ID108
WHAT IS PUBLIC HEALTH?
Also listed under 2 other titles
- *COURSE CANCELLED*
- WORLD POPULATION
- Department
- International Development
- Terms offered
- 16
- Data refreshed
- Sep 1, 2026
Description
What is public health? What is the role of public health in preventing disease and responding to different kinds of health challenges? Who are the key players in public health, and what are their roles and responsibilities? In this course students will be introduced to the field of public health as a mode of inquiry that focuses on population health and as a government institution that is designed to protect the public's wellbeing. With a growing recognition in the United States that every citizen deserves health care, informed and engaged citizens must understand the role that public health plays in maintaining a healthy populace. This course will examine the many intricacies of public health in the United States by focusing on the history of public health and the responsibilities and functions of public health and health care agencies. Much of this inquiry will employ classic case studies in public health, from seat belt laws to the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina.
Syllabi
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Offering history & forecast 2016–2026
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | Intersession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 2030 Fall: 30% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 5 of 9 fall terms since 2018. Department course count falling about 8% per year. Department faculty is about 16% below its recent average. | 2030 Spring: 39% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 5 of 9 spring terms since 2018. Department course count falling about 4% per year. | 2030 Summer: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 9 summer terms since 2018. | 2030 Intersession: 8% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 6 intersession terms since 2020. |
| 2029 | 2029 Fall: 31% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 5 of 10 fall terms since 2017. Department course count falling about 4% per year. Department faculty is about 17% below its recent average. | 2029 Spring: 44% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 6 of 10 spring terms since 2017. Department course count falling about 2% per year. | 2029 Summer: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 10 summer terms since 2017. | 2029 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2028 | 2028 Fall: 32% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 5 of 11 fall terms since 2016. Department course count falling about 4% per year. Department faculty is about 19% below its recent average. | 2028 Spring: 47% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 7 of 11 spring terms since 2016. Department course count falling about 2% per year. | 2028 Summer: 5% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 11 summer terms since 2016. | 2028 Intersession: 7% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2027 | 2027 Fall: 25% chance, medium confidence. Alternating-year pattern: Fall in 2020, 2022, 2024, 2026 (12 fall terms observed). Department course count falling about 4% per year. Department faculty is about 22% below its recent average. | 2027 Spring: 54% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 8 of 12 spring terms since 2015. | 2027 Summer: 5% chance, high confidence. Offered in 0 of 12 summer terms since 2015. | 2027 Intersession: 6% chance, medium confidence. Offered in 0 of 7 intersession terms since 2017. |
| 2026 | 1 section | 1 section | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2025 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2024 | 1 section | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2023 | 1 section | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2022 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2021 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2020 | 1 section | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2019 | Not offered | Not offered | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2018 | Not offered | 1 section | Not offered | No data for this term |
| 2017 | Not offered | 2 sections | Not offered | Not offered |
| 2016 | Not offered | 2 sections | Not offered | No data for this term |
Future estimates combine recent offering frequency with detected multi-year cycles. Hover a cell for confidence and evidence; low-confidence estimates are marked with ~.
Meeting times
Most recent first- Tue, Thu, 9:00 AM–10:15 AM BP326 2026202620242023
- Mon, Wed, 12:00 PM–1:15 PM ES303 20252022
- Mon, Wed, 4:15 PM–5:30 PM ONLINE 2020
- Tue, Fri, 1:25 PM–2:40 PM ASEC303 2018
- Tue, Thu, 6:00 PM–7:15 PM JC217 2017-12016-12015
- Mon, Wed, 6:00 PM–7:15 PM JC217 2017-22016-2
- Tue, Thu, 10:25 AM–11:40 AM Jefferson Academic Center JF133 1996
- Tue, Thu, 1:15 PM–2:30 PM Jefferson Academic Center JF133 1995
| Term | Professor | Type | Credits | Enrollment | CRN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2026 | Geraldine Puerto (She/Her) | Lecture | 1 | 26 of 25 enrolled | 24721 |
| Spring 2026 | Geraldine Puerto (She/Her) | Lecture | 1 | 30 of 25 enrolled | 32451 |
| Spring 2025 | Eric A. Stratton | Lecture | 1 | 25 of 25 enrolled | 32451 |
| Fall 2024 | Eric A. Stratton | Lecture | 1 | 24 of 25 enrolled | 21738 |
| Spring 2024 | German A. Chiriboga | Lecture | 1 | 25 of 25 enrolled | 32451 |
| Fall 2023 | German A. Chiriboga | Lecture | 1 | 24 of 25 enrolled | 21738 |
| Spring 2023 | Anna L. Mullany | Lecture | 1 | 25 of 25 enrolled | 32451 |
| Fall 2022 | Anna L. Mullany | Lecture | 1 | 26 of 25 enrolled | 21738 |
| Fall 2020 | Zachary Dyer | Online | 1 | 30 of 30 enrolled | 27877 |
| Spring 2018 | German A. Chiriboga | Lecture | 1 | 29 of 25 enrolled | 35108 |
| Spring 2017 | Zachary Dyer | Lecture | 1 | 31 of 25 enrolled | 35108 |
| Spring 2017 | Sasha L. Adkins | Lecture | 1 | 31 of 25 enrolled | 35384 |
| Spring 2016 | Zachary Dyer | Lecture | 1 | 27 of 25 enrolled | 35108 |
| Spring 2016 | Sasha L. Adkins | Lecture | 1 | 31 of 25 enrolled | 35384 |
| Spring 2015 | Zachary Dyer | Lecture | 1 | 40 of 40 enrolled | 34158 |
| Fall 1997 | Unlisted | Lecture | 1 | 0 of 0 enrolled | 20546 |
| Fall 1996 | David M. Kummer | Lecture | 1 | 13 of 10 enrolled | 20546 |
| Fall 1995 | David M. Kummer | Lecture | 1 | 13 of 30 enrolled | 20546 |