Online Registration

Online registration will be available Wednesday, March 12, 2008. The links to the registration forms will be listed in this section when registration officially opens for the Summer 2008 term.

MHA Online Registration

MPH Online Registration

Register Early

Course sizes are limited so early registration is encouraged.
Registrations will be accepted based on the date received. If a course is full, a second section may or may not be scheduled. You will receive a confirmation within 2 days of registering for the class. If you do not receive a confirmation, please contact the Program Assistant at: anne.negus@dmu.edu. A course must have six students registered to be offered.

Technology and Computer Use

You should have:

• A personal computer (Pentium or equivalent) with Windows XP
• Minimum of 256 MB RAM, CD Drive, and audio capability is required.
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or above.
• Modem with a minimum of 56 K connectivity speed.
• Internet access through an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• Ability to access plug-in resources for course work, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0.
• Word processing, spreadsheet, and slide presentation software comparable to Microsoft Office.

The web-based instructional system is compatible with Macintosh computers. Students who use them, however, may need to save their word processing documents or presentations in a format that is compatible with the current Microsoft Office Suite for the PC. Macintosh users may find that some of the functions within the DMU Student Portal are limited. Des Moines University offers limited technical support for Macintosh users.

Email

You will be issued a DMU email account and address upon registration. Account information will be sent to you via the email address you listed with your registration.

PLEASE NOTE: Once you have received your DMU email address, all correspondence from DMU will go to this DMU mailbox (rather than the email address you provided with your registration.) This is important to note as communication regarding your courses and program announcements will be forwarded to your DMU email address.

Blackboard Access

Each course in the MHA/MPH/GER program is supported by an online learning platform called, BLACKBOARD®. It is each program’s goal to give students that have registered by the "Register by" date access to their course sites two weeks before the course start date. Students are encouraged to access and become familiar with their course sites prior to start of course. Any problems should be referred to the program office: 515-271-1720 or DMU student help desk: 515-271-1088.

Online Orientation

All new students are required to complete the Online Orientation in Blackboard. Please contact the program office if you do not see the Online Orientation course on your Blackboard home page.

Tuition Payment Policy

Tuition and technology fee payments are due in full prior to the start of the first course session. Students will be withdrawn from the course(s) if payment or payment arrangement is not received by 2:00 p.m. of the first business day following the add/drop period (third course session for evening and first weekend session). For students receiving employer reimbursement: The accounting office will require a copy of the employer/student agreement. The full tuition policy is available at: MHA/MPH/PPDPT Tuition

Change / Drop Information

A student in the Master in Health Care Administration or Master in Public Health courses may drop a course or change formats (online vs. classroom, if available) during the first two weeks of an evening or online course or the first weekend of a weekend course.

NEW To drop a course, you must complete the Online Withdrawal Form:

Online Withdrawal Form

The Online Withdrawal Form link is also located on the MPH/MHA Portal Page.

Submission of this form will notify the Registrar, Financial Aid Office, Accounting and the Program Office. Please note there is a $25/per course fee for schedule changes/drops. Additionally, the change in credit hours may affect your financial aid and/or deferment. If you do withdraw from a course, be sure to contact the financial aid office if you have current student loans.

To change formats, please contact the Program Assistant at anne.negus@dmu.edu . There is no charge for this change as long as the two sections of the same course run concurrently and the request is made within the official change/drop period.

Building Access

Students taking courses on the DMU campus must have a current Prox ID card in order to access the buildings after hours. If you do not have a card, please call the Program office at 515-271-1720 to have one issued. If you wish to use the Wellness Center you will need a picture ID that can be obtained by calling the security office at 515-271-1595 to arrange to have your picture taken.

Textbook Info

• Summer 2008 Textbook List

Textbooks may be ordered through Matthews Bookstore on the DMU campus. The bookstore keeps an up-to-date list of textbooks required for each course. To order by phone, please call: 515/ 271-7823 or 1-800/377-0509.

Required for All Courses:

American Psychological Association Publication Manual 5^th Edition, American Psychological Association ISBN: 1-55798-810-2

Please also refer to the Writing Skills Policy in the Student Handbook

Students With Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities that affect their ability to participate fully in the course or who require special accommodations are encouraged to speak with the instructor so that appropriate accommodations can be arranged. Please refer to the Accommodations in Education policy available at http://www.dmu.edu/chs/mha/accommodations/.

Course Calendar

The course calendar is subject to change without notice. Please check back throughout the term to note the changes that affect you.

2007-2008 Academic Calendar

Term	Start Date	End Date
FALL 2007	September 4, 2007	December; 23, 2007
WINTER 2008	January 7, 2008	May 4, 2008
SUMMER 2008	May 12, 2008	August 31, 2008

2008-2009 ACADEMIC CALENDAR

Term	Start Date	End Date
FALL 2008	September 8, 2008	December 21, 2008
WINTER 2009	January 5, 2009	April 26, 2009
SUMMER 2009	May 4, 2009	August 16, 2009

MHA / MPH Course Calendar

Summer 2008 Schedule

(May 12, 2008 - August 31, 2008)

The course calendar is subject to change without notice. Please check back throughout the term to note the changes that affect you.

Textbook and Location Information will be posted in the near future so be sure to check back often.

Summer Registration Cutoff Date for Internships, Capstone, and Independent Studies: June 13, 2008

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MHA COURSES
COURSE (Click on Course Name for Description)	Cr.	INSTRUCTOR COURSE TYPE	MEETING INFORMATION	REGISTRATION DEADLINE
MHA 1 Workshop 1 for Internship and Capstone	0	Wendy Ringgenberg Classroom	May 12, 2008 Monday 5:30 PM- 7:30 PM	4/28/08
MHA 2 Workshop 2 for Internship and Capstone	0	Wendy Ringgenberg Classroom	May 28, 2008 Wednesday 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM	5/14/08
MHA O620 DMU-MHA Program Orientation	0	Carla Stebbins Online	Independent Study – See Course Description	6/13/08
MHA O621 Overview of U.S. Health System Please note: Capacity for this online course is 25 students	3	Fritz Nordengren Online	Start Date: 6/12/08 End Date: 8/28/08	5/29/08
MHA O625 Health Care Financial Management I	3	Jay Christensen Online	Start Date: 5/15/08 End Date: 7/31/08	5/1/08
MHA C625 Health Care Financial Management I	3	Jay Christensen Classroom	May 15 – July 31, 2008 Thursdays 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM	5/1/08
MHA O631 Health Information Systems and Decision Analysis	3	Jim Foreman Online	Start Date:  6/4/08  End Date:  8/7/08	5/22/08
MHA 640-642 MHA Internship	3	Wendy Ringgenberg Independent Study	Independent Study	6/13/08
MHA O644 Health Care Economics and Policy	3	Jim Foreman Online	Start Date:  6/16/08  End Date:  8/18/08	6/2/08
MHA O645 Health Services Program Evaluation	3	Erin Barkema Online	Start Date: 6/4/08 End Date: 8/6/08	5/21/08
MHA C646 Entrepreneurship and Strategic Marketing	3	Carla Stebbins Classroom	June 11 - August 20, 2008 Wednesdays 5:30 PM – 9:30pm	5/28/08
MHA 649 MHA Capstone	2	Wendy Ringgenberg Independent Study	Independent Study	6/13/08
MHA O650 Basic Statistics and Research	3	Simon Geletta Online	Start Date: 5/19/08 End Date: 7/21/08 Saturday Labs: 5/31; 6/21; 7/12 8am-12noon *See course description for information on labs for distance students	5/5/08
MHA C724 Leadership Seminar Series: Advocacy	1	Shannon Strickler Classroom	July 25 - 26, 2008 Friday: 5:30-9:30pm; Saturday: 8:00am-5:00pm	7/11/08
MHA C725 Leadership Seminar Series: Conflict Resolution in High Performing Organizations	1	Ann York Classroom	May 16 - 17, 2008 Friday: 5:30-9:30pm; Saturday: 8:00am-5:00pm	5/2/08
MHA O726 Leadership Seminar Series: Virtual Team Action	1	Fritz Nordengren Online	Start Date: 5/12/08 End Date: 6/6/08	4/28/08
MHA O730 Coding and Reimbursement	3	Bradley Hart Online	Start Date: 6/2/08 End Date: 8/11/08	5/19/08
MHA C731 Leadership Seminar Series: Leading the Quality Journey	1	Sarah Pavelka Classroom	June 13 - 14, 2008 Friday: 5:30-9:30pm; Saturday: 8:00am-5:00pm	5/30/08
MHA C780 Sociology of Aging (formerly GER 720)	3	Maureen Cahill Classroom	June 6-7; July 18-19; August 15-16, 2008 Fridays: 5:30-9:30pm; Saturdays: 8:00am-5:00pm	5/23/08
MPH COURSES
COURSE (Click on Course Name for Description)	Cr.	INSTRUCTOR COURSE TYPE	MEETING INFORMATION	REGISTRATION DEADLINE
MPH 1 Workshop 1 for Internship and Capstone	0	Wendy Ringgenberg Classroom	May 12, 2008 Monday 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM	4/28/08
MPH 2 Workshop 2 for Internship and Capstone	0	Wendy Ringgenberg Classroom	May 28, 2008 Wednesday 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM	5/14/08
MPH O620 DMU-MPH Program Orientation	0	Wendy Ringgenberg Online	Independent Study – See Course Description	6/13/08
MPH O621 Overview of U.S. Health System Please note: Capacity for this online course is 25 students	3	Fritz Nordengren Online	Start Date: 6/12/08 End Date: 8/28/08	5/29/08
MPH O625 Health Care Financial Management I	3	Jay Christensen Online	Start Date: 5/15/08 End Date: 7/31/08	5/1/08
MPH C625 Health Care Financial Management I	3	Jay Christensen Classroom	May 15 – July 31, 2008 Thursdays 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM	5/1/08
MPH O645 Health Services Program Evaluation	3	Erin Barkema Online	Start Date: 6/4/08 End Date: 8/6/08	5/21/08
MPH O650 Basic Statistics and Research	3	Simon Geletta Online	Start Date: 5/19/08 End Date: 7/21/08 Saturday Labs: 5/31; 6/21; 7/12 8am-12noon *See course description for information on labs for distance students	5/5/08
MPH C654 Social and Behavioral Sciences	3	Roxane Joens-Matre Classroom	May 13 - July 15, 2008 Tuesdays 5:30 PM - 9:30 PM	4/29/08
MPH O654 Social and Behavioral Sciences	3	Roxane Joens-Matre Online	Start Date: 5/14/08 End Date: 7/16/08	4/30/08
MPH O657 Survey of Human Health and Disease	3	Jodi Cahalan Online	Start Date: 6/2/08 End Date: 8/25/08	5/19/08
MPH 658 MPH Internship	3	Wendy Ringgenberg Independent Study	Independent Study	6/13/08
MPH 660 MPH Capstone	2	Wendy Ringgenberg Independent Study	Independent Study	6/13/08
MPH O754 Excellence in Public Health	1	Christa Spielbauer Online	Start Date: 5/16/08 End Date: 8/01/08	5/2/08
MPH O768 Public Health Policy and Practice: Emergency Preparedness	3	Jami Haberl Online	Start Date: 6/2/08 End Date: 8/25/08	5/19/08

MHA / MPH Course Descriptions

MHA COURSES
MHA 1 Workshop 1 for Internship and Capstone (0 credits) Students in the Health Care Administration program should plan to attend this orientation workshop prior to beginning their capstone or internship experience at a host organization. This workshop will be offered 2 times during the term. Students need to attend only one of these workshops. Required forms and course descriptions are available on the MHA/MPH/GER Student Portal. A detailed course packet will be distributed in class. Prerequisite: Block 1 & 2 courses. **Distance students should contact Dr. Wendy Ringgenberg to address internship and capstone requirements.**
MHA 2 Workshop 2 for Internship and Capstone (0 credits) Students in the Health Care Administration program should plan to attend this orientation workshop prior to beginning their capstone or internship experience at a host organization. This workshop will be offered 2 times during the term. Students need to attend only one of these workshops. Required forms and course descriptions are available on the MHA/MPH/GER Student Portal. A detailed course packet will be distributed in class. Prerequisite: Block 1 & 2 courses. **Distance students should contact Dr. Wendy Ringgenberg to address internship and capstone requirements.**
MHA O620 DMU-MHA Program Orientation (0 credits) ** Registration for this course is automatic for newly admitted students ** The MPH and MHA Program Orientation is available online as a BlackBoard Course experience. You are required to complete the Online Orientation at the beginning of your program, and before you have taken more than 6 credits. This experience provides you with an introduction to the program(s) and the MPH/MHA Student Handbook. Students complete a "test" verifying their successful completion of the Online Orientation. (If this course is not listed on your Blackboard course site, please contact the Program Assistant at 515-271-1720) Prerequisite: None
MHA O621 Overview of U.S. Health System (3 credits) This course is a comprehensive analysis of the health care delivery system. Components studied include: members of the health care team and their roles; the solo practitioner; group practice; multi-specialty; HMOs; remote-site hospital clinics; tax-supported ambulatory health care facilities; home health care; mobile health care; mental health care; other inpatient and domiciliary care facilities; long-term care facilities: local, state, and federal direct care and regulatory agencies; nonprofit organization promoting health and/or providing services; health planning and coordinating bodies at various levels; accrediting agencies for health care facilities and personnel; organization representing health care personnel and facilities; and organizations representing health care consumers. Formal, informal, financial, and political relationships between and among these components. Regional patterns of health care delivery. Trends, problems, and potential solutions. Brief consideration of differences between U.S. system and the systems in other regions of the world. Prerequisite: None Back to top ^
MHA O625 Health Care Financial Management I (3 credits) This course provides a basic understanding of health services financial management with emphasis on the discounted cash flow analysis, risk, financial statements, capital investments, debt and equity financing and capital budgeting. It blends accounting and finance concepts to enhance the health care manager’s decision-making skills using accounting and finance theories, principles, concepts and techniques most important to managers in the health care industry. Suggested prerequisite: MHA or MPH 621
MHA C625 Health Care Financial Management I (3 credits) This course provides a basic understanding of health services financial management with emphasis on the discounted cash flow analysis, risk, financial statements, capital investments, debt and equity financing and capital budgeting. It blends accounting and finance concepts to enhance the health care manager’s decision-making skills using accounting and finance theories, principles, concepts and techniques most important to managers in the health care industry. Suggested prerequisite: MHA 621
MHA O631 Health Information Systems and Decision Analysis (3 credits) This course prepares students to effectively use and manage health information. Topics include: the evolution, diffusion and management of health care information technology; strategies and methods for planning, designing, and implementing strategic health information systems and health decision support systems; human-computer interactions. Suggested Prerequisites: Overview of Health Care Delivery Systems and Organizations of Health Services Systems
MHA 640-642 MHA Internship (3 credits) * Register for this course with Wendy Ringgenberg, Internship Coordinator.* The Health Care Administration Internship is meant to provide the student with a new and hands-on experience in some health setting that is appropriate for the student’s growth and learning. A student who has never worked in health care administration may choose to experience one of any number of health organizations. At minimum, this experience should expose a student who has little or no previous experience in health carea administration an opportunity to rotate throughout the organization’s departments and functional areas to develop an intuitive “feel” for the organizational life. A student who has already worked in health care administration may choose to experience a different agency or organization than what he or she already knows. If the student is already a leader in public health, the student will be invited to create a personally useful experience that stretches his or her previous understanding of public health. This internship must be at least 180 hours and be guided under the direction of a preceptor. The student must propose the internship experience to the MHA Internship Coordinator and be approved before the student will be registered for the internship. The course concludes with the submission of a completed portfolio and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: Completion of 24 credits of core courses or consent of the advisor/internship coordinator.
MHA O644 Health Care Economics and Policy (3 credits) An introduction to the theoretical foundations of health care economics and its application to the health care industry and payment systems and to the field of health policy both at the national and state level. The course presents health care economics as a main source of rapid changes in health care markets, and includes studies of provider behavior, insurance, expenditures, market structure, competition, costs, utilization, and access on the economics side, and cost-and case-based reimbursement and capitation on the reimbursement side. This course will also provide students with an understanding of the process of health policy analysis and its implementation. Suggested prerequisites: Health Care Financial Management I, Health Care Financial Management II
MHA O645 Health Services Program Evaluation (3 credits) (Students who are dual MHA/MPH should register for this course under their primary or the program they were first admitted to.) This course will address principles of formal program evaluation and research methods. Topics will include the nature of evaluation, formulation of hypotheses, the role of evaluation in the program life cycle, evaluation research designs, the application of particular designs to selected problems in health care administration, relationship of statistical processes to specific evaluation designs, sampling, survey development, data collection and analysis, and interpretation of research findings. Epidemiological concepts and methods and their application in health care administration are introduced. Prerequisites: Block 1 courses; Basic Statistics
MHA C646 Entrepreneurship and Strategic Marketing (3 credits) This course is designed to encourage entrepreneurial thinking within the future leaders of the health care industry. This is accomplished with an introduction to the role of strategic decision-making and marketing. Specific attention will be placed on the principles of marketing, the marketing concept, seeing the patient as customer, and the fundamental issues and decisions involved in planning and managing marketing activities. Students will demonstrate competence with the development of a marketing plan for a health care product or service. Prerequisites: Block 1 (MHA 620, 621, 622, 613, 624 & 625) and Block 2 (MHA 630, 631 & 632) and MHA 644. Back to top ^
MHA 649 MHA Capstone (2 credits) * Register for this course with Wendy Ringgenberg, Capstone Coordinator.* This course serves a culminating experience in which students are expected to apply knowledge gained from their graduate experience. The course is designed to provide a final experience in which student demonstrate mastery of content and allow an opportunity for closure and connection between courses. The purpose of this capstone course is to facilitate the integration and synthesis of content through critical thinking; it is also a turning point for the student from education to professional practice. Prerequisite: 24 credits of core courses completed; no outstanding incompletes; GPA of 3.0 or above, and approval of your advisor.
MHA O650 Basic Statistics and Research (3 credits) This is an introductory course that exposes the student to the use of statistical techniques for healthcare data analysis. Topics covered include research design, data acquisition, types of data, univariate and bivariate data summarization techniques, tabular and graphical data presentation, inferential techniques using different theoretical distributions and the use of multivariate statistical techniques. Students will learn to apply statistical techniques for decision making and/or research data analysis. This course serves as prerequisite for Epidemiology (MPH 655) and Health Services Program Evaluation (MPH/MHA 645). Please note: Lab sessions are required and an essential part of O650. There will be equal time (about 2 hours) of sessions both face-to-face (for people who can come to campus) and online through synchronous communication (virtual classroom labs). The sessions are arranged to take place on Saturdays. The details are being worked on as we speak and will be announced close to the course start date. Prerequisite: None
MHA C724 Leadership Seminar Series: Advocacy (1 credits) Learn how to advocate for, protect, and advance your community (and the national) agenda by aligning your personal and organization's priorities and values to move health forward. Students will interact with some of Iowa's top leaders in the field learning first-and how they apply lobbying, advocacy, coalition building and related communication strategies to a variety of health care issues. This seminar was designed to specifically support the following NCHL competencies: Community Orientation, Collaboration, and Communication Skill. Prerequisite: None *Students will be charged a $20 catering fee when enrolling in this class. This fee will provide both Friday evening dinners and a Saturday afternoon lunch with the course faculty and guests.
MHA C725 Leadership Seminar Series: Conflict Resolution in High Performing Organizations (1 credits) This course addresses two key management principles": Leadership and conflict resolution. We will draw upon Jim Collin's 'Book "Good to Great" and Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" to frame the leadership context in which conflict resolution can be addressed. We will look for class participant reference points along the way that offer "live" examples of leadership application along with applicable techniques for conflict resolution. The emphasis will be on maintaining a high performance profile with specific outcome expectations. Students will: 1. Learn about key attributes of high performance healthcare organizations; 2. Discuss "pockets of resistence;" 3. Identify techniques for conflict resolution; 4. Review relevant case studies on organizational mis-alignment; 5. Apply principles of leadership to organizational transformation; and, 6. Formulate strategies for implementation to meet desired outcomes. Prerequisite: None *Students will be charged a $20 catering fee when enrolling in this class. This fee will provide both Friday evening dinners and a Saturday afternoon lunch with the course faculty and guests. Back to top ^
MHA O726 Leadership Seminar Series: Virtual Team Action (1 credits) This course is a highly participative course designed to help students expand their ability to lead, work and solve problems as a team separated by distance at the Masters level. Students will read, participate in group thinking challenges and complete individual work that contributes to the overall efforts of the team. The course is entirely on line and communication, collaboration, and work product will be developed outside of the classroom. A final presentation of the group work product will occur in a face to face setting the final week of class. Group size will be based on enrollment, but will likely be smaller than 6 people in a team. Students who feel they are too geographically distanced from the campus may request to participate in the final class session virtually, rather than face to face. Prerequisite: None
MHA O730 Coding and Reimbursement (3 credits) A comprehensive course, which provides students extensive experience with the ICD-9-CM and CPT-4 coding systems, and the concept of grouping using DRG’s and APG’s. This course is designed for individuals interested in a comprehensive understanding of coding and grouping as related to reimbursement. Prerequisite: None
MHA C731 Leadership Seminar Series: Leading the Quality Journey (1 credits) This course will incorporate a survey of contemporary organizational improvement theories focusing on concepts relevant to health service organizations and systems. Emphasizing organizational environment, goals, strategy, structure and processes, the course provides a comprehensive overview of the key factors affecting an organization, and exposes the student to theories that suggest effective organizational responses to such influences and changes. This course will provide the opportunity for students to explore improvement theories with hands on application of the tools and concepts. Prerequisite: None *Students will be charged a $20 catering fee when enrolling in this class. This fee will provide both Friday evening dinners and a Saturday afternoon lunch with the course faculty and guests.
MHA C780 Sociology of Aging (3 credits) (Formerly GER 720) Overview of the sociological, psychological, and biological aspects of aging. Topics include: socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic trends in the US aging population; physiological changes with aging; personality and cognitive changes with aging; social theories and social roles; intergenerational exchange relationships; work and retirement; illness, disability, and long-term care; death and dying; home and community-based long-term care programs; facilitating and impeding factors affecting reform of policies and programs; ethical concerns; and, perspectives of principal participants in the financing and delivery of services. Prerequisite: None Back to top ^
MPH COURSES
MPH 1 Workshop 1 for Internship and Capstone (0 credits) Students in the Public Health program should plan to attend this orientation workshop prior to beginning their capstone or internship experience at a host organization. This workshop will be offered 2 times during the term. Students need to attend only one of these workshops. Required forms and course descriptions are available on the MHA/MPH/GER Student Portal. A detailed course packet will be distributed in class. Prerequisite: Block 1 & 2 courses. **Distance students should contact Dr. Wendy Ringgenberg to address internship and capstone requirements.**
MPH 2 Workshop 2 for Internship and Capstone (0 credits) Students in the Public Health program should plan to attend this orientation workshop prior to beginning their capstone or internship experience at a host organization. This workshop will be offered 2 times during the term. Students need to attend only one of these workshops. Required forms and course descriptions are available on the MHA/MPH/GER Student Portal. A detailed course packet will be distributed in class. Prerequisite: Block 1 & 2 courses. **Distance students should contact Dr. Wendy Ringgenberg to address internship and capstone requirements.**
MPH O620 DMU-MPH Program Orientation (0 credits) ** Registration for this course is automatic for newly admitted students ** The MPH and MHA Program Orientation is available online as a BlackBoard Course experience. You are required to complete the Online Orientation at the beginning of your program, and before you have taken more than 6 credits. This experience provides you with an introduction to the program(s) and the MPH/MHA Student Handbook. Students complete a "test" verifying their successful completion of the Online Orientation. (If this course is not listed on your Blackboard course site, please contact the Program Assistant at 515-271-1720) Prerequisite: None
MPH O621 Overview of U.S. Health System (3 credits) This course is a comprehensive analysis of the health care delivery system. Components studied include: members of the health care team and their roles; the solo practitioner; group practice; multi-specialty; HMOs; remote-site hospital clinics; tax-supported ambulatory health care facilities; home health care; mobile health care; mental health care; other inpatient and domiciliary care facilities; long-term care facilities: local, state, and federal direct care and regulatory agencies; nonprofit organization promoting health and/or providing services; health planning and coordinating bodies at various levels; accrediting agencies for health care facilities and personnel; organization representing health care personnel and facilities; and organizations representing health care consumers. Formal, informal, financial, and political relationships between and among these components. Regional patterns of health care delivery. Trends, problems, and potential solutions. Brief consideration of differences between U.S. system and the systems in other regions of the world. Prerequisite: None
MPH O625 Health Care Financial Management I (3 credits) This course provides a basic understanding of health services financial management with emphasis on the discounted cash flow analysis, risk, financial statements, capital investments, debt and equity financing and capital budgeting. It blends accounting and finance concepts to enhance the health care manager’s decision-making skills using accounting and finance theories, principles, concepts and techniques most important to managers in the health care industry. Suggested prerequisite: MHA or MPH 621
MPH C625 Health Care Financial Management I (3 credits) This course provides a basic understanding of health services financial management with emphasis on the discounted cash flow analysis, risk, financial statements, capital investments, debt and equity financing and capital budgeting. It blends accounting and finance concepts to enhance the health care manager’s decision-making skills using accounting and finance theories, principles, concepts and techniques most important to managers in the health care industry. Suggested prerequisite: MPH 621 Back to top ^
MPH O645 Health Services Program Evaluation (3 credits) (Students who are dual MHA/MPH should register for this course under their primary or the program they were first admitted to.) This course will address principles of formal program evaluation and research methods. Topics will include the nature of evaluation, formulation of hypotheses, the role of evaluation in the program life cycle, evaluation research designs, the application of particular designs to selected problems in health care administration, relationship of statistical processes to specific evaluation designs, sampling, survey development, data collection and analysis, and interpretation of research findings. Epidemiological concepts and methods and their application in health care administration are introduced. Prerequisites: Block 1 courses; Basic Statistics
MPH O650 Basic Statistics and Research (3 credits) This is an introductory course that exposes the student to the use of statistical techniques for healthcare data analysis. Topics covered include research design, data acquisition, types of data, univariate and bivariate data summarization techniques, tabular and graphical data presentation, inferential techniques using different theoretical distributions and the use of multivariate statistical techniques. Students will learn to apply statistical techniques for decision making and/or research data analysis. This course serves as prerequisite for Epidemiology (MPH 655) and Health Services Program Evaluation (MPH/MHA 645). Please note: Lab sessions are required and an essential part of O650. There will be equal time (about 2 hours) of sessions both face-to-face (for people who can come to campus) and online through synchronous communication (virtual classroom labs). The sessions are arranged to take place on Saturdays. The details are being worked on as we speak and will be announced close to the course start date. Prerequisite: None
MPH C654 Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credits) This course provides an overview of the role of the social and behavioral influences on health and disease. Major themes in the literature are discussed emphasizing the impact of the social environment on population health and disease. Course work examines the development of theoretical models, application of scientific principles and the evolution of these applications to public health. Limitations regarding efforts to change health-related behavior are also discussed. Specific emphasis is placed on major theories of individual behavior change, social influences on health behavior and community-wide change strategies. Other topics include the role of social marketing strategies in support of health behaviors; models for understanding risk-taking behavior; improving the effectiveness of health related information; and development of theory-based interventions in public health settings. Prerequisite: none.
MPH O654 Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 credits) This course provides an overview of the role of the social and behavioral influences on health and disease. Major themes in the literature are discussed emphasizing the impact of the social environment on population health and disease. Course work examines the development of theoretical models, application of scientific principles and the evolution of these applications to public health. Limitations regarding efforts to change health-related behavior are also discussed. Specific emphasis is placed on major theories of individual behavior change, social influences on health behavior and community-wide change strategies. Other topics include the role of social marketing strategies in support of health behaviors; models for understanding risk-taking behavior; improving the effectiveness of health related information; and development of theory-based interventions in public health settings. Prerequisite: none.
MPH O657 Survey of Human Health and Disease (3 credits) Students are introduced to the fundamentals of human physiology and organ systems and their relation to the mechanisms of acute and chronic diseases. Epidemiologic data are combined with clinical data to provide an overview of major acute and chronic public health problems. Prerequisites: None Back to top ^
MPH 658 MPH Internship (3 credits) * Register for this course with Wendy Ringgenberg, Internship Coordinator.* The Public Health Internship is meant to provide the student with a new and hands-on experience in some public health setting that is appropriate for the student’s growth and learning. A student who has never worked in public health may choose to experience one of any number of public health agencies. At minimum, this experience should expose a student who has little or no previous experience in a public health setting an opportunity to rotate throughout the organization’s departments and functional areas to develop an intuitive “feel” for the organizational life. A student who has already worked in public health may choose to experience a different agency or organization than what he or she already knows. If the student is already a leader in public health, the student will be invited to create a personally useful experience that stretches his or her previous understanding of public health. This internship must be at least 180 hours and be guided under the direction of a preceptor. The student must propose the internship experience to the MPH Internship Coordinator and be approved before the student will be registered for the internship. The course concludes with the submission of a completed portfolio and an oral presentation. Prerequisite: Completion of 24 credits of core courses or consent of the advisor/internship coordinator.
MPH 660 MPH Capstone (2 credits) * Register for this course with Wendy Ringgenberg, Capstone Coordinator.* This course serves as a culminating experience in which students are expected to apply knowledge gained from their graduate experience. The course is designed to provide a final experience in which students demonstrate mastery of content and allow an opportunity for closure and connection between courses. The student will work with a public health agency to complete a project for the agency. The purpose of this capstone course is to facilitate the integration and synthesis of content through critical thinking; it is also a turning point for the student from formal education to professional practice. Prerequisite: Completion of 24 core credits, no outstanding incompletes, GPA 3.0 or above, and approval of your advisor.
MPH O754 Excellence in Public Health (1 credits) This course utilizes a 12-hour public health series, Excellence in Public Health Practice produced by the Upper Midwest Public Health Training Center. It is used with their permission. This course provides students with an overview of each of the ten essential services of public health. These ten essential services include: Monitoring health status, diagnosing and investigating health problems; inform, educate, and empower people about health issues; mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems; develop policies and plans that support individual community health efforts; enforce laws and regulations that protect health; link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care; assure competent public health workforce; evaluate personal and population-based health services; research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems. Public health activities will be interpreted using the ten essential services as a framework. Prerequisite: None
MPH O768 Public Health Policy and Practice: Emergency Preparedness Through this course content, students will learn the basics of emergency preparedness; why and how public health/health care plays an important role in the homeland security strategy of our nation; compare the differences between public health and health care preparedness and the links; what opportunities exist for students if they pursue the field of preparedness. Prerequisite: None

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