Syllabus
Master of Healthcare Administration
HCA 645 – Emerging Impact of Climate Disasters
Credits - 3
Description
The impact of climate change related disasters has gained attention over the last decade. In this course, students will examine the increase in frequency, severity, and human cost of natural disasters. With a lessons-learned approach to case study review, students will develop mitigation plans and policies with an emphasis on adaptability to the changing global climate concerns.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Course Outcomes
- Evaluate the increase in frequency, severity, and human cost of natural disasters in the context of climate change, using historical data and current research.
- Conduct in-depth analyses of selected case studies of climate change-related disasters to identify key factors contributing to their impact and to extract lessons learned.
- Propose effective mitigation plans and policies tailored to address the specific challenges posed by climate change-induced disasters.
- Assess the adaptability of existing disaster management and mitigation strategies in light of evolving climate patterns and emerging scientific findings.
- Develop comprehensive policy recommendations that integrate climate change considerations into disaster preparedness, response, and recovery frameworks.
- Critically reflect on and debate the ethical, social, and economic implications of various disaster mitigation strategies and policies, considering their effectiveness and potential trade-offs.
Assignments
Discussions
Your discussion posts throughout this course – both initial and response posts – should be substantive, and thoughtful, respond to the instructions, and integrate and refer to the course material. You should prioritize course content and limit references to external sources.
Major Assignments
(see Brightspace for full assignment prompts)
Week 2 Assignment: Clean Air Initiative
Developing a clean air initiative involves creating strategies to reduce pollutants and improve air quality for healthier communities. This includes implementing stricter emissions standards for industries and vehicles, promoting the use of renewable energy sources, and enhancing public transportation options. Community engagement and education are key, helping people understand the benefits of reducing pollution and encouraging practices like biking or using energy-efficient appliances. By focusing on these actions, a clean air initiative can lead to a significant reduction in respiratory issues and overall better health outcomes for everyone.
Week 3 Assignment: Climate Change and Healthcare
You will consider two critical questions about how climate change impacts healthcare.
Week 4 Assignment: Clean Air Digi-Poster
Getting the word out is a big part of Environmental Public Health. Whether it’s a disease outbreak or an initiative to better the health of a community, telling others about your efforts is a great way to get community buy-in and spread the word. You will develop a social media digital poster to let your community know about fantastic ways to make the air they take in a little bit easier to breathe.
Week 5 Assignment: Environmentally Speaking
Data: loved by some, hated by most, but always necessary. Do you know what’s more important than the data? Making sense of it and sharing it in a way that inspires action. After reading the chapter about climate data, take that information and create a public service announcement commercial using some data you find to incite positive change in your community.
Week 6 Assignment: The Hurriedly Hurricane
Part of forecasting changes to climate is utilizing the knowledge of the past, especially if it relates to an incident that’s happening right now. In this assignment, you’ll be focused primarily on saving lives as an incoming hurricane threatens your community, but you’ll have to use past hurricane analyses to predict how you need to message your audience to enable them to take necessary action now!
Week 7 Assignment: Interviews
Opinions can be based on facts, speculation, or other factors. Regardless of how opinions are shaped, public opinion matters when it comes to enacting change. Is climate change a real threat to the world we live in? Does the rate and severity of disasters increase? Or is it all a hoax? Many of our friends, family, and peers have opinions on climate change, and now it’s up to you to document some of those opinions and assess your findings. Ask around – see what the public thinks about the effects of climate change!
Week 8 Assignment: The Climate Resilient Community
It would be a tragedy to take all of this wonderful information and not be able to apply it to your own health and safety, as well as the health and safety of your community. For this project, you’ll be able to develop a community plan that helps mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. Make it personal to you as you may just be the spark that incites positive change!
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Assessment Item | Points | Percent |
| Week 1 Intro Discussion | 10 | 1 |
| Discussions (Weeks 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8), at 6 points each | 420 | 42 |
| Week 2 Assignment: Clean Air Initiative | 60 | 6 |
| Week 3 Assignment: Climate Change and Health Care | 60 | 6 |
| Week 4 Assignment: Clean Air Digi-Poster | 60 | 6 |
| Week 5 Assignment: Environmentally Speaking | 60 | 6 |
| Week 6 Assignment: The Hurriedly Hurricane | 70 | 7 |
| Week 7 Assignment: Interviews | 60 | 6 |
| Week 8 Final Assignment: The Climate Resilient Community | 200 | 20 |
| Total | 1000 | 100 |
Grade Scale
| Grade | Points Grade | Point Average (GPA) |
| A | 94 – 100% | 4.00 |
| A- | 90 – 93% | 3.75 |
| B+ | 87 – 89% | 3.50 |
| B | 84 – 86% | 3.00 |
| B- | 80 – 83% | 2.75 |
| C+ | 77 – 79% | 2.50 |
| C | 74 – 76% | 2.00 |
| C- | 70 – 73% | 1.75 |
| D | 64 – 69% | 1.00 |
| F | 00 – 63% | 0.00 |
Schedule
Course learning modules are divided into weeks. Each week starts on Wednesday at 12:00 AM Eastern Time (ET) and closes on Wednesday at 11:59 PM ET, with the exception of Week 8, which ends on Sunday at 11:59 PM ET. All assignments must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on their due date.
Week 1: Jan 15 – Jan 22
Week 2: Jan 22 – Jan 29
Week 3: Jan 29 – Feb 5
Week 4: Feb 5 – Feb 12
Week 5: Feb 12 – Feb 19
Week 6: Feb 19 – Feb 26
Week 7: Feb 26 – Mar 5
Week 8: Mar 5 – Mar 9
Week 1: Health Priorities
Week 1 Discussion: Introduce yourself!
Week 1 Discussion: Zika Forecast
Week 2: Climate Impacts
Week 2 Assignment: Clean Air Initiative
Week 3: Climate Basics
Week 3 Discussion: Climate Predictions
Week 3 Assignment: Climate change and Health Care
Week 4: Climate Variables and Trends
Week 4 Peer Review Discussion
Week 4 Assignment: Clean Air Digi-Poster
Week 5: Climate Data Past & Present
Week 5 Discussion: Using Climate Data
Week 5 Assignment: Environmentally Speaking
Week 6: Climate Data for Early Warnings
Week 6 Peer Review Discussion
Week 6 Assignment: The Hurriedly Hurricane
Week 7: Climate Information for Adaptation
Week 7 Discussion: Adaptation Strategies
Week 7 Assignment: Interviews
Week 8: Climate Reflection
Week 8 Reflection Discussion
Week 8 Assignment: The Climate Resilient Community
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 Healthcare Administration page
APA Style Guide
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library log-in ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log-into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- MSIN Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/health-informatics/
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
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
AI Use
The Graduate Programs in Healthcare Administration hold the position that AI writing and generative technology should not be used when completing course assignments unless explicitly permitted by course faculty and assignment instructions. These tools do not support a student’s personal and direct capacity to develop and hone skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing, which are central to graduate-level rigor, assessment, and research. Use of these tools when not explicitly permitted may result in an academic integrity infraction.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
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.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
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
Assignments: Late 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.
Attendance Policy
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this 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 UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- 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.