Time Schedule:
William E Daniell
ENV H 590
Seattle Campus
In-depth study of an current environmental health topic.
Class description
EnvH 590 (1 credit) provides a graduate level overview of the multidisciplinary field of environmental and occupational health, with a focus on developing countries. Concurrent enrollment in EnvH 511 is required. The course covers a broad spectrum of environmental hazards and influential factors, in parallel with topic coverage in EnvH 511. The course stresses examination of environmental health concerns in the context of social, economic, and other factors that mitigate the effects of environmental hazards or otherwise influence population health. Each class session includes a mix of lecture and discussion of case examples, to elaborate on the general principles or environmental media discussed that same week in EnvH 511. Students will have an opportunity to suggest a topic or case example for most class sessions.
Student learning goals
Describe environmental and occupational health hazards that are most strongly associated with morbidity and mortality in developing countries.
Describe the potential influence of behavioral, social, economic, and political factors on relationships between environmental hazards and health, as commonly encountered in developing countries.
Identify and describe major regulations, policies, agencies, programs, and stakeholders that potentially influence the importance and mitigation of environmental and occupational health hazards, in developing countries.
Describe basic strategies for assessing, preventing, and controlling or managing health and safety hazards in environmental and occupational settings, in developing countries.
Formulate and answer thought-provoking questions about environmental health problems (i.e., demonstrate "critical thinking").
General method of instruction
Most class sessions will include a mix of lecture (10-20 minutes), case presentation (10 20 minutes), and discussion. On a voluntary basis, a limited number of students will be selected to give a case presentation and help facilitate discussion, in (up to) five or six of the ten class sessions.
Recommended preparation
Enrollment is restricted to graduate students. Concurrent enrollment in EnvH 511 is required.
Class assignments and grading
CASE TOPIC SELECTION (ungraded): In Weeks 1 and 2, students will have options during and outside (online) of class sessions, to nominate specific situations, problems, or issues as topics for Cases 1-7 (Weeks 3-9). The instructor will designate the topic for Case "0" and will have a default topic for Case 1 (and other cases). The instructor will make the final selection of case topics, based on: popularity, suitability for the allotted time, availability of volunteer student presenters (a priority but not a necessity), and instructor discretion.
CASE PRESENTATION (optional): Students will have the option to volunteer (as a pair) to organize and give a case presentation, in one of the class sessions in Weeks 3-9. Selected student presenters are NOT required to write the two short papers, specified in requirement #3.
SHORT PAPERS (minimum 2): The students and instructor will identify two or three thought-provoking questions or prompts for each case presentation (see below). Then, each student — except student presenters — must write at least two short papers, each of which is based on a question or prompt from a different case presentation. Students may write more than two short papers. Grading will be based on the two best grades.
QUESTIONS/PROMPTS FOR PAPERS: The students and instructor will aim to identify one or more thought-provoking questions or prompts, as a class during the case discussion, to serve as a topic for the short-paper assignment. In addition, each student (individually or as a group) must write one or more other questions or prompts, for each case presentation. These can be submitted in writing at the end of the presentation, on Friday, or online that afternoon.
CLASS PARTICIPATION
NO EXAMINATION (other than final for EnvH 511).
70% Short papers 10% Submitted questions 60% Two best papers 30% Participation
