School of Public Health Departments/Programs: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health   Behavioral Sciences and Health Promotion   General Public Health   International Health   Maternal and Child Health Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology   Biostatistics   Epidemiology (M.P.H.)   Epidemiology (Dr.P.H.) Department of Disability and Human Development Department of Environmental Health Science Department of Health Policy and Management Department of Physical Therapy Department of Speech-Language Pathology

Department of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health

Frank Baker, Ph.D.
Department Chairmen

Penny Liberatos, MA, M Phil
Program Advisor

• M.P.H Program Curriculum
• Graduate Certificates in Maternal and Child Health
• Program Course Descriptions

The M.P.H. degree in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) is designed to prepare health professionals and others to provide leadership as educators, administrators, researchers, planners, and policy makers in areas critical to the health and well-being of mothers and children. The concentration provides students with the skills necessary to approach health problems from an epidemiologic perspective and to evaluate public health programs. For practicing physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals, the MCH concentration has the added advantage of enlarging the scope of medicine from personal health care to the broader perspective of domestic and international issues of health promotion, disease prevention, and medical care as they relate to the needs of mothers and their children. The M.P.H. in Maternal and Child Health provides health professionals with the scientific framework needed to advance the field.

As part of their course of studies, students work with the MCH associate program director to develop an individualized program plan based on their educational background, previously acquired skills and experience, and career goals. The agreed upon plan will be incorporated into the student's portfolio, which will be reviewed periodically by the student and the MCH associate program director and revised as needed.

Who Should Enroll?

Part-time or full-time study is available for hospital and public health administrators, physicians, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals who are looking to meet the MCH challenges of tomorrow.

The following courses are all 3 credits, unless otherwise noted.

M.P.H. Curriculum - 46 credits

1. 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)
2. Required concentration courses: 12 credits
   
   Introduction to Maternal and Child Health
   Community Needs Assessment I
   Community Needs Assessment II
   Seminar in Maternal and Child Health
3. For Practicum and electives: 12 credits
   See Academic Advisor

Health Care in the United States

This course provides a comprehensive overview of healthcare programs and policies in the United States. Lectures enable students to understand the major constituencies involved in healthcare and introduce them to current public health issues, healthcare delivery systems, and factors that determine health policy

Introduction to Biostatistics formerly Health Quantitative Sciences I

This course is an introductory graduate course that presents the fundamental statistical approaches employed in clinical research. Lectures cover basic probability, common distributions, samples and populations, interval estimation, and inferential statistical approaches. By reading medical literature, students learn how statistical techniques are applied to clinical data, and practice summarizing and interpreting analytic results.

Introduction to Epidemiology formerly Health Quantitative Sciences II

This course introduces students to the principles and practices of epidemiology and provides them a population-based perspective on health and disease. Students learn the basic measurements of frequency and association and the methods employed in describing, monitoring, and studying health and disease in populations.

Health Economics

This course explores the concepts of scarcity, social choice, rationing, resource allocation, efficiency, investment, and market forces and their relationship to health services delivery and health policy. A variety of analytical principles and methods are examined and applied to issues including healthcare financing, cost containment, regulation, access, insurance, productivity, and program evaluation.

Behavioral and Social Factors in Public Health

An overview and introduction to the way in which behavioral and social factors contribute to health. The course covers a wide range of topics: theories of behavioral science which have been applied to health behaviors; socio-cultural factors in disease etiology and the role of social conditions and social policy in addressing critical public health problems; individual, group, community, and technology-based strategies for health behavior change; and current issues in behavioral science for health promotion including its application to achieving the Healthy People 2010 goals.

Environmental Influences on Human Health

This survey of the major environmental determinants of human health covers physical, chemical and biological sources of exposure; routes of exposure in humans; etiology of environmental disease and mortality; and the complexities of environmental public policy. Topics include airborne pollution, contaminated water and food, solid and hazardous waste, and risk assessment as a tool for regulation. Students have the opportunity to tour a local public works facility.

Introduction to Maternal and Child Health

This course provides an overview of maternal and child health including history, legislation, key public health issues, and programmatic responses. Maternal and infant mortality, maternity care, child and adolescent health, and the special needs of children with disabilities form the core of this introductory course.

Clinical Topics in International Maternal and Child Health

A global perspective of the health problems of mothers and children is given. Topics include nutritional assessment, growth monitoring, oral rehydration therapy, breast feeding, weaning foods, female literacy and women in development, food supplementation, nutritional deficiencies, sociocultural factors and community participation, health education, and organization of maternal and child health services. (Also listed as INTHL 6004)

Disease Prevention and Control in Maternal and Child Health

This course provides a bridge between clinical epidemiology and maternal and child health, and helps the MCH specialist understand and apply basic epidemiologic tools in assessing and addressing critical health problems of women and children. Primary prevention of chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease, cancer, suicide, accidents, lead poisoning, congenital malformations, and infectious diseases such as AIDS, vaccine-preventable diseases and perinatal infections are addressed.

Legal and Ethical Issues in Maternal and Child Health

This course explores the legal and ethical issues facing women and children throughout the maternal-child life cycle from pre-conception through menopause. Lectures and class discussions focus on classic and recent case law and on relevant rules, regulations, and statutes.

Community Needs Assessment I

This course focuses on the concepts and methods of conducting a community needs assessment. Students work closely with health and census data and develop a data profile of a target Westchester community. They develop skills in understanding, analyzing, and presenting these data in a report examining the needs of the target community. Prerequisite: Health Quantitative Sciences I

Community Needs Assessment II

This course focuses on the application of the concepts and methods of needs assessment to a field setting. Students design interview questionnaires for professional and lay respondents, interview healthcare providers and community members in the target community, and integrate the information gathered (including that gathered in Community Needs Assessment I), and prepare a document for policy makers and the lay public. Prerequisite: Community Needs Assessment I

Survey of Adolescent Health and Medicine

Adolescence is a developmental period of accelerating physical, psychological, social/cultural, and cognitive development. Many of the adverse health consequences experienced by adolescents are, to a large extent, the result of their risk behaviors. This course provides an overview of this developmental period and describes the epidemiological trends associated with specific risk behaviors. It also describes a broad array of preventive strategies and reviews models of health behavior change and efficacy. In addition, the topic of health services delivery for adolescents will be addressed.

Seminar in Maternal and Child Health

This course looks at contemporary trends and recent developments in an area of study not examined in other elective courses. Topics may change each term. Consult the professor for subject matter to be covered. As part of the seminar, students will be required to develop and maintain a portfolio of their curricula and extra-curricula work in maternal and child health. (Alumni and other interested students may attend with the permission of the instructor.)

Field Experience in Maternal and Child Health

Students engage in the application of theory by working in an approved public health organization or equivalent. Field work is supervised by a faculty member who serves as liaison to the health organization.

Directed Research in Maternal and Child Health

This course provides advanced study and research in an area chosen by the student in consultation with a professor. Opportunities for work on special problems are given.

Tutorial in Maternal and Child Health

This is a comprehensive individual study of a specific topic, guided by the professor.

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 beginning their M.P.H. studies in the Fall 2000 semester or later 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.

Graduate Certificates in Maternal and Child Health

Public Health Skills for Maternal and Child Health Professionals

This certificate was designed for those who have worked in the field of maternal and child health and who wish to improve their skills in acquiring and managing MCH information. The certificate is 15 or 18 credits depending on prior educational background.

Required courses: all courses are 3 credits

Community Needs Assessment I (Introduction to Biostatistics must be taken first unless the student has already satisfactorily completed a graduate course in biostatistics - see course description above)
Community Needs Assessment II (must be taken the same academic year as MCH 6010)
Seminar in Maternal and Child Health
Critical Analysis of Public Health Issues
Grant and Contract Development and Administration

or

Fundamentals of Research Methodology

Community Needs Assessment I

This course focuses on the concepts and methods of conducting a community needs assessment. Students work closely with health and census data and develop a data profile of a target Westchester community. They develop skills in understanding, analyzing, and presenting these data in a report examining the needs of the target community.

Community Needs Assessment II

This course focuses on the application of the concepts and methods of needs assessment to a field setting. Students design interview questionnaires for professional and lay respondents, interview healthcare providers and community members in the target community, and integrate the information gathered (including that gathered in the Community Needs Assessment I), and prepare a document for policy makers and the lay public. (Prerequisite: Community Needs Assessment I)

Seminar in Maternal and Child Health

This course looks at contemporary trends and recent developments in an area of study not examined in other courses. Topics may change each term. Consult the professor for subject matter to be covered. As part of the seminar, students are required to write and in-depth paper related to an issue in maternal and child health.

Critical Analysis of Public Health Issues

Selected issues critical to the health of the public are analyzed to gain an understanding of the processes of public health practice. For each issue an in-depth analysis of the relationships among existing data, public policy, policy implementation, and future policy needs is undertaken. Strategies for policy change are explored.

Grant and Contract Development and Administration

This course addresses the fundamentals of grant and contract administration, proposal development and research administration for the public health and social welfare professional. Topics include funding sources and proposal development, financial issues, contracting for sponsored programs, post-award management, governmental regulations and compliance, and ethical aspects of research administration.

Fundamentals of Research Methodology formerly Outcomes Assessment

The course provides an overview of the principles of research as applied to public health practice. Students will gain experience in designing research studies, and in the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of data.

Maternal and Child Health for Public Health Professionals

This 15-credit certificate was designed for those who work in the field of public health and who wish to increase their knowledge of issues specific to maternal and child health. The certificate is 15 credits.

Required courses: all courses are 3 credits

Introduction to Maternal and Child Health
Survey of Adolescent Health and Medicine
Seminar in Contemporary Topics in Public Health
Women and Health: An International Perspective
Legal and Ethical Issues in Maternal and Child Health

or

Violence: A Public Health Issue

or

Nutrition in Health and Disease

The five (or six) courses for the certificates can be completed in two academic years. All courses taken toward the certificates may be applied toward the M.P.H. degree. However, as in other certificate programs offered by the School of Public Health, a student who is matriculated for the M.P.H. degree cannot be awarded the certificate as a step along the way to the degree.

Introduction to Maternal and Child Health

This course provides an overview of maternal and child health including history, legislation, key public health issues, and programmatic responses. Maternal and infant mortality, maternity care, child and adolescent health, and the special needs of children with disabilities form the core of this introductory course.

Survey of Adolescent Health and Medicine

Adolescence is a developmental period of accelerating physical, psychological, social/cultural, and cognitive development. Many of the adverse health consequences experienced by adolescents are, to a large extent, the result of their risk behaviors. This course provides an overview of this developmental period and describes the epidemiological trends associated with specific risk behaviors. It also describes a broad array of preventive strategies and reviews models of health behavior change and efficacy. In addition, the topic of health services delivery for adolescents will be addressed.

Seminar in Contemporary Topics in Public Health

This seminar series covers contemporary trends and recent developments in public health, both domestically and internationally. Guest speakers with policy level experience will address current issues. The seminar meets once a month on a Saturday morning during the fall and spring semesters, for a total of eight sessions per academic year. A minimum of 14 sessions of attendance are required in addition to coursework. (Permission of instructor required for enrollment, but the Seminar is open to all who wish to attend as the topic interests them.)

Legal and Ethical Issues in Maternal and Child Health

This course explores the legal and ethical issues facing women and children throughout the maternal-child life cycle from pre-conception through menopause. Lectures and class discussions focus on classic and recent case law and on relevant rules, regulations, and statutes.

Women and Health: An International Perspective

The social and health problems of women in developing countries are addressed. Topics include reproductive, infectious, and neoplastic diseases and other problems indigenous to developing areas of the world, stressing the social, political, and economic aspects of health status.

Violence: A Public Health Issue

This course places the many forms of violence into a public health context, explores what is known and unknown about the roots of violence, identifies data on sources of violence to facilitate discussion, explores public health-modeled programs to control or end violence, and identifies the means and resources to combat violence at all levels of society

Nutrition in Health and Disease

A theoretical background for understanding the clinical implications of nutrition in maintaining good health throughout the life cycle is provided. The role of nutrition in the prevention and management of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and immunological disease, hyperlipidemia, and endocrine disorders, and the negative effects of alcoholism on multiple systems of the body, are discussed.