Prerequisites: Enrolled in Epidemiology MS programs
Description: This capstone research project course is designed for Epidemiology MS students (30-credit or 48-credit CESM programs). Working with their mentor, students are expected to develop an original research project to address public health problems using epidemiologic methods.
Students will have the opportunity to apply what they learned in their coursework to important public health questions. Students will work with a faculty mentor to conduct a literature review, develop a research project, develop and implement an analysis plan, write up the results and discuss the implications of the findings, and present their work in the annual Epidemiology Poster Day.
Students are expected to begin their capstone project in their first term and complete it in the second term of their final year (or only, for one-year programs) of training (three credits per term, for a total of six credits). The Epidemiology Master’s committee will help students find an appropriate mentor. Details regarding the structure of capstone writing products and evaluation guidelines will be provided in the MS Student Handbook.
Learning Objectives: The learning objectives of and skills employed in this course are determined by the specific research project. The list below (which is not exhaustive) provides examples of learning objectives for this course:
1. Assess knowledge gaps in the scientific literature;
2. Develop a scientific research question designed to address a gap in the scientific literature
3. Identify appropriate data sources to address a research question;
4. Better understand the role of data in understanding public health problems;
5. Create a data collection instrument and/or collect data;
6. Analyze data (quantitative or mixed data – including both quantitative and qualitative) to test research hypotheses relevant to public health in a manner that reflects principles of epidemiology (e.g., study design, measurement, confounding, etc);
7. Generate appropriate data visualizations and/or presentations;
8. Communicate the significance, approach, and implications of epidemiological research in a written format appropriate for the target audience;
9. Complete research ethics training through the Program for the Education and Evaluation of Responsible Research and Scholarship (PEERRS). Two modules are required: Human Subjects Research Protections and Responsible Conduct of Research and Scholarship (RCRS).
Prerequisites: PUBHLTH 200, PUBHLTH 381, and PUBHLTH 382.
Description: Students will apply their knowledge and skills to address current public health challenges. Professional development and engagement with public health agencies will prepare students to work in the field.
Learning Objectives: By the end of the course students should (be able to): 1. Explain what public health practice is and distinguish it from public health research; 2. Integrate knowledge with theory and practice to propose solutions to current public health challenges (esp. those that impact population health and contribute to health disparities); 3. Describe public health infrastructure, including the systems, competencies, frameworks, relationships, and resources that enable public health agencies to perform their core functions and essential services; 4. Assess community health needs, identifying key problems and assets, and create a conceptual framework that informs decision making; 5. Prioritize working with communities, agencies and other stakeholders in culturally appropriate ways; 6. Engage in cross-disciplinary, team-based discussion and project design; 7. Collect high quality data to analyze, evaluate and disseminate as public health information via appropriate channels; 8. Develop a strategy to promote health - from broad policy to direct intervention - that accounts for available resources, stakeholder interests, and community needs; 9. Describe a process for evaluation that assesses and improves the quality of a public health strategy and determines its effectiveness; 10. Exhibit professionalism and an ability to think critically while communicating and practicing public health; 11. Recognize the importance of public health work that is performed outside of an academic setting, and how learning in this context contributes to professional advancement in the field.
