Program and Curriculum
Advisor: Colleen Payton, Program Director of Public Health
Students majoring in public health can pursue a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. In both tracks, students gain skills in nine core Public Health courses in addition to a minimum of two additional public health units that cover the key elements of the discipline. Students may also receive a Minor in Public Health.
The Public Health program is also offering a new 3-year degree option in either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees in Public Health. Students who pursue the 3-year program may have cost savings ranging from $52,099 to $57,246 related to fees and room and board.
Example of 3-year course schedule
Fall
- HLTP 110 Introduction to Public Health
- HLTP 189 Biostatistics for Health
- Interdisciplinary elective
- LinC or free elective
Spring
- HLTP 289 Social Determinants of Health
- Interdisciplinary elective
- LinC or free elective
- LinC or free elective
May, Summer 1, and Summer 2
- LinC or free elective
- LinC or free elective
- LinC or free elective
Fall
- HLTP 240 Essentials of Health Behavior
- Public Health elective
- Interdisciplinary elective
- LinC or free elective
Winter
- LinC or free elective
Spring
- HLTP 230 Epidemiology
- HLTP 315 Health Policy
- Interdisciplinary elective
- LinC or free elective
May, Summer 1, and Summer 2
- LinC or free elective
- LinC or free elective
- LinC or free elective
Fall
- HLTP 321 Global Health
- Public Health elective
- Interdisciplinary elective
- LinC or free elective
Winter
- LinC or free elective
Spring
- HLTP 330 Environmental Health
- HLTP 340 Health Program Planning and Evaluation
- LinC or free elective
- LinC or free elective
Public Health Courses
Public Health Core Courses (9 units)
- HLTP 110 Introduction to Public Health (M4)
- HLTP 189 Biostatistics for Health (F2)
- HLTP 230 Epidemiology
- HLTP 240 Essentials of Health Behavior
- HLTP 289/291 Social Determinants of Health
- HLTP 315 Health Policy
- HLTP 321 Global Health (M5)
- HLTP 330 Environmental Health
- HLTP 340 Health Program Planning and Evaluation (WI)
Public Health Elective Requirements (choose 2 units*)
- HLTP 112 Sustainability in Public Health
- HLTP 120 Maternal and Child Health
- HLTP 125 Introduction to Health Humanities
- HLTP 185 Service in Public Health
- HLTP 186 Health Without Borders
- HLTP 198 Gun Violence Prevention and Policy
- HLTP 231 Nutrition for Health (U1)
- HLTP 242 Health and Housing
- HLTP 246 Modern Environmental Health Hazards
- HLTP 252 Literature and Medical Humanities (U1)
- HTLP 253 Storytelling in Health and Medicine
- HLTP 260 Moral Injury: Public Health Crisis (U2)
- HLTP 386/387 Internship
- Independent studies or special topics
-and/or-
- BIOL, CHEM, EASC, ENVR, MATH, PHYS, ACCT, ECON, HIST, HLTR, MGMT, PHIL, POSC, PSYC, REL, SOC, or SPAN, beyond those that apply toward the 5 BS or BA interdisciplinary units and with the approval of the public health program director**
* Note that the two units for this requirement cannot double dip across the core or interdisciplinary requirements of the applicable public health curriculum.
**Courses should be one of those already approved to meet the BA or BS interdisciplinary requirements, unless approved by the public health program director
Interdisciplinary Electives (5 units)
The Bachelor of Arts in Public Health (BAPH) and the Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) degrees are distinguished by the interdisciplinary electives chosen by students, who will select five units from specified courses in:
Bachelor of Arts
- Accounting - ACT 157
- Economics - ECON 152, 211
- History - HIST 220, 260, 270, 299ST (or equivalent)
- Management - MGMT 223, 227, 250, 251, 253, 310, 311
- Philosophy - PHIL 250, 255, 257, 259, 275, 279
- Political Science - POSC 110, 115, 120, 237, 240
- Psychology - PSYC 120, 207, 218, 340,*** 362***
- Sociology - SOC 113, 115, 165 (also IDIS 165), 210, 251, 256, 258, 260, 293, 392, 395
- Spanish - SPAN 111, 120/125
- Other ACCT, ECON, HIST, MGMT, PHIL, POSC, PSYC, REL, SOC, or SPAN courses by approval of public health program director
Bachelor of Science
- Biology - BIOL 103, 104 (or 310, 350), 112, 205, 206, 209, 210, 235, 263, 310, 327, 328, (37X approved by director)
- Chemistry - CHEM 108, 113, 114, 205, 211, 212, 314 (or equivalents)
- Earth Science - EASC 210
- Environmental Science - ENVR 112
- Health Sciences - HLTR 150, 254, 260, 261, 270, 295, 355, 360, 385
- Mathematics - MATH 171, 231, 332 (or any MATH other MATH at the 200 or 300 assuming no restrictions)
- Physics - PHYS 109, 110, 111, 112
- Other BIOL, CHEM, EASC, ENVR, HLTR, MATH, PHYS courses by approval of public health program director
***Note that HLTR/HLTP 310 (Health Research Methods) or Biostatistics and Epidemiology need to be completed prior to course enrollment.
TOTAL (16 units)
Public Health Minor Requirements
Required Public Health Courses of All Public Health Minors (2 units)
- HLTP 110 Introduction to Public Health (M4*)
- HLTP 230 Epidemiology
Elective Public Health Courses for Public Health Minors (choose 3 units)
- HLTP 112 Sustainability in Public Health
- HLTP 120 Maternal and Child Health
- HLTP 125 Introduction to Health Humanities
- HLTP 185 Service in Public Health
- HLTP 186 Health Without Borders
- HLTP 189 Biostatistics for Health (F2)
- HLTP 196 Family Health Policy Development
- HLTP 198 Gun Violence Prevention and Policy
- HLTP 231 Nutrition for Health (U1)
- HLTP 240 Essentials of Health Behaviors
- HLTP 242 Health and Housing
- HLTP 246 Modern Environmental Health Hazards
- HLTP 252 Literature and Medical Humanities (U1)
- HLTP 253 Storytelling in Health and Medicine
- HLTP 260 Moral Injury: Public Health Crisis (U2)
- HLTP 289 Social Determinants of Health
- HLTP 315 Health Policy
- HLTP 321 Global Health (M5) or HLTH 322 Populations at High Risk for Health Problems (M5)
- HLTP 330 Environmental Health
- HLTP 340 Health Program Planning and Evaluation (WI)
- HLTP 386/387 Internship in Public Health
- Additional HLTP classes as approved by the public health program director
Course Descriptions
HLTP 110. Introduction to Public Health. This course explores the multidimensional aspects of public health in the United States, with a particular emphasis on social and economic factors that affect morbidity and mortality. Current practices and policies designed to improve population health will be discussed. Public health professional practice is diverse due to multiple cultures, environments, and health care delivery systems in the 21st century United States. Students will gain an understanding of the many fields, disciplines and issues that are public health. Prerequisite: none. (PTK: Social Systems) (M4)(Equity and Inclusion)
HLTP 112. Sustainability and Public Health. This course introduces students to key sustainability issues through the lens of public health prevention and planning. Students will gain an understanding of the complex relationship between the environment, socioeconomics, and disease, as well as potential strategies for addressing key sustainability issues at a local and global level. The curriculum focuses on the following public health topics: sustainability history, culture and ethics, consumption and consumerism, food systems, food security, water resources, water pollution, waste management, climate change, climate justice, and environmental policy. Prerequisite: none.
HLTP 120. Maternal and Child Health from a Public Health Perspective. This course introduces students to the health conditions impacting pregnant persons, newborns, infants, children, and their families from a life course perspective. The curriculum focuses on the history of maternal and child health, the global burden of disease, and current policies and programs that seek to promote health for this population. Students will explore maternal and child health data from developing and developed countries and apply epidemiological methods. Prerequisite: none.
HLTP 125. Introduction to Health Humanities. (Also ENGL/HHUM 125) Health humanities is the study of wellness and illness as shared human experiences arising from, and influenced by, culture, politics, art, technology, and the environment. This interdisciplinary course explores the methods of the Health Humanities (close reading, contextualization, intervention) in the arts (literature, theater, film, and visual arts) and humanities (literature, philosophy, religion, history) using texts that explore the themes of health and illness. Prerequisites: None. (M2)
HLTP 185. Service in Public Health. Partnering with the 糖心logo入口 Center for Career and Civic Engagement, students will contribute to the health and well-being of individuals and populations by serving community-based organizations and initiatives. As an integral part of service learning, students will reflect and present on their experiences and share ideas for capacity building and service improvements. Prerequisite: Approval of the public health program director. (Beyond the Classroom)(Ethical Deliberation)(Public Speaking)
HLTP 186. Health Without Borders. This course introduces students to key public health concepts related to immigrant and refugee health. The curriculum focuses on the following global health topics: definitions for immigrant populations, causes of conflict, surveillance of communicable and noncommunicable diseases, mental health, vaccination and food aid programs, cultural humility, health policy and advocacy, and coordination of social services. The course examines important health challenges for immigrants and refugees as well as potential strategies towards improving health outcomes. Prerequisite: none.
HLTP 189 Biostatistics. This course introduces students to the key statistical concepts and methods used in public health and health sciences. The curriculum focuses on the following biostatistical topics: measurement, descriptive and graphical analysis, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals, correlation, analysis of variance, regression analysis, and writing and interpreting statistics. A major component of the course includes learning how to manage, analyze, interpret, and communicate quantitative health findings. Another major component of the course includes learning how to utilize SPSS, which is one of the leading statistical software packages for public health. This course prepares students to be a good consumer of health research. Students will apply ethical principles to data collection and recognize the importance of limitations based on study design. Prerequisite: none. (PTK: Logic and Reasoning) (F2)(Quantitative Reasoning)
HLTP 230. Epidemiology. This course introduces students to the key concepts and methods used in epidemiology, the study of the distribution and determinants of health and disease within a defined population. The curriculum focuses on the following epidemiological topics: historical and contemporary applications; measures of morbidity and mortality; descriptive epidemiology; study design; interpreting and visualizing data; surveillance and outbreak investigation. This course examines the biological, behavioral, sociocultural and environmental factors associated with the etiology and distribution of health and disease. Prerequisites: none. (PTK: Scientific Process)
HLTP 231. Nutrition for Health. (Also HLTR/NURS 231) Is an introduction to the science of nutrition with emphasis on applications for the allied health professions. As such, focus will be on the nutrient needs of the body, the processes by which nutrients are obtained and processed, and the foods that meet these needs in selected social, environmental, cultural, and performance contexts. The course is designed for students entering professional fields such as nursing, physical or occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, athletic training, and public health which require a functional understanding of the relationship between nutrition and health or performance. Students will be introduced to tools and techniques of the field by completing an individual dietary assessment and consulting robust scientific literature to answer discipline-specific questions. (U1)
HLTP 240. Essentials of Health Behavior. This course is an introduction to the philosophies, settings, theories, and models of health promotion and behavior. The course explores how behaviors are influenced by individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, policy, and societal factors. Health promotion integrates theories and models from diverse disciplines to improve our understanding of health behaviors and conditions. Applicable health promotion theories and models are applied to predict, explain, and transform health behavior, and examples of health behavior/promotion projects and initiatives will be reviewed and analyzed. (PTK: Social Systems)
HLTP 242. Health and Housing. This 3-week (May term) asynchronous online course examines the relationship between housing and health with a focus on housing affordability as well as quality. Housing as a social justice issue will be explored through the examination of populations affected and policies that impede or improve access to affordable, livable housing. Students will critically examine the current housing crisis and factors that led to the rise of homelessness in the United States. Students will apply their knowledge to develop potential solutions to housing insecurity and its impact on individual and population health. No Prerequisites.
HLTP 246. Modern Environmental Health Hazards. This course examines the complex and interdependent relationship between environment and health outcomes, with a focus on emerging and reemerging environmental threats. Some topics include: effects of urbanization and demographic shifts on incidence of infectious disease; priority diseases from air, water, food, occupational, and clinical origins; novel chemical hazards, including 鈥渇orever chemicals鈥; and regulatory, societal, and economic influences on the prevalence of environmental disasters and disparities. No Prerequisites.
HLTP 252. Literature and Health: Perspectives of Illness and Healing. (Also HHUM 252, ENGL 252) Lucille Clifton states, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 write because I have a mission to heal the world. My mission is to heal Lucille if I can, as much as I can.鈥 Writing offers Clifton a medium through which she can enact a form of healing and self-preservation. Similarly, illness narratives communicate the embodied and disembodied experiences of people living with sickness, disease, and illness in an effort to make sense of their changing bodies, lives, and identities. This reading intensive course explores health, wellness, and illness narratives through a sustained engagement with non-fiction and imaginary literature. Prerequisite: LinC 101 or equivalent plus junior or senior class standing. (U1)
HLTP 253. Storytelling in Health and Medicine. Graphic narrative, fotonovela, podcasts and digital storytelling are ways that students, health professionals, patients, and the community can develop an understanding of complex health and social issues. Graphic medicine, a form of graphic narrative, is an emerging strategy in medical education that enables students to reflect upon the challenges faced in encountering patients and colleagues during difficult situations. This strategy can also be used in other professions tackling challenging personal, interpersonal, and social issues. Fotonovelas and digital storytelling are strategies that have been used to communicate health messages as well as stories of social injustice. Podcasts have become a standard medium to convey information and raise awareness about issues of interest to their listeners. Through this course students will develop skills in using these media to not only communicate complex health messages, but also to examine social issues in a very complex world. Prerequisites: None (PTK: Creativity)
HLTP 260. Moral Injury. (also REL/NURS 260) Moral Injury has been defined as 鈥渢he inevitable outcome of moral engagement with the reality of war and killing,鈥 (Antal and Winings: 2015) and as 鈥渢he result of participation in the moral distortion of the world created by war鈥 (Denton-Borhaug: 2021). In this course participants will explore and analyze moral injury through multidisciplinary methods including public 鈥渨hole鈥 health, spiritual, philosophical and theological frameworks, the arts and humanities, as well as through diverse social and physical scientific paradigms/methods. Our aim will be to illuminate increased understanding of the individual experience of moral injury; analyze the relationship between moral injury and U.S. War-culture; and engage in reflective moral deliberation regarding what the phenomenon of moral injury requires of us as individuals, citizens, people with religious (or no-religious) identities, and members of diverse moral communities. (U2)
HLTP 289. Social Determinants of Health. This course reviews the association between social factors and health from an individual, community, and systems perspectives. Key social determinants of health covered during the course include income, wealth, education, food insecurity, housing, empowerment, and social exclusion. Social and economic conditions are the best predictors of health outcomes. Students will learn why a person鈥檚 zip code is a better predictor of health than genetic code. Students are introduced to emerging research on the social determinants of health. Prerequisite: none. (PTK: Social Systems)
HLTP 315. Health Policy. This course explores health policy from the perspectives of health care delivery and public health. It provides students with an overview of policy making and law, the United States healthcare system, and the role of law in optimizing health. Individual rights, paternalism, health economics, health care reform, health quality, and social justice issues will be discussed. Prerequisites: HLTP 110 or Instructor's permission. (PTK: Social Systems)
HLTP 321. Global Health. (also NURS 321) This course introduces students to key global health concepts and the critical links between health, disease, and socio-economic development. The curriculum focuses on the following global health topics: goals, measurements, and health disparities; maternal and child health; communicable and noncommunicable diseases; refugee health; environmental health; complex humanitarian emergencies; political and cultural influences on health; and careers in global health. The course examines important global health challenges and potential strategies towards improving health outcomes. Prerequisites: HLTP 110 or Instructor's permission. (PTK: Global Connections)(M5)(Equity and Inclusion)(Intercultural and Linguistic Competencies)
HLTP 330. Environmental Health. (also Environmental Studies 330) This course addresses key areas of environmental health. Environmental epidemiology, environmental toxicology, and environmental policy and regulation are discussed as tools necessary to understand and promote environmental health. Specific agents of environmental diseases are analyzed. Applications of environmental health are explored, including water and air quality, food safety, waste disposal, occupational health, and unintentional injuries and death. Prerequisites: HLTP 110 or ENVR 110 or 112. (PTK: Scientific Process)
HLTP 340. Health Program Planning and Evaluation. (also Nursing 340) This course introduces students to the theory and application of public health program planning, implementation, and evaluation. The curriculum focuses on community needs assessment, partnership building, designing clear objectives, developing a strategic plan, implementing culturally competent interventions, formative and summative evaluation, and sustainability of programs. Students will design their own public health program and evaluation plan using a logic model and public health planning models. Prerequisites: HLTP 110 or Nursing 115. (Connections)
HLTP 190-199, 290-299, 390-399. Special Topics.
HLTP 286, 381-383. Independent Study.
HLTP 384. Independent Research.
HLTP 386/387. Internship in Public Health. During the course, students apply their public health skills by completing an internship. This seminar consists of weekly discussions and assignments developed for students to think about their internship, career goals, and professional development. Fitting internship, graduate school, and/or career opportunities are identified. Elevator pitch, public speaking, community engagement, resume writing, and interview skills are developed and evaluated. Prerequisites: HLTP 110, 218, 230, 240, or instructor鈥檚 approval. (Beyond the Classroom) (Public Speaking)
HLTP 400-401. Honors.
Contact

Dr. Colleen Payton PhD, MPH, CPH, MCHES
Associate Professor
Director of the Public Health Program
paytonc@moravian.edu
Location: 1107 Main St, Bethlehem, PA 18018
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