope of public health; emphasis on history, definitions, issues, achievements, and future challenges; examples of public health research and practice.

CPH:6500 Independent Study in Public Health arr.

In-depth pursuit of an area of special interest in public health. Requirements: approval from the College of Public Health.

CPH:6600 Service-Learning in Public Health arr.

Community service learning experience directly related to goals and objectives of a specific public health course; faculty-guided planning and reflection.

CPH:6700 Public Health Emergency Preparedness for Veterinarians and Other Public Health Disciplines 3 s.h.

Introduction to public health emergency preparedness from a one health perspective; emergency preparedness from federal, state, and local perspectives; important elements for preparing responders; preparedness information systems and communication techniques.

CPH:7000 MPH Practicum Experience 0-6 s.h.

Comprehensive and integrated application of knowledge acquired in the MPH program in a practice setting; demonstration of professional competence in public health practice. Prerequisites: CBH:4105 and (HMP:5005 or HMP:4000) and EPID:4400 and BIOS:4120 and OEH:4240 and CPH:5100. Requirements: an approved practicum proposal.

CPH:7200 MPH Capstone Experience 1 s.h.

Students gain knowledge and skills in public health practice by working on an interdisciplinary team to solve a real-world public health issue; each student has the opportunity to apply classroom and practical experience received throughout their MPH coursework into an integrative experience; students particularly gain skills in advocacy, communication with diverse audiences on public health issues, and the role of different public health disciplines in solving health issues in the community. Prerequisites: CBH:4105 and (HMP:5005 or HMP:4000) and EPID:4400 and BIOS:4120 and OEH:4240 and CPH:5100.

CPH:7270 Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health 0-1 s.h.

Training in the responsible conduct of research and scholarly activities; discussion of student/mentor responsibilities in pursuit of scholarly work and intellectual dialogues; responsibilities to the institution/scholarly community/society; public health core discipline examples are utilized.

CPH:7500 MPH Applied Practice Experience 1-2 s.h.

Comprehensive and integrated application of knowledge acquired in the MPH program in a practice setting; demonstration of professional competence in public health practice. Prerequisites: CBH:4105 and (HMP:5005 or HMP:4000) and EPID:4400 and BIOS:4120 and OEH:4240 and CPH:5100.

CPH:7604 Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health - Postdoc/K Awardees 0 s.h.

Training in the responsible conduct of research and scholarly activities; discussion of student/mentor responsibilities in pursuit of scholarly work and intellectual dialogues; responsibilities to institution/scholarly community/society; utilization of public health core discipline examples; for public health postdoc/K awardees.

CPH:7800 MPH Practicum 1-3 s.h.

A culminating applied practice experience in a public health setting that demonstrates a synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies. Prerequisites: CBH:4105 and HMP:4000 and EPID:4400 and BIOS:4120 and OEH:4240 and CPH:5100.