Syllabus

Schedule

Course Weeks

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

Week 1:	Sept. 2 – Sept. 9
Week 2:	Sept. 9 – Sept. 16
Week 3:	Sept. 16 – Sept. 23
Week 4:	Sept. 23 – Sept. 30
Week 5:	Sept. 30 – Oct. 7
Week 6:	Oct. 7 – Oct. 14
Week 7:	Oct. 14 – Oct. 21
Week 8:	Oct. 21 – Oct. 25

Weekly Schedule

Week 1: Sept 2 – Sept 9
Global Health in Transition
Week 1 will discuss the MDGs and how globalization affects health outcomes. Students will also learn some of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the world today and in the future, in view of the epidemiologic transition.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe several ways globalization affects health outcomes and why global cooperation is needed in order to improve global health.
• Describe some of the causes of morbidity and mortality in the world today and in the future, in view of the epidemiologic transition.
• Describe some of the Millennium Development Goals.

Readings and Viewings:

Readings:

• Merson: Read the Introduction. Ch. 1 & Ch. 18
• Koplan J, Bond T, Merson M, Reddy K, et al. Towards a common definition of global health. Lancet. 2009;373(9679):1993-1995.

Websites:

• Post-2015: A New Sustainable Development Agenda http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/mdgoverview
  (Go to the very bottom of the page where the 8 MDGs are listed. Click on each one and read “Where do we stand” and then to the far bottom right are listed the targets and indicators for each MDG.

Lecture:

• Lecture Week 1: Global Health Surveillance and Data Use

Assignments:

• Forum Discussion: Answer Issues 1 and 2 by 11:59 pm Sunday. Issue 1: Introduce yourself and briefly, tell us who you are, what you do. What do you hope to get out of the course? Issue 2: How do you think your own specific field of work or interest within public health is being influenced by globalization? Is it being influenced in a positive or negative way? Respond to a classmate’s posting. Due by 11:59 Wednesday.
• Open Book Quiz #1: Due Wednesday by 11:59 pm.

 

Week 2: Sept 9 – Sept 16
Population and Reproductive Health
This module will describe some causes and consequences of human population growth. It will also discuss some of the socio-cultural reasons and health disparities that adversely impact the maternal mortality ratio in developing countries.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe some causes and consequences of human population growth.
• Describe some of the socio-cultural reasons and health disparities which adversely impact the maternal mortality ratio in developing countries.

Readings and Viewings:

Readings:

• Merson: Ch. 4
• Hogan M, Foreman K, Naghavi M, et al. Maternal mortality for 181 countries, 1980-2008: a systematic analysis of progress towards Millenium Development Goal 5. Lancet. 2010;375(9726):1609-1623.

Websites:

• Together We Can Save Mothers: http://www.pih.org/media/together-we-can-save-mothers
• World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6ihEQtCSss

Lecture:

• Lecture Week 2: Population and Reproductive Health

Assignments:

• Forum Discussion: The World Development Report 2009: Reshaping Economic Geography argues that the most effective policies for promoting long-term growth are those that facilitate geographic concentration and economic integration, both within and across countries. Do you agree or disagree? How would you rate this video? Strengths and weaknesses? Due by 11:59 Sunday. Respond to a classmate’s posting. Due by 11:59 Wednesday.
• Essay: What are some of the primary reasons maternal mortality is so high in many developing countries? One page preferred and follow instructions in syllabus about written assignments. “Use bullets to make your major points…think a lot, write a little, and keep your writing tight and organized.” Merson will provide the most relevant information in order to answer this question. Due Wednesday by 11:59 pm.

 

Week 3: Sept 16 – Sept 23
Infectious Diseases
Week 3 discusses some of the main infectious agents and vectors responsible for the world’s leading infectious diseases. It also describes ways in which environmental degradation can increase the spread of infectious diseases.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe ways in which environmental degradation can increase the spread of infectious diseases.
• Describe some of the main infectious agents and vectors responsible for the world’s leading infectious diseases.

Readings and Viewings:

Readings:

• Merson: Ch. 5
• McMichael A, Woodruff R, Hales S. “Climate change and human health— present and future risks. Lancet. 2006; 367(9513):859–869.

Websites:

• View the 3 min. UNICEF video: “Combating Malaria in Ghana”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VeL-yU-QfY&feature=related
• View the 5 min. video “Ghana Black Stars in United Against Malaria Cheer Song”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjNwj39vnwQ

Lecture:

• Lecture Week 3: Infectious Diseases

Assignments:

• Forum Discussion: All original contribution posts due by 11:59 pm Sunday. Question 1: In the two you-tube videos for this week, what are three strategies promoted to help prevent and control malaria in Ghana? Question 2: Are there other prevention and control strategies for malaria which are missing or you would recommend? List at least three. Question 3: Would you recommend another spokesperson than the Ghana Black Stars? Explain why you would continue to recommend the Ghana Black Stars or another spokesperson. Respond to a classmate’s posting. Due by 11:59 Wednesday.
• Open Book Quiz #2: Answer the questions for the open book infectious disease quiz. Due by 11:59 Wednesday.

 

Week 4: Sept 23 – Sept 30
There are no readings or viewings for this week. Instead you’ll be working on fulfilling the requirements for the project: Preparedness and Community Response to Pandemics. After completing this online module, students will be able to explain how the avian flu virus is capable of producing a pandemic.

 

Week 5: Sept 30 – Oct 7
Nutrition and Food Security
Students will learn how to describe the nutrition transition and some of the major factors changing dietary patterns in low and middle income countries.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the nutrition transition and some of the major factors changing dietary patterns in low and middle income countries.
• Describe some ways in which food and water security are threatened in the world today.

Readings and Viewings:

Readings:

• Merson: Ch. 6
• Popkin, B. The world is fat. Sci Am. 2007;297(3):88-95 (AN 26351933)
• Brown, L. Could food shortages bring down civilization? Sci Am. 2009;300(5);50-57.

Websites:

• How a Village In Kenya Changed with the Climate http://www.wfp.org/videos/how-village-kenya-changed-climate
• World Food Program Hunger Map http://cdn.wfp.org/hungermap/

Lecture:

• Lecture Week 5: Nutrition and Food Security

Assignments:

• Forum Discussion: Question 1: Based on the video on Kenya and climate change: List five assets the farmers in Kenya received from the food for assets program. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday. Question 2: In your own community, name an agricultural project which could put the poor to work and provide them with a way to escape hunger and food insecurity. This project should also help to mitigate climate change. Be creative. (If you have worked in another country, you can use that country as an example, too.) Due by 11:59 pm Sunday. Respond to a classmate’s posting. Due by 11:59 Wednesday.
• Open Book Quiz #3: Due by 11:59 Wednesday

 

Week 6: Oct 7 – Oct 14
Chronic Diseases and Risks
After completing Module 6, students will be able to describe the increasing rates of non-communicable (or chronic) diseases, and some of the socio-economic, behavioral, and environmental factors responsible for these chronic conditions.

Learning Objective

• Describe the increasing rates of non-communicable (or chronic) diseases, and some of the socio-economic, behavioral, and environmental factors responsible for these chronic conditions.

Readings and Viewings:

Readings:

• Merson: Ch. 7

Websites:

• Treating NCIDs-PIH Rwanda http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMlPKkL4iC4.

Lecture:

• Lecture Week 6: Chronic Diseases and Risks

Assignments:

• Forum Discussion: Question: One weakness of the MDGs is that they neglect non-communicable, chronic diseases. State an MDG for the future focusing on a chronic disease and justify why you propose this MDG. (Use disease burden data, such as DALYs, mortality and morbidity data.) Due by 11:59 pm Sunday. Respond to a classmate. For your second post to another student: try to find another student who has proposed a different MDG and persuade him/her why your MDG should be made a priority. Due by 11:59 Wednesday.
• Open Book Quiz #4: Due by 11:59 Wednesday

 

Week 7: Oct 14 – Oct 21
Environmental Health—Moving toward a less consumptive economy
Week 7 describes some ways in which food and water security are threatened in the world today. Students will also discuss sustainability and how a greener community impacts local, national and global health.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe some ways in which food and water security are threatened in the world today.
• Discuss ways in which sustainability and a greener community impact local, national and global health.

Readings and Viewings

Readings:

• Merson: Ch. 10
• Read the “Good Stuff Challenge” and take the “Good Stuff Quiz” (p. 28) http://www.worldwatch.org/system/files/GoodStuffGuide_0.pdf
• Rogers P. Facing the freshwater crisis. Sci Am. 2008;299(2)46-53.
• Special report: sustainability. Sci Am. 2010;302(4):53-68.

Websites:

• Watch the video: Water and Sanitation: a Partnership for Change This video shows the International Federation Global Water and Sanitation Initiative (GWSI) in action at the Zambia Red Cross Society “Rural Water Supply Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion Project” http://www.youtube.com:/watch?v=A5HZsQoulUA
• Watch the UNICEF World Water Day Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXR4Z_NBD-E

Lecture:

• Lecture Week 7: Environmental Health

Assignments

• Forum Discussion: Take the Good Stuff Challenge and then create a Good Stuff Challenge list specific to your community (5 to 10 “challenges”) which would make the your community more environmentally sustainable. Due by 11:59 pm Sunday. Respond to a classmate’s posting.
• Open Book Quiz #5: Due by 11:59 pm Wednesday.

 

Week 8: Oct 21 – Oct 25 (Sunday)

There are no readings or viewings for this week. Instead you’ll be working on fulfilling the requirements for the project: Preparedness and Community Response to Pandemics. After completing this online module, students will be able to explain how the avian flu virus is capable of producing a pandemic.

Assignment

• Submit your Preparedness and Community Response to Pandemics “Course Map” by Sunday at 11:59 pm.

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.