CLAREMONT GRADUATE UNIVERISTY
SCHOOL OF COMMUNITY AND GLOBAL HEALTH
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM
CORE COURSES
CGH 300 – Theoretical Foundations in Health Promotion & Education (Fall, 4 units)
This course provides an opportunity for students to explore the theoretical issues and current methodologies related to
understanding and influencing health behavior change in diverse populations. The course will focus on the social and behavioral
determinants of health on the individual, interpersonal, community, institutional and policy levels. The course features guest
appearances by representatives from community-based organizations who relate course material to current challenges in
public health practice.
CGH 301 – Biostatistics (Fall, 4 units)
Students are trained in the most commonly used statistical methods in clinical and experimental research. Students learn to
select the most appropriate data analytic methods; how to apply these methods to actual data; and how to read and interpret
computer output from commonly used statistical packages. In addition, the students learn to read, critique and interpret
statistical concepts in the health science literature.
CGH 302 – Epidemiology (Fall, 4 units)
This course provides an overview of the causes, distribution, and control of disease in populations. Students are provided with
the skills and knowledge to investigate the epidemiology of a specific disease or other health-related phenomenon and to
critically evaluate population-based research studies designed to test health-related hypotheses.
CGH 303 – Health Services in the US and Abroad (Spring, 4 units)
This course examines the health care delivery system to understand contemporary issues affecting the health of the American
and International public and the institutions that provide health services and protect health. The course includes the historical
development of various health care systems, determinants of health and health care utilization, the role of health care
providers, health policy and politics, health care financing, public health, and the interactions of various components of the
systems. The class emphasizes how institutions within the health care delivery system affect public health including planning,
organization, administration, evaluation and policy analysis.
CGH 304 – Environmental and Occupational Health (Spring, 4 units)
This course provides a broad overview of the field of environmental and occupational health, developing a public health
approach to understanding and preventing disease and disability. Students apply the principles of the biological impact
pathway and environmental epidemiology to environmental and occupational health issues. Students analyze the exposuredisease continuums and disease prevention. Emphasis is placed on learning and using concepts related to the sources and
behavioral determinants of exposure, the social behavioral, Physiological and genetic basis of sensitivity, and dose-response
relationships.
CGH 305 – Seminar in Grant Writing and Proposal Development (Varies, 2 units)
The goal of this course is to provide students completing their field training an opportunity to enhance their skills in the area of
grant writing and reviewing. The student will learn the steps in planning and writing the grant, understanding the funding
environment, learning how to choose different types of grants, and understand the submission and review process.
CGH 306 – Supervised Field Training in Public Health (Fall/Spring/Summer, 4 units)
The goal of this course is to provide students completing their field training an opportunity to integrate and apply knowledge
and skills acquired in their respective course work to public health work settings. Students complete a 400-hour internship
within a public health agency. Reflective journals and a poster presentation complete this requirement. Open to MPH students.
CGH 307 – Public Health Capstone (Fall/Spring/Summer, 2 units)
Serves as the culminating experience for the degree. With oversight from the Program Director, students develop a portfolio
and final paper that demonstrates mastery of student competencies. Open to MPH students.
HEALTH PROMOTION, EDUCATION & EVALUATION CONCENTRATION
CGH 308 – Foundations of Program Planning. (Spring, 4 units)
This course introduces the core concepts, values, and methods of public health program planning and evaluation. Students
develop skills for assessing community needs for health promotion; preparing written measurable health promotion program
objectives with associated methods for achieving those objectives; designing health promotion program action plans that
include implementation schemes; and evaluation strategies for measuring health program process, impact, and outcome
effectiveness. Students apply their knowledge of health promotion theories to effectively to plan, implement, and evaluate
health promotion and communication programs.
CGH 309 -- Monitoring and Evaluation of Global Public Health Programs (Fall, 4 units)
This course introduces students to the language and theory of program evaluation to undertake their own evaluation, including
how to pose evaluation research questions, data collection methodologies and appropriate methods for various evaluation
objectives, and various evaluation designs.
CGH 310 – Foundations of Global Health: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Fall, 4 units)
This course provides an interdisciplinary approach to understanding key public health challenges that transcend local and
national boundaries and require collaborative solutions. Threats to the health security and well-being of communities in the
U.S. and abroad are extensive ranging from natural and technical disasters to environmental degradation, poverty and health
disparities, and emerging and non-communicable disease. Topics that impact health outcomes, including globalization and
climate change, over- and under nutrition, substance use, accidents and injuries, disasters and complex humanitarian
emergencies, poor reproductive and maternal child health practices, and cultural influences will be addressed from a multisectoral perspective. Innovative solutions to public health problems, including use of technology, micro credit, public-private
collaboration, and community and grassroots activities will be highlighted. The course will utilize interactive, participatory
learning methods, including in-depth cases studies, class debates, and a field study project to provide maximum opportunity to
develop problem-solving strategies for public health application.
CGH 311 – Curriculum and Materials Development (Spring, 4 units)
This course is designed to increase knowledge and skills in curriculum writing and training in health promotion and disease
prevention settings. The course includes a review of the applicable learning theories and provides an opportunity to design
curriculum for demographically diverse groups. Students work in small groups to develop a curriculum and conduct a
presentation/ training based on the needs of varied local health organizations.
APPLIED BIOSTATISTICS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY CONCENTRATION
CGH 312 – Data Analysis (SAS) (Spring, 4 units)
Students learn how to manage and analyze data using the SAS system. Topics include inputting data into SAS, preparing data
from analysis, data screening to understanding distributions, detect outliers etc., hypothesis testing (e.g. t-tests, nonparametric
procedures, chi-square tests, etc.), simple and multiple linear regression, techniques for building and evaluating a regression
model, analysis of variance model and logistic regression.
CGH 313 – Research Methods in Public Health (Spring, 4 units)
Students will gain an understanding of the principles and skills of conducting behavioral research, using qualitative and
quantitative approaches commonly used in public health settings.
CGH 314 – Emerging Chronic & Infectious Diseases Worldwide (Fall, 4 units)
This course provides an overview of the causative factors and demographic distribution of the major chronic diseases and
infectious in the world. Epidemiologic concepts, methods and research design are emphasized. Necessary tools for applying
epidemiologic approaches to chronic disease prevention are provided. The course will also cover topics in microbiology,
immunology, laboratory diagnosis, outbreak investigation, infectious disease diagnosis and control in populations and very
basic analytic methods. It provides students with exposure to local public health department experts in various important
contemporary topics such as vector control, emerging infections and bioterrorism.
CGH 315 – Introduction to Clinical Trials (Varies, 4 units)
*Cross listed as MATH 250PO, Statistical Methods for Clinical Trials Data
A second course in Biostatistics. Emphasis on the most commonly used statistical methods in pharmaceutical and other medical
research. Topics such as design of clinical trials, power and sample size determination, contingency table analysis, odds ratio
and relative risk, survival analysis.
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT CONCENTRATION
CGH 316 – Public Health Leadership for the 21st Century (Fall, 4 units)
This course focuses on the knowledge, skills and practical tools needed to direct organizations to successful implementation of
institutional vision and overall strategy. It is organized into six major Modules –future-focused leadership, leading public health
systems, formulating strategy, leading and managing change, developing public health organizations, and implementing
strategy. Each module offers an applied training opportunity to gain advanced knowledge to build executive and managerial
skills lead and enhance health systems performance.
CGH 317 – Ethics, Human Rights and Cultural Diversity (Fall, 4 units)
This course explores ethical principles in the distribution of health resources, the conduct of global public health research and
the implementation of public health initiatives and practices across different nations, cultures and religions, as well as
differences in the concepts of right and wrong. Specific areas that are explored include the role of national and international
Institutional Review Boards, research integrity, the ethics of health as a political entitlement, state obligation, or a commercial
commodity, the right to health, the ethical challenges of institutionalizing worldwide western concepts of informed consent
procedures and confidentiality while at the same time seeking to advance scientific discovery and promote universal public
health justice for the poor and disadvantaged.
CGH 318 –Management of International Health Programs and Organizations (Spring, 4 units)
This course reviews the management of health programs and services in the developing world, including international technical
cooperating, donor and development agencies as well as private and non-profit health organizations. It offers a management
perspective to address the most prevalent problems of health care delivery and systems performance around the world as they
relate to the specific administration functions of planning, organizing, resourcing, directing and controlling medical and public
health services.
CGH 319 – (4 units) – Current Issues in Global Public Health (Spring, 4 units)
This course is an intensive review of select topics in the practice of global health leadership and management. It reviews
emerging trends, lessons learned, best practices, and critical factors connected to the successful implementation, leadership
and support of expanded health responses (public, private and non-profit sectors) at local, national and international levels.
Topics include strategies and interventions to achieve workforce excellence, enhance organizational performance, strengthen
public health infrastructures, and improve the health status and well-being of people around the globe.
ADDITIONAL COURSE OPTIONS
CGH 396 – Special Topics in Community and Global Health (Varies in semester, day & time, 4 units)
The course involves lecture and discussion focused on specific topics in community and global health. Course topic will vary
from semester to semester.
CGH 390 – Directed Research (Varies, time negotiated by instructor, 1-4 units)
This course involves research conducted at the master’s level on a specific topic in community and global health. Maximum
number of units applied to the degree is to be determined by the School. Graded S/US.