Cornell University Registrar

Research credits with public health program faculty may include topics of public health and environmental change, food security, local agriculture, and civic engagement. Contact faculty in the program directly to inquire about available research topics/projects.

Practitioners in the field of public health discuss current, cross-cutting issues affecting scholarship and practice.

This course will introduce students to the history and role of public health, and will set the foundation of public health practice on the two guiding paradigms: the 10 essential public health functions, and the One Health/Planetary Health approach to public health prevention and problem solving. Students build their public health competency via investigating a breadth of public health issues, including both chronic and infectious disease, and the impact of our environment and climate on disease spread, acquisition, and impact.

This course is rooted in a systems perspective so that students understand the complex array of factors that influence health and human behavior. It builds background knowledge and skill that will aid in designing tailored, effective, culturally-informed interventions. Building on VTPEH 6101, this course addresses drivers of health and behavior, including individual, family, environmental, technological, legal, institutional, cultural, and climate-based change. Conceptually, the course is guided by the Health Impact Pyramid, a life course perspective, social determinants of health and an expanded socio-ecologic model. Through lectures, guided activities, readings, and case studies, students will further develop their public health competence and apply key concepts and systems thinking to assess domestic and global public health issues.

The purpose of this course is to consider and learn to advance policy issues confronting public health practitioners, governments and the public in public health systems in the United States, and around the world. This class presents an overview of the basic institutions, politics, and policy issues of contemporary public health policymaking, how they have changed over time, and why politics matters for public health, including ethical consequences of policy choices for different stakeholder populations. The class helps future public health leaders develop a basic framework for understanding, analyzing, evaluating, and advocating for public health policies using case-based learning of current public health issues facing the U.S. and the globe. During the course, students will select a pressing public health need, undertake a policy evaluation process to understand the impact on public health and health equity, propose evidence-based solutions, and then advocate as public health leaders for policies that will improve health and in diverse populations. (MHA-EL)

This applied course will cover foundational concepts of epidemiology, including data collection, measures of disease frequency and association, diagnostic testing, study design, and bias.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to statistical inference, equipping students with the skills to critically understand and apply statistical methods to support evidence-based decision-making in Public Health. Through interactive lectures and in-class practice, students will explore key concepts such as probability-based reasoning, hypothesis testing, and statistical fallacies. The course covers essential inferential techniques, including parametric and non-parametric statistical tests, regression models and multivariate analysis. This course provides an introduction to R programming, offering students an opportunity to build foundational computational skills. Assessment includes applied exercises to reinforce understanding of the assumptions and limitations of these methods, along with peer reviews of scientific publications, emphasizing the interpretation of statistical analyses. By the end of the course, students will have developed strong statistical literacy skills essential for evaluating research and making informed decisions in public health practice.

The goal of the class is to introduce students to the expectations and methods of writing in the courses in the MPH program and to help all students move toward proficiency in graduate-level academic writing. Topics in the course include: writing evidence-based paragraphs that communicate meaning clearly, paraphrasing and synthesizing research into your writing, citing sources correctly, as well as an exploration of the use and ethics of generative AI in writing. In addition, the faculty lead offers individualized writing support via appointments available in Calendly.

This data analysis workshop supports skills-building and proficiency in use of accessible tools such as Excel, Google Sheets, Stata, and R. Students will explore frameworks, processes, and methods; build skills in data cleaning, organization, analysis, and visualization; and engage in peer-review and workshopping to improve data literacy.

This course will introduce students to the history and role of public health, and will set the foundation of public health practice on the two guiding paradigms: the 10 essential public health functions, and the One Health/Planetary Health approach to public health prevention and problem solving. Students build their public health competency via investigating a breadth of public health issues, including both chronic and infectious disease, and the impact of our environment and climate on disease spread, acquisition, and impact. 

This course comprises two parts. The lecture section will cover viral, bacterial and parasitic agents important for public health, as well as infectious disease epidemiology, surveillance, and infectious disease countermeasures. The discussion section will address similar topics using cases and professional experiences to drive small-group discussion and applied learning.

This course will introduce students to statistical methods commonly used to analyze epidemiologic data and to understand advanced epidemiologic concepts necessary to interpret the results. By the end of the course, students will be able to properly use and interpret logistic regression (with dichotomous and ordinal outcomes), Poisson regression, and survival analysis. Key concepts in molecular epidemiology will also be covered.

Global development is driving disease outbreaks; communicable disease prevention and control is a foundational element of public health, reducing death and disability. Core to this practice is the ability to assess and monitor population health; investigate, diagnose, and address health hazards and root causes; communicate effectively to inform and educate; and enable equitable access to prevention and care services. In short, you will be a public health asset if you can engage in applied epidemiology to prevent, detect, mitigate, and respond to communicable disease outbreaks. In this course, you will build and hone your skills as a field epidemiologist. To do so, you will reinforce your understanding of bacterial, viral, and parasitic diseases of concern, and then practice methods to detect outbreaks, to investigate causes, and to support public health prevention through risk mitigation, communication, and policy change.

This course provides knowledge and skills to prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. It explores zoonotic pathogens in wildlife, spillover dynamics, and pathogens spread through human populations. Students learn advanced epidemiological modeling and develop integrated strategies using the One Health framework. The course combines lectures, practicals, and a flipped classroom format with presentations and group projects. By integrating theoretical foundations with real-world applications, students gain the expertise needed to lead effective pandemic response efforts in a rapidly changing global environment.

This course pushes students to apply the tenets of infectious disease epidemiology to demonstrate proficiency in the core functions and essential services of public health. Students will explore real-world infectious disease challenges, and apply tools and strategies to explore risks and disparities, understand needs and opportunities, and propose reasonable and feasible solutions. The course is conducted using a “flipped” format, drawing from and building upon prior MPH learning. Students are expected to complete all required readings and assigned exercises prior to class. Relatively little class time will be spent lecturing. Rather, class time will be devoted to demonstrating, discussing, and practicing the concepts covered in the assigned readings and assigned exercises. Assessment will be based a midterm and final project submission.

This course will develop an in-depth understanding of vaccine preventable pathogens, including the biological, clinical, diagnostic, and control aspects. The vaccine development, licensure, and recommendation process will be integrated with discussion of the changing epidemiology since vaccine introduction. Vaccine safety and efficacy, including mechanisms of immunogenicity will be studied. The challenges and complexities of implementing vaccine policy will be explored including school mandates, vaccine uptake, and vaccine confidence, with examples of how health disparities can be addressed through vaccine policy. The course will be comprised of lectures, case studies, outbreak scenarios, and group discussion, and will include both domestic and global content studying similar and disparate issues in vaccinology around the world. In addition, select vaccine candidates and the obstacles of development will be studied.

The goal of this course is to introduce students to connections between food systems and health. The course uses concepts, theories and methods from multiple disciplines. Students will explore the complex interconnections of food systems and public health needs and learn from interdisciplinary experts and professionals in the fields of local and international public health, economics, sociology, and environment.

In this course, we will discuss a range of public health nutrition problems as well as policy and program approaches. We will learn about public health nutrition from the perspectives of epidemiology and behavioral science, mainly considering examples in the United States and other high-income countries, as well as in select low- and middle-income country settings.

Every year, over 48 million people experience a foodborne illness. In this course you will learn how foodborne illnesses are investigated, and how outbreaks are traced through complex food systems back to the contaminated food. By conducting patient interviews, you will gain practical experience in solving foodborne disease outbreaks. You will also contribute to preventing foodborne outbreaks in our community by working with local food processors to reduce food safety risks.

This course pushes students to apply the tenets of food systems, nutrition, and health to demonstrate proficiency in the core functions and essential services of public health. Students will explore real-world food systems and health challenges, and apply tools and strategies to explore risks and disparities, understand needs and opportunities, and propose reasonable and feasible solutions. The course is conducted using a “flipped” format, drawing from and building upon prior MPH learning. Students are expected to complete all required readings and assigned exercises prior to class. Relatively little class time will be spent lecturing. Rather, class time will be devoted to demonstrating, discussing, and practicing the concepts covered in the assigned readings and assigned exercises. Assessment will be based on midterm and final project submission.

The course examines cases of historical disasters in the United States moving from the late 19th century through present day -- including Yellow Fever, Polio, Hurricane Katrina, and the Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill -- to understand the policy processes and political influences on policy outcomes for disaster responses and how they have changed over time. As the effects of climate change increase, understanding policy responses to disasters, how political incentives may change and alter policy responses, and how to improve equity and efficacy in disaster responses becomes increasingly important. This course helps students explain the influence of politics on disaster response policy (laws, regulations), implementation (of policy), and resilience.

This course examines the basic principles of public health emergency management; various types of disasters and emergencies including infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters and bioterrorism; and how emergency management principles can be applied to public health incidents. Students will be introduced to domestic and international public health emergency preparedness planning, common concepts and processes used such as the Incident Command System (ICS), the National Incident Management System (NIMS), the National Response Framework, and the Strategic Framework for Emergency Preparedness. Legal and ethical considerations relevant to public health emergency management will also be covered. Past incidents, emergencies and disasters will be reviewed, and lessons learned to inform future preparation and response will be discussed. Students will participate in small groups for in-class scenarios and exercises and prepare a press statement regarding a potential public health emergency threat.

This course builds students' ability to communicate with the public and media during a public health crisis or emergency and conduct disaster preparedness PR campaigns to maximize trust and engagement, and to minimize harm. To do so, the course will cover common strategies for communicating about hazards, as well as the major challenges common during disaster situations. The course will run concurrently with VTPEH 6184 Public Health Communications, and builds on that course by focusing on the unique challenges posed in disaster situations and in disaster-preparedness campaigns. Over the semester, you and your classmates will put the skills into practice to create numerous public-communications media, including fact sheets, media advisories, public service announcements, and mock interviews. You will also evaluate existing public campaigns and documents.

The purpose of this course is to present students with data-based hazard mitigation experience. The course will cover core elements of the physical risks communities might face, aspects that might make communities more vulnerable or more resilient, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) state and local hazard mitigation plans, FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA), and hazard-evaluation frameworks. Student learning will be reinforced by writing a State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP) and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) grant. Over the semester, you and your classmates will learn different tools and frameworks for evaluating the hazards faced by communities, while immediately applying that knowledge to write the major documents that govern hazard mitigation in the United States. At the end of the semester, you will submit your HMGP grant proposal in response to a (mock) request for proposals. This is a significant written document that relates many public health core competencies with emergency management specific skills. Generating a significant document through this course serves as an Integrated Learning Experience for students on the Emergency Management Track.

Degradation of the environment through climate change, pollution, land use shifts, and more can impact human health in myriad ways. Food access and nutrition, infectious diseases, chronic diseases, mental health, and the impacts of migration and conflict are increasingly being tied to these environmental changes. The Planetary Health course will introduce students to the anthropogenic threats to human health, examine the pathways from environmental change to human health, and design and analyze interventions to improve both human and environmental health. Using systems and interdisciplinary perspectives, we will explore the interconnected challenges of providing for human and ecosystem health in case studies. We will also evaluate possible solutions to planetary health problems and their implications for equity, human health, and environmental health.

Understanding concepts connecting health, wellbeing, and the environment is critical to identifying the causes of planetary health issues and proposing efficient solutions. The course covers key concepts governing planetary health issues, including ecological interactions connecting health to the environment, sustainable development and urban design, and scales at which planetary health phenomena occur. We consider perspectives, data, methods, and health-promoting strategies for real-world planetary health issues. We discuss how to use key concepts to identify causes, leverage points, and trade-offs for planetary health issues, with the objective of developing fair and sustainable solutions. The course draws on diverse case studies, including infectious diseases, urbanization, and nature connectedness, offering practical insights into the complexities of planetary health challenges.

Public health and community leaders seek to identify policy or program options that can address community health needs or gaps. More and more, the role of--and human interactions with--built and natural environments are considered when seeking innovations to improve human and ecosystem health. Health impact assessments can be a useful tool, "a means of assessing the health impacts of policies, plans and projects in diverse economic sectors using quantitative, qualitative and participatory techniques" {World Health Organization). The course introduces students to the 4+2 steps that are used to consider and conduct a health impact assessment, and students work to consider fit and feasibility of this approach, develop organizational capacity to implement the approach, and practice implementation with a real world/real-world-like project.

Issues related to health equity, sustainability, and environments are considered complex or wicked problems. These problems typically require coordinated action across multiple leverage points to produce change. This course highlights public health practitioners’ role as leaders of systems change. You will examine complex environment-climate-health systems and propose transdisciplinary and multi-piece interventions that support equity, sustainability, and resilience in communities. Generating a significant document through this course serves as an Integrated Learning Experience for students in the Environment, Climate, and Health Track.

This course will introduce students to applied ethnographic assessment. Such assessments use rapid, focused data-gathering techniques and both quantitative and qualitative analyses to address specific questions relevant to social and cultural conditions of individuals and communities, including those relevant to public health practice. They involve describing contexts, processes, preferences, motivations and/or relationships, and can be used for formative research, needs assessment, intervention design, and/or program evaluation (Sangaramoorthy and Kroeger, 2020:3). In this course, we will discuss theoretical underpinnings and data collection and analysis procedures for ethnographic techniques such as direct observations, and social mapping, free listing, and pile sorting, which can be employed in interviews and/or focus group discussions. For each method, students will practice using these methods to explore a community-identified need.

This course surveys a variety of management science methods useful to public health managers and analysts. The emphasis will be on (a) formulating mathematical models of messy public health problems, (b) solving the formulations using Excel, and (c) presenting the results in a way that decision makers can understand. Applications will be drawn from the four MPH concentration areas. The course is conducted using a “flipped” format. Students are to complete all required readings and assigned exercises prior to class. Relatively little class time will be spent lecturing. Rather, class time will be devoted to demonstrating, discussing, and practicing the concepts covered in the assigned readings and assigned exercises. Assessment will be based on class participation, problem sets, a midterm exam, and a final exam.

Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) are becoming increasingly used to advance equity and sustainability programs. This course will provide an introduction to different GIS software packages, as they are currently used by researchers and policymakers. We will explore existing mapping tools currently used to advance health equity in federal policy, create maps using ArcGIS Online, perform geospatial analysis using ArcGIS Desktop and QGIS, and spatially link various disparate datasets to enhance our analyses. Students are encouraged to bring topics and questions they want to explore, as they will have the chance to work on them throughout the course.

The goal of this seminar is to invite graduate and undergraduate students studying global and public health to integrate their knowledge, applied experience and professional interests to explore, and analyze public health case studies, with opportunities to experiment with new forms of case study approaches. The class will highlight two distinct approaches to case studies in global and public health, providing students with the unique opportunity to: 1) analyze global and public health challenges, policies and responses from different country and health systems perspectives 2) integrate the arts and humanities to deepen understanding of global public health issues, controversies and solutions, 3) develop problem solving, communication, critical reflection and interprofessional skills and 4) engage in active and participatory class discussions.

Via this course, students will gain an understanding of the importance of comprehensive assessment of a public health need. Students will be exposed to, and expected to practice, assessment methods that are relevant to the field of public health, including literature reviews and secondary data analyses. This will be practiced via in-depth discussion of real-life cases, and by self-directed research, small group work, and peer review.

Via this seminar, students will gain an understanding of the elements of needs- and evidence-based public health program and/or response planning, and will design a public health project/response to address a defined need related to prevention, treatment, and/or care. This course will cover the core elements of program planning, including concept mapping, logic models, work plans, Gantt charts, and basic budgets and staffing plans. This will be practiced via in-depth discussion of real-life cases, and by self-directed research, planning, grant writing, and peer review.

The goal of this course is to provide students with an opportunity to appreciate the value of monitoring, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement in public health programs or interventions, and to develop confidence in their ability to implement these tasks. This will be achieved via a mix of lectures, discussions and applied practice exercises. In addition, this course will provide students with an overview of qualitative evaluation and research methodologies and their importance and relevance for public health practice. Students will also develop competence in qualitative data analysis. In-person Fall; On-line Winter.

Public health efforts are usually dependent on people changing their behavior, attitudes, or perceptions. Communication is a key component of facilitating that change. Even if behavior change is not the goal, ensuring that communication is relevant, acceptable, relevant and clear is essential. This course helps students understand the influence of communication in public health and how to use theory to identify the barrier(s) to the desired behavior for a particular audience. Students will learn how to conduct an audience analysis in order to develop targeted, relevant, compelling and accessible communication products. Over the term, we will incorporate theory, best practices, design principles, examples, critiques, cultural and literacy considerations, and exploration of various communication forms for different audiences and needs.

The goal of this course is to prepare students for applied practice and careers in public health by developing knowledge and skills in public health ethics and leadership. Whether students are experienced practitioners or just starting out in their professional careers, this course aims to 1) facilitate critical thinking, 2) introduce ethical inquiry and analysis for decision-making, 3) utilize leadership principles and strategies for team performance and community building, and 4) build skills in dialogue and critical reflection to promote and advance health equity and public health.

The department teaches trial courses under this number. Offerings vary by semester and are advertised by the department before the semester starts. Courses offered under the number will be approved by the department curriculum committee, and the same course is not offered more than twice under this number.

In this course, students reflect on, document and present their applied practice experiences, develop a portfolio to document and display competence and deliverables, and develop and practice public health negotiation skills. Students describe and present transferable skills for external audiences, drawing on coursework and applied projects, including in a fieldwork poster session.

This course guides students to proficiency in data analysis using R, equipping them with the skills to analyze quantitative data and create reports and interactive tools that support research, policy, and practice. Through weekly in-person lab sessions, students will participate in hands-on tutorials and collaborative debugging sessions to build essential coding and analytical proficiency. Key topics include data wrangling, visualization, simulation, statistical tests, and the development of interactive applications and reproducible reports. Students will gain experience with essential R packages such as ggplot2, lme4, rmarkdown, and shiny. Learning is reinforced through an individual project that includes a final report, an interactive tool, and a public repository, along with bi-weekly checkpoints to track progress and ensure skill development. Students must be proficient with data and data analysis.

The goal of this course is to integrate the knowledge gained across the MPH Program, and synthesize and apply that knowledge to a) review public health case studies and b) develop public health case studies. The class will include facilitated class discussion, largely student led and allow students to hone in on problem-solving skills needed for contemporary public health practice. Students in the advanced section will focus on integrating the Arts and Humanities into Global and Public Health Case Studies by develop a presentation on a new topic and art form modeled on the presentations/discussions in class inclusive of pre-class assignments, a facilitators guide and PowerPoint slides with citations.

Research credits with public health program faculty may include topics of public health and environmental change, food security, local agriculture, civic engagement, health equity, social justice, environmental justice. Contact faculty in the program directly to inquire about available research topics/projects.