Course Descriptions

Doctoral

Course Descriptions

HUMN 8000 Foundations of Human Services (1 cr.)
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. It provides a foundation for academic and professional success as a scholar-practitioner and social change agent. Course assignments focus on practical application of writing and critical thinking skills and promote professional and academic excellence. Major assignments include the preparation of the Professional Development Plan, program of study, and a sample KAM Learning Agreement.

HUMN 8150 History and Development of Human Services (5 cr.)
This course is designed to provide a doctoral foundation in the history and development of the various human services professions. It integrates information from various specializations, in areas such as counseling, social work, psychology, family studies, and criminal justice. Examining both the strengths and weaknesses of the human services delivery systems, students will review the origins of the profession as well as its various responses to the changing needs of society. Through critical literature reviews related to research, policy, and practice; discussions about human services and contemporary society; and course assignments, students can begin to develop their identities as leaders, researchers, and best practices informants in the area of human services. This course focuses on the competencies and ethics of human services professionals.

HUMN 8151 Human Services Theory, Research, and Practice (5 cr.)
Understanding how theory, research, and practice are connected is a vital skill for the human services scholar-practitioner. In this course, students critically review traditional and contemporary theories in human services and how they inform practice. In addition, students examine the strengths and weaknesses of the existing body of research in serving a dynamic society, placing special emphasis on cultural bias and traditional theory. Throughout the course, students review how theories and research studies apply to communities, individuals, problems, and policies. The course culminates with the development of a conceptual framework to address a critical issue in human services practice.

HUMN 8152 Human Services Administration (5 cr.)
Diminishing resources are compounding the societal challenges facing human services agencies today. In this course, students will examine the core competencies that human service administrators need in order to address these challenges and make a greater difference in the communities they serve. A broad range of skills and innovative approaches will be discussed, including cross-agency collaboration, stakeholder communication, supervision of people and processes, creation and implementation of policies, and strategic planning and management. Through course discussions, applications, and critical literature reviews, students can demonstrate knowledge and skills that are directly translatable to their current work environment.

HUMN 8420 Organizational Management and Leadership (5 cr.)
Public and nonprofit leaders require a deep understanding of their roles as leaders and managers of diverse and complex organizations. This course examines from theoretical and applied perspectives the distinction between leadership and management, organizational culture, change management, systems theories, and organizational development. Students apply principles to public, private, and nonprofit organizational settings.

RSCH 8100 Research Theory, Design, and Methods (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for understanding, analyzing, and designing research at the doctoral level. Students explore the philosophy of science, the importance of theory in research, and research processes. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research designs and methods are introduced. Ethical and social change implications of conducting research, producing knowledge, and engaging in scholarship are emphasized. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing elements of simple research plans.

HUMN 8660 Social Change, Leadership, and Advocacy for Counseling and Human Services Professionals (5 cr.)
This course is designed to enhance students’ understanding of the responsibility of counselor educators to foster social change, provide leadership and service to the counseling and human service professional, and advocate for their community, clients, students, and profession. Students will use current research to examine the current trends and issues of the profession and identify how community, national, and international issues affect the counseling and human services profession. Students also will understand the processes of advocacy and social change. In addition, students will continue to enhance their professional development plans by identifying specific goals for professional involvement and service.

RSCH 8200 Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for designing quantitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding data analysis and applying statistical concepts. Students explore classical quantitative research designs and common statistical tests, the importance of quality assurance, and ethical and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. This course approaches statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting appropriate statistical tests for a research design. Students use statistical software to calculate statistics and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a quantitative research plan. (Prerequisites: RSCH 8100.)

HUMN 8405 Ethics and Social Justice (5 cr.)
Ethics is a foundational element of leadership. Leaders face increasingly complex social and political challenges as they seek to meet the needs of diverse constituents. This course explores ethics and social justice related to economic disparity, power, and privilege. Students use demographic data, current social trends, and themes to understand, analyze, and address ethical and social justice issues that impact service delivery in a global community.

HUMN XXXX Culture and Psychology (5 cr.)
This course explores the cultural components, research, and theory of cross-cultural psychology. In addition to the previously listed goals, this course focuses on the impact that culture has on the field of psychology around the world. The scope of this course is broad, with the core theme being cross-cultural psychology (focusing on cultures representing different parts of the world) and comparing cultural influence on human psychology. Many of the topics addressed in the course are related to human development. Additionally, interactions between culture and social behaviors, health, mental health, and mental illnesses are emphasized throughout the duration of this course.

RSCH 8300 Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course provides students with core knowledge and skills for designing qualitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding data analysis. Students explore the nature of qualitative inquiry; fieldwork strategies and the nature of observation; theoretical approaches to qualitative research; the importance of quality assurance; and the ethical, legal, and social change implications of conducting qualitative research and producing knowledge. Students use software to code data and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a qualitative research plan.

HUMN 8550 Writing a Quality Prospectus (5 cr.)
This course is focused specifically on the process of writing the dissertation prospectus. Students will use their preliminary research plan, developed previously, and develop a problem statement, to be used in the dissertation. They will further refine the problem statement and carry out the planning and the library research that will bring them to the formulation of a dissertation prospectus. The prospectus is a brief paper, typically 15–20 pages in length, that lays out the background for the problem statement, the problem statement itself, a survey of the relevant literature, typically 25–75 references, and a research, implementation, and evaluation plan for the solution of the problem.

RSCH 8250 Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course builds upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8200 Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis and provides experience applying them. It provides students with more specialized knowledge and skills for designing quantitative research at the doctoral level, including understanding multivariate data analysis and applying more advanced statistical concepts. Students explore comprehensive quantitative research designs and suitable statistical tests, the importance of quality assurance, and ethical considerations and social change implications of conducting quantitative research and producing knowledge. This course approaches statistics from a problem-solving perspective with emphasis on selecting the appropriate research design and statistical tests for more complex research questions or problems. Students use statistical software to perform analyses and interpret and present results. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a quantitative research plan. (Prerequisites: RSCH 8200.)

RSCH 8350 Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course builds upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8300 Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis and provides experience applying them. It provides students with more specialized knowledge and skills within each of the common qualitative traditions for designing qualitative research at the doctoral level. Students explore more complex qualitative research designs and analyses; multiple approaches to coding and organizing data; core components of a qualitative write-up; the importance of quality assurance; and the ethical considerations and social change implications of conducting qualitative research and producing knowledge. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a qualitative research plan. (Prerequisites: RSCH 8300.)

RSCH 8450 Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis (4 cr.)
This research course builds upon knowledge and skills acquired in RSCH 8200 Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis and 8300 Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis. It provides students with more specialized knowledge and skills for designing mixed-methods research at the doctoral level. Students gain an understanding of the types of mixed-methods designs and how to select the most appropriate approach for the research question. The course emphasizes integrating quantitative and qualitative elements into true mixed-methods studies, practice in data analysis, and integration of qualitative and quantitative data within a research write-up. Reliability and validity in mixed-methods approaches will be highlighted. Students will apply and synthesize their knowledge and skills by developing a truly mixed-methods research plan that appropriately incorporates qualitative and quantitative elements. (Prerequisites: RSCH 8200 and RSCH 8300.)

HUMN 8431 Finance and Budgeting for the Public Sector (5 cr.)
Sound financial practices are crucial to managing scarce funds in the public sector. This course examines finance and budgeting concepts, policies, and practices related to organizations, as well as the fiscal climate within which they operate. Students gain an understanding of theories underlying fiscal policy; they read and analyze budgets, financial statements, and financial reports. Other topics include the use of auditing practices, tax systems, financial management, budgetary reform, and financial technology systems specific to government organizations. Students apply what they learn to developing budget and financial projects relevant to public organizations.

HUMN 9001 Dissertation (3 cr.)
This course offers doctoral students the opportunity to integrate their program of study into an in-depth exploration of an interest area that includes the completion of a research study. Students complete the dissertation independently, with the guidance of a dissertation supervisory committee chair and committee members. Students complete a prospectus, proposal, Institutional Review Board application, and dissertation. Once students register for HUMN 9001, they are registered each term until successful completion of the dissertation. (Prerequisites: Core KAMs, RSCH 8100U, RSCH 8200U, and RSCH 8300U.)

Clinical Social Work Specialization

HUMN 8110 Advanced Social Work Theory and Practice (5 cr.)
One of the primary focuses of social work is to promote social justice within a diverse society. This course focuses on an advanced exploration of traditional and contemporary clinical social work theories for providing culturally and contextually relevant services to individuals and families. Students examine social work theories in a way that informs clinical practice, and discuss the role of the social worker in social issues at the macro and micro levels. Students evaluate existing practices and policies with the goal of designing and implementing more effective practices and policies that positively impact the individual, the community, and society at large.

HUMN 8337 Techniques of Counseling (5 cr.)
This course focuses on principles and skills related to interviewing and observation, as well as related legal, ethical, and cultural issues. Students gain practice in conducting interviews, making behavioral observations, collecting and interpreting data during an interview, and developing written reports of findings. Note: In addition to the course materials listed by the university bookstore, this course also requires that students have access to a video recording device, a tripod, and an audio recording device, which they will begin using the first week of class.

HUMN 8723 Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories (5 cr.)
This course summarizes the history and explores the primary concepts of the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy in current use. The empirical foundations of each theory are examined, and examples are supplied showing how each method is applied to clients. Limitations of each approach are also explored.

HUMN 8356 Theories and Techniques in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling (5 cr.)
This course provides students with an advanced understanding of theories and techniques for working with couples, marriages, and families. The focus of this course is on empirically supported treatments and techniques for addressing prevention, intervention, development, and wellness of marriages, couples, and families. Systemic implications for conceptualization, assessment, treatment planning, and interventions will be addressed. Students will be exposed to procedures for critically evaluating relevant research and to methods for applying findings to their counseling with these groups. Methods of adapting models to meet the needs of a diverse society as well as legal and ethical issues related to working in this specialty area will be explored.

HUMN 8700 Psychology and Social Change (5 cr.)
This course focuses on the theories of social and personal change. Topics include power and social inequalities, ethnic inequalities, global environment and social change, issues related to gender and sexism, and homophobia. In addition, students are presented with impact of social change theories on children, families, and societies. The concepts of change agent and change advocate are explored as well as the role of the psychologist as change agent.

HUMN 8240 Human Motivation (5 cr.)
This course provides an overview of physiological, psychological, and social aspects in the study of motivation and includes an exploration of historical and contemporary theories and perspectives. The course emphasizes both conceptual understanding of theories associated with motivation and their applications to personal, professional, and social issues. Major topics include physiological, learned, cognitive, and emotional aspects of motivation. Themes of diversity are threaded throughout the course.

HUMN 8785 Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation (5 cr.)
This course is designed to prepare students for their roles as counselors in prevention, intervention, and consultation endeavors with specific populations in specific settings. Using an action research model, students will prepare a blueprint for a prevention, intervention, or consultation project for a community, agency, or organization.

HUMN 8729 Substance Abuse Counseling (5 cr.)
This course examines psychological aspects of addictions involving alcohol, prescription medications, and illegal substances. Current research in the field of dependency and addiction is explored. Topics include diagnosis, models of treatment, treatment planning, use of group and family treatment plans, and efficacy of treatment. Strategies to promote change, including the transtheoretical model of behavior change, are discussed.

Counseling Specialization

HUMN Lifespan Development (5 cr.)
This course provides students with an overview of development through the lifespan, including childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and aging experiences. Physical, social, emotional, and cognitive issues are covered, as well as the expected developmental milestones during each of these phases of development. The latest research in attachment theory, brain research, and aging is included, and themes of diversity issues related to developmental research are highlighted throughout the course.

HUMN Multicultural Counseling (5 cr.)
This course is designed to increase students’ awareness and knowledge of, and skills related to, multicultural counseling and the delivery of psychological services. Students explore diversity and identity issues and discuss their impact on the therapeutic relationship. The application of traditional theoretical orientations and current multicultural theories to culturally diverse groups is addressed. Topics include race and ethnicity, sex and gender, sexual orientation, social class, and age and ability. (Prerequisites: Counseling Residency I.)

HUMN Ethics and Legal Issues in Counseling (5 cr.)
This course provides students with an introduction to the field of professional counseling and the foundations of counseling. The course addresses the following topics: history, philosophy, client and counselor advocacy with an emphasis on the counselor’s role as social change agent, cultural dynamics, consultation, and trends in professional counseling. The counseling profession’s ethical standards are also addressed with an emphasis on the American Counseling Association (ACA) code of ethics and counselor ethical decision-making processes.

Criminal Justice Specialization

HUMN 8350 Historical and Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice (5 cr.)
This course looks at the evolution of crime—from lone criminals to worldwide syndicates—using the scientific rigor built into the selected readings and discussions. Among the topics examined are the philosophy of community- and problem-oriented policing, transnational crime, terrorism, and the new nexus between them. The course equips current and future leaders with the knowledge and depth of understanding to assess and manage the opportunities, innovations, and challenges in their profession.

HUMN 8511 Treatment of Forensic Populations (5 cr.)
This course provides students with the basic knowledge necessary to evaluate and subsequently treat many different forensic populations. Various forensic populations such as sex offenders, substance abusers, victims of crime, and employee assistance to law enforcement personnel will be covered. The use of traditional forms of intervention, such as individual and group psychotherapy, as well as recent developments in intervention, such as restorative justice, will be addressed.

HUMN 8513 Juvenile Justice, Delinquency, and Development (5 cr.)
The focus of this course is on the various aspects of the juvenile justice system and the population that it serves. As such, a thorough understanding of normal juvenile development is provided as a backdrop in which to better apply current juvenile justice codes and case law. The changing landscape of the juvenile justice field based on current research with its population will be covered.

HUMN Forensic Applications in Community Settings (5 cr.)
This course is directed at the application of forensic psychology to various community settings. An emphasis is placed on working with offenders upon re-entry to the community and offenders who receive nonincarceration community placements. However, this course will also explore less-common applications such as restorative justice and community crime prevention.

HUMN 8351 Policy Analysis in the Criminal Justice System(5 cr.)
This course reviews key court decisions and explores the tension between constitutionally guaranteed individual rights and crime-prevention and public-safety efforts. The course also covers policy analysis and planning in the criminal justice field, and offers an understanding of the policy context in which the criminal justice system functions.

HUMN 8352 Leadership: Putting Theory Into Practice in Criminal Justice Administration (5 cr.)
This course introduces students to the problems that currently confront the administration of the criminal justice system, as well as problems predicted for the future. So that students are prepared to lead efforts to address these challenges, this course offers powerful models for strategic, critical, and reflective thinking. This course also immerses students in discussion about the major components of effective justice administration: organizational thought and theory, leadership, human capital, policy development and implementation, and collaboration with other public safety and community organizations.

HUMN 8319 Terrorism: A Systemic Approach for Emergency Preparedness(5 cr.)
This course provides participants with an overview of terrorism—local, national, and international—and the need to develop a systemic approach for emergency preparedness. Topics include, but are not limited to, terrorism overview, terrorism and public health, bioterrorism, biosecurity, cyberterrorism, risk assessment, implications for public health, and components of a systemic preparedness infrastructure. Course participants begin the development and/or analysis of a terrorism preparedness infrastructure, and participate in online discussions.

Disaster, Crisis, and Intervention Specialization

HUMN 8740 Disaster, Crisis, and Trauma (5 cr.)
This course examines disaster, crisis, and trauma, and their psychological impact on individuals, families, and communities. Students apply assessment and intervention strategies to a broad range of topics, including terrorism and genocide, combat and war, natural disasters, school crises, childhood trauma, and sexual assault and partner violence. The course emphasizes the importance of culturally appropriate service delivery programs and interventions for individuals, families, and communities affected by disaster, crisis, and trauma.

HUMN 8145 Crisis Management (5 cr.)
In this course, counselor educators learn the fundamentals of crisis management and crisis leadership. In addition, students develop an understanding of the theories and models related to crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events. Students also learn about ethical, legal, and diversity considerations in crisis and trauma response. By the end of the course, students understand models for training and supporting other counselors in the areas of crisis response applicable to community, national, and international crises. Furthermore, students develop a crisis management plan for their own community.

HUMN 8338 Crisis, Trauma, and Disaster Response (5 cr.)
This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the systemic impact of crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events on marriages, couples, families, and households. Students are exposed to the knowledge, skills, and practices specific to crisis counseling, including: theories of crisis intervention; models for working with children and adolescents; working with victims of violence and their abusers; assessing and intervening with suicidal clients; issues of health-related, school, and mental health crises. Students will critically analyze research and learn methods for applying research findings to crisis intervention. Legal and ethical issues related to crisis counseling are explored.

HUMN 8785 Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation(5 cr.)
This course is designed to prepare students for their roles as counselors in prevention, intervention, and consultation endeavors with specific populations in specific settings. Using an action research model, students will prepare a blueprint for a prevention, intervention, or consultation project for a community, agency, or organization.

HUMN 8831 Critical Incident Leadership and Planning (5 cr.)
Strategic leadership is required to address the challenges and complexities of homeland security. To respond to critical incidents during and after they occur, leaders must plan tactically and understand how to obtain and mobilize resources. Students explore the roles of leaders related to activating and coordinating funding, personnel, jurisdictional issues, training, communication, information management, technology, and healthcare in order to create an effective response to homeland security needs. Course participants critically analyze case studies, identifying weaknesses and potential solutions.

HUMN 8741 Psychology of Terrorism (5 cr.)
This course explores terrorism from a psychological perspective. Topics include types of terrorism; contributing factors related to the development of terrorists and terrorist organizations; counterterrorism agencies, laws, and regulations; the impact of terrorist events on individuals, families, and communities; prevention, intervention, and postvention with survivors; media coverage of terrorist events; human rights and ethical issues; and future trends related to the psychology of terrorism. Students examine the threat of terrorism in their own community; evaluate the potential impact; and apply prevention, intervention, and postvention strategies to promote resiliency among individual and families within the community.

Family Studies and Intervention Strategies Specialization

HUMN 8202 Introduction to Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling (5 cr.)
This course introduces students to the specialty area of marriage, couple, and family counseling. Students are provided an orientation to professional organizations, preparation standards, and credentials relevant to the specialty area. Through this course, students will be exposed to the history, philosophy, and trends in marriage, couple, and family counseling. A variety of theoretical perspectives, techniques, and related concepts (e.g., systems, family development, wellness, and family life cycle) are reviewed. Societal trends and treatment issues related to working with multicultural and diverse family systems are explored. Legal and ethical issues related to working in this specialty area are addressed.

HUMN 8346 Child and Adolescent Counseling (5 cr.)
This course provides students with an overview of empirically supported theories and techniques for working with children and adolescents in the counseling process. The course is designed to enhance students’ theoretical and practical understanding of the systemic interplay among children, adolescents, families, and the stakeholders in their lives. Emphasis is given to a family systems view of intervention, with specific attention to developmental, cognitive, behavioral, educational, multicultural, and environmental issues. Students will be exposed to a distinct group of empirically supported interventions aimed at improving individual and family functioning. Legal and ethical issues related to counseling children and adolescents will be explored.

HUMN 8361 Human Sexuality (5 cr.)
This course provides students with framework for understanding human sexuality in the context of couple, marriage, and family counseling. This course explores empirically supported counseling approaches related to sexual functioning, intimacy, gender, and sexual orientation. Students are exposed to a systemic framework for understanding the role and impact of sexuality on couples, marriages, and families. Students will explore specific topics related to issues of sexual diversity, gender identity, sexual offending, trauma, and victimization. Legal and ethical issues related to addressing sexuality in counseling are addressed.

HUMN 8810 Community Psychology (5 cr.)
This course introduces students to the basic concepts and practice of community psychology. Guiding values and assumptions of the field, basic ecological concepts, and models of intervention are examined. Topics include diversity in community psychology, social change, primary and secondary prevention, community mental health, empowerment, stress, and resiliency.

Human Services Administration Specialization

HUMN 8750 Leadership Development (5 cr.)
Great leadership is enhanced by an understanding of the psychological principles of leader development. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the psychology of leadership and leader development. Topics include psychological theories of leadership, leadership styles, qualities of great leaders, and instruments used to assess leadership and leadership potential. Students apply psychological theories to understanding their own capacity for leadership.

HUMN 8213 Strategic Talent Management and Development (5 cr.)
This course explores how to leverage people in organizations to achieve business success and how to leverage business strategy to foster individual growth. Topics include talent acquisition and retention, workforce and succession planning, organizational communication, leadership, and performance management. Applications include the preparation of a strategic talent management and development audit and the development of an overall talent management and development strategy.

HUMN 8751 Leadership Coaching: Process and Practice (5 cr.)
The intent of leadership coaching is to facilitate psychological change that leads to goal attainment and enhanced performance. In this course, students apply evidence-based psychological approaches to coaching case studies. Topics include coaching roles and settings; skills and competencies; models and frameworks; and current issues and future trends. Students develop a plan for implementing coaching in a real-world setting.

HUMN 8752 Leadership Coaching: Application (5 cr.)
Effective leadership coaches must be fully capable of working with clients immersed in different organizational cultures that present unique challenges. In this course, students apply models, approaches, and frameworks; individual and team coaching strategies; and ethical guidelines to case studies related to coaching for leadership development. Students also examine characteristics, factors, and conditions that influence the effectiveness of coaching; assessment and evaluation; diversity considerations; and professional issues and challenges.

HUMN 8776 Transformative Change in a Shared-Power World (5 cr.)
This course engages students in collaborative study of the nature and methods of transformative change in the complex human systems of contemporary public organizations. Students learn a pragmatic action learning process for learning from the experience of transformative change in complex systems. The dynamics of complex adaptive systems are studied to gain an understanding of how large-scale and highly interrelated human systems change through self-organization. Appreciative inquiry and other selected methods of transformative change are studied and applied to a positive organizational change situation of special interest to the students. Students also develop professional action habits for pragmatic action learning in the practice of public administration.

HUMN 8111 Leadership and Organizational Change (5 cr.)
Organization is about groups getting things done for the benefit of multiple constituencies. Successful public sector organizations require high-caliber leaders who are accountable to those constituencies. Successful leaders must meet the challenges of rapid change and fluid organizational boundaries. This course draws on current and historical events, as well as the personal experiences of students, to explore the theory and practice of leadership and the important role of the leader in organizational change. By analyzing current leadership research and practice in a range of public sector settings, students will develop expertise in leadership in increasingly complex organizational contexts. Specific attention is given to ethical considerations, boundary-spanning functions, and the impact of leaders on positive social change.

HUMN 8785 Strategic Context of Public Management and Leadership (5 cr.)
This course engages learners in collaborative study of the changing strategic context of public administration. Learners apply a systems perspective to construct a public enterprise model of the public organization of their choice, as a way of understanding the strategic context for practical action and the stakeholder relations involved. This is an organization “mental model,” which is similar to a traditional “business model,” but which includes the three interrelated flows of money, knowledge, and influence. Emphasis in this course is on management and leading of the unknown—imagining and creating a future that works in a time of unprecedented and unpredictable change. Students apply strategic scenarios to organizational change for the public organization of special interest to them. Students also develop professional action habits for pragmatic action learning in the practice of public administration.

Public Health Specialization

HUMN 8200 Organizing Community Action for Health Promotion and Education (5 cr.)
This course explores leadership in the effective organization of communities, interagency collaborative efforts, and work sites for collective action regarding health promotion and education. Course topics include analysis of risk factors at the community, work site, local, state, national, and international levels. (Prerequisites: Foundational and core curricula.)

HUMN 8127 Biostatistics (4 cr.)
This course addresses the application and interpretation of biostatistics in public health research and practice, including descriptive methodologies, statistical inference and probability, analysis of variance, and simple linear regression. Students are introduced to a statistical computer package such as SPSS.

HUMN 8146 Epidemiology (4 cr.)
This course provides an epidemiological approach to the study of incidence, prevalence, and patterns of disease and injury in populations and the application of this study to the control of public health problems. Key sources of data for epidemiological purposes are identified, and principles and limitations of public health screening programs are addressed. Students learn to calculate basic epidemiological measures and to draw appropriate inferences from epidemiological data and reports. (Prerequisites: HUMN 8127.)

HUMN 8115 Social, Behavioral, and Cultural Factors in Public Health (4 cr.)
This course presents an examination and analysis of the major social, behavioral, and cultural variables and issues that affect the health of populations, including community, gender, age, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and environment, as well as behavioral risks. Research, theoretical, and conceptual frameworks from the social and behavioral sciences are explored as applied to public health problems and the reduction of health disparities.

HUMN 8010 Promoting Population Health (5 cr.)
This course concentrates on the social foundations for public health and the leadership and research skills needed for effectively organizing and conducting population-based disease prevention and health promotion programs. Topics include the social history of public health; determinants and risk factors for population health; policy analysis and advocacy; building coalitions, alliances, and consortiums; constituency and community mobilization; media communications; social marketing; community education strategies; and diverse populations as well as those with disproportionate disease burdens.

HUMN 8165 Environmental Health (4 cr.)
This course offers a study of the environmental factors that affect the health and safety of a community. Topics include causal links between chemical, physical, and biological hazards in the environment and their impact on health, and the genetic, physiologic, and psychosocial factors that influence environmentally compromised health outcomes. Environmental risk assessment methods, strategies for effective management and control of environmental exposures, and legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations at the federal, state, and local levels are explored. Examples of environmental threats including waste, water, air, vectors, and global warming are examined as well as issues related to bioterrorism and disaster preparedness and management.

Social Policy Analysis and Planning Specialization

HUMN 8451 Public Policy Analysis (5 cr.)
Public administrators today work in a hypercharged, partisan environment with unprecedented access to public policy data. This challenging environment affords public administrators both extraordinary opportunities and severe constraints. This course examines, in detail, the key stakeholders and actors in the public policy process with particular attention devoted to understanding the functions, impacts, and constraints of these stakeholders upon policy development and the policy-making process. In addition, the course explores professional ethics related to the role of the policy analyst and considers the significant social outcomes of public policy. It provides an introduction to the theories and strategies used by policy-makers and policy analysts to develop, implement, execute, evaluate, and promulgate public policy. Students explore the impact and consequences of public policy and consider and evaluate policy in a social justice framework. Students craft a policy memorandum to a decision-maker of their choosing regarding a current public policy problem that examines and evaluates competing policy alternatives.

HUMN 8351 Policy Analysis in the Criminal Justice System (5 cr.)
This course reviews key court decisions and explores the tension between constitutionally guaranteed individual rights and crime-prevention and public-safety efforts. The course also covers policy analysis and planning in the criminal justice field, and offers an understanding of the policy context in which the criminal justice system functions.

HUMN 8461 Public Sector Economics (5 cr.)
The economy affects every aspect of daily life. In this course students gain an understanding of public sector economics at the local, state, and national levels. Topics include the role of the government in the market economy including the government’s redistributive role; factors affecting the economy; sources of government revenue; the relationship of public goods and the economy; programs and services funded by the government; alternative forms of delivery of programs and services; and the interaction and interconnectedness of the US and global economy. Students apply concepts, processes, and systems related to public sector economics to a specific government program or service.

HUMN 8465 Strategic Planning: Collaboration, Cooperation, and Coordination (5 cr.)
In an increasingly complex world, leaders and managers in public and nonprofit organizations need to be strategic in their planning in order to fulfill the organizational mission and enhance stakeholder satisfaction. This course explores the role and process of strategic planning with an appreciation for collaboration, cooperation, and coordination as they relate to the strategic planning process. Students will apply these concepts to real-life situations and organizations and develop a strategic plan.

HUMN 8809 Fundamentals of Law and Public Policy (5 cr.)
Legal decisions and the law have an impact on the creation of public policy. This course explores the relationship between law and public policy and the significance of court decisions on law and public policy. Students examine the role of administrative agencies in the creation and execution of law and public policy and the role of the courts in resolving challenges to agency rulemaking; conflicts between executive and legislative branches of government; and conflicts between and among federal, state, and local laws. Students apply fundamental legal concepts and processes to the creation and execution of law and public policy.

HUMN 8811 Legal Research for Policy Practitioners (5 cr.)
There is a wealth of vital legal knowledge available to public policy practitioners. In this course, students are introduced to a number of print and electronic resources available for legal research and gain an understanding of how the law is used to inform the creation of public policy. Topics include navigating legal libraries, citing cases, and the use of research to support public policy. Students apply legal research to case studies and contemporary issues.

HUMN 8812 Contemporary Cases and Issues in the Courts (5 cr.)
Major issues in the Supreme Court have an impact on public policy at the state and local level. This course examines major U.S. Supreme Court decisions and explores how these decisions can affect public policy. Topics include individual rights, property rights, administrative law, immigration law, and foreign policy. Students apply legal research and verdicts to case studies and current issues.

HUMN 8912 Mental Health Law (5 cr.)
This course examines several different aspects of the law related to mental health issues. Laws and court decisions that affect the practice of psychology—such as the Tarasoff ruling, mandated reporting, and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)—are addressed, as are the many areas of law that constitute forensic psychological practice, including civil matters (such as personal injury and civil competency issues) and criminal matters (such as competency to stand trial, criminal responsibility, diminished capacity, and death penalty issues).

HUMN 8201 Intellectual Traditions of Public Policy and Public Administration (4 cr.)
This course focuses on the historical and contemporary roles and relationships of the public and nonprofit sectors in the United States. It provides a scholarly perspective on public policy and administration that traces major theories associated with the field and the political, social, and economic context within which they developed. Students are expected to gain a clear understanding of the “layers of government” and their interdependence between local municipalities, county, state, and federal levels. This is intended to make a strong connection between the student’s own professional development and development of the major theories and concepts of public administration.