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Academics

Theory Courses

Requirement: Complete a minimum of two theory courses. At least one course must be numerically graded with a minimum grade of 3.0.

Definition: Theory Courses explain the ‘why’ or the big picture. The Oxford Dictionary defines a theory as ‘A supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain something, especially one based on general principles independent of the thing to be explained. ‘

Note: This list is not inclusive. If the course you want to take is not listed, please check with the PhD Assistant Director before enrolling.

AIS 575Critical Theories in American Indian and Indigenous Studies (5)

ANTH 562 – Clinically Applied Anthropology (3)

Anthropology as it relates to interdisciplinary delivery of culturally relevant healthcare. Cultural variation in illness beliefs and behavior, types of healing practices, illness prevention, social support networks. Prerequisite: graduate standing, permission of instructor. Offered: jointly with NURS 562.

BH 502 – Ethical Theory (5)

Studies the major normative ethical theories, including both teleological and deontological approaches. Emphasizes moral philosophy during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, as well as contemporary commentary. Recommended: course in ethics or philosophy. Offered: A.

BH 556Social Justice in Health

Examines the moral grounds for the view that social inequalities in health are unjust using contemporary literature from moral philosophy and bioethics, case studies, and film. Explores basic questions integral to determinations of social injustice as well as moral constraints on the pursuit of health equity.

BH 581Racism and the Institution of Medicine: Racial Knowledge, Professional Power, and Black Health (3)

CS&SS 523Social Networks and Health: Biocultural Perspectives (5)

EDPSY 503ACulture, Learning, and Development (4)

Explores influential contemporary research and theory they view culture as foundational to learning and development. Considers these issues in a range of settings (classrooms, informal environments, families, early childhood to adult learners, etc.) and within specific domains (e.g. science, literacy, mathematics. Prerequisite: EDPSY 501 and graduate status in education or psychology. Credit/no-credit only. Offered: A.

EPI/HSERV 548Research Methods for Social and Contextual Determinants of Health

Explores study-design, measurement, analytic, and interpretation issues applicable to research on social and contextual determinants of health and health disparities. This lecture/seminar course is offered to graduate students with knowledge of epidemiologic and biostatistical principles who are interested in understanding complex relationships between social/contextual factors and health. Prerequisite: EPI 511 or EPI 512/513; and BIOST 511/512/513 or BIOST 517/518. Credit/no-credit only. Offered: jointly with HSERV 548; W.

EDPSY 581 – Seminar in Educational Psychology (Varies)

ETHICS 511Ethics Matters (5)

Asks what we fundamentally require of ourselves and others if we are to live together in morally acceptable ways by discussing moral qualities as they appear in various arenas. Topics include: autonomy, respect, integrity, and trust.

ETHICS 512Justice Matters: An Exploration of Justice as a Social Ideal (5)

G H 511Problems in Global Health0 (4) Offered: AUTUMN

GEOG 575 – Advanced Political Geography (5, max. 10)

Provides resources for theorizing how politics shapes and is shaped by geographical relationships. Examines how politics are situated in complex material and discursive geographies that are partly reproduced through political negotiations. Examines interrelationships of contemporary capitalism with other complex systems of social and political power relations. Offered: jointly with JSIS B 575.

GEOG 576 – Research Seminar: Geographies of Racial Formations and Postcolonialism (5)

Overview of key insights from ethnic and Native studies, postcolonial, and critical race theories. Focuses on ho geographers can build from this literature to deepen our understanding of the relationship between race, state formations, and power relations.

GEOG 580Medical Geography (3)

Geography of disease, consideration in health systems planning. Analysis of distributions, diffusion models, migration studies. Application of distance, optimal location models to health systems planning; emergency medical services; distribution of health professionals; cultural variations in health behavior. Prerequisite: familiarity with social science research; health-related issues. Instructors: Mayer Offered: jointly with HSERV 586.

GWSS 500Feminist Social Theory (5) Offered:  AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING

GWSS 501Feminist Formations (5)

GWSS 502Cross Disciplinary Feminist Theory (5)

GWSS 564Queer Desires (5)

GWSS 572Transnational Chicana Feminist Theory (5)

HSERV 512Health Systems and Policy (3)

Students review and examine selected topics from literature. Includes need and access to care; theory and effects of health insurance; private and public insurance programs; managed care; costs/expenditures; availability and organization of health resources; and quality assessment and improvement. Enrollment priority for Health Services PhD students. Offered: AUTUMN

HSERV 514Social Determinants of Population Health and Health Disparities (3)

Explores the elements and actions of a population health approach, including conceptualizing the determinants of health, synthesizing knowledge about major social determinants, and applying knowledge to improve population health and reduce health disparities. Enrollment priority for Health Services PhD students. Prerequisite: HSERV 511, permission of instructor. Offered: jointly with EPI 547.

HSERV 581Strategies of Health Promotion (4)

Assessment of health promotion planning, implementation, and evaluation strategies for their strengths, weaknesses, and effectiveness. Students critique strategies to modify behavioral factors that influence lifestyles of individuals, including decisions influencing their reciprocal relationship with environmental factors affecting the health of individuals, organizations, and communities. Offered: AUTUMN

IECMH 537Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (3)

Provides an overview of typical social and emotional development and psychopathology in children ages three and younger. Demonstrates attachment relationships with parents and family to infant’s development and psychopathology. Core course of Infant Mental Health Certificate program

LIS 534Indigenous Systems of Knowledge (3)

Conceptual foundations and comparative analysis of indigenous knowledge organization systems. Feasibility and use of contemporary knowledge organization mechanisms including thesauri and ontologies in expressing the cultures and artifacts of indigenous peoples.

NMETH 595Designing a Theory (3)

Focuses on design and development of a theory- and population-informed behavioral intervention to enhance health behavior and outcomes. Examines selected theories of health behavior, including potential contribution to framing a behavioral intervention. Analytical process of “fitting” a theory onto an observed health related problem in a specific population is included as well as research designs and methods to evaluate interventions.

NURS 590 – Ecology of Human Health (5)

Provides conceptual foundation for the study of human health ecology within nursing science. Frameworks for understanding human health as an outcome of individual, family, and group interactions and transactions with environments are applied. Provides the basis for evaluation and developing therapeutic approaches to improve health.

Pol S 517 Marxism and Critical Theory (5)

Works of Marx and Engels as well as selected works of twentieth-century Marxist and critical theorists. Themes such as Marx’s method, twentieth-century interpretations of Marx, and relationship of twentieth-century theorists to their eighteenth- and nineteenth-century forebears.

Pol S 555 The Politics of Representation & Marginality (5)

This course examines the purpose and function of political representation, with a focus on parallels and gaps between theories of representation and political practices.

POL S 564Law And The Politics Of Social Change (5)

Explores the many ways that law figures into the politics of social struggle and reform activity. Analyzes law in terms of particular state institutions (courts, agencies), professional elites (lawyers, judges), and especially cultural norms (“rights” discourses) that are routinely mobilized by reform-movement activists.

Psych 510 – Core Concepts in Social Psychology (4)

An overview of contemporary theories and research in social psychology, focusing on introducing graduate students to the field as practitioners of social psychological research. Prerequisite: graduate standing in psychology, or permission of instructor.

PUBPOL 599Critical Race Theory (3)

Introduce and explore key concepts associated with CRT, and examine the specific analytic strategies critical race theorists deploy to discuss the sues and meanings of ‘race’ in U.S. legal institutions and political ideology.

Soc 513 – Demography and Ecology (3)

Theories and research on human fertility, mortality, mobility, migration, and urbanization in social/economic context. Comparative and historical materials on Europe, the United States, and the Third World. Offered: jointly with CSDE 513

Soc 517 Deviance & Social Control

Survey of current research on deviant behavior and mechanisms of social control; definitions and forms of deviant behavior, causal analysis, and legal or other methods of social control.’

Soc Wl 554 – Analytical Perspectives on Social Welfare Policy (3)

Broad overview of the social welfare policy process, including epistemological issues, content on social problem construction and definition, policy agendas and case study methodology. Introduction to analytical tools and concepts needed to take a proactive role in policy development, advocacy, implementation, and policy research.

Soc Wl 577 – Promoting Well-Being among At-Risk Groups through Prevention Research (3) Interdisciplinary overview of major concepts and methods in health promotion and prevention research, with emphasis on at-risk populations. Attentive to health disparities, collaboration with diverse communities and biobehavioral advances in addition to application of theory and prevention-science framework. Encourages interdisciplinary participation and supporting students in articulating their research perspectives.

Soc Wl 579 – Interdisciplinary Approaches to Prevention Science: Children and Adolescents (3) Overview of theory, research, and practice in prevention science. Developmental perspective examining factors that promote or inhibit health development at different stages and during transitions (focus on birth through age 21). Designed for interdisciplinary dialogue, and includes guest faculty from around the University who are specialists in course topics. Credit/No-credit only.

Soc Wl 585Qualitative Research Design and Data Collection (3)

This course is the first in a two quarter sequence at the end of which students will have the skills to design, conduct and evaluate a qualitative research project that will advance their overall career goals. Qualitative research is a writing-intensive undertaking, so we will use weekly writing exercises to develop each of the components needed for a rigorous and innovative qualitative research proposal. We will pay particular attention to the advantages and disadvantages of various qualitative methodologies and data collection strategies in devising compelling research.

SOC WL 591Seminar on Topics in Social Welfare (3)

The goal of this course is to provide participants with an understanding of theories, principles and strategies of community-engaged research (CEnR) and Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), an appreciation of advantages and limitations of these approaches, and skills necessary for participating effectively in CBPR projects.