Syllabus

Schedule

Each week opens on Wednesday at 12:01 AM ET. Each week closes on Wednesday at 11:59 pm ET, with the exception of Week 8, which ends on Sunday.

• Week 1: Oct 21 – Oct 28
• Week 2: Oct 28 – Nov 4
• Week 3: Nov 4 – Nov 11
• Week 4: Nov 11 – Nov 18
• Week 5: Nov 18 – Nov 25
• Week 6: Nov 25 – Dec 2
• Week 7: Dec 2 – Dec 9
• Week 8: Dec 9 – Dec 13 (Sunday)

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The assignment/discussion descriptions mentioned below are summaries. Please make sure to review the full assignment prompts in Blackboard.  There may be additional readings/videos that are not mentioned in this weekly summary, make sure to carefully review the modules in Blackboard. 

Week 1

The readings and activities of this first week will introduce you to the basic principles of Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) and response and the Incident Command System.

Weekly Outcomes

• Describe the stages of the preparedness cycle
• Outline the responsibilities and coordination of local, state, and federal responders in Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP)
• Explain the terminology and organizational structure of the Incident Command System

Lectures

• Week One Lecture

Assignments

• Online PHEP Training
• Introduction to Incident Command System 
• Discussion: Introductions on Google Map Original Contribution

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Week 2

This week we will take a look at the Incident Action Plan (IAP). We will also consider the organizational structure and responsibilities of the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which relies heavily on the use of the IAP in its emergency planning procedures.

Weekly Outcomes

• Describe the Incident Action Plan (IAP) used by local, state, and federal agencies
• Assess existing IAPs for adherence to FEMA recommendations
• Explain the National Incident Management System’s role in preparedness, disaster command, communications, and resource management and its use of the IAP.

Lectures

• Week Two Lecture

Assignments

• Online PHEP Training
• Discussion: IAP Review 

Readings

• FEMA Incident Action Planning (IAP) Guide

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Week 3

Following proper communication protocols is essential in public health emergency preparedness. The activities and readings for this week ask you to examine communications issues in public health emergency preparedness so that you can become familiar with the protocols and procedures you will encounter as a public health professional.

Weekly Outcomes

• Explain the components of effective risk communication
• Use skills to enhance effective communication with individuals, stakeholders, and communities in PHEP and during emergencies.
• Assess the effectiveness of existing communication protocols

Lectures

• Week Three Lecture

Assignments

• Online PHEP Training
• Discussion: PHEP Communications Review

Readings

• Crisis Emergency Risk Communication Guide
• Crisis Emergency Risk Communication Summary

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Week 4

This week we will consider public health emergency preparedness techniques for threat and hazard identification and risk assessment.

You will also be able to apply what you have learned about preparedness in the assignment for this week, which asks you to develop a flyer for community education. Should you decide to become a public health emergency preparedness profession, this is a type of communication you will likely encounter often.

Weekly Outcomes

•   Identify threats and hazards of concern
•   Develop skills in providing community context to potential threats and hazards
•   Assess resources needed to address threats and hazards of concern

Lectures

• Week Four Lecture

Assignments

• Online PHEP Training
• Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Flyer

Readings

• FEMA Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Comprehensive Guide 201
• FEMA Information Sheet – Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

 

________________________________________________________

Week 5

This week we will learn about the development of emergency preparedness training exercises, both as a form of public education and as a forum for testing individual and system readiness. You will develop your own tabletop exercise for the hazard you selected in Week 4.

Weekly Outcomes

•  Identify the basic components and format of tabletop, functional, and full­-scale exercises
•  Apply the concepts used in developing emergency preparedness training exercises
•  Assess the challenges and limitations in developing and evaluating emergency preparedness training exercises

Lectures

• Week Five Lecture

Assignments

• Online PHEP Training
• Development and Assessment of Training Exercises

Readings

• Public Health Emergency Exercise Toolkit – Planning, Conducting, Designing, and Evaluating Local Public Health Emergency Exercises
• Biddenger (2010). “Public Health Emergency Preparedness Training Exercises: Lessons Learned”

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Week 6

This week we will examine the federal guidelines and policies which influence PHEP planning and coordinating emergency response. We will also consider the particular needs of special populations.

Weekly Outcomes

• Explain federal guidelines regarding the needs of persons with disabilities and other special populations and vulnerable groups in PHEP and emergency response.
• Identify additional emergency related policies such as the Pet Evacuation and Transportation Act, which mandates states and localities to incorporate plans in emergency preparedness that account for the needs of people with pets and service animals.
• Assess how these needs are met in certain media resources and communications during an emergency

Lectures

• Week Six Lecture

Assignments

• PHEP Online Training
• Discussion: Policies and Special Populations Original Contribution

Readings

• CDC (2012) “Identifying Vulnerable Older Adults and Legal Options in Increasing Their Protection During All­-Hazards Emergencies,” Healthy Aging Program.
• Nick (2009) “Emergency Preparedness for Vulnerable Populations: People with Special Health Care Needs,” Public Health Reports.
• Peek (2008) “Children and Disasters: Understanding Vulnerability, Developing Capabilities, and Promoting Resilience,” Children, Youth, and Environments 18(1): 1­29 
• USDA (2009) “Saving Pets, Saving Lives” 

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Week 7

This week we will review the emergency response phase. You will be asked to complete a public health emergency simulation and to reflect on the decisions you made as a public health professional.

Weekly Outcomes

• Explain the role of a public health responder during an emergency
• Ask appropriate questions before responding, upon arrival, and before departing from a mission
• Identify the appropriate forms and procedures used in responding to an emergency
• Evaluate the management techniques used by emergency personnel

Lectures

• Week Seven Lecture

Assignments

• Option 1: Public Health Emergency Simulation
• Option 2: Case Study of a Public Health Emergency Response

Readings

• Case Study – Response to Hurricane Katrina (PDF)

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Week 8

This week we will examine after action reviews as a means to continually improve emergency preparedness techniques and policies. We will also consider how additional research in PHEP provides a mechanism for continual improvement.

Weekly Outcomes

• Understand the informal and formal review processes that may be used following an emergency response
• Examine the role of research in critically reviewing public health emergencies after an event and in developing training methods and response techniques to improve emergency response and outcome

Lectures

• Week Eight Lecture

Assignments

• Discussion: After Action Review, Research, and Training  

Readings

•  McKinsey Report (2002) “Increasing FDNY’s Preparedness” New York City Fire Department 
• Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, Community Alliance for Research and Engagement
•  Peek, L. (2003) “An Exploratory Comparison of Disasters, Riots, and Terrorist Acts”, Disasters: the Journal of Disaster Studies, Policy, and Management 27(4): 141­157. 
• Peek, L. (2006) “Transforming the Field of Disaster Research Through Training the Next Generation”, International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters 24(3): 371-389.

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Public Health page

UNE Libraries:

• Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
• Public Health Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/public-health/
• Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. The SASC also offers tutoring for GPH 712 Epidemiology, GPH 716 Biostatistics, GPH 717 Applied Epidemiology, GPH 718 Biostatistics II, and GPH 719 Research Methods. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:

• UNE Student Academic Success Center

Information Technology Services (ITS)

• ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

Passing Grade Statement

A grade of 80% or higher is required to pass the course. A grade lower than 80% will result in you having to repeat the course. Obtaining two "Fs" in the program will result in dismissal from the program.

AMA Writing Style Statement

The American Medical Association Manual (AMA) of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course. Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.

Online resources: AMA Style Guide

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Statement

Learning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) responsibly and ethically is an important skill in today’s society. AI is not a substitute for developing and enhancing skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing essential to a public health professional. If you choose to use AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL-E2, they must be used wisely and intelligently to deepen your understanding of a subject matter and support learning. You are not allowed to use AI tools to generate your work. Content produced using AI tools cannot be used as a substitute for your original work.

Students in the Graduate Programs in Public Health (GPPH) must take ultimate responsibility for the accuracy of AI-generated content used in any work. You are expected to think critically about the results and alignment with the questions or tasks in the assignment and never substitute AI-generated results for professional human judgment and logic. GPPH students are also expected to understand that the information generated is not always accurate and, in some cases, propagates discrimination and bias. You must stay abreast of AI best practices, and the changing risks and benefits, and monitor AI for biases and risks for vulnerable populations and underrepresented groups.

Within GPPH, using AI-generated content in academic work falls under our academic integrity policies. All instructors will continue to use our AI detection software for each assignment submitted so it will be flagged.

Using any AI tool in your work must be acknowledged in-text every time it is used, not in your list of references. You will include a summary of what the AI tool was used to do, followed by the AI tool brand name, version/extension #, manufacturer/owner, and date used in parentheses.

For example, 

Themes from participant responses were identified using a chatbot session (ChatGPT, model GPT-4, OpenAI, May 17, 2024).

Failure to acknowledge the inclusion of AI-generated content in any work submitted violates our academic integrity policies and will be considered an infraction with the associated penalties for plagiarism as outlined in the Student Handbook.

The Student Orientation has a module "Artificial Intelligence Literacy for Students", please refer to this module for more information about navigating the use of AI.

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Evaluation Policy

Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.

Late Policy

Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace.

Quizzes and Tests: Quizzes and tests must be completed by the due date. They will not be accepted after the due date.

Assignments: Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your Enrollment and Retention Counselor if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. Tuition charges may still apply. Students are strongly urged to consult with Student Financial Services, as course withdrawals may affect financial aid or Veterans benefits.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit https://www.une.edu/studentlife/plagiarism.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

1. Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
2. Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
3. Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
4. Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
5. Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations.  Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.