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Program - Disability and Human Development
Department of Disability and Human Development
Ansley Bacon, Ph.D.,
Department Chair
• M.P.H Program Curriculum
• Program Course Descriptions
The following courses are all 3 credits, unless otherwise noted.
M.P.H. Curriculum - 46 credits
- Required courses: 22 credits
Health Care in the United States
Health Economics
Behavioral and Social Factors in Public Health
Environmental Influences on Human Health
Introduction to Biostatistics
Introduction to Epidemiology
Thesis
Practicum (1 credit)
- Required program
courses: 12 credits
Disability and Public Health
Disability Policy, Funding and Services
Epidemiology and Disability
Critical Analysis of Disability-Related Research
- For Practicum and electives:
10-12 credits
See academic advisor
Electives
- Seminar in Disability
- Field Experience in Disability and Public Health
- Tutorial in Disability
- Directed Studies/Directed Research
Graduate Certificate: Children with Special Health Care
Needs: 15 credits
This 15-credit Graduate Certificate Program prepares future public health
professionals to address the needs of children with neurodevelopmental
disabilities and their families, with emphasis on the disparities in access and
outcomes experienced by families from diverse backgrounds. This
interdisciplinary certificate program is open to clinical and public health
professionals and students from a wide range of disciplines. While the
certificate may be undertaken as a focused learning experience, the course of
study also serves as an entry to master’s degree studies for those who desire
it.
Overview of Neurodevelopmental Disabilities I & II (6 credits)
Interdisciplinary Leadership Seminar I & II (3 credits)
Interdisciplinary Research Seminar I & II (6 credits)
Course Descriptions
Disability and Public Health
This course will address the inclusion of disability issues into the field
of public health. Topics will include: models and approaches to disability; the
changing view of people with disabilities in the field of public health; the
research and theory of health promotion strategies and models specific to people
with disabilities; and the role of public health professionals as change agents
to promote the health and well-being of people with disabilities. In addition,
special topics will be addressed such as ethical, multicultural, and global
issues in disability and public health; women with disabilities; health
informatics; technology and health, emergency preparedness, and aging.
Disability Policy, Funding, and Services
The course will examine how services to individuals with disabilities have
evolved – driven by changes in policy, funding, and practice. It will address
the economics of service delivery, including cost, utilization, access, and
financing, in light of changing models for services, public priorities, and
advocacy. The course will also review the conceptual frameworks, policies,
programs and strategies utilized to address disability issues within public
health. Policy area will include children’s services, employment and health, and
health financing through Medicare/Medicaid.
Epidemiology and Disability
This course will examine a number of epidemiologic principles and issues as
they apply to disability over the life span. It will address the systematic
inquiry into the patterns, distributions, determinants and outcomes of disabling
conditions in specific populations, with a focus on prevalence, duration, and
social factors that interact with disability in populations. Similarities and
differences between traditional epidemiology and disability epidemiology will be
examined. The course will also review some unique challenges in disability
epidemiology, including the definition and measurement of disability, small
sample sizes, data reliability and validity.
Critical Analysis of Disability-Related Research
This course will examine issues, methods, and applications in the conduct of
public health research related to disability. Issues will include the role of
individuals with disabilities in formulating a research question, participatory
action research, consent and other Institutional Review Board requirements, and
ethics of community-based research. Case study, group, survey, evaluation, and
health services research methods will be contrasted in terms of design and
analysis requirements, as well as their appropriateness for specific research
questions, populations, and time frames. Students will have the opportunity to
develop a research proposal which focuses on a specific public health and
disability topic, such as the environmental impact on health behaviors, the use
of functional classifications in the definition of disability and health
services, the design and implementation of early screening programs, the
development of surveillance systems, or analyzing data using public databases.
Overview of Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (1 to 6 credits, across two
semesters)
This course is organized in six modules, which examine different aspects of
the assessment and treatment of children with, or at risk for,
neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. The course examines the
broad context of health care systems and service delivery for children with a
range of disabilities from birth through late adolescence. The roles and
interrelationships of disciplines/specialties are discussed. Module topics
include early childhood, family partnerships, public policy, vulnerable
populations, coordinated care, and transition.
Interdisciplinary Leadership Seminar (3 credits across two semesters)
This series of seminars and directed assignments promotes acquisition of the
knowledge and skills critical to providing leadership in settings serving
children with special health care needs. Topics include communication, cultural
competence, presentation, grant-writing, identification of funding sources,
providing consultation and technical assistance, use of online resources, and
career planning strategies.
Interdisciplinary Research Seminar (3 credits across two semesters)
This course examines clinical and population-based approaches to the study
of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. It has
three primary purposes. First, it provides a basic understanding of research
methods commonly used in the field. Second, it assists students in becoming
critical “consumers” of the published research in the field. And, third, it
provides a forum to support the design and implementation of a clinical research
project by an interdisciplinary student-faculty working group.
Thesis
It is expected that the thesis will be an original scholarly work involving an analysis of new or existing data on a subject relevant to the field of public health. It should be noted that theses may require review and approval by the university's Institutional Review Board (IRB) prior to initiation of any thesis work. Students should work through their program director to determine whether their thesis topic requires IRB review. Further, students must maintain regular contact with their program director during their thesis work to insure that their activities continue to meet the standards and regulations governing
health care research.
Practicum
Students must complete a practicum. This is to assure that students have practical experience to support academic skills and information acquired within the broad filed of public health before they enter the world of public health practice. To fulfill this requirement, students will generally register for a one-credit pass/fail course in excess of the 45 credits required for the degree. Students who can demonstrate appropriate practice experience prior to beginning their M.P.H. studies may apply for a waiver.
Additional courses offered through the School of Public Health may be available as electives with the approval of program director/advisor.
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