Urban Systems Curriculum
Core Courses
The urban systems core curriculum consists of 18 credits and provides a strong background in the history and social organization of U.S. cities.
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Specialization
Urban Health
The urban health core (9 credits) examines the complex interrelationships among
social, cultural, political, economic, geographic, organizational, and
bioenvironmental factors that influence the health status and health
behaviors of urban populations.
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URBU 6002
Urban Health Systems: History, Structure, and Challenges (3)
This course focuses on social and political forces in the development
of urban health systems across the first world, focusing primarily on
the United States. It is organized into three major sectors:
the development of health care systems, a critique of health care
systems, and key issues in urban health. Beginning with a survey of
historical forces leading to the creation of the current system, the
course focuses on concepts derived from sociology, political science,
and economics that facilitate the analysis of current issues in the
organization, structure, and functioning of the current system as well as
outlooks for the future. Such concepts include, but are not limited
to, professionalization and deprofessionalization, social
stratification, power, professional dominance, deviance, and social
control. Current issues such as inequality in access to health care,
distribution of health manpower, quality and funding of health care
institutions, and the impact of changes in population size, distribution,
and structure will be used to illustrate and test basic theoretical
understandings and approaches.
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URBU 6201
Social and Cultural Construction of Health and Illness (3)
This seminar describes the social and cultural factors that influence
how individuals in the United States organize, define, and experience illness;
engage in illness prevention; seek treatment; and engage with formal
and informal medical systems. The course will (a) provide an
introduction to anthropological and sociological perspectives on health
and illness; (b) describe the social and cultural production of health;
(c) describe how people conceptualize illnesses and make decisions
concerning treatment; (d) describe major and minor folk traditions
concerning the diagnosis and treatment of illness; (e) describe the
nature of interactions between "patients" and formal and informal
medical systems focusing on health care practitioners; (f) describe the
information sources that people use when confronting illness; and (g)
describe the nature of individual perceptions of risk.
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URBU 6203
Program and Policy Evaluation (3)
This course is designed to provide students with a framework for
understanding program evaluation. It will introduce them to principles
and practices that will facilitate the integration of evaluation into
health services programs. Course content will address the science of
evaluation, and topics will include common evaluation goals,
methodologies, and standards while also addressing misconceptions
regarding the evaluation process. Emphasis will be placed on practical,
ongoing evaluation strategies that involve all program stakeholders,
not just evaluation experts. Students are expected to: (a) describe
the social and cultural context of health program development; (b)
describe common components of and usual steps taken in program
development; (c) discuss appropriate theories/models guiding program
development as well as implementation and evaluation; (d) describe how
program implementation and evaluation address macrosocial and
microsocial processes and effects; (e) identify various program
evaluation methods; (f) analyze appropriateness of evaluation design
and methods while monitoring both the evaluation process and program
outcomes; and (g) interpret evaluation data to determine program
impact, cost, and subsequent program decisions.
Prerequisite: URBU 6103.
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URBU 6005
Statistics I (3)
The course presents the basics of probability theory and statistical inference, with an emphasis on calculation and interpretation of point and interval estimates and statistical tests often presented in quantitative research papers. Major emphasis will be on application of concepts and interpretation of estimates. Students will be engaged in using statistical software for data analysis.
This course is a prerequisite for urban health program, but can be taken upon admission to the program by arrangement with the program director if necessary. Please note that the credits associated with this course are not counted toward the 72 credits required for graduation from the urban health program.
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URBU 6006
Statistics II (3)
This course is designed for urban population health researchers, with
the goal of offering a broad overview of biostatistics, including
topics such as statistical inference, descriptive statistics,
elementary probability, probability distributions, one- and two-sample
normal inference (point estimation, hypothesis testing, and confidence
intervals), power and sample size calculations, one- and two-sample
binomial inference, underlying assumptions, and diagnostic work. Special
emphasis will be placed on the practical use of biostatistics to
address important public health issues by including an overview of
basic statistical tools used in epidemiological research, such as
generalized linear models, including multiple linear regression, binary
logistic regression, and multivariate logistic analysis.
Prerequisite: URBU 6005.
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URBU 6007
Epidemiology and Population Health (3)
Epidemiology and Population Health employs a web-based format to introduce students to a range of basic epidemiologic concepts and methods. It will allow students to explore epidemiology's core research methodologies while focusing on the measurement of population health. Topics include common summary measures as well as observational and experimental research designs. The aim of the course is to link methodology to inferential goals. Students will be encouraged to apply their knowledge by critiquing published epidemiological studies
This course is a prerequisite for urban health program, but can be taken upon admission to the program by arrangement with the program director if necessary. Please note that the credits associated with this course are not counted toward the 72 credits required for graduation from the urban health program.
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URBU 6103
Quantitative Methods (3)
This is an advanced course in quantitative social science research
methods. Together, the students and instructor will critically examine
a large number of peer-reviewed journal articles with the goal of
enhancing each student's understanding of the logic and application of
quantitative research methods.
Prerequisite: URBU 6006.
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URBU 725
Independent Study (3)
This course is designed to introduce students to the basic skills and
practices necessary for a successful scholarly career. It covers
scholarly planning, the development of a daily writing practice, and the
creation of course completion and research timelines as well as the
development of a successful dissertation proposal. In addition,
students are guided through the dissertation process and the
fundamentals of assembling a committee. Finally, students are instructed
in how to turn a course paper or dissertation chapter into a published
article and build a community of practice as they prepare to become
research scholars. The course utilizes a hybrid format: face-to-face
meetings alternate with virtual meetings or conference calls.
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URBU 790
Dissertation Research (1-6)
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URBU 792
Predoctoral Dissertation Research (3)
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URBU 792-G-001
Independent Study: Foundations of Scholarship (3)
This course is designed to introduce students to the basic skills and
practices necessary for a successful scholarly career. It covers
scholarly planning, the development of a daily writing practice, and the
creation of course completion and research timelines as well as the
development of a successful dissertation proposal. In addition,
students are guided through the dissertation process and the
fundamentals of assembling a committee. Finally, students are instructed
in how to turn a course paper or dissertation chapter into a published
article and build a community of practice as they prepare to become
research scholars. The course utilizes a hybrid format: face-to-face
meetings alternate with virtual meetings or conference calls.
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