Courses at Storrs are acceptable with permission.
Common graduate programs to explore would include: education, allied heath, nursing, human development and family studies.
APPROVED Electives from SPRING 2025 Catalog:
CLTR 5360-F40 Critical Issues Involving Science Publication: The Scientific Review (3 credits)
This course provides comprehensive, systematic strategies for summarizing the current state of understanding in a given field. Each student will be required to identify and work with an academic mentor of that given field throughout the course. The purpose of this review course may be to present a coherent argument, or to highlight a scientific gaps in the literature. The course will teach students to be able to identify the *why* behind a new study, find and analyze other studies that address similar research questions, or studies that address your research question on a different level. The goals of this course will enable students to learn how to synthesize the current state of knowledge (either clinical or research) of the chosen topic as a first step of becoming a clinical/translational researcher.
Instructors: Cato Laurencin, MD, PhD, Helen Wu, Ph.D., Kevin Lo, Ph.D.
ISG 5102 – 001 Clinical Applications of Genetic and Genomic Technologies (3 credits) Online
Principles, clinical applications, and interpretation of genetic and genomic testing methods.
Instructor: Lila Aiyar – Instructor permission is required
ISG 5103-001 Theories and Methods of Clinical Genetics (3 credits) Online
An Introduction to the theoretical framework, skillsets, and applications necessary to provide scientific communication of genetics and genomics, resources, diagnoses, and counseling in the clinical setting.
Instructor: Maria Gyure – Instructor permission is required.
MEDS 5310-F40 Responsible Conduct in Research (1 credit)
Introduction to ethical and legal issues associated with the practice and reporting of science. Uses a case study approach and requires in-class student participation.
Instructor: Barbara Kream
MEDS 5322-F01 Developmental Biology (2 credits)
History, concepts, and experimental strategies in both classical and modern developmental biology. Topics ranging from early fertilization, to early embryonic development, to the formation of adult structures are considered and compared in a range of model organisms. One hour of lecture by instructors and one hour of literature analysis and discussion by students each week. Course grade will combine results of class participation and a final exam.
Instructor: William Mohler
MEDS 5371 – F40 Systems Neuroscience (3 credits)
Part of the core series in the Neuroscience graduate program. Functional organization of neural systems underlying sensation, movement, language, learning/plasticity, and emotion/arousal. Sensory systems will include the somatosensory, auditory, visual, vestibular, and chemosensory systems. Motor systems will include the spinal cord, brain stem, cerebellum, vestibular system, oculometer system, basal ganglia and cerebral cortex.
Instructors: Srdjan Antic
MEDS 6449 – F40 Foundations of Biomedical Science II (4 credits)
Encompasses topics considered fundamental to any student pursuing a Ph.D. in any Area of Concentration in the Biomedical Science Graduate Program. Combines an introduction to fundamental concepts along with a more in-depth analysis of the research that underlies some of these ideas. A variety of topics will be examined in approximately one-week modules that will include a basic, introductory one hour lecture on Mondays, a more in-depth discussion of one to two critical historical papers on an aspect of the topic on Wednesdays and then a small group discussion on a more modern paper related to the area on Fridays. Periodically, the course will include Consolidation weeks that discuss key methodologies in the context of new concepts or concepts previously discussed.
Instructors: by Chris Heinen, Christine Beck, and Yi Wu
PUBH 5202 – F40 Eliminating Social Inequality and Health Disparities (3 credits)
Examination of the evidence for structural, community, and individual-level interventions to reduce the impact of inequity on health and health care utilization. Identification and implementation of multi-level interventions that may reduce inequities by altering the social, economic, and other structural aspects of the environment. It will also address challenges of implementation and ways to reduce potential barriers. The course builds on the conceptual basis of PUBH 5201.
Instructor: Maria Teresa Restrepo-Ruiz
PUBH 5404-F40 Environmental Health (3 credits)
Explores the policy, political and public health implications of such issues as air pollution, drinking water, exposure to hazardous chemicals, indoor air pollution, food protection, lead poisoning, housing, international issues, etc. Provides the student with some basic technical information and familiarity with terms for a better understanding of policy and political decisions and health effects of environmental exposures.
Instructor: Marco Palmeri
PUBH 5405-F40 Social and Behavioral Foundations of Public Health (3 credits)
Introductory survey emphasizing basic social science concepts in the analysis of public health including orientations toward health, disease and health care, the origins and distribution of health care resources, and the role of social movements and research in improving public health.
Director of Program Consent Required
Instructor: Karen Sears, David Gregorio
PUBH 5431 – 001 Public Health Research Methods (3 credits)
Introduction to conceptualization, methods, and analysis in public health research including: formulation of research questions and hypotheses, development of research and analytic models, use of qualitative (interviewing and observation) and quantitative (seconday and survey data) data collection methods, and qualitative and quantitative data analysis leading to the formulation of research projects.
Director of Program Consent Required
Instructor: Shayna Cunningham
PUBH 5433 – F40 Health Program Evaluation (3 credits)
Methods of evaluating the implementation and impact of health programs. Topics include: specification of program objectives and components, experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation designs, collection and analysis of program data, and the dissemination and application of evaluation results.
Instructor: Youngji Jo
PUBH 5460 – F40 Health and Human Rights (3 credits)
Explores the many ways in which human health and well-being are related to human rights. Human rights are a field of international law which includes major treaties, treaty bodies, and adjudicatory mechanisms. This course will review the ways in which human rights instruments and jurisprudence have addressed health and issues related to health. Students will also study a wide range of substantive public health issues that have a human rights dimension, and consider the ways that human rights are used as advocacy tools to improve the structural environment that shapes the public’s health.
Instructor: Audrey Chapman
PUBH 5498 – F40 Field Experience in Public Health Systems (3-9 credits)
Under direction by field preceptors, students will participate in an intensive service-learning experience wherein they will examine a timely public health issue from the perspective of health indicators/disease surveillance; policy development; planning, implementation, or evaluation of public health services; essential public health functions; and operational issues of a large complex public health agency/organization.
Director of Program Consent Required
Instructor: Stacey Brown
PUBH 5502 – F40 Epidemiology of Disability (3 credits)
Introduces epidemiologic research design and delves deeply into epidemiology as it applies to monitoring the health status of people with disabilities, diagnosing and investigating health problems, evaluating personal and population-based interventions, and conduct of research as uniquely affecting and affected by disability. Critically examines sources of public health and epidemiologic data that exist.
Instructor consent required
Enrollment requirements: PUBH 5501; open only Disability Studies in Public Health certificate students, others by instructor consent.
Instructor: Tara Lutz
PUBH 5504 – F40 Public Health Interventions in Disability (3 credits)
Final course in the Certificate of Interdisciplinary Disability Studies in Public Health. Aligns with the 10 Essential Public Health Services. Critically examines public health systems and programs across the lifespan available to people with disabilities that impact health. Extends on foundational principles that are evidence-based and driven by epidemiologic studies of disability within the context of existing laws and policies.
Instructor consent required
Enrollment requirements: PUBH 5501, 5502, and 5503; open only Disability Studies in Public Health certificate students, others by instructor consent.
Instructor: Tara Lutz