Syllabus

Schedule

Each week opens on Wednesday at 12:01 AM Eastern Time (ET). Each week closes on Wednesday at 11:59 PM ET, with the exception of Week 16, which ends on Sunday. 

Complete assignment prompts and expectations are listed in the course in Brightspace.

• 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

Week 1: Introductions and topic selection

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the role the United Nations plays in pandemic preparedness and response.
• Describe Emergency Support Functions (ESFs), primary agencies, and associated federal and non-federal agencies that support the work in the United States as it relates to Public Health and Medical Services.
• Synthesize information to produce an audience-appropriate one-page overview.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• First Annual Report on Progress Towards Implementation of the American Pandemic Preparedness Plan Sept. 2022
• Emergency Support Function 
  • Focus on Emergency Support Function #8 Public Health and Medical Services 
• Liu, J., Clark, H., & Kazatchkine, M. (2022). Leaders can choose to prevent pandemics. Nature, 610(7933), S37.

Assignments

• Week 1 Discussion
  • Introduction/Topic Selection
• Week 1 Assignment
  • After reading all of the materials for the week, provide key points from the First Annual Report on Progress Towards Implementation of the American Pandemic Preparedness Plan.

Week 2: “Knowledge itself is power” – Francis Bacon 1597

Learning Objectives:

• Gather and synthesize information on the chosen research topic to develop an audience-appropriate overview.
• Synthesize and present strategies to shorten the gap between outbreak and response.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• Sridhar, D. (2022). Five ways to prepare for the next pandemic. Nature, 610(7933), S50.
  Meganck RM, Baric RS. Developing therapeutic approaches for twenty-first-century emerging infectious viral diseases. Nature Medicine. 2021;27(3):401-410.

Assignments

• Week 2 Discussion
  • Analyze credible resources related to your chosen topic and provide a 2-3 page overview that generates excitement.
• Week 2 Assignment
  • Using the assigned reading materials for the week, interpret and re-state key points from the articles in the form of a presentation.

Week 3: Assemble stakeholders to address issue

Learning Objectives:

• Identify key stakeholders who may align with and oppose your recommendations.
• Develop strategies for leveraging stakeholders who align with your recommendations and strategies for those that oppose your ideas.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• Video: Stakeholders in Public Health (closed captioning available)

• Video: What is Stakeholder Engagement (closed captioning available)

• Video: 10 Steps to Effective Stakeholder Engagement (closed captioning available)

• Emergency Support Function #8 Public Health and Medical Services – May be helpful as you identify stakeholders to engage

Assignments

• Week 3 Discussion
  • Identify key stakeholders.
• Week 3 Assignment
  • Using the assigned reading materials for the week, interpret and re-state key points from the articles in the form of a presentation.

Week 4: The Influence of Climate Change on Pandemics and Cutting-Edge Ideas

Learning Objectives:

• Connect the implication of climate change to the research topic.
• Research and apply a new idea or technology to the research topic.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• Climate Change:
  • Wu JT, Leung K, Lam TTY, et al. Nowcasting epidemics of novel pathogens: lessons from COVID-19. Nature Medicine. 2021;27(3):388.
  • Rodó, X., San-José, A., Kirchgatter, K., & López, L. (2021). Changing climate and the COVID-19 pandemic: more than just heads or tails. Nature Medicine, 27(4), 576–579.
    • Please pay particular attention to the article’s graphs and charts and summarize them in a method that the general public will understand.
• Cutting-Edge Ideas:
  • Bender, E. (2022). Disinfecting the air with far-ultraviolet light. Nature, 610(7933), S46–S47.
  • Enabling rapid responses to infectious diseases. Scientific American. 2022;327(6):75a-75b.

Assignments

• Week 4 Discussion
  • What climate change implications are related to your topic? Think about severity and frequency.
    Describe an existing or developing new technology or idea that could be applied to address your topic.
• Week 4 Assignment
  • Using the assigned reading materials for the week, interpret and re-state key points from the articles in the form of a presentation.

Week 5: Convincing the public

Learning Objectives:

• Synthesize and prioritize key findings for the purposes of developing audience-appropriate briefing.
• Tailor information to the audience in a way that fosters understanding and adoption of recommendations.
• Assess how persuasive a briefing is from the perspective of an elected official.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• Pandemic Preparedness | Lessons From COVID-19. Council of Foreign Relations. Independent Task Force Report No. 78.
  Read Introduction and Findings
• Campbell, K. (2022). 3 Steps to Detect and Stop Disease Outbreaks before They Become Pandemics. Scientific American.
• Svoboda, E. (2022). Mastering the art of persuasion during a pandemic. Nature, 610(7933), S34–S36.

Assignments

• Week 5 Discussion
  • As you continue to gather information from credible sources on your topic, think about what the public needs to know or do and what information your chosen elected official needs in order to align with your recommendations.
• Week 5 Assignment
  • Using the assigned reading materials for the week, interpret and re-state key points from the articles in the form of a presentation.

Week 6: Understanding the Art of Response

Learning Objectives:

• Develop strategies based on recommendations made regarding their health issue.
• Develop a response strategy that is appropriately tailored to the elected official responsible for overseeing and coordinating efforts.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• Visual: COVID-19 and other pandemics require a coherent response strategy

• Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Accord

  • Read responses to the following questions listed on the site:

    • “What is meant by a “convention, agreement, or other international instrument?”

    • “What could the accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response do?”

    • “What gaps could such an accord address?”

  • Review other questions you find relevant or interesting.

• Pandemic Preparedness | Lessons From COVID-19. Council of Foreign Relations. Independent Task Force Report No. 78.

  • Read Recommendations and Conclusions

• Optional Reading

   

• National Mitigation Framework

  • Review the entire document while paying close attention to the following sections:

    • Executive Summary

    • Guiding Principles

    • Core Capabilities

    • Coordinating Structures and Integration

Assignments

• Week 6 Discussion
  • Based on this week’s readings, relevant sources focused on your research topic, and your recommendations from week 5, describe a response strategy.
• Week 6 Assignment
  • Using the assigned reading materials for the week, interpret and re-state key points from the articles in the form of a presentation.

Week 7: Putting it All Together

Learning Objectives:

• Synthesize information related to the selected research topic while clearly integrating pandemic preparedness and response components.
• Prepare a compelling presentation for an elected official on the selected research topic and recommendations for response.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• Guide: Recording a presentation with Screencast-O-Matic
  Guide: Uploading to YouTube

Assignments

• Week 7 Discussion
  • State your research topic, the elected official you are addressing, their party, and location of their constituency.
• Week 7 Assignment
  • Submit your presentation and post the link to your video. Your presentation must adhere to the presentation guidelines.

Week 8: Get Ready, It’s Going to Happen Again / Peer Evaluation

Learning Objectives:

• Apply lessons from COVID-19 and previous pandemics to research topic.
• Develop processes for the dissemination of lessons so that they may guide the approach by stakeholders.
• Evaluate a peer’s presentation for clarity, audience-appropriate language, clearly articulated recommendations, effective persuasion, and an applicable response strategy.

Assigned Reading and Multimedia: 

• Video: How have pandemic preparedness plans contributed to responding to COVID-19 (closed captioning available)
• Lessons We Don’t Learn: A Study of the Lessons of Disasters, Why We Repeat Them, and How WE Can Learn Them. Homeland Security Affairs, Vol II. JULY 2006
• Report of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response: Making COVID-19 the last pandemic. The Lancet. Vol 398. July 10, 2021
• Jones S. How to eradicate the next pandemic disease. Nature. 2022;610(7933): S48-S49 Defense Production Act during COVID-19

Assignments

• Week 8 Discussion
  • Submit the evaluation of your peer’s presentation as a response to the original thread in week 7 and as a new post for this week.
  • Reflection on the course and lessons learned
• Week 8 Assignment
  • Reflecting on the questions you wanted to be answered throughout the course, share whether or not they were addressed.

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

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 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 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.