Course Syllabus
PUBHLTH 514: Public Health Sciences and the Environment
2 credits
Tuesday, 1-3 PM
Location: M1020 SPH II
Instructor: Richard (Rick) Neitzel, PhD, CIH, FAIHA
Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences
Email: rneitzel@umich.edu
Office: Room 6611D, SPH I Tower
Phone: 734-763-287
Office hours by appointment
GSIs: Note that office hours will be held in the communal area on the north end of the 6th floor of SPH I
Megan Laffoon (for students with last names A-Harr)
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Email: laffoonm@umich.edu
Office hours: Thursdays 8-9:30 AM, Fridays 2:30-4 PM
Janelle Nystrom (for students with last names Haw-Mal)
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Email: jnystrom@umich.edu
Office hours: Tuesdays 3-5 PM
Cara Walsh (for students with last names Man-Zun)
Department of Environmental Health Sciences
Email: ehswalsh@umich.edu
Office hours: Mondays 10-11 AM, Tuesdays 12-1 PM, Wednesdays 10-11 AM
PLEASE: To guarantee a reply, when emailing your teaching staff, put "[PUBHLTH 514]" (including the brackets!) in the subject line
Jump to
Classroom expectations/etiquette
Diversity, equity, and inclusion
Course Description
Many public health outcomes are directly influenced by human contact with the environment. This course will explore an important discipline within public health, environmental health sciences – that is, the study of how environmental factors affect human health and disease. We will apply environmental health and systems thinking principles to evaluate several major threats to public health: climate change, the built environment, and environmental justice issues. We will also assess the effectiveness of policies designed to address and reduce the threats presented by these and other issues.
PUBHLTH 514 is organized into four modules:
Module 1: Will introduce the core principles of environmental health science.
Module 2: Will introduce key ‘environments’ and their potential impacts on human health.
Module 3: Climate change.
Module 4: Environmental justice.
Readings
Readings will be available in Canvas, the course management system used for this course. For some class topics, readings will be provided that are optional (i.e., they will not be the sole source of any information that will be required for the exams or paper) for learning more about specific areas; they will clearly be identified as “Optional Readings”. In general, the portions of the readings Instructors consider most important will be identified by them and you may be tested on your knowledge of them.
Course Assistance
The Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) is available to help you with course content and questions throughout the semester. Please take advantage of this resource. The GSI can be accessed in the following ways:
- Email – The GSIs will plan to respond to emails within 48 hours. Emails specific to an assignment or test that are sent after 8pm the night before the due date will not be answered. If there are multiple questions pertaining to a single topic, the response may take the form of an announcement on Canvas. Please put " [PUBHLTH514] " in your subject line (including the brackets!) to guarantee that your email will be answered.
- Office hours – Weekly office hours will be arranged, and announced through Canvas.
- Review Session –There will be a review session in advance of the midterm exam. This will take the form of a group meeting, dedicated office hours and/or online chats. More information closer to the date of the exam.
Course Goals
|
Learning objective # |
Council on Education for Public Health Learning objective |
Expected level of knowledge |
|
CEPH LO6 |
Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge |
Basic |
|
CEPH LO7 |
Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health (linked to competency M1) |
Intermediate |
|
CEPH LO11 |
Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease (linked to competency CEPH C22) |
Intermediate |
|
|
Other learning objectives |
|
|
1 |
Apply process mapping methods to systematically evaluate the generation and movement of environmental hazards on the public (linked to competency CEPH C22) |
Intermediate |
|
2 |
Explain the impact of pollution control policies on public health outcomes (linked to competency CEPH1 C5) |
Basic |
|
3 |
Explain how environmental and occupational exposures can be measured and connected to human health (linked to competency M1) |
Intermediate |
|
4 |
Explain why a focus on sensitive and vulnerable groups is critical in environmental health science (linked to competency CEPH C15) |
Basic |
|
5 |
Explain strategies that can be applied to reduce environmental and occupational hazards (linked to competency M2) |
Basic |
Course Competencies
|
Comp # |
Council on Education for Public Health competency |
Expected level of competency |
|
CEPH C15 |
Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity |
Basic |
|
CEPH C22 |
Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue |
Basic |
|
M1 |
Recognize common environmental and occupational hazards and the health impacts they cause |
Intermediate |
|
|
Other competencies |
|
|
M2 |
Recommend appropriate exposure controls to reduce health impacts of environmental and occupational hazards |
Basic |
Course Requirements
Performance in this class will be evaluated as follows:
|
Evaluation method |
Format |
% of grade |
LOs tested |
Competencies tested |
|
Quizzes x3 (5% each) |
Multiple-choice online format (Canvas “Quizzes”) and open for a 3-day period. Will measure mastery of fundamental concepts covered in the lectures and readings. |
15 |
CEPH: L07, LO11 Other: 1-4 |
CEPH: C15, C22 Other: M1, M2 |
|
Homework x3 (5% each) |
Provided online (Canvas “Homework”) to help engage students, stimulate discussion, and to personalize EHS for each individual student. |
15 |
Other: 1-4 |
CEPH: C15, C22 Other: M1 |
|
Brief reports x2 (25% each) |
Designed to let students apply to several environmental health issue their discipline-specific knowledge in the creation of a brief, interdisciplinary report. |
50 |
Other: 1-4 |
CEPH: C15 Other: M2 |
|
Midterm examination (20%) |
Online (Canvas “Midterm”), multiple-choice and short answer questions, 2 hours in length, and held during usual class hours; check course schedule for the specific date. Will assess mastery of the materials presented in class and readings. Closed book and closed note. |
20 |
CEPH: L06, L07, LO11 Other: 1-4 |
CEPH: C22 Other: M2 |
|
TOTAL |
|
100% |
|
|
Letter grades are assigned on the standard scale normalized by percent total as indicated:
98-100 A+ 87-89 B+ 77-79 C+
93-97 A 83-86 B 73-76 C
90-92 A- 80-82 B- 70-72 C-
Final grades will not be rounded up.
Late and missed assignments
Unless prior authorization is received from the instructor, the grade for homework assignments submitted late will be reduced by 30%. Quizzes may not be taken after the date and time at which they close without prior authorization from the instructor. Missed quizzes will be assigned a score of 0.
Classroom expectations/etiquette
Attendance at all lecture sessions is expected. To encourage attendance, the instructor reserves the right to offer additional, unannounced assignments to be completed in class for extra course credit.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
SPH is committed to creating classroom environments that are supportive of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Academic Integrity
The faculty and staff of the School of Public Health believe that the conduct of a student registered or taking courses in the School should be consistent with that of a professional person. Courtesy, honesty, and respect should be shown by students toward faculty members, guest lecturers, administrative support staff, community partners, and fellow students. Similarly, students should expect faculty to treat them fairly, showing respect for their ideas and opinions and striving to help them achieve maximum benefits from their experience in the School.
Student academic misconduct refers to behavior that may include plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, falsification of records or official documents, intentional misuse of equipment or materials (including library materials), and aiding and abetting the perpetration of such acts. Please visit https://sph.umich.edu/student-resources/mph-mhsa.html for the full Policy on Student Academic Conduct Standards and Procedures.
SPH Writing Lab
The SPH Writing Lab is located in 5025 SPH II and offers writing support to all SPH students for course papers, manuscripts, grant proposals, dissertations, personal statements, and all other academic writing tasks. The Lab can also help answer questions on academic integrity. To learn more or make an appointment, please visit the SPH writing lab website.
Student Well-Being
SPH faculty and staff believe it is important to support the physical and emotional well-being of our students. If you have a physical or mental health issue that is affecting your performance or participation in any course, and/or if you need help connecting with University services, please contact the instructor or the SPH Office for Student Engagement and Practice. Please visit https://sph.umich.edu/student-life/wellness.html for information on wellness resources available to you.
Student Accommodations
Students should speak with their instructors before or during the first week of classes regarding any special needs. Students can also visit the SPH Office for Student Engagement and Practice for assistance in coordinating communications around accommodations. Students seeking academic accommodations should register with Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD). SSD arranges reasonable and appropriate academic accommodations for students with disabilities. Please visit https://ssd.umich.edu/topic/our-services for more information on student accommodations.
Students who expect to miss classes, examinations, or other assignments as a consequence of their religious observance shall be provided with a reasonable alternative opportunity to complete such academic responsibilities. It is the obligation of students to provide faculty with reasonable notice of the dates of religious holidays on which they will be absent. Please visit http://www.provost.umich.edu/calendar/ for the complete University policy.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|