Course syllabus for Spring 2013
PH 634: Environmental Protection
SDSU
Graduate School of Public Health
Division of Occupational and Environmental Health
Instructor: Dr. Eunha Hoh
Office: Hardy Tower 6
Phone number: 619-594-4671
Office hours: Wednesday noon-2 pm or by appt
e-mail address: ehoh@mail.sdsu.edu
Students are encouraged to communicate by e-mail.
Course time and place:
Wednesday 9:00am-11:40am
LSS-246 and field trips
Course Objectives:
This class will provide students with in-depth knowledge of issues central to environmental
health concentrating on food protection, vector control, and solid waste. Students will acquire
knowledge related to REHS certification with respect to these topics.
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
1.)
Discuss key factors and public health control measures for foodborne and vectorborne
disease
2.)
Explain the chain of infection, and how the transmission of foodborne and
vectorborne diseases may be prevented
3.)
Describe the major diseases which are transmitted by the foodborne or vectorborne
route
4.)
5.)
6.)
7.)
8.)
Describe the major chemical hazards and biosafety hazards in food
Identify the major risk factors for foodborne and vectorborne disease
Explain the major control measures for food protection and prevention of vectorborne
disease
Discuss current emerging issues in food protection, vector control, and solid waste
Understand and explain public health practice in the context of environmental
protection through contact with public health practitioners in environmental health.
9.)
10.)
11.)
12.)
13.)
14.)
Rapidly and efficiently search and retrieve print, database, and internet information in
the area of environmental health
Demonstrate the appropriate computer skills to store, analyze, and present
information from print, database, and world wide web sources
Interpret and discuss scientific findings and complete a formal scientific research
paper describing and interpreting results
Analyze and critique experimental research designs in environmental health science
Identify significant gaps, areas of uncertainty, and barriers to understanding the health
effects of environmental agents
Present information in environmental health in a clear, orderly, and focused manner,
and to be able to answer questions about environmental health during a presentation
CERTIFICATION IN PUBLIC HEALTH!
The FIRST National exam to be Certified in Public Health (CPH) was given August 2008.
You must finish your MPH degree by May in order to take the exam in August 2011.
http://www.nbphe.org/
REQUIRED TEXTS
Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (Paperback)
David. L Heymann (Editor)
American Public Health Association; 19th edition (October 25, 2008)
ISBN-10: 087553189X
ISBN-13: 978-0875531892
Food Safety: Old Habits and New Perspectives (Paperback or Kindle)
Phyllis Entis
American Society for Microbiology; 1 edition (Jan 8, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1555814174
ISBN-13: 978-1555814175
Course evaluation:
Exam 40%, Paper 20 %, Presentation 10%, Bibliography 5%, Short
Assignments/Discussion 15%, Attendance: 10%
EXAM is multiple-choice, short answer, and essay. Grades are assigned on the following scale:
Total Points
93-100
89-92.9
85-88.9
79-84.9
74-78.9
70-73.9
64-69.9
58 -63.9
F
Assigned Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
C<70
As you can see above, the research paper is worth 35% of the course grade. We expect a
scholarly, well researched paper.
Exam. A take home exam will be given during the course. The questions will be out on April 18.
The deadline is 5 pm on April 25. No sharing or discussion is allowed.
Topics are due February 13.
To reflect the importance of a thorough literature search, a separate grade and due date is
assigned to the bibliography.
The research paper has three components to the grade:
The bibliography, worth 5 % of grade, is due April 4th. The bibliography must be uploaded
to Blackboard and the .pdf files or hard copies of articles cited must be available to be shown to
the instructor. This means you have to start early in order to get papers through ILL (Interlibrary
Loan through SDSU Love Library), if needed.
You are required to get an ILL account if you do not have one at the start of class.
http://illiad.sdsu.edu/illiad/about/index.html
The paper, worth 15 % of grade, is due May 9th. Instructions on how to self-check the paper
for plagiarism before submitting are forthcoming.
The presentation, worth 15% of grade, is in class May 2nd. This is a 15 minute presentation.
Powerpoint slides must be uploaded to Blackboard through digital drop box.
Short Assignments/ Discussion, worth 15% of grade. Assignments and papers or book
chapters assigned for reading will be announced in class and Blackboard. In every lecture, we
will have discussion about assigned reading materials. Two students will be a team and each
discussion will be led by a team.
Field trips are a part of this class – we will make every effort to stay within times for this class
so as not to affect your other classes. Appropriate attire for a public health inspector is expected:
closed toed shoes, professional attire, and PLEASE do not put purses and backpacks down on
laboratory counters etc. There is a required waiver form.
NOTE: if you have not already done so, please also join the GSPH listserv (instructions on
our website http://publichealth.sdsu.edu/studentmain.php) to get important student
announcements.
Blackboard Web site:
There is a web site for this course (http://blackboard.sdsu.edu/). You must be able to access this
web site and to log in. Please select the help button and follow directions if you have problems.
Please contact me if this doesn’t help. If you have an old system on your home computer then
you may need to access Blackboard from on-campus computing labs in order to download some
handouts.
Blackboard does not list any email addresses in the roster unless a student chooses to do so. To
make email addresses visible to the rest of the class, students must go into the Personal
Information area from either the Student Tools area of the course, or from the Tools box on the
My SDSU page and click on Privacy Options. They can then choose what information to share
with the rest of the class. If you want to share your email but do not wish to enter a work email
address, you may obtain a student email account and use that.
**It is expected that you will check Blackboard every week at least, before class**
LAPTOP ETIQUETTE:
You may use your laptop in class if you are viewing handout or making notes on lecture.
PLEASE DO NOT use laptop for any other kind of work/ internet surfing. It is very distracting
to other students in the class (and to me).
Course policies
Missing class. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to contact the instructor to discuss
alternatives to any quiz or exercise you miss, and to obtain lecture notes, handouts, other materials or
instructions from the course Blackboard site or a classmate.
Religious holidays The University Policy File includes the following statement on absence for
Religious Observances: By the end of the second week of classes, students should notify the instructors of
affected courses of planned absences for religious observances.
Assignments. Assignments must be submitted no later than the specified due date.
Assignments will not be accepted past the due date. If you are unable to attend class the day an
assignment is due, email it to me.
Academic misconduct by a student shall include, but not be limited to: disrupting classes; giving
or receiving unauthorized aid on examinations, reports or other assignments; knowingly misrepresenting
the source of any academic work; falsifying research results; plagiarizing another’s work; violating
regulations or ethical codes for the treatment of human subjects; or otherwise acting dishonestly. If an
instance of academic misconduct is suspected, the student will be informed of the infraction and the
penalty to be imposed. If appropriate, the matter will be referred to the Department Chair and Dean of the
College for mediation. Potential sanctions include a warning, an admonition, censure, reduction of grade
(including a grade of F for the course), disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion.
Computers. Every student must have access to the internet and a computer in order to obtain
communications from the professor, download reading material and conduct document searches of online publications.
*Bring hardcopies of journal papers assigned for review to class.
*No cell phone/MP3/internet/computer use during class.
*If a class must be cancelled without prior notification, it will be posted on Blackboard, the day of
the class, no later than 8 am.
San Diego State University is dedicated to a safe, supportive and nondiscriminatory environment. It is
the responsibility of all students to familiarize themselves with University policies regarding
nondiscrimination, misconduct and academic honesty.
Statement on Nondiscrimination Policy
San Diego State University complies with the requirements of Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964, as well as other applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination. No person
shall, on the basis of race, color, or national origin be excluded from participation in, be denied the
benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in any program of the California State University
SDSU does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission or access to, or treatment or
employment in, its programs and activities. Students should direct inquiries concerning San Diego State
University’s compliance with all relevant disability laws to the Director of Student Disability Services
(SDS), Calpulli Center, Room 3101, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92128 or call 619-5946473 (TDD: 619-594-2929).
SDSU does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, or sexual orientation in the educational programs
or activities it conducts.
More detail on SDSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy can be found in the SDSU General Catalog, University
Policies.
Student Conduct and Grievances
SDSU is committed to maintaining a safe and healthy living and learning environment for students,
faculty and staff. Sections 41301, Standards for Student Conduct, and Sections 41302-41304 of the
University Policies regarding student conduct should be reviewed.
If a student believes that a professor’s treatment is grossly unfair or that a professor’s behavior is clearly
unprofessional, the student may bring the complaint to the proper university authorities and official
reviewing bodies. See University policies on Student Grievances.
Statement on Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty includes cheating, plagiarism or other forms of academic dishonesty that are
intended to gain unfair academic advantage. See section 41301 of the University policies. Plagiarism is
an important element of this policy. Plagiarism is defined as ‘formal work publicly misrepresented as
original; it is any activity wherein one person knowingly, directly and for lucre, status, recognition, or any
public gain resorts to the published or unpublished work of another in order to represent it as one’s own’.
Any work, in whole or in part, taken from the Internet or other computer-based source without
referencing the source is considered plagiarism.
Course Outline: PH 634
NOTE: INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS SYLLABUS MAY BE CHANGED
WITHOUT NOTICE
Jan 23
Introduction/ Food borne illness
Hoh
Short assignment– research food borne illness agent and bring to class per instructions
Jan 30
Foodborne illness
Hoh
Short assignment due next week
Feb 6
Food Borne Illness Investigations
Calvert
Feb 13
Foodborne illness continued/Chemicals in food
Hoh
Research Paper Introduction
Feb 20
Chemicals in food/ Food Hazard Analysis
Hoh
Research Paper Topics Due (submit it to BB)
Feb 27
Molecular Epidemiology and Surveillance in Food protection
Quintana
Mar 6
Commercial Restaurant Tour
Calvert
Field Trip #1 – Tour of SDSU housing dining service facility
Mar 13
Public Health Laboratory visit
Hoh
Short assignment for field trips -questions for laboratory tour and restaurant tour–
Mar 20
Vector borne disease surveillance and control
Medina
Mar 27
TBD
Hoh
Field Trip #2 - Meet at Public Health Laboratory - Directions on Blackboard
Apr 3
Spring Break
Apr 10
Solid Waste
April 11: Take home exam
Apr 17
Calvert
April 17: Submit your exam by 5 pm
No class
Apr 24
Solid Waste tour
Calvert
Research Paper Bibliography Due
Field Trip #3- Meet at EDCO Recycling in Lemon Grove - Directions on Blackboard
May 1
Class Presentations
Hoh
May 8
Class Presentations
Hoh
(last class)
May 15
Research paper due