Program Website: Public Health – Hiram College
Introduction
What is Public Health?
Public health is the study of the health of a population. It complements medicine by researching problems, and pursuing evidence-based solutions in a population. Graduates in public health are able to get entry-level jobs within federal, state, nonprofit, research, and industry in the areas of health education, project management, or communication. Empowered with problem-solving skills, graduates also use their diploma as a gateway to advanced degrees in public health, medicine, law, social work, health administration, and many others.
Hiram’s interdisciplinary public health program is made up of the basic elements of public health: epidemiology, biostatistics, environmental health, health systems, policy, and global health. Students will then have the ability to personalize their major by specializing in material available through the trans-disciplinary offerings at Hiram.
All students majoring in public health will be able to demonstrate the following competencies:
- Describe the history, philosophy, core values, concepts, functions and population-based approaches of public health
- Discuss the underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course
- Demonstrate the basic concepts, methods and tools of public health data collection, use and analysis and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice
- Explain the behavioral, environmental, biological and socio-economic determinants that impact human health and contribute to health disparities
- Apply data collection and analysis to develop evidence-based population approaches to public health problems
- Describe the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system as well as the systems in other countries
- Describe the legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory aspects of public health practice and health policy
- Demonstrate public health communication skills using oral, written, mass media and electronic technology formats.
Faculty
Stephanie Swedik, (2023) Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology and Public Health
B.S., Miami University, Ohio;
Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University
swediks@hiram.edu
Course Descriptions
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH:UD ~ This course will offer an overview of the basic concepts of public health. Health systems -both in the U.S. and abroad- will be detailed, with special attention to the essential services they provide. Past public health events will be examined, giving students a framework to analyze current issues in the news. Through a mixture of guest speakers, discussions, and case studies, students will develop a strong grasp of this multidisciplinary field, and the core philosophy and functions of public health.
Core: Understanding Diversity Home
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIOSTATISTICS:MM ~ This is a beginning course in applied epidemiology and biostatistics. The course will introduce the essential models used to analyze and interpret the distribution and determinants of disease in a population. It is designed to give students a general introduction to epidemiological and statistical principles that help professionals investigate health in a population, and determine what increases (and decreases) the risk of disease. Students will be introduced to the many models used in health research, their purpose, and how to apply them to their own research ideas. Through hands-on practice with real health data, the student will acquire the basic tools needed to understand and address threats to global health at the population level.
Core: Modeling Methods
EPIDEMIOLOGY AND HEALTH RESEARCH:SM ~ This course provides a survey of the epidemiological principles and practices of research design and data collection used in public health. We will focus on (a) how research is designed to test hypotheses, and (b) the hurdles and biases during study design, data collection, and data analysis that must be anticipated and managed by health researchers. Applying the scientific method, students will apply epidemiological principles to develop their own research that will be submitted for presentation at a national public health conference. Laboratories will provide hands-on experience for students to evaluate the many potential limitations and biases in research.
Core: Experimental Scientific Method
SEMINAR ~
SEMINAR ~
SENIOR SEMINAR ~
INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ~
INTERNSHIP ~