School of Public Health
BARBARA K. RIMER, Dean
Peggy Leatt, Associate
Dean for Academic Programs
Felicia Mebane, Assistant
Dean for Students
Department of Biostatistics
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering
Department of Health Policy and Administration
Department of Nutrition
Lists of faculty in the four departments that offer undergraduate degrees—biostatistics, environmental science and engineering, health policy and administration, and nutrition—are included with information about those undergraduate majors.
Introduction
The UNC School of Public Health provides exceptional teaching,
conducts ground-breaking research, and delivers dedicated service to people
across North Carolina, the United States, and around the world. Ranked the top public school of public health by U.S. News and World Report
in 2007, the School’s mission is to improve public health, promote individual
well-being, and eliminate health disparities.
The School, accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health, offers undergraduate and graduate programs on our campus, located near UNC’s schools of Medicine, Nursing, Dentistry, and Pharmacy, and through our state-of-the-art distance-education programs. Our new research center and our many renovated labs and classrooms provide an environment highly conducive to the learning and creation of public health knowledge.
Beyond campus, we teach, conduct research, and serve communities across our state and nation and around the world. Our Office of Global Health organizes the school’s global health activities. The school’s service and outreach arm, the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, brings public health scholarship and practice communities together. Carolina Public Health Solutions, our newest initiative funded by the Gillings Gift, enables us to anticipate new public health challenges, quickly find solutions, and accelerate the delivery of best practices to improve people’s lives.
To learn more about the field of public health, visit www.whatispublichealth.org. Developed by the Association of Schools of Public Health; the site describes public health, its effect on our lives, and the variety of public health careers.
Programs of Study
The undergraduate degree offered is the bachelor of science in public health (B.S.P.H.). The program consists of four majors: biostatistics, environmental health sciences, health policy and administration, and nutrition. Each of these majors combines features of a broad-based education with concentrated study in a specific public health discipline. The programs prepare individuals for preprofessional positions in health-related fields and provide a firm base for graduate study.
Admission to the School
Students who wish to obtain the B.S.P.H. degree typically spend two years in the General College of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (or in an equivalent core program of academic study elsewhere) and two subsequent years under the administration of the School of Public Health. Enrollment in the B.S.P.H. degree programs is limited. Students are typically selected in the latter half of their sophomore year and are admitted on a competitive basis. The recommended GPA for admission to biostatistics, environmental health science, health policy and administration, and nutrition is 3.0.
For current UNC–Chapel Hill students, the B.S.P.H. application is available online at https://admprosapp3.admissions.unc.edu/BSPH//pid_login/default.asp.
Transfer students must apply through the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (https://admprosapp3.admissions.unc.edu/admissionpros/default.asp).
Requirements Common to All Undergraduate Majors in the School of Public Health
The last 30 hours of degree credit must be taken in residence in Chapel Hill. The School of Public Health requires that students earn a C (not C-) or better in prerequisite, core public health, and department-required courses. The Department of Nutrition requires at least a B- in BIOL 252, CHEM 102, CHEM 261, and NUTR 240.
A first-year/sophomore load is approximately 60 semester hours of courses. These must include all Foundations and Approaches requirements and at least five Connections courses, including courses in global issues, experiential education, and U.S. diversity. One of the two physical and life science Approaches courses must be BIOL 101 and 101L.
The junior/senior total of approximately 60 semester hours includes BIOS 600, ENVR 600, EPID 600, and a minimum of three electives (seven credit hours) outside the School of Public Health.
The specific requirements of the four majors are outlined below.
MICHAEL R. KOSOROK, Chair
Jianwen Cai, Associate
Chair
Professors
Jianwen Cai, Jason P. Fine, Joseph G. Ibrahim, William D. Kalsbeek, Alan F. Karr, Gary G. Koch, Michael R. Kosorok, Lawrence L. Kupper, Danyu Lin, Pranab K. Sen, Chirayath M. Suchindran, Kinh-Nhue Truong.
Associate Professors
Lloyd J. Edwards, Amy H. Herring, Anastasia Ivanova, Bahjat F. Qaqish, Fred A. Wright, Donglin Zeng, Haibo Zhou, Hongtu Zhu, Fei Zou.
Assistant Professors
Mayetri Gupta, Wei Sun.
Research Professors
Shrikant I. Bangdiwala, Richard E. Bilsborrow, Lloyd E. Chambless, Robert M. Hamer, Lisa LaVange, John S. Preisser Jr.
Research Associate Professors
Diane J. Catellier, Haitao Chu, David J. Couper, Michael G. Hudgens, Paul W. Steward.
Research Assistant Professors
Ethan Lange, Todd A. Schwartz.
Adjunct Professors
David B. Dunson, Norman L. Kaplan, Herman E. Mitchell, Sally C. Morton, Shyamal Peddada, Ibrahim A. Salama, Babubhai V. Shah, Clarice R. Weinberg, Russell D. Wolfinger.
Adjunct Associate Professors
J. Michael Bowling, Kerrie E. Boyle, Christopehr S. Coffey, Sonia M. Davis, R. Woodrow Setzer, Maura E. Stokes.
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Eric Blair, Hrishikesh Chakraborty, Karen Kesler, Sandra S. Stinnett, Douglas J. Taylor, Dennis D. Wallace, Daolong Wang.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Jane Monaco.
Research Instructor
Katherine J. Roggenkamp.
Professors Emeriti
James R. Abernathy, Regina C. Elandt-Johnson, James E. Grizzle, Ronald W. Helms, Barry H. Margolin, Keith E. Muller, Dana E. Quade, Michael J. Symons, Craig D. Turnbull, H. Bradley Wells.
Majoring in Biostatistics: Bachelor of Science in Public Health
The undergraduate major in biostatistics prepares students to apply quantitative skills to a variety of health-related issues, including the physical environment, population studies, health service costs and effects, and patterns of disease, disability, and death. Prerequisites for this major include course work in mathematics (through the level of calculus and the functions of several variables) and introductory programming.
First-Year/Sophomore Required Courses
• BIOL 101/101L
• COMP 110 or 116
• MATH 231, 232, and 233
Junior/Senior Required Courses
• BIOL 201 or 202
• BIOS 511, 545, 550, 664, 668, 691
• MATH 381, 521 or 528, 547
Honors in Biostatistics
The Department of Biostatistics has an honors program in which undergraduate seniors with high levels of academic achievement can pursue individualized study and undertake a special project. The program is intended for undergraduates who show their potential and apparent talent to do research. It is not designed to award academic achievement.
To be eligible for admission to the honors program, students must have, at a minimum, a cumulative grade point average at UNC–Chapel Hill of 3.3 at the end of the semester preceding the semester in which they intend to begin honors work.
Applicants for the honors program are expected to have an identified interest in special academic work, which they wish to pursue for honors. Faculty member readiness to guide the students in their honors work governs the final selection of those to enter the program.
Honors students are expected to enroll for six to nine credit hours in acceptable research and honors courses (BIOS 399). As part of this course work, they are expected to carry out a special project and prepare a thesis based on the project. They are also required to give an oral presentation on the honors research.
Students must meet the following criteria, as a minimum, to graduate with honors or highest honors:
• Attainment of a grade point average of 3.3 or better for honors, or 3.6 or better for highest honors, by the end of the first semester of the senior year for
I. All courses taken at UNC–Chapel Hill.
II. The core required public health courses in biostatistics, environmental protection, and epidemiology, along with all courses required by the Department of Biostatistics.
• An evaluation for honors or highest honors, the respective levels of honors, on a specialized honors work and its oral presentation is made by a review committee consisting of three faculty members, including the advisor for the special project and at least one person from another department. The review committee is selected by the student and his/her research advisor after consultation with the department’s honors director.
A copy of the honors thesis must be given to the North Carolina Collection (in Wilson Library) and to the Department of Biostatistics’ library.
Special Opportunities in the Department of Biostatistics
Departmental Involvement
Students are encouraged to participate in and assume leadership of the activities of the school’s and the department’s student organizations.
Experiential Education
Students are required to take BIOS 691 Field Observations in Biostatistics during the fall semester of the senior year. This course consists of an orientation to, and observation of, six major nonacademic biostatistics programs in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park area.
Laboratory Teaching Internships and Assistantships
Students are encouraged to undertake part-time employment during the academic year and full-time employment during the summer after their junior year with our faculty and their collaborators on current research and service projects.
Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to participate in the University’s study abroad programs.
Undergraduate Awards
Our Theta Chapter of Delta Omega is the only chapter that can honor up to 10 percent of the department’s graduates with an award of excellence.
Undergraduate Research
Students are encouraged to consider doing honors research; however, many of them choose to take advantage of the myriad part-time employment opportunities with our faculty on their research and service projects.
Facilities
The Department of Biostatistics has a student library, a student study room, and computer facilities for its students.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
The B.S.P.H. in biostatistics program has graduated 190 persons. Forty-four percent of them continued their studies immediately upon graduation. Seventy percent of our graduates eventually pursued at least master’s level education, and 26 percent of them chose doctoral studies.
Seventy-four percent of our graduates have been employed fulltime in the Research Triangle Park area. There are a myriad employment opportunities for our graduates in both public and private research and service organizations. The department is not aware of any of its B.S.P.H. graduates who are unemployed and seeking employment.
Contact Information
Go to www.sph.unc.edu/bios or contact the Department of Biostatistics at (919) 966-7250.
BIOS
397 [097] Readings in Biostatistics (1–21). Directed readings or laboratory study. May be taken more than once. Two to six laboratory hours a week.
399 [099] Honors Research in Biostatistics (3). Directed research. Written and oral reports required.
511 Introduction to Statistical Computing and Data Management (4). Introduction to the use of computers to process and analyze data, components of digital computers, characteristics of magnetic storage devices, use of JCL and utility programs, concepts and techniques of research data management, use of statistical program packages and interpretation.
540 [140] Problems in Biostatistics (1–21). Prerequisites, to be arranged with the faculty in each case. A course for students of public health who wish to make a study of some special problem in the statistics of the life sciences and public health.
541 [141] Quantitative Methods for Health Care Professionals I (4). Permission of the instructor. Course is designed to meet the needs of health care professionals who need to be able to appraise the design and analysis of medical and health care studies and who intend to pursue academic research careers. Covers basics of statistical inference, analysis of variance, multiple regression, categorical data analysis, and provides an introduction to logistic regression and survival analysis. Emphasis is on applied data analysis of major health care studies.
542 [142] Quantitative Methods for Health Care Professionals II (4). Prerequisites, BIOS 541 and permission of the instructor. Continuation of BIOS 541. Main emphasis is on logistic regression; other topics include exploratory data analysis and survival analysis.
545 [145] Principles of Experimental Analysis (3). Prerequisites, BIOS 600 or equivalent; a basic familiarity with a statistical software package (preferably SAS) that has the capacity to do multiple linear regression analysis; permission of the instructor except for majors in the School of Public Health. Continuation of BIOS 600. The analysis of experimental and observational data, including multiple regression and analysis of variance and covariance.
550 Basic Elements of Probability and Statistical Inference I (GNET 636) (4). Prerequisite, MATH 232 or equivalent. Fundamentals of probability, discrete and continuous distributions; functions of random variables; descriptive statistics; fundamentals of statistical inference, including estimation and hypothesis testing.
600 [110] Principles of Statistical Inference (3). Prerequisite, knowledge of basic descriptive statistics. Major topics include elementary probability theory, probability distributions, estimation, tests of hypotheses, chi-squared procedures, regression, and correlation.
660 [160] Probability and Statistical Inference I (3). Prerequisite, MATH 233 or equivalent. Introduction to probability; discrete and continuous random variables; expectation theory; bivariate and multivariate distribution theory; regression and correlation; linear functions of random variables; theory of sampling; introduction to estimation and hypothesis testing.
661 [161] Probability and Statistical Inference II (3). Prerequisite, BIOS 660. Distribution of functions of random variables; Helmert transformation theory; central limit theorem and other asymptotic theory; estimation theory; maximum likelihood methods; hypothesis testing; power; Neyman-Pearson Theorem, likelihood ratio, score, and Wald tests; noncentral distributions.
662 [162] Intermediate Statistical Methods (4). Prerequisites or corequisites, BIOS 511 and 550, or equivalents. Principles of study design, descriptive statistics, sampling from finite and infinite populations, with particular attention to inferences about location and scale for one, two, or k sample situations. Both distribution-free and parametric approaches are considered. Gaussian, binomial, and Poisson models, one-way and two-way contingency tables, as well as related measures of association, are treated.
663 [163] Intermediate Linear Models (4). Prerequisite, BIOS 662 or equivalent. Matrix-based treatment of regression, one-way and two-way ANOVA, and ANCOVA, emphasizing the general linear model and hypothesis, as well as diagnostics and model building. The course begins with a review of matrix algebra, and it concludes with some treatment of statistical power for the linear model and with binary response regression methods.
664 Sample Survey Methodology (STOR 358) (4). Prerequisite, BIOS 550 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Fundamental principles and methods of sampling populations, with primary attention given to simple random sampling, stratified sampling, and cluster sampling. Also, the calculation of sample weights, dealing with sources of nonsampling error, and analysis of data from complex sample designs are covered. Practical experience in sampling is provided by student participation in the design, execution, and analysis of a sampling project.
665 [165] Analysis of Categorical Data (3). Prerequisites, BIOS 545, 550, and 662, or permission of the instructor. Introduction to the analysis of categorized data: rates, ratios, and proportions; relative risk and odds ratio; Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel procedure; survivorship and life table methods; linear models for categorical data. Applications in demography, epidemiology, and medicine.
666 [166] Applied Multivariate Analysis (3). Prerequisite, BIOS 663 or equivalent. Application of multivariate techniques, with emphasis on the use of computer programs. Multivariate analysis of variance, multivariate multiple regression, weighted least squares, principal component analysis, canonical correlation, and related techniques.
667 [167] Applied Stochastic Processes (3). Prerequisite, BIOS 661 or equivalent. Markov chains, Poisson processes and extensions, epidemic models, branching processes and other stochastic models of empirical processes. Disease, population, and other biostatistical applications.
668 [168] Design of Public Health Studies (3). Prerequisites, BIOS 545, 550, or equivalent. Statistical concepts in basic public health study designs: cross-sectional, case-control, prospective, and experimental (including clinical trials). Validity, measurement of response, sample size determination, matching and random allocation methods.
670 [170] Demographic Techniques I (3). Source and interpretation of demographic data; rates and ratios, standardization, complete and abridged life tables; estimation and projection of fertility, mortality, migration, and population composition.
680 [180] Introductory Survivorship Analysis (3). Prerequisite, BIOS 661 or permission of the instructor. Introduction to concepts and techniques used in the analysis of time to event data, including censoring, hazard rates, estimation of survival curves, regression techniques, applications to clinical trials.
691 [191] Field Observations in Biostatistics (1). Field visits to, and evaluation of, major nonacademic biostatistical programs in the Research Triangle area. Field fee: $25.
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING
MICHAEL AITKEN, Chair
Donald L. Fox, Associate
Chair
Professors
Michael D. Aitken, Louise M. Ball, Douglas J. Crawford-Brown, Michael R. Flynn, Donald L. Fox, Avram Gold, William G. Gray, Harvey Jeffries, Richard M. Kamens, David Leith, Cass T. Miller, Leena Nylander-French, Frederic K. Pfaender, Philip C. Singer, Mark D. Sobsey, James A. Swenberg, Dale Whittington.
Associate Professors
Gregory W. Characklis, Ivan Rusyn, Stephen C. Whalen.
Assistant Professors
Jacqueline A. MacDonald, Marc L. Serre, William Vizuete, Howard S. Weinberg, J. Jason West.
Joint Professors
Richard N. L. Andrews, John M. Bane, Milton S. Heath Jr., Richard A. Luettich Jr., Christopher S. Martens, David McNelis, Hans W. Paerl.
Research Associate Professor
Lori A. Todd.
Research Assistant Professor
Karupiah Jayaraj, Jun Nakamura, Otto D. (Chip) Simmons.
Adjunct Professors
Francis Binkowski, Linda S. Birnbaum, Daniel L. Costa, David DeMarini, Alfred Eisner, David S. Ensor, Chong Kim, Joellen Lewtas, Paul W. Prendiville, Donald A. Tyndall, Barbara Walton, Paul Watkins, William E. Wilson.
Adjunct Associate Professors
Phillip W. Albro, Michael A. Berry, Gaylen Brubaker, Larry D. Claxton, Nelson Couch, John M. Dement, Phillip E. Hamrick, R. Timothy Hitchcock, Linda W. Little, Rachel Noble, Joseph Pinto, Jane Ellen Simmons, Thomas Starr.
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Jane Gallagher, M. Ian Gilmour, Michael Madden, Daniel L. Norwood, Andrew Petkash, Michael C. Piehler, Terrence K. Pierson, Woodhall Stopford, David B. Washburn, Russell W. Wiener.
Adjunct Lecturer
Raymond Hackney.
Professors Emeriti
Russell F. Christman, Francis A. DiGiano, Donald E. Francisco, William H. Glaze, Robert L. Harris, J. Donald Johnson, Donald L. Lauria, Daniel Okun (Kenan Professor Emeritus), Parker C. Reist, Morris A. Shiffman, James E. Watson, Charles M. Weiss.
Majoring in Environmental Health Sciences: Bachelor of Science in Public Health
The undergraduate major in environmental health science is designed to develop a comprehensive understanding of the environmental factors that impact human health; the physical, chemical, and biological processes that underlie the impact of human activity on the environment and human health; methods used to assess the impact of human activity on the environment and human health; and science-based solutions for environmental problems. Students may choose to emphasize either human health or environmental protection. Admission into the program requires satisfactory completion of course work in biology, chemistry, and mathematics. Recent graduates have entered graduate programs in environmental science, microbiology, marine science, applied mathematics, and environmental engineering. Students who pursued employment after completing the B.S.P.H. degree are working in environmental advocacy organizations, environmental consulting firms, industry, and investment banking firms.
First-Year/Sophomore Required Courses
• BIOL 101/101L, 201, and 202
• CHEM 101/101L, 102/102L, and 261
• MATH 231 and 232
• PHYS 104 or 116,* 105 or 117* (*preferred)
Junior/Senior Required Courses
All students, regardless of track, must complete each of the following courses during the junior and senior years. These provide an overview of the principles of environmental science and their application to environmental problems.
• ENVR 230, 300,** and 430 (**to be taken only in the senior year)
• Additional required courses for the human health protection emphasis: BIOL 205; CHEM 262/262L, and 430
• Environmental health electives: All students must complete four advanced (400 level or above) courses within the department or in environmental health-related departments on campus.
Honors in Environmental Health Science
Students who have a GPA of 3.3 or higher are eligible to participate in honors research and to write an honors thesis.
Special Opportunities in Environmental Health Science
Study Abroad
There are several opportunities for pursuing environmental study abroad, both through the department and through the Study Abroad Office at the University.
Undergraduate Research
Many undergraduate students participate in the research programs of the department. Students are encouraged to consult individual faculty members for opportunities to participate in such research. In addition, the department has information concerning fellowships and internships, some of which are combined with research opportunities in laboratories or field settings.
Facilities
The Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering houses research laboratories located in Rosenau Hall, McGavran-Greenberg Building, Michael Hooker Research Center, the Baity Building, and off-campus research facilities. These research labs are involved in important research in groundwater, wastewater, and drinking water quality, atmospheric chemistry, air pollution, industrial engineering, mutagenic effects of environmental chemicals, and occupational health and safety.
The department also offers labs for modeling and computational analysis of environmental systems, such as atmospheric circulation and air quality models, ground and surface water flow and transport models, fluid flow and contaminant transport models for indoor air environments, exposure analysis and health effects, risk assessment, and environmental epidemiology.
More detailed information about the individual labs and centers can be found on the department’s Web site: www.sph.unc.edu/envr/research_188_552.html.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
While undergraduate education prepares students for citizenship in ways that go beyond professional concerns, the program in environmental health science also provides skills needed for employment and graduate study. Students ending their studies at the undergraduate level gain skills necessary to work in positions as risk analysts in consulting firms and regulatory agencies; research assistants in local, state, and national environmental and environmental health departments; and scientific advisors to environmental organizations. The degree also prepares students for graduate study in the environmental sciences, environmental health sciences, environmental studies, toxicology, and professional disciplines such as medicine, environmental law, and public health.
Students have opportunities to explore possibilities for employment through the rich network of connections among the department, the University, and the numerous environmental organizations in the Research Triangle Park area, which is home to the highest concentration of environmental health science groups in the nation.
Contact Information
Go to www.sph.unc.edu/envr or contact the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering at (919) 966-3844 or the Carolina Environmental Program at (919) 962-9805.
ENVR
190 [097] Selected Topics in Undergraduate Studies (1–3). Permission of the instructor required. Current topics of interest in environmental science and their application to understanding environmental issues are directed towards undergraduates. Topics and instructors will change. One to three lecture hours per week.
230 [080] Environmental Health Issues (3). Examines key events that have shaped our understanding of the impacts of environmental agents on human health and uses them to introduce basic concepts in environmental health.
295 [099] Undergraduate Research (3). Directed readings or laboratory study. Written reports are required. May be taken more than once for credit. Six to nine hours per week.
300 [095] Analysis and Solution of Environmental Problems (ENST 698 capstone) (3). Interdisciplinary, team-based analyses of environmental phenomena are performed and applied to problems of the selection of effective environmental strategies. Students may select from a wide range of examples and venues. Three lecture hours a week.
312 [078] Risk-Based International Environmental Decisions (ENST 312) (3). A Web-based course on the methods and roles of risk assessment in the international setting, with a primary focus on United States–European Union applications in environmental policy decisions.
400 [103] Seminar Series (1). Presents the results of ongoing research projects in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering. Topics and presenters are selected from among the departmental graduate students and faculty.
401 [104] Unifying Concepts (3). Unifying concepts of environmental systems, including conservation principles, modeling, economics, and policy with applications from throughout natural, engineered, human systems. Interfaces among scientific, engineering, and policy aspects of the field.
402 [105] Problem-Based Learning (2). Permission of the instructor. A problem common to the field of environmental science will be studied in detail through the use of small groups of students from the various disciplinary areas in the department.
403 [110] Environmental Chemistry Processes (ENST 403) (3). Prerequisite, a background in chemistry and mathematics, including ordinary differential equations. Chemical processes occurring in natural and engineered systems: chemical cycles; transport and transformation processes of chemicals in air, water, and multimedia environments; chemical dynamics; thermodynamics; structure/activity relationships.
411 [111] Laboratory Techniques and Field Measurements (3). Students learn laboratory, field, and analytical skills. Provides a solid introduction to experimental research in environmental sciences and engineering. Students are provided with applications in limnology, aquatic chemistry, and industrial hygiene.
412 [112] Ecological Microbiology (3). Prerequisite, one course in general microbiology. A description of microbial populations and communities, the environmental processes they influence, and how they can be controlled to the benefit of humankind.
413 [113] Limnology (3). Prerequisites, introductory biology, chemistry, and physics. Basic aspects of freshwater ecosystem function. Emphasis on trophic level interactions and integration of physical, chemical, and biological principles for a holistic view of lake ecosystem dynamics.
414 [114] Ecology of Wetlands (MASC 449) (4). Prerequisites, one year of biology, one year of chemistry, one semester of ecology, and permission of the instructor. An introduction to the functioning of freshwater and estuarine marsh and swamp ecosystems, with emphasis on systems of the southeastern United States.
415 [115] Biogeochemical Processes (ENST 450, GEOL 450, MASC 450) (4). Prerequisites, CHEM 251 or 261, MATH 231, PHYS 105 or 117, or permission of the instructor. Principles of chemistry, biology, and geology are applied to analysis of the fate and transport of materials in environmental systems, with an emphasis on those materials that form the most significant cycles. The course examines these processes in systems that contain the hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Three lecture hours and one laboratory hour a week.
416 [116] Introduction to Aerosol Science (4). Admission to the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering or permission of the instructor. Physical and chemical principles underlying behavior of particles suspended in air. Topics include rectilinear and curvilinear motion of the particles in a force field, diffusion, evaporation, and condensation, electrical and optical properties, and particle coagulation, as well as the behavior of the cloud in toto. Three lecture hours and two laboratory hours a week.
417 [117] Oceanography (BIOL 350, GEOL 403, MASC 401) (3). Prerequisites, major in a natural science or at least two college-level courses in natural sciences. The origin of ocean basins, chemistry and dynamics of seawater, biological communities and processes, the sedimentary record, and the history of oceanography. Term paper. Intended for students with college science background; other students should see GEOL 103. Three lecture hours per week.
419 [119] Chemical Equilibria in Natural Waters (3). Principles and applications of chemical equilibria to natural waters. Acid-base, solubility, complex formation, and redox reactions are discussed. This course uses a problem-solving approach to illustrate chemical speciation and environmental implications. Three lecture hours per week.
421 [133] Environmental Health Microbiology (3). Prerequisite, introductory course in microbiology or permission of the instructor. Presentation of the microbes of public health importance in water, food, and air, including their detection, occurrence, transport, and survival in the environment; epidemiology and risks from environmental exposure. Two lecture and two laboratory hours per week.
422 [134] Air and Industrial Hygiene (3). Problem definition, sources of information, health effects, legislative framework, and control methods for chemical, physical, and biological hazards. Recognition, evaluation, and remediation of hazards associated with community and industrial environments. Three lecture hours per week.
423 [135] Industrial Toxicology (3). Toxicological assessment of and a case presentation of related exposure is given. A conceptual approach is utilized to design appropriate programs to prevent worker ill health due to industrial toxicant exposure. Two lecture hours per week.
430 [130] Health Effects of Environmental Agents (3). Prerequisites, basic biology, chemistry through organic, math through calculus; permission of the instructor if prerequisites not met. Interactions of environmental agents (chemicals, infectious organisms, radiation) with biological systems including humans, with particular attention to routes of entry, distribution, metabolism, elimination, and mechanisms of adverse effects. Three lecture hours per week.
431 [131] Techniques in Environmental Health Sciences (2). Prerequisites, basic biology, chemistry through organic, math through calculus; permission of the instructor if prerequisites not met. A practical introduction to the measurement of biological end-points, emphasizing adverse effects of environmental agents, using laboratory and field techniques. Two laboratory hours per week.
432 [137] Occupational Safety and Ergonomics (PHNU 786, PUBH 786) (3). Fundamentals of occupational safety and ergonomics with emphasis on legislation and organization of industrial safety and ergonomic programs, including hazard recognition, analysis, control, and motivational factors pertaining to industrial accident and cumulative trauma disorder prevention.
433 [138] Health Hazards of Industrial Operation (3). Prerequisite, ENVR 422. An introduction to the health hazards associated with the various unit operations of industry. Field trips to local industries planned.
434 [139] Theory and Practice of Exposure Evaluation (3). Prerequisite, ENVR 416. Methodology and philosophy of evaluating exposures to air contaminants in the workplace. Course is divided into lectures, case-study analyses, and a hands-on term project. Three lecture hours per week.
442 [132] Biochemical Toxicology (BIOC 442, TOXC 442) (3). Prerequisites, CHEM 430 plus one course in biochemistry; permission of the instructor if prerequisites not met. Biochemical actions of toxicants and assessment of cellular damage by biochemical measurements. Three lecture hours per week.
449 [414] Ecology of Wetlands (MASC 449) (4). Prerequisites, one year of biology, one year of chemistry, one semester of ecology, and permission of the instructor. An introduction to the functioning of freshwater and estuarine marsh and swamp ecosystems, with emphasis on systems of the southeastern United States.
450 [150] Principles and Applications of Environmental Engineering (3). Principles that govern the behavior of contaminants in air and water. Application of these principles to engineered processes that control air and water quality. Three lecture hours per week.
451 [151] Process Dynamics in Environmental Systems (3). Prerequisites, MATH 524 or equivalent and permission of the instructor. Application of fluid transport, mass transfer, and chemical reactor principles to describe important processes in water/wastewater treatment, air pollution control, and natural systems. Three lecture hours per week.
452 [152] Fluid Dynamics (GEOL 560, MASC 560, PHYS 660) (3). Prerequisite, PHYS 301 or permission of the instructor. The physical properties of fluids, kinematics, governing equations, viscous incompressible flow, vorticity dynamics, boundary layers, irrotational incompressible flow.
453 [153] Groundwater Hydrology (3). Prerequisites, math through differential equations and some familiarity with fluid mechanics. Conservation principles for mass, momentum, and energy developed and applied to groundwater systems. Scope includes the movement of water, gas, and organic liquid phases, the transport and reaction of contaminants. Three lecture hours per week.
461 [160] Environmental Systems Modeling (ENST 415, GEOL 415, MASC 415) (3). Prerequisites, MATH 383, PHYS 105 or 117 (may be taken concurrently), or permission of the instructor. Methods for developing explanatory and predictive models of environmental processes are explored. Includes discussion of the relevant scientific modes of analysis, mathematical methods, computational issues, and visualization techniques. Two lecture hours and one computer laboratory hour a week.
462 [161] Geostatistics for Spatial/Temporal Environmental Phenomena (3). Prerequisite, statistics. Stochastic analysis of space-time environmental phenomena. Random field modeling of physical laws. Geostatistical estimation and simulation. Natural heterogeneity. Stochastic PDE of groundwater flow and solute transport.
463 [162] Random Field Modeling of Physical Processes (3). Prerequisite, calculus through differential equations is desirable. Science of the probable. Random fields. Physical significance and methodological theses. Spatial and spatiotemporal variability. Ordinary and generalized fields of natural processes. Transport-type models. Bayesian/Maximum maximum entropy estimation. Three lecture hours per week.
468 [167] Advanced Functions of Temporal GIS (ENST 468) (3). Advanced functions of temporal geographical information systems (TGIS). These fields describe natural, epidemiological, economic, and social phenomena distributed across space and time. Three lecture hours per week.
470 [175] Environmental Risk Assessment (ENST 470) (3). Prerequisites, ENVR 403 and 430. Methods of environmental risk assessment, including hazard identification, exposure assessment, exposure-response assessment, and risk characterization, are developed and applied. Three lecture hours per week.
471 [176] Quantitative Risk Assessment in Environmental Health Microbiology (3). Prerequisites, microbiology, epidemiology, and infectious diseases recommended. Survey of alternative approaches, frameworks, and decision-making tools for quantitative risk assessment of microbial pathogens that infect humans and cause disease by the exposure routes of water, food, air, and other vehicles.
480 [460] Marine Systems Modeling (GEOL 480, MASC 480) (1–3). Prerequisite, MATH 232 or permission of the instructor. Mathematical modeling of the dynamic system, linear and nonlinear. The fundamental budget equation. Case studies in modeling convective transport, biogeochemical process, population dynamics. Analytical and numerical techniques, chaos theory, fractal geometry. Three lecture hours per week.
505 [418] Chemical Oceanography (GEOL 505, MASC 505) (4). Prerequisite, one semester of physical chemistry or CHEM 480, or permission of the instructor. Overview of chemical processes in the ocean. Topics include physical chemistry of seawater, major element cycles, hydrothermal vents, geochemical tracers, air-sea gas exchange, particle transport, sedimentary processes, and marine organic geochemistry. Three lecture and two recitation hours a week.
516 [116L] Aerosol Science Laboratory (2). Prerequisite or corequisite, ENVR 416. Basic laboratory exercises in aerosol sciences.
520 [120] Biological Oceanography (BIOL 657, MASC 504) (4). Prerequisite, BIOL 201 or 475, or permission of the instructor. Physical, chemical, and biological factors characterizing estuarine and marine environments. Emphasizes factors controlling animal and plant populations. Includes experimental approaches and methods of analysis, sampling, and identification. Three lecture and two recitation hours a week.
522 [181] Environmental Change and Human Health (ENST 522) (3). Prerequisites, ENST 201 or 202. The course will provide students with a multidisciplinary perspective of environmental changes to encompass both human health and ecological health.
552 [125] Organic Geochemistry (GEOL 552, MASC 552) (3). Prerequisite, CHEM 261, MASC 505, or permission of the instructor. Sources, transformations, and fate of natural organic matter in marine environments. Emphasis on interplay of chemical, biological, and physical processes that affect organic matter composition, distribution, and turnover.
585 [185] American Environmental Policy (ENST 585, PLAN 585, PLCY 585) (3). Intensive introduction to environmental management and policy, including environmental and health risks, policy institutions, processes, and instruments, policy analysis, and major elements of American environmental policy. Lectures and case studies. Three lecture hours per week.
600 [101] Environmental Health (2). Survey course: relationship between environmental quality, human health, and welfare. Contamination in human environment; physical, biological, and social factors; trade-offs regarding prevention and remediation measures. Lectures, group discussions, and projects. Emphasizes critical thinking. Satisfies core School of Public Health requirement. Two lecture hours per week.
661 [163] Scientific Computation I (MATH 661) (3). Prerequisites, some programming experience and basic numerical analysis. Error in computation, solutions of nonlinear equations, interpolation, approximation of functions, Fourier methods, numerical integration and differentiation, introduction to numerical solution of ODEs, Gaussian elimination.
662 [164] Scientific Computation II (COMP 760, MATH 662) (3). Prerequisite, MATH 661. Theory and practical issues arising in linear algebra problems derived from physical applications, e.g., discretization of ODEs and PDEs. Linear systems, linear least squares, eigenvalue problems, singular value decomposition.
668 [165] Methods of Applied Mathematics I (MATH 668) (3). Prerequisite, undergraduate differential equations. Contour integration, asymptotic expansions, steepest descent/stationary phase methods, special functions arising in physical applications, elliptic and theta functions, elementary bifurcation theory.
669 [166] Methods of Applied Mathematics II (MATH 669) (3). Prerequisite, MATH 668 or permission of the instructor. Perturbation methods for ODEs and PDEs, WKBJ method, averaging and modulation theory for linear and nonlinear wave equations, long-time asymptotics of Fourier integral representations of PDEs, Green’s functions, dynamical systems tools.
685 [286] Water and Sanitation Planning and Policy in Developing Countries (PLAN 685) (3). Permission of the instructor. Seminar on policy and planning approaches for providing improved community water and sanitation services in developed countries. Topics include the choice of appropriate technology and level of service, pricing, metering, and connection charges; cost recovery and targeting subsidies to the poor; water venting; community participation in the management and operation of water systems; and rent-seeking behavior in the provision of water supplies.
686 [186] Policy Instruments for Environmental Management (ENST 686, PLAN 686, PLCY 686) (3). Prerequisites, ECON 410 or PLAN 710 or equivalent. Design of public policy instruments as incentives for sustainable management of environmental resources and ecosystems, and comparison of the effects and effectiveness of alternative policies.
691H [099H] Honors Research (3). Permission of the instructor. Directed readings or laboratory study of a selected topic. A written report is required in the form of an honors thesis (ENVR 692H). Six to nine hours per week.
692H [098H] Honors Thesis (3). Students complete honors research projects.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION
PEGGY LEATT, Chair
Laurel A. Files, Associate
Chair
Professors
Peggy Dilworth-Anderson, Peggy Leatt, Joseph Morrissey, Edward Norton, Thomas C. Ricketts, R. Gary Rozier, Morris Weinberger (Distinguished), William N. Zelman.
Associate Professors
Andrea Biddle, Marisa E. Domino, Laurel A. Files, Bruce J. Fried, Shoou-Yih Daniel Lee, Jonathan Oberlander, George Pink, Sally C. Stearns, Bryan Weiner.
Assistant Professors
Jessica Lee, Kristen Hassmiller Lich, Felicia Mebane, Kristin Reiter, Harsha Thirumurthy, Rebecca Wells.
Research Professors
Edward Baker Jr., Thomas R. Konrad, Sheila Leatherman, Kathleen Lohr, William A. Sollecito.
Research Associate Professor
Sandra Greene.
Research Assistant Professor
William Carpenter, Michelle Mayer, Sue Tolleson Rinehart, Debbie Travers.
Adjunct Professors
William K. Atkinson II, Dan Beauchamp, Fred T. Brown Jr., William H. Campbell, John R. Feussner, Patrick M. Flynn, Deborah A. Freund, Steven Garfinkel, Paul Halverson, R. Edward Howell, Eric B. Lillian Ridky, Judith Tintinalli.
Adjunct Associate Professors
Mary A. Beck, Patricia MacTaggart, Michael Markowitz, Patricia Pittman, Janet Porter, Arjun Rajaratnam, Betsy Sleath, Steven J. Sloate, Wendee Wechsberg.
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Carolyn Carpenter, Kathleen Dalton, Jim Doherty, Susan Hogue, Frederick K. Homan, Steven Justus, Melissa Kaluzny, Gary Nestler, Euichul Shin, John Spiegel.
Adjunct Instructors
Daniel Booth, William Carpenter, Dawn Carter, Wade DeHate, Randall Egsegian, Kay Goss, Kay Grinnell, James P. Hanlon, Pamela R. Jenkins, Douglas A. Johnston, Lawrence K. Mandelkehr, Gary Palmer, Patricia Pozella, Daniel B. Reimer, Craig Savage, William S. Service, Robert Stevens, Deborah Teasley, Franklin Walker.
Clinical Professor
Deborah Bender.
Clinical Associate Professors
Edward F. Brooks, Dean Harris, John Paul, Pam Silberman.
Clinical Assistant Professors
Oscar Aylor, Suzanne Havala Hobbs, James V. Porto Jr.
Clinical Instructor
Eugene Pinder, Christopher Shea, Scott Stewart, John Bennet Waters.
Post-Doctoral Fellow
Asheley Skinner.
Lecturer
William Gentry.
Adjunct Lecturers
Kathryn B. Ahlport, Rita Konetzka, Jay Levy.
Professors Emeriti
Patricia Z. Fischer, William S. Flash, William T. Herzog, Sagar Jain, Arnold Kaluzny, Kerry Kilpatrick, Jacob Koomen Jr., Robert A. Loddengaard.
Majoring in Health Policy and Administration: Bachelor of Science in Public Health
The bachelor of science in public health (B.S.P.H.) in health policy and administration is intended for students who plan to seek careers in a variety of health organizations, such as hospitals, medical group practices, government agencies, health insurance companies, and consulting firms. The program also provides a foundation for positions in policy analysis and program development in health services research organizations. Graduates of the B.S.P.H. program have been successful in their pursuit of graduate degrees in a broad range of fields, including public health, law, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, business administration, and health services research.
The curriculum combines excellent preparation for a professional career with a firm grounding in the liberal arts. Areas of study range from community health to strategic planning in tertiary health care facilities.
The sequenced program of courses is designed to provide students with a solid understanding of the organization of health care services in the United States and skills for effective management of health system resources, including human, financial, and health information. The internship experience, placed between the junior and senior years, provides students an opportunity to apply new skills, anticipate learning needs, and clarify personal career goals.
The objective of the department’s undergraduate degree program is to develop responsible and successful graduates who have the necessary conceptual frameworks, skills, and ability to make sound judgments necessary for assuming leadership roles in the current complex health care environment.
Prerequisites for admission to the B.S.P.H. program in health policy and administration:
• BIOL 101/101L
• BUSI 100
• ECON 101
• Two of the following six mathematical sciences courses: MATH 130, 152, 231, 232, 233, STOR 155 (STOR 155 is recommended)
Junior/Senior Required Courses
• HPAA 220, 230, 301/302, 310, 320, 330, 340, 341, 350, 351 and six hours of elective course work within the department
There is a $400.00 field training fee for HPAA 301/302.
Honors in Health Policy and Administration
The department offers an honors program. Students who have at least a 3.3 GPA at the completion of their junior year are invited to participate in the two-semester honors program in their senior year. HPAA 691H is offered as a seminar in the fall semester. This seminar counts as one of the two required HPAA electives. HPAA 692H is offered as an independent study in the spring semester. Students defend their theses at the HPAA Annual Poster Day in late spring.
Special Opportunities in Health Policy and Administration
Departmental Involvement
Opportunities exist for involvement in the Healthcare Executives Student Association (an affiliate of the American College for Healthcare Executives Higher Education Network), the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Special Interest Group, and the department’s Student Council. Students also volunteer to help with the management of SHAC, a student-run health care clinic.
Experiential Education
Each student in the department is required to complete a 12-week, field based practicum or internship. Usually, this is completed during the summer between the junior and senior years.
Study Abroad
Students in the department may complete their 12-week internship in a country other than the United States, provided that the internship meets all other criteria.
Undergraduate Awards
The department reserves several awards for undergraduate students. These awards are presented at the HPAA Annual Awards Day in late spring.
Undergraduate Research
See the honors program description.
Graduate School and Career Opportunities
See program description above.
Contact Information
For additional information go to www.sph.unc.edu/hpaa or contact the Department of Health Policy and Administration at (919) 966-7391.
HPAA
220 [072] Writing for Health Administrators (3). Required of health policy undergraduates. Designed to teach clarity, conciseness, and effectiveness of statement. Memoranda, reports, proposals, letters.
230 [073] Management of Human Resources (3). Permission of the instructor for non-health policy and administration majors. General introduction to the field of human resource management in health organizations in the United States. Detailed treatment of selected topics with a view to help develop operational skills.
249 [269] Clinical Informatics for Outcomes Management (3). Explores the practical role of clinical informatics skills and tools in health care organizational performance improvement and how this role is currently evolving in hospitals, group practices, and provider organizations.
301 [097] Field Training in Health Policy and Administration I (3). Prerequisite, health policy and administration major. Required of all B.S.P.H. students in HPAA. The first six weeks of a supervised 12-week administrative internship in a health care organization.
302 [098] Field Training in Health Policy and Administration (3). Prerequisite, health policy and administration major. Orientation to health services organizations, under faculty supervision. Relevant to School of Public Health course work in all majors; can contribute to development of acceptable plans for summer internships. Field training fee: $400.00.
310 [082] Introduction to Law and Ethics in Health Administration (3). Prerequisite, HPAA 350. An introduction to health law and ethics for health administration undergraduate seniors.
320 [145] Health Care Consulting (3). This course will provide students with a working knowledge of the various forms of health care consulting, including internal consulting. Students will enhance their analytical, presentation, teamwork, and project management skills.
330 [083] Introduction to Health Organization Structure, Functions, and Design (3). Prerequisite, senior standing or permission of the instructor. Basic concepts of organization structure, functions, and design, and relevant administrative behavior, as applied to health and human services organizations.
340 [075] Foundations of Health Care Financial Management (3). Prerequisites, BUSI 100 and permission of the instructor for non-B.S.P.H. students. Basic methods and techniques in financial management of health care programs, including financial statement analysis, cost determination and allocation, pricing of services, and budgeting.
341 [085] Computers in Health Administration (3). Permission of the instructor for non-health policy and administration majors. The purpose of this course is to provide the student with a general introduction to the theory and major applications of computers, especially microcomputers.
350 [070] Introduction to Health Services Systems (3). Permission of health policy B.S.P.H. program director, except for majors in health policy or health behavior and health education. An introduction to the current organization, financing, emerging trends, practices, and issues in the delivery of health services.
351 [071] Policy Issues in Health Services Delivery (2). Permission of health policy and administration B.S.P.H. program director, except for majors in health policy or health behavior and health education. This seminar addresses current health services delivery concerns from policy perspectives. Guest speakers, debates, and development of issue papers are used to explore implications for access and quality of health care.
380 [057] Database Design for Health Care Applications (3). Hands-on introduction to the design and implementation of relational databases to manage and analyze health care data (using Microsoft Access). Includes design of fully automated databases as well as the use of Access as an analysis tool in conjunction with Microsoft Excel.
396 [091] Readings in Health Policy and Administration (1–3). Permission of the instructor. For undergraduates enrolled in the department’s bachelor’s degree program. Directed readings or research; written reports are required.
404 [204] Management Principles and Practices (3). Provides an overview of knowledge and skills required for effective health services management. Aimed primarily at individuals who plan on assuming management roles in health services and related fields.
405 [221] Organization and Administration of Multihospital Systems (3). Legal, financial, and organizational issues of multihospital systems development and management.
435 [141] Marketing for Not-for-Profit Organizations (3). Permission of the instructor. Application of basic principles of marketing and marketing decision models to problems in health care and other not-for-profit organizations.
440 [155] Introduction to Management Information Systems in Health Care (3). Conceptual and practical aspects in the analysis, development, and utilization of computer-based information and control systems with emphasis on application to the health care environment.
455 [124] Long-Term Care and Aging Policy Issues (3). Long-term care and aging policy in the United States from the early 1960s through the late 1990s will be reviewed along with Medicare, Medicaid, and public/private long-term policies.
456 Geriatric Health and Medical Care (3). Presents a comprehensive survey of geriatric health and medical care from both a clinical and policy perspective.
465 [125] Managed Care, Market Reform, and the Impact on Vulnerable Populations (3). Students will gain an understanding of how the changes in the health care market affect care for underserved populations and develop strategies to ensure the needs of these populations are met.
466 [279] Competition, Regulation, and Insurance (3). Examines alternative approaches to containing health care costs adapted by public and private payers.
470 [144] Statistical Methods for Health Policy and Administration (3). Introduction of linear model approach to analysis of data in health care settings. Topics include probability distributions, estimation tests of hypotheses, methods in multiple regression, and analysis of variance and covariance.
471 [176] Introduction to Health Services Research (3). Prerequisite, MPH student. Provides systematic introduction to selected methods for health services research, literature, and research writing.
472 [245] Program Evaluation (3). Concepts and methods of the program evaluation paradigm as applied in health administration.
480 [157] Database Design for Health Care Applications II (3). Hands on introduction to the design and implementation of relational databases for managing and analyzing health care data (using Microsoft Access).
496 [140] Readings in Health Policy and Administration (1–3). Directed readings or research. Written reports are required.
510 [185] Ethical Issues in Health Policy and Administration (3). Introduction to ethical issues in HPAA including rationing, managed care, clinical research, organizational ethics and compliance programs, administrative ethics, and bio-ethical issues such as assisted suicide.
520 [122] Long-Term Care Administration I (3). Prerequisite, HPAA major. Introduction to administration of long-term care facilities. Evolution of long-term care and survey of the current field. Examination of state and national requirements.
521 [123] Long-Term Care Administration II (3). Prerequisite, HPAA 520 or permission of the instructor. Nursing home care, organization monitoring, costs, and financing. Exploration of trends and issues such as cost controls, productivity, quality assurance, medical staffing, and organization.
530 [222] Ambulatory Care (3). Major policy issues in primary care and managed care. Emphasis on practice management, rate setting, contracting, utilization control, and quality assurance as case issues for management.
531 [126] Physician Practice Management (3). Prerequisites, senior status and permission of the instructor. Course targets students interested in a health care career. Topics include structure of group practices, governance/ownership, risk management, malpractice, physician compensation, operational and financial management.
532 [146] Health Care Consulting (3). This course will provide students with a working knowledge of the various forms of health care consulting, including internal consulting. Students will enhance their analytical, presentation, teamwork and project management skills. Open to graduate students and seniors.
550 [195] Medical Journalism (HBHE 660, JOMC 560) (3). Prepares students to work as medical journalists for a variety of media, including print, broadcast, and the Internet. The course emphasizes writing skills and interpreting medical information for consumers.
551 [196] Medical Reporting for the Electronic Media (HBHE 561, JOMC 561) (3). Conceiving, scripting, reporting, producing, and editing medical stories for the electronic media, especially television. Students work in teams to produce projects for professional media outlets.
552 [197] Science Documentary Television (HBHE 562, JOMC 562) (3). Students learn skills needed to produce a science documentary for broadcast on television, including research and script writing.
560 [261] Media and Health Policy (3). Introduces students to news media organizations and their role in health policy development. Students will learn how to evaluate media content and strategies and to effectively communicate via mass media.
561 [262] Advanced Policy Analysis for the Public’s Health (PUBH 305) (3). The purpose of the course is to develop an understanding of the values and beliefs that drive formal public policies in health. The readings will cover philosophies of justice, the role of government and individuals, and ways to reconcile the plurality of values that exists in the American policy as citizens seek or provide health care or manage the public’s health.
564 [220] Health Care in the United States: Administrative and Policy Issues (3). Prerequisite, HPAA major. An overview of key health services issues including quality, access, financing, insurance, ethics, and delivery systems plus an introduction to health care policy and politics.
570 Theory and Practice of Health Policy and Administration (3). Policy and management issues and ideals, including their historical derivations and international implications, in relation to current state and local practice.
600 [119] Introduction to Health Policy and Administration (2). Prerequisites, senior status and permission of the instructor; does not qualify as a core course or elective for HPAA undergraduate majors. Provides an overview of the United States health system, emphasizing role of policy development and administrative decision making through case examples.
601 [106] Issues in Health Care (1). Lectures on current topics in health care.
602 [109] Concurrent Practice (1-3). Permission of HPAA program director. Supervised activities in an approved health organization, to include one or more specific projects, approved by HPAA faculty member and directed by an approved preceptor/mentor in the organization.
604 Theory and Practice of Health Policy and Administration (3). Policy and management issues and ideals.
634 Public Health Issues in Community Preparedness and Disaster Management (PWAD 634) (3). Examines conventional public health constructs of community preparedness and disaster management. Includes a review of traditional and emerging literature. Emphasizes conceptual development and application of adaptive leadership strategies.
650 [128] Pharmaceutical Research, Development, and Marketing (DPOP 800) (3). Acquaints future regulators, policy analysts, and corporate managers with the internal and external environments influencing decision making and management in the discovery, development, and marketing of pharmaceuticals.
652 [268] Economic Evaluation of Health Care Technology (DPOP 802) (3). Focus is on determination of costs and benefits associated with alternative resource allocation schemes. Crucial economic concepts (e.g., utility valuation of health states and marginal analysis) are presented.
660 [110] International and Comparative Health Systems (3). Methods of comparing health systems, examinations of related national health systems, and analysis of related high prevalence health issues.
661 [210] Management of Foreign Aid in Health and Population (3). Examines selected policy and management issues in foreign assistance from the point of view of both the donors and the recipients.
662 [211] Health and Population Policy Development and Implementation (3). Selected methods for studying policy development process and converting a policy into an action plan.
663 [212] International Cooperation in Health and Population (2). Roles, problems, and opportunities for different kinds of international organizations in health and population fields.
664 Globalization and Health (MHCH 664) (3). Globalization—its economic, environmental, political, technological, institutional, and sociocultural dimensions—historically and currently contributes to beneficial and adverse effects on population, community, and family and individual health.
670 [244] Systems Simulation for Health Services (3). Course will prepare students to simulate health services using the MedModel simulation software. Basic concepts of discrete event simulation.
691H [099] Honors Research (1–3). Prerequisite, overall GPA of 3.2 by end of junior year in all UNC–Chapel Hill courses. Readings and seminars for undergraduates who show potential and talent to do research. Students will design an independent research project, write a proposal and complete an IRB application as partial completion of an honors thesis.
692H [100] Independent Honors Research (1–3). Prerequisites, HPAA 691H and permission of the instructor. Students collect data, analyze and report findings, and make recommendations to complete an honor thesis and present finds in presentation/poster format.
JUNE STEVENS, Chair
Professors
Linda S. Adair, Alice Ammerman, Melinda Beck, Margaret Bentley, Cynthia Bulik, Marci Campbell, Stephen G. Chaney, Rosalind A. Coleman, Janice M. Dodds, Anthony Hackney, Mark Koruda, Kay Lund, Nobuyo Maeda, Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Robert G. McMurray, Daniel Pomp, Barry M. Popkin, June Stevens, James Swenberg, Dianne S. Ward, Steven H. Zeisel.
Associate Professors
Pamela S. Haines, Jessie Satia, Anna Maria Siega-Riz, Boyd R. Switzer.
Assistant Professors
Terry Combs, Penny Gordon-Larsen, Ka He, Deborah Tate.
Research Professors
Martin Kohlmeier.
Research Associate Professor
Miroslav Styblo.
Research Assistant Professors
Rebecca Cleveland, Kerry-Ann da Costa, Zuzana Drobna, Leslie Fischer, Marlyn Allicock Hudson, Kristine Kelsey, Tal Lewin-Wittle, Mihai Niculescu, Eric Park, Carmen Samuel-Hodge, Kimberly Truesdale.
Adjunct Professors
Bernard Gutin, Bernadette Marriott, Ellen Piwoz, Richard Theuer.
Adjunct Associate Professors
Alvin Berger.
Adjunct Assistant Professors
Majorie Busby, Melissa Daniels, Juhaeri Juhaeri, Miriam Peterson.
Adjunct Research Assistant Professor
Barbara Laraia, Rudolf Salganik.
Adjunct Instructor
Angelo Mojica.
Clinical Professor
William D. Heizer.
Clinical Assistant Professor
Amanda Holliday.
Professors Emeriti
Rebecca Broach Bryan, Joseph Chike Edozien, MaryAnn C. Farthing, Mildred Kaufman.
Majoring in Nutrition: Bachelor of Science in Public Health
The bachelor of science in public health program in nutrition introduces the undergraduate student to the science of nutrition in health and disease and to social and behavioral aspects of eating in the context of public and individual health. The Department of Nutrition is one of the top-ranked nutrition departments in the country. The curriculum offers a wide range of courses on the nutritional and epidemiological aspects of human diseases. Depending on the core completed, a B.S.P.H. in nutrition prepares students for many careers. Students who graduate with a B.S.P.H. degree in nutrition through Core 1 are prepared for acceptance into accredited dietetic internships, entry-level jobs in community health agencies in North Carolina and some other states, or graduate degree programs. Core 1 is an accredited didactic program in dietetics by the Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education of the American Dietetic Association (120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, phone: 1-800-877-1600 ext. 5400). Students who graduate with a B.S.P.H. degree in nutrition through Core 2 have the necessary prerequisites for applying to medical school, dental school, pharmacy school, veterinary school, and other graduate programs in nutrition. Both cores allow students to participate in nutrition research projects or explore other related areas of interest.
Prerequisite Courses Required for Admission
• BIOL 101/101L and 252
• CHEM 101/101L, 102/102L, and 261
• MATH 130 and 231
• NUTR 240
Courses in mathematics not completed during the first two years may be taken during junior year.
Junior/Senior Courses
• NUTR 400, 600, 611, 615, 620, 680
Two alternative cores are currently available in the B.S.P.H. Program. Core 1 (generalist) provides all of the courses required for admission into a dietetic internship or graduate program in nutrition. Core 2 (pre-professional) provides courses in preparation for admission into medical school, dental school, veterinary school, pharmacy school, or other doctoral programs.
Core 1 Additional Requirements:
• BIOL 202
• HPAA 330
• MCRO 251 or 255
• NUTR 630, 640, 650, 660, 661L, 670
• PSYC 101
Core 2 Additional Requirements:
• BIOL 202
• CHEM 241/241L and 262/262L
• NUTR 295 or 692H (12 hours of research required)
• PHYS 104 or 116
• PHYS 105 or 117
Honors in Nutrition
The Department of Nutrition provides an opportunity for honors study for qualified students. To be eligible for admission to the honors program, students must have, at a minimum, a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 at the end of the semester preceding the semester in which the student intends to begin honors work. Students register for nine to 12 credit hours in acceptable research, readings, and/or NUTR 692H honors course in the Department of Nutrition.
Special Opportunities in Nutrition
Departmental Involvement
The Student Coalition is an organization of students enrolled in the four degree programs of the Department of Nutrition. The coalition meets several times each semester to address student concerns and to plan service and social activities. Open to the entire department, the coalition strives to broaden the scope of understanding of the various fields and environments where nutrition is making advances. “A is for Apple” is a student-led, volunteer organization to teach basic nutrition principles to local elementary school students. Career development workshops are available each year to provide guidance for students applying to graduate and medical schools.
Experiential Education
Several courses include experiential components (e.g., NUTR 611, 630, 640, and 650). However, these courses do not fulfill the General College experiential education requirement.
Undergraduate Awards
Nutrition honors research students may apply for the Honors Undergraduate Research Awards. The application is available on the Honors Program Web site: www.honors.unc.edu. Students may also be considered for any of the following awards: Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Student Activities and Leadership, The Order of the Golden Fleece, The Order of the Grail-Valkyries, The Order of the Old Well, Frank Porter Graham Honor Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and the Joseph Edozien Outstanding Undergraduate Award in Nutrition.
Undergraduate Research
To enhance students’ general education and to help them decide whether a research career is something they might pursue in the future, all B.S.P.H. nutrition students are encouraged to get involved in nutrition research, either as part of the honors thesis or as independent research.
Contact Information
For additional information, go to www.sph.unc.edu/nutr or contact the Department of Nutrition at (919) 966-7212.
NUTR
240 [040] Introduction to Human Nutrition (3). Prerequisites BIOL 101/101L, CHEM 102/102L, or equivalents. Relationships of human nutrition to health and disease. Integration of biology, chemistry, and social sciences as related to human function. Nutrient composition of foods and safety of the food supply.
295 [098] Undergraduate Research Experience in Nutrition (3). Permission of the faculty research director. For undergraduates enrolled in the department’s baccalaureate degree program. Directed readings or laboratory study on a selected topic. May be taken more than once for credit.
400 [100] Introduction to Medical Nutrition (3). Prerequisites, BIOL 101, CHEM 101 and 102, and NUTR 240. Function of the human body focusing on nutrient interaction. Review of structure and function of cells and organs. For advanced undergraduates and graduate students needing to enhance background prior to NUTR 600.
600 Human Metabolism: Macronutrients (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 400 or equivalent. Cell biochemistry and physiology emphasizing integration of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids in whole-body metabolism, regulation of energy expenditure, food intake, metabolic adaptations, and gene expression, and macronutrient-related diseases (atherosclerosis, obesity).
611 [111] Nutrition of Children and Mothers (MHCH 611) (3). Prerequisites, NUTR 400 or equivalent, to be taken in parallel with NUTR 600. Biologic bases for nutrient requirements and dietary recommendations as they vary throughout the life cycle. Covers the nutritional needs of women during childbearing years, infants, children, and adolescents.
615 [112] Nutrition in the Elderly (1). Prerequisites, NUTR 400 or equivalent. Special dietary and nutritional needs and conditions of the elderly. Includes overview of biology and demography of aging, discussion of nutritional requirements, and assessment of the elderly as well as nutrition in health and various disease states of the elderly.
620 Human Metabolism: Nicronutrients (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 400, 600, or equivalent. Cell biochemistry and physiology emphasizing metabolism of vitamins and minerals including antioxidant protection, immune function, nutrient control of gene expression, and disease states induced by deficiencies (e.g., iron-deficient anemia).
630 [130] Nutrition Assessment and Counseling Skills (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 240 or equivalent. Functions of a nutritionist working with individuals, emphasizing interviewing, assessment, nutrition care planning, counseling, and service documentation in prevention and therapeutic situations. Practice in the use of current dietary analysis software programs and development of educational materials included.
640 [121] Medical Nutrition Therapy (3). Prerequisite, NUTR 630; corequisite, NUTR 620. Course designed to examine the rationale and implementation of diet therapy and nutrition support in the prevention or treatment of disease.
650 [140] Food Science and Meal Preparation (2). Prerequisite, NUTR 240. Introduction to foods important in the American diet; composition and properties; factors affecting the selection, handling, and preparation of foods; menu planning and meal preparation. Laboratory fee of $50. One lecture hour and two laboratory hours per week.
660 [141] Food Service Systems Management (2). Permission of the instructor required for non-majors. Basic concepts of institutional food service systems management applied to small and medium-sized health care facilities in the community.
661L Food Service Systems Management Experience (1). Prerequisite or corequisite, NUTR 660. This is a food service management practicum that applies the basic concepts of institutional food service systems. Two laboratory hours per week.
670 [142] Food Production, Processing, and Packaging (2). Prerequisite, NUTR 400 or equivalent. Impact of all parts of food industry on availability and nutritive value of foods, and food safety.
680 [150] Nutrition Policy and Programs (2). Prerequisite, NUTR 240. Introduction to program and policy approaches for improving nutritional status of populations. Broad basis and rationale for nutrition policy introduced. Design, implementation of relevant food, nutrition, and health programs examined.
692H Honors Research in Nutrition (3). Permission required from the faculty research director. Directed readings or laboratory study of a selected topic. Requires a written proposal to be submitted to and approved by the B.S.P.H. Committee and faculty research director. A written report is required. May be taken more than once for credit. Six laboratory hours per week.
695 Nutrition Research (1–9). Permission of the instructor. Individual arrangements with faculty for bachelor and master students to participate in ongoing research.
696 Readings in Nutrition (1–9). Permission of the instructor. Reading and tutorial guidance in special areas of nutrition.