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Graduate Course Directory and Schedules

Course Schedules

Download the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health’s 2023 – 2024 academic year course schedule.

Last Updated: 10.9.2023

Download Planning Schedule

Course Schedules by Term

Summer 2023 Planning Schedule

Last updated 5.2.2023
Download Summer Planning Schedule

Fall 2023 Planning Schedule

Last updated 5.18.2023
Download Fall Planning Schedule

Winter 2024 Planning Schedule

Last updated 10.20.2023
Download Winter Planning Schedule

Spring 2024 Planning Schedule

Last updated 10.9.2023
Download Spring Planning Schedule

View previous academic years course schedules per term for School of Public Health students – Archived GR Schedules.

SPH Course Descriptions

Descriptions of all School of Public Health courses can also be found in the course catalog of the most recent edition of the PSU Bulletin.

Advanced Health Policy – HSMP 575 / 675

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 575 / 675

3

Course Information

Provides students focusing on health policy analysis or advocacy the opportunity to explore specific areas of health policy in-depth. Taught as a seminar with students required to select two policy areas, develop readings and questions, and lead class discussion facilitated by the instructor. Coursework emphasizes the understanding, identification and development of successful and sustainable health policy including preparation of four brief, structured policy proposals.

Doctoral students register in the HSMP 675 section.

Prerequisites

HSMP 571

Concepts of Environmental Health – ESHH 511 / 611

Course CodeCredit

ESHH 511 / 611

3

Course Information

An intensive course designed to familiarize students with fundamentals of environmental health from a scientific and conceptual perspective. Topics are considered within multi-causal, ecological, adaptive systems, and risk-assessment frameworks. Includes consideration of biological, chemical, and physical agents in the environment, which influence public health and well-being.

Doctoral students register for the ESHH 611 section.

Economics of Health Systems and Policy – HSMP 583 / 683

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 583 / 683

3

Research

Health policy has a fundamental transactional nature. Economics provides a broad theoretical framework that seeks to assess and understand transactional relationships. Thus, economics has particular value as a means to diagnose the transactional problems that underpin health system dynamics and provide frameworks for proposed solutions. This course applies economic theory to assess problems in health systems and propose solutions, as well as critique existing policy and develop sound policy alternatives.

Doctoral students register for HSMP 683.

Epidemiology I – EPI 512 / 612

Course CodeCredit

EPI 512 / 612

4

Course Information

This is the first course in a three course sequence designed for MPH Epidemiology and Biostatistics majors. Textbook based; e.g. Gordis Epidemiology. Basic epidemiological principles applicable to infectious and non-infectious diseases, host-agent-environmental relationships, and concepts of disease causation will be reviewed. Students will gain familiarity with epidemiologic measures such as incidence, prevalence, mortality, natality, case fatality, relative risk and other rates and ratios and will use age-adjustment and other standardization techniques. Types and sources of public health data will be reviewed, their use in comparing groups, and statistical significance. Epidemic curves, outbreak investigation principles, surveillance concepts and basic designs of observational studies and sources of bias will be covered.

Students in the MPH Epidemiology and MPH Biostatistics programs should take the on-campus Epi I course.

Doctoral students register for the EPI 612 section.

Financial Management of Health Services – HSMP 587

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 587

3

Course Information

Focuses on the analysis and administration of resources in the health care field. Among the specific topics included in this course are financial statements, budgeting, cash flow, costing, capital decision making, sources of capital and operating funds, depreciation and government reimbursement schemes, and human resources planning and management.

Prerequisites

HSMP 574. Recommended corequisite: HSMP 586.

Health Care Law & Regulation – HSMP 577 / 677

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 577/677

3

Course Information

This course is intended to be an introduction to the American legal system and the laws that affect public health and health care. Initially, the course focuses on public legal relationships between governments and individuals, and proceeds to review private legal relationships between individuals or organizations. It reviews the source of laws affecting health care, the basics of constitutional law, the right to privacy, state and federal regulation of health care, and negligence in health care. It wraps up with an introduction to cutting edge health care issues such as health care fraud and abuse compliance and medical record privacy.

Doctoral students register for the HSMP 677 section.

Prerequisites

HSMP 571 and HSMP 574

Health Information Technology & Systems Management – HSMP 579

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 579

3

Course Information

Advances in information technology are driving fundamental changes throughout health care and transforming the health care industry. Students will gain an understanding how to manage and use health information technology systems. The course will identify the various types of health care information systems, and assess the key issues confronting the management of such systems, including business needs, the relationship between organizational needs and technology capabilities, and the management and control of IT resources in a variety of health-related organizational settings.

Prerequisites

HSMP 574

Health Policy – HSMP 571 / 671

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 571/671

3

Course Information

Centers on an investigation of the public policy process as it affects the healthcare field. Specific health care policies and programs are used to explore the characteristics of the health care policy process and the factors involved in the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of health care policies and programs.

Doctoral students register for the HSMP 671 section.

Prerequisites

Recommended co-requisite: HSMP 574, "Health Systems Org."

Health Services Human Resources Management – HSMP 580

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 580

3

Course Information
Overview of human resources within the context of health care organizations. Focus on the practical application of human resources management principles in the work setting through discussion of situations common in health care environments. Elements of the situation evaluated from the health care employee and health care manager perspectives. Examples of techniques, forms, and tools will be discussed.
Prerequisites

HSMP 574

Health Systems Organization – HSMP 574 / 674

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 574 / 674

3

Course Information

This course introduces basic concepts and issues in the organization, financing, and delivery of health services. The emphasis is on the systemic aspects of health services production and delivery which address the health needs of populations with respect to death, disease, disability, discomfort, and dissatisfaction. Students will examine the inter-relationships of system structures, subsystems, and processes, as well as their interactions with the larger social, cultural, economic and political environments in which they exist. The focus is on the United States, with international comparisons used to illustrate similarities and differences.

 

Introduction to Biostatistics – BSTA 525

Course CodeCredit

BSTA 525

4

Course Information

The goal of this course is to cover the broad range of statistical methods used in health sciences. Methods of summarizing data through graphical displays and numerical measures will be discussed. Basic probability concepts will be explored to establish the basis for statistical inference. Confidence intervals and hypothesis testing will be studied with emphasis in applying these methods to relevant situations. Both normal theory and non-parametric approaches will be studied. Course focus will be to understand when to use basic statistical methods how to compute tests to statistics and how to interpret results. Computer applications (using SPSS) are included as part of the course.

 

Introduction to Health Economics – HSMP 586 / 686

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 586 / 686

3

Course Information
Focuses on defining and measuring the performance of the health care sector, defining and explaining microeconomic concepts, and evaluating various policy initiatives to improve efficiency, equity, and technological progress in health care. Specific topics include description of the health care industry, production of health, measurement of health care price changes, theory of demand for health care, theory of production and cost, measurement of inputs and outputs, cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, and structure and functioning of markets.
In addition, the role of government in a private economy in dealing with market failure is discussed, especially as it relates to the goal of assuring universal access to health care. Does not require any specific preparation in economics or mathematics, although graphical presentation of economic concepts is emphasized.

Doctoral students register for the HSMP 686 section.

Prerequisites

Recommended co-requisite: HSMP 574, "Health Systems Org."

Oregon Health Policy: Lessons for State and National Reform – HSMP 582 / 682

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 582 / 682

3

Research

Reviews Oregon’s nationally recognized health reforms and examine the lessons learned for the development and implementation of health policy at the national, state and local levels. Fundamental to the course will be exploring the many issues around employing public policy to address problems around access, cost, financing and quality in health care. This will be a seminar style course with an opportunity for students to meet with and learn from experts.

Organizational Behavior in Health Service Organizations – HSMP 541

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 541

3

Course Information

Provides an overview of organizational theory and behavior in health services organizations. Emphasis is on developing an understanding of the factors and forces which influence the organization, behavior, and operations of health services delivery organizations through consideration of organizations, their environments, and the roles of individuals working in management.

Prerequisites

Recommended corequisite: HSMP 574, "Health Systems Org."

Performance Improvement in Health Services – HSMP 578

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 578

3

Course Information

Intended to introduce students to the concepts of continual improvement and illustrate applications of these concepts in health care. The basic content will be drawn from the industrial quality improvement literature; this will be elaborated through presentation and analysis of health care case studies. Students will gain an understanding of different approaches to process improvement and quality management and will be prepared to apply this knowledge in the practice setting.

 

Prerequisites

Prerequisites: HSMP 541 and HSMP 574.

Population Health: Policy and Practice Implications – HSMP 581 / 681

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 581 / 681

3

Course Information

Introduction to concepts of population health as they relate to policy and practice. In addition to exploring various meanings of the term “population health”, the course considers three primary drivers of population health: long-term demographic trends (e.g., population aging, immigration, fertility); social and economic policies (including health policy); and characteristics of the healthcare system. Special emphasis is placed on translating knowledge into effective policies and practice to address population health.

Doctoral students register for the HSMP 681 section.

Practice Experience – BSTA 509PE / CPH 509PE / EPI 504PE / ESHH 509PE / HSMP 509PE / PHE 504PE

Course CodeCredit

BSTA 509PE / CPH 509PE / EPI 504PE / ESHH 509PE / HSMP 509PE / PHE 504PE

4

Course Information

Consent of PE Coordinator required.

Students must attend a PE orientation (via canvas.pdx.edu) prior to registering and are encouraged to attend a PE info session. Detailed information about the PE can be found on the Practice Experience SPH webpage.

PEs are a total of 4 credits and 160 “contact hours.” Students demonstrate 5 competencies via at least two deliverables, as well as submit a learning agreement (the term before PE registration), a midway progress report, a portfolio, and perform an oral presentation.

Biostats students register for BSTA 509PE. PHP students register for CPH 509PE. Epi students for EPI 504PE. ESHH students register for ESHH 509PE. HSMP students register for HSMP 509PE. HP students register for PHE 504PE.

Prerequisites

Consent of PE Coordinator required

Principles of Health Behavior I – PHE 512

Course CodeCredit

PHE 512

3

Course Information

Presents an overview of the biological, psychological, behavioral, sociocultural, and environmental factors that function in the promotion of health and prevention of disease. Theories developed to explain health and illness behaviors at intrapersonal, interpersonal, and group/community levels are introduced. Ethical issues involved in health-related behavior change are examined. Satisfies the core M.P.H. requirement. Recommended prerequisite: graduate standing.

Program Evaluation & Management in Health Services – HSMP 588

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 588

3

Course Information

Introduces the theory and practice of program evaluation in the health services system. Includes multiple methods and uses of evaluation from the perspectives of managers, health professionals, and health services researchers, with an emphasis on the utilization of evaluation findings in program planning and management in health services. Course learning will be synthesized through a community-based learning experience involving working with a community partner to develop an evaluation framework and methodology for an existing or proposed health program.

Research Design in Health Services – HSMP 589 / 689

Course CodeCredit

HSMP 589 / 689

3

Course Information

Provides an introduction to traditional methods of designing and conducting health services research. It is intended that at the completion of the course students will understand multiple approaches to health services research, be able to be both participants in and consumers of the research process, and will be competent in conducting critical appraisals of the health services literature and in writing research proposals.

Doctoral students register in the HSMP 689 section.

Prerequisites

Introduction to Biostatistics

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Interprofessional Education Course Schedule

Interprofessional education occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from, and with each other to enhance collaboration and improve health outcomes. At least 1 credit of Interprofessional Education is required by all MPH degree programs.

Most courses with OHSU subject code IPE (Inter-Professional Education) or UNI (University Curriculum) satisfy the Interprofessional Education requirement. Other courses may also serve; consult your advisor.

For a list of IPE and UNI courses, descriptions, and their intended schedule download the spreadsheet. This list is subject to change, contact the course instructor if you would like to enroll.

Interprofessional Education