Public Health Policy

Catalog description

The purpose of this course is to consider and learn to advance policy issues confronting public health practitioners, governments and the public in public health systems in the United States, and around the world. This class presents an overview of the basic institutions, politics, and policy issues of contemporary public health policymaking, how they have changed over time, and why politics matters for public health, including ethical consequences of policy choices for different stakeholder populations. The class helps future public health leaders develop a basic framework for understanding, analyzing, evaluating, and advocating for public health policies using case-based learning of current public health issues facing the U.S. and the globe. During the course, students will select a pressing public health need, undertake a policy evaluation process to understand the impact on public health and health equity, propose evidence-based solutions, and then advocate as public health leaders for policies that will improve health and in diverse populations. (MHA-EL)