Course Schedules
Download the OHSU-PSU School of Public Health’s 2023 – 2024 academic year course schedule.
Last Updated: 10.9.2023
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.
Data Management & Analysis in SAS – BSTA 515
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
BSTA 515 | 3 |
Course Information
This course is designed for students who want to develop and expand their skills in data management, statistical analyses and graphics for the real world applications using SAS. After brief introduction, the course will cover intermediate to early advanced level programming skills in SAS. The class will be taught in a computer lab in order to give the student hand on experience using SAS to manage data, perform analyses and produce graphs. Class sessions and homework will be oriented around particular data management and analysis tasks. Health-related data sets will be provided for students to use. This course could be extremely helpful in preparation for thesis, capstone or other research projects.
Prerequisites:
- BSTA 511/611 Estimation & Hypothesis Testing for Applied Biostatistics
- BSTA 512/612 Linear Models
Design and Analysis of Surveys – BSTA 516
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
BSTA 516 | 3 |
Course Information
This course is designed to introduce basic concepts, techniques, and current practice of sample survey design and analysis with emphasis on community health surveys. Specific topics covered include introduction to instrument design and evaluation, and statistical sample design (including simple random sampling, systematic sampling, stratified random sampling, cluster sampling, multistage sampling, and replicated sampling). Examples of complex designs will be drawn from telephone surveys, the Current Population Survey and various health surveys of National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Topics in estimation and analysis include probability weighting, weight adjustments based on auxiliary data, ratio and regression estimators, and methods for estimating variance from complex surveys. Analysis of complex data will be illustrated using STATA 13 and R and taking examples from complex surveys of NCHS.
Prerequisite: BSTA 511/611 Estimation & Hypothesis Testing for Applied Biostatistics
Design of Experiments – BSTA 523
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
BSTA 523 | 3 |
Course Information
This course covers an experimental design and statistical analysis of biological/clinical data from various experiments. This course provides not only theoretical aspect of experimental design but also hand-on experience in designing and analyzing experiments. The course begins design principles that include concepts of replication, randomization, blocking, multifactor studies, and confounding. Basic matrix algebra concepts will be explored to establish the basis for linear models. Students, then, are introduced to various experimental designs including analysis of variance (ANOVA) in both single and multi-factorial setting, experiments to study variances, complete/incomplete block designs (CBD), split plot design, repeated measures ANOVA, analysis of covariance (ANOCOVA), response surface design, and diagnosing agreement between the data and model. The course also provides experience in analyzing unbalanced experimental. Computer application is included as part of the course to introduce students to data management, reading output, interpreting and summarizing results.
Prerequisites: BSTA 511/611 Estimation & Hypothesis Testing for Applied Biostatistics or equivalent.
Drug Education – PHE 326U
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
PHE 326U | 4 |
Course Information
Examines various approaches to drug education with an emphasis on prevention models. Epidemiology of and trends in drug use in the U.S. and effects on society. Reviews current and controversial issues and legal information on drug use effects.
Level: Undergraduate
Ecological Public Health – ESHH 532
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
ESHH 532 | 3 |
Course Information
The course provides an introduction to biological processes in environmental systems and the influence of human activities on these processes. Topics include ecology and evolution, population growth, natural resources, and environmental sustainability. In addition to fundamental knowledge in biology, students will demonstrate understanding of environmental inter-relationships and contemporary environmental issues.
Economics of Health Systems and Policy – HSMP 583 / 683
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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.
Environmental Chemistry – ESHH 530
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
ESHH 530 | 4 |
Course Information
This course provides an overview of chemical processes that are important in the environment and examines how they impact human health. Topics will include atmospheric chemistry, aquatic chemistry, industrial chemistry, hazardous waste chemistry, environmental restoration, as well as regulations for protecting human and environmental health from hazardous chemicals.
Environmental Health – PHE 443U
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
PHE 443U | 4 |
Course Information
Designed to enable the student to understand and evaluate complex environmental health issues induced by waste products generated by modern technology. Specific topics include water quality, air quality, solid and hazardous waste, occupational health, ionizing and nonionizing radiation, chemical contamination of foods, food additives, animal transmission of disease, noise, and selected current topics.
Level: Undergraduate
Environmental Health in a Changing World – ESHH 519
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
ESHH 519 | 3 |
Course Information
Environmental hazards that affect human health are examined in the context of current social, political and regulatory pressures. Emphasis will be on public health security and disaster response. Topics include the effect of environment hazards (i.e. tsunami, volcano, flooding, earthquake, storms, extreme heat and cold) on human health, environmental change and emerging and re-emerging disease, government agencies and response planning, technology and public health crises, public health response to terrorism, industrial emergencies, mental health issues, and response for special populations.
Environmental Toxicology & Risk Assessment – ESHH 529
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
ESHH 529 | 4 |
Course Information
This course covers the health effects of chemicals in the environment and regulatory risk assessment. Methods for both human health and ecological risk assessment will be presented including hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response relationships, risk communication, toxicity testing, and computational models in toxicology. Special emphasis will be placed upon ethical risk assessment and communication with regards to sensitive sub-populations.
Epi Doctoral Dissertation – EPI 603
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
EPI 603 | 1-12 |
Course Information
This course is intended to provide the capstone project and prepare doctoral students to achieve mastery in health & scientific content in an area of public health epidemiology.
Grade mode: Pass / No Pass.
Epi Doctoral Seminar – EPI 610
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
EPI 610 | 3 |
Course Information
The principal goals of this seminar class are to: 1) Familiarize students with the historical development, philosophy and culture of the discipline of epidemiology; 2) Explore, critique, and have in-depth discussions regarding the current state of epidemiology practice and science; and 3) Formulate innovative research questions and epidemiology study designs to answer important health-related scientific questions for the future. One additional focus of this seminar is to learn to construct research ideas and incorporate strong advanced and auxiliary methods topics and discussion based on students planned dissertations topics.
Epi Doctoral Seminar II – EPI 611
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
EPI 611 | 2 |
Course Information
This advanced elective doctoral-level course synthesizes across students’ prior training in epidemiology, biostatistics, applied research, and the disciplines/content areas that are required for students’ doctoral research. Building on this foundation, and drawing from doctoral students’ and the instructor’s expertise, this course aims to facilitate the intellectual development required to conduct and present original epidemiologic research.
Prerequisites
Epi Doctoral Seminar I
Epi Journal Club – EPI 630
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
EPI 630 | 1 |
Course Information
This is an elective course for epidemiology track masters students. Doctoral students are required to register for at least two terms (one credit each) during the first two years of their program. This course is intended to extend students’ understanding of the field of epidemiology and public health research, and their ability to explore and critique research methods with an emphasis on very current epidemiologic peer-reviewed papers. In weekly sessions, the instructor, guest faculty, and students, will prepare one peer-reviewed article for class discussion that demonstrates or involves innovative public health content or methods. A secondary goal of this class is to prepare students to perform peer-review themselves (e.g., for journals, study sections) using examples of this work from faculty.
Grade mode: Pass / No Pass.
EpiData Analysis & Interpretation – EPI 536 / 636
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
EPI 536 / 636 | 4 |
Course Information
Students will apply epidemiologic and biostatistical principles to the analysis of a public health dataset. Hypotheses are formulated based on datasets provided to the class and a brief literature review of the public health need for the research. Students work in small groups to plan, organize, and conduct analyses leading to final oral and written presentations of their findings. Class time held in the computer lab allows for hands-on experience with data quality assessment, preparation of datasets and variables for analysis, and multivariable modeling. Emphasis is on planning and communicating analytic plans that reflect the causal models generated by students and allow for assessment of confounding and interaction.
Prerequisites:
- EPI 512 Epidemiology I
- EPI 513/613 Epidemiology II: Methods
- EPI 514/614 Epidemiology III: Causation
- BSTA 511/611 Estimation & Hypothesis Testing for Applied Biostatistics
- BSTA 512/612 Linear Models
- BSTA 513/613 Categorical Data Analysis
- For those taking EPI 636, the additional prerequisite is BSTA 515 Data Management & Analysis in SAS.
Epidemiology – PHE 450
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
PHE 450 | 4 |
Course Information
Introduces principles and methods of epidemiological investigation of infectious/non-infectious diseases. Illustrates methods by which properly conducted studies of the distribution and dynamic behavior of disease in a population can contribute to understanding of etiologic factors, modes of transmission, and pathogenesis of disease.
Recommended prerequisite: PHE 363
Level: Undergraduate
Epidemiology I – EPI 512 / 612
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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.
Epidemiology II: Methods – EPI 513/613
| Course Code | Credit | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
EPI 513/613 | 4 |
Course Information
This course is the second in a three course sequence designed for the MPH in Epidemiology and MPH in Biostatistics majors. Students will develop skills in recognizing strengths and weaknesses of various epidemiologic study designs; describing sources of bias that can distort measures of effect/association; and designing case-control studies, cohort studies, and randomized clinical trials. The class will also explore additional study designs used less frequently, such as nested case-control studies and case-crossover studies. Students will gain experience in recognizing and evaluating the role of confounding in data derived from epidemiologic studies. Additional tutorial sessions, to be scheduled at a time convenient for the students, will include problem-solving exercises focused on study design and analysis. Written homework assignments and problem-oriented learning will occupy a central role in facilitating mastery of epidemiologic methods and issues.
Prerequisites:
- EPI 512/612 Epidemiology I
- BSTA 511/611 Estimation and Hypothesis Testing for Applied Biostatistics
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