Public Health
Overview
Public health seeks to improve human health through the development and application of knowledge that prevents disease, protects the public from harm, and promotes health throughout local communities, the state, the nation, and the world. The field of public health confronts complex health issues, such as improving access to health care, controlling infectious disease, and reducing environmental hazards, violence, substance abuse, and injury.
Through the Public Health Minor at Occidental College, students develop and apply knowledge from multiple disciplines for the promotion and protection of the health of the human population, giving due consideration to principles of human rights and cultural perspectives that abound in our multicultural country and world. The minor, like the field itself, is interdisciplinary. Students will learn about the scientific aspects of disease as well as the political and policy issues involved in improving people’s health and well-being. The minor is jointly administered by the departments of Biology, Kinesiology, and Urban & Environmental Policy (UEP), with course offerings from multiple departments.
Minor Requirements
Five courses are required to complete the Public Health minor.
COURSEWORK
Core Courses
ELECTIVES
Two additional courses from the list below:
*Each elective course selection must be from a different department.
As new courses develop, more options may be added to this list. Students will be strongly encouraged to participate in internship, volunteer, or research opportunities within the field of public health (e.g. UEP 307) before they graduate.
Faculty
Regular Faculty
Peter Dreier, chair
E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics, Politics, Urban and Environmental Policy
B.A., Syracuse University M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago
Sharla Fett
Associate Professor, History; Advisory Committee, American Studies
B.A., Carleton College; M.A., Stanford University; Ph.D., Rutgers University
Nina Gelbart
Professor, History
A.B., Harvard University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago
Alan Knoerr
Associate Professor, Mathematics, Cognitive Science
B.A., Oberlin College; Sc.M., Ph.D., Brown University
Krystale E. Littlejohn
Assistant Professor of Sociology
A.B, Occidental College; M.A., Ph.D., Stanford University
Lynn Mehl
Professor, Kinesiology and Psychology
B.S., M.S., Ph.D., University of Southern California
Clair Morrissey
Assistant Professor, Philosophy
B.A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; M.A., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill; Ph.D., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Stuart Rugg
Professor, Kinesiology
B.S., University of California, Davis; Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Bhavna Shamasunder
Assistant Professor, Urban and Environmental Policy
B.S. /B.A., UC San Diego; M.ES. Yale University; Ph.D., UC Berkeley
Kerry Thompson
Associate Professor, Biology; Advisory Committee, Biochemistry; Advisory Committee, Neuroscience
B.A., M.A., Ph.D., UCLA
On Special Appointment
Heather Banis
Full Time Non Tenure Track Associate Professor, Psychology
A.B., Occidental; M.A., Ph.D., USC
Heng Lam Foong
Adjunct Instructor, Urban & Environmental Policy
B.A. College of New Rochelle, M.S. Capella University
Jane Schmitz
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Urban & Environmental Policy
B.A., UC Davis; M.P.H., PhD., UC Los Angeles
Nicole Vick
Non Tenure Track Instructor, Urban & Environmental Policy
B.S., M.P.H., University of Southern California
Jacqueline Valenzuela
Non Tenure Track Instructor, Urban & Environmental Policy
B.A., California State University, Northridge; M.P.H., University of Southern California