Syllabus

Schedule

Course Dates

*See Course for required and suggested weekly readings.

Week 1: May 3 – May 10
Week 2: May 10 – May 17
Week 3: May 17 – May 24
Week 4: May 24 – May 31
Week 5: May 31 – Jun 7
Week 6: Jun 7 – Jun 14
Week 7: Jun 14 – Jun 21
Week 8: Jun 21 – Jun 25

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Week 1:

Weekly Outcomes

• Select and list academic articles in proper AMA formatting
• Identify potential research topics selected from academic literature

Multimedia

• Course overview
• Introduction to Environmental Health

Readings

• Essentials of Environmental Health, chapters 1, 2 & 3
• EPA Environmental Justice
• CDC National Center for Environmental Health
• APHA Environmental Health
• National Institute of Environmental Health Science
• How to Write Excellent Graduate-Level Papers – 

Assignments

• Week 1 Discussion: Introduction 

  In this first week, please upload a short (not more than two minutes) video discussion post introducing yourself to your instructor and peers. Include a brief summary of yourself (i.e., name, where you’re from (optional), your area of interest within Public Health, specific interests related to environmental health, and any interesting facts about yourself you would like to share.

  Respond to at least two other students identifying shared interests and asking relevant questions (response posts can be written).

• Week 1 Assignment: Reference Search

This week you should carefully review the Key Assessment Guidelines (linked in the course), and begin to read broadly to identify a topic of interest for your White Paper (begin with websites included in assigned readings this week). For your assignment, you should submit a list of at least six references (not including the websites) you have read in your effort to choose your topic. Cite each of your sources in your list of references using the AMA Manual of Style.

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Week 2

Weekly Outcomes

• Analyze the communication of basic research in popular press articles

Multimedia

• Covid-19 is a zoonotic disease. What is zoonotic disease?

Readings

• Essentials of Environmental Health, chapters 5 & 8
• Rocklöv Joacim, Dubrow R. Climate change: an enduring challenge for vector-borne disease prevention and control. Nat Immunol. 2020;21(5):479-483. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41590-020-0648-y.

Assignments

• Week 2 Discussion: Research Communication 

  For the Discussion this week you will need to find a popular press article (e.g. article on a website, in a newspaper, or in a magazine) that discusses a zoonotic disease and references a primary research publication. You will need to read both the popular press and primary research articles. In your initial post summarize the popular press article and discuss how accurately and thoroughly that article represents the primary research publication. Provide your overall impression of how basic research is communicated to the general public based on your evaluation of these articles. Provide citations for each of the articles.

  In your response to at least one other student (after reading the two articles included in your classmate’s initial discussions) briefly discuss the other student’s assessment, including whether you agree and if not, why not.

   

• Week 2 Assignment: Meet with your Instructor

  Schedule a meeting with your instructor to discuss an environmental health topic for your Key Assessment.  This meeting must take place by the end of week 2.  

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Week 3

Weekly Outcomes

• Describe the components of an environmental health issue
• Summarize the key points from a health impact assessment report

Multimedia

• Exposomic research/medicine
• Contaminants of emerging concern

Readings

• Essentials of Environmental Health, chapters 6 & 7
• Donley N, Bullard RD, Economos J, et al. Pesticides and environmental injustice in the USA: root causes, current regulatory reinforcement and a path forward. BMC Public Health. 2022;22:1-23. 

Assignments

• Week  3 Discussion: Topic Selection

  Original Contribution: 

  This week, share the environmental health topic of your white paper and discuss why you chose that topic. Include a description of the populations that are most vulnerable to the environmental health issue you are focused on. Describe any environmental justice aspects of your topic. Finally, suggest a title for your white paper. Your title should clearly indicate what the reader will learn from the white paper. It should be attention-grabbing without being overly clever (i.e. it should be professional). 

  Response Post: 

  In your response post, consider your peers’ chosen topics. What aspects of them are similar to yours? Is there any overlap in vulnerable populations? Do you think the chosen title is appropriate for the identified topic? Provide at least one additional resource to supplement their discussion and offer alternate titles if appropriate. 

• Week 3 Assignment: Environmental Health Case Study

For your assignment this week, you should review the final report (focusing on the sections associated with public health effects) of one of the EPA Health Impact Case Studies, and write a review that describes and discusses:

• • The environmental health issue or issues addressed by the project
  • How it was resolved
  • The population or populations impacted
  • Any additional recommendation you have to further mitigate or stop the environmental health issue addressed

This should be clear and concise analysis (approximately one page, not including references).

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Week 4

Weekly Outcomes

• Describe the impact of climate change on human health
• Select and summarize academic articles relevant to a specific topic

Multimedia

• Water Pollution

Readings

• Essentials of Environmental Health, chapters 9, 10 & 12
• NRDC: Watered Down Justice. Environmental Justice Health Alliance; 2019. [this is another example of a white paper]

Assignments

• Week 4 Discussion: Climate Change Impacts

  There are three posts required for this week’s discussion.

  Initial Post:

  After reviewing the following report, discuss one impact of climate change on human health. In your initial post, thoroughly describe the impact – including the specific environmental factors that will cause it. Discuss which populations within the United States and globally will be most significantly impacted with a focus on disparities of impact based on social, economic, or racial inequities. Include additional references as needed. 

  First Response Post(s):

  In your first response post, discuss ways in which the human health impact presented by a peer could be mitigated, along with what resources should be in place to deal with the impact as it happens. Include references used to formulate your response. 

  Second Response Post(s):

  Consider the solutions presented for your initial climate change impact. Discuss your thoughts on their mitigation solution and make suggestions for any changes you think would improve their proposals.

   

• Week 4 Assignment: Annotated Bibliography

  Now that you have selected the Environmental Health topic for your Key Assessment, the next step is to gather and organize the references you will use to write your white paper. This assignment will serve as an outline for the Background section of your white paper, which you will write next week. 

  For your assignment this week, you should submit an annotated bibliography (i.e. a document that includes reference citations and a brief summary of relevant information) that includes 10 to 15 references (you can include any relevant references you read in week 1). Your references should be listed in a logical order (group based on themes) to build the narrative of the Background section of your white paper.

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Week 5: Disease Outcomes Resulting From Exposure

Weekly Outcomes

• Write a problem statement centered around a defined environmental health issue
• Explain the relevant background information required to understand a specific problem

Lecture

• Chemical contaminants in the food chain: 
• What are pesticides and how do they get into our food? 
• Food waste is the world’s dumbest problem

Readings

• Essentials of Environmental Health, chapters 11 & 13

Assignments

• Week 5 Discussion: Draft Problem Statement and White Paper Background 

  This week you will be working in small groups on the Discussion Forum. Groups will be assigned based on the similarity of environmental health topics chosen for your white papers.

  Instructions:

  Write the first draft of the problem statement and background sections of your white paper.

  The problem statement should:

  • Specify the issue the white paper will address
  • Be well-defined and placed into a specific context to ensure the reader understands the nature and importance of the problem

  The background section should:

  • Expand on the context provided in the problem statement by providing broad and high-level information required for the audience to grasp the problem and, ultimately, the solution
  • Include a review of at least five primary research articles
  • Identify the populations studied in each article
  • Conclude with a strong and specific statement emphasizing the need for a solution

  You do not need to include all of the images you will use in your final white paper, but you should share any that are necessary for a reader to fully grasp the content of your problem statement and background sections of your white paper.

  Post your drafts of both sections in your group discussion forum. In your response posts, evaluate each of your peers’ problem statements and background sections using these criteria. Be sure to explain your ratings, and where appropriate offer suggestions for improvement.

   

• Week 5 Assignment: Quiz

This is an open book quiz that covers material from the textbook reading in weeks 1-5. You are allowed to use your notes, text, and other online resources to complete the quiz. However, you should not work with your classmates or seek help from other students or colleagues.

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Week 6

Weekly Outcomes

• Construct a plan for a systems-focused solution to an environmental health problem
• Write the solutions, conclusion, and abstract sections of a white paper

Multimedia

• Environmental Laws Through the Decades in the United States
• Environmental justice, explained

Readings

• Essentials of Environmental Health, chapters 4
• Shapiro JS, Walker R. Where is Pollution Moving? Environmental Markets and Environmental Justice. 2021.

Assignments

• Week  6 Discussion: Draft Solution and Conclusion Sections 

  You will be working in your small groups on the Discussion Forum again this week. 

  First, carefully consider the feedback you received from your instructor and peers and revise the problem statement and background sections of your white paper.

  Next, write the first draft of your Solution and Conclusion sections for your white paper. 

  Your solution section should:

  • Be developed and argued based on the information presented in previous sections
  • Present a systems-focused solution
  • Include enforcement of current relevant legislation and/or new legislative actions, among other solutions such as public health and clinical interventions as appropriate
  • Include a discussion of how the impact of your proposed actions will be evaluated.

  Your conclusion section should:

  • Summarize the white paper’s major points
  • Provide recommendations based on the solutions that are provided

  You do not need to include all the images you will use in your final draft, but you should share any that are necessary for a reader to fully grasp the content of the Solution and Conclusion sections of your White Paper.

  Post your first four sections of your white paper (i.e. revised problem statement and background section AND drafts of both new sections) to your small group’s discussion forum for feedback from your peers.

  In your response posts, evaluate each of your peers’ solution and conclusion sections using these criteria. Be sure to explain your ratings and, where appropriate, offer suggestions for improvements. 

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Week 7

Weekly Outcomes

• Assemble a formatted, publication-ready document 

Lecture

• Upstream Public Health
• What Makes Us Get Sick? Look Upstream

Readings

• Butterfield PG. Upstream Reflections on Environmental Health: An abbreviated history and framework for action. Advances in Nursing Science. 2002;25(1):32-49. 
• Upstream Solutions

Assignments

• Week  7 Discussion: Post your White Papers 

  Post your white papers for your peers to see.  No written Discussion posts this week.

• Week 7 Assignment: White Paper

This week, you will submit a complete version of your white paper. Edit the previously written sections based on the feedback you received from your discussion group members.
In addition, you will need to include an abstract and a references section. The abstract should offer the reader a brief overview of the white paper’s main points and allow them to ensure that they have found a document relevant to their needs before reading the entire document. It should be no more than 200 words. The references section should be in alphabetical order and proper AMA formatting with no errors.
Altogether, your white paper should be between 8 and 10 pages including all sections and images.

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Week 8: Interventions

Weekly Outcomes

• Design and record presentations aimed at communicating environmental health solutions to specific audiences

Lectures

• Optional Science into Action: Plenary

Readings

• Finn S, O’Fallon L. The emergence of environmental health literacy—from its roots to its future potential. Environmental Health Perspectives. 2017;125(4):495-501. doi:10.1289/ehp.1409337
• Beato RR, Telfer J. Communication as an Essential Component of Environmental Health Science . Journal of Environmental Health. 2010:24-25.

Assignments

• Week 8 Discussion: Presentations

  As public health professionals, you will be expected to be experts in turning knowledge into action. This week, you will turn the work you have done in developing your white paper into action by creating a presentation focused on one of the audiences listed in the table below. 

  Design your presentation with the goal to bring about a specific action as suggested in the table (or you could determine your own action). Consider your chosen audience and the stated goal at each stage of the design process *and* in how you communicate it. 

  Presentation Audience	Suggested actions sought
  Regulatory agency officials	Enforcement of a current regulation or  enactment of a new regulation
  State and/or federal politicians	Allocating money or passing a law
  Advocacy organization	Taking up the cause presented in your  white paper
  Vulnerable community members	Personal behavior changes to avoid or  mitigate environmental exposure
  Peers (i.e. Public Health professionals	Development of a public health initiative  or program

  Record a 5-7 minute video for your presentation and post it to this Discussion board. For assistance in recording and posting videos, please see the additional resources listed in Brightspace. 

  No response posts are required for this week, but you are encouraged to watch as many presentations as you can and provide feedback where inspired. 

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 Blackboard/Brightspace.
• Public Health Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/public-health/
• Library Tutorial: Find an article
• 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.

Policies

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

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 Turnitin Student quick start guide.

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 student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

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.