Fall Institute Courses

550.608.98 Problem Solving in Public Health (4 credits) 
November 4-8, 2024
Course Location: To be determined late August
2:00 pm -6:00 pm November 4;
8:30 am -5:00 pm November 5-8
Instructors: Cyrus Engineer and Brian Wahl
Enrollment Maximum: 50

This course serves as an integrated introduction to the field of public health, offering definitions of health and public health, a comparison of the fields of public health and medicine, and an introduction to a broad array of current public health issues. The main focus of the course is to help students develop an effective, coherent approach to solving public health problems. Public health work is rarely conducted in isolation: Students will work in teams to develop their skills in the use of a public health framework for addressing public health challenges—and opportunities.

The Problem Solving framework used in the course contains a series of sequential steps: defining the problem; measuring its magnitude; understanding the key determinants; identifying and developing intervention and prevention strategies; setting priorities and recommending policies; implementing intervention strategies; and evaluating the interventions. Effective communication strategies are critical at all stages of the Problem-Solving framework, and the human rights impact of each step is actively considered.

All participants enrolled in this course are expected to complete required readings prior to the start of the course. Participants will be evaluated for receipt of the certificate of participation based on class participation, small group work and group presentation.  Participants taking this course for Johns Hopkins or UPF academic credit will be further evaluated based on a final paper due no later than December 20, 2024.

308.701.98 Media Interviews and Applied Public Health Communications (3 credits)
November 11-13, 2024 
Course Location: To be determined late August
8:30 am – 6:00 pm each day 
Instructor: Prativa Baral
Enrollment Maximum: 18

Public health professionals are often tasked with communicating with the news media and giving presentations to many stakeholders. This may be during an emergency, or to explain research and advocate for policies. Whether you are giving a presentation to a small group of colleagues or appearing on CNN, skills for effectively presenting information will inevitably come in handy during your career. This course offers practical exercises to help you be more confident, poised and prepared for public speaking. In this course, you will learn from real-life examples—both good and bad—and develop your own presentation skills during exercises.

Enhances skills to construct and deliver oral presentations with clarity and impact. Provides techniques and guidelines to increase your effectiveness in translating public health information to various audiences and communicating through the news media during crisis and non-crisis situations. Topics include basics of effective presentations, non-verbal communications, case studies, giving an interview, preparing talking points, advocacy, and the news media, and communicating in a public health emergency. Students review videotapes of news coverage and participate as spokespersons in on-camera simulation exercises.

All participants enrolled in this course must complete the required readings before the course starts. Participants enrolled in this course will be evaluated for receipt of the certificate of participation based on the pre-course assignment, class participation and in-course exercises. Participants taking this course for Johns Hopkins or UPF academic credit will be further evaluated by a case study analysis due no later than December 20, 2024.

380.640.98 Children in Crisis: An Asset-Based Approach to Working with Vulnerable Youth (3 credits)
November  13-15, 2024
Course Location: To be determined late August
8:30 am -6:00 pm each day
Instructors: Terri Powell, Beth Marshall and Esther Sánchez

This course is solutions focused and infused with perspectives of people who work with vulnerable young people daily. Uses experienced practitioners, community leaders, and community members to expose students to a wide range of domestic youth health, welfare issues and interventions through an asset lens. Uses an asset-based approach to highlight domestic youth challenges (e.g., disconnection, homelessness, LGBTQ status and justice involvement) and aims to expose students to thoughts, voices, and perspectives from a variety of different backgrounds. Features ample discussion, expert lecturers, youth voices, and an examination of existing programs.

All participants enrolled in this course must complete the required readings before the course starts. Participants enrolled in this course will be evaluated for receipt of the certificate of participation based on the pre-course assignment, class participation and peer feedback. Participants taking this course for Johns Hopkins or UPF academic credit will be further evaluated by a final paper due no later than December 20, 2024.

300.844.98 Public Health Policy in the Misinformation Age (2 credits)
November 18-19, 2024
Course Location: To be determined late August
8:30 am -6:00 pm each day
Instructor: Joshua Sharfstein

This course will review basic skills of public health policy and politics, including key definitions and principles, assessing policymakers, formulating and analyzing policy questions, and advocating for change. Challenges of policy discussion amid a sea of misinformation and disinformation and the decline in traditional news media, as well as new opportunities for working with nontraditional media to advance consideration of major public health policy issues will be key topics of conversation.

All participants enrolled in this course must complete the required readings before the course starts. Participants enrolled in this course will be evaluated for receipt of the certificate of participation based on class participation and a paper outline. Participants taking this course for Johns Hopkins or UPF academic credit will be further evaluated by a final paper due no later than December 20, 2024.

300.858.98 Workshop: Preparing for the Next Epidemic in Barcelona
November 20, 2024
Workshop Location: To be determined late August
9:00 am -6:00 pm
Workshop leaders: Gloria Pérez, Lucia Artazcoz,and Joshua Sharfstein

The workshop will explore the state of readiness of the city of Barcelona for the next epidemic and lessons learned from Covid-19.

301.644.98 Public Health Advocacy: Grassroots Organizing for Policy Change (3 credits)
November 20-22, 2024
Course Location: To be determined late August
8:30 am -6:00 pm
Instructors: Ayelet Hines, Josep Maria Jansà, and Ferran Daban

This course provides a practical introduction to grassroots organizing for policy change. Foundational literature and case studies are used to review the history of advocacy and organizing for public health. Campaign planning and management, the role of research and coalition-building, and different types of organizing will be introduced and discussed. The course prepares students to participate in and critically assess public health campaigns to change the policies and structures that set the contexts in which people make their decisions about health. Students will be introduced to two key areas of knowledge in public health practice: 1) the principles and methods of community organizing, and 2) campaigning for policy and structural change. 

All participants enrolled in this course must complete the required readings before the course starts. Participants enrolled in this course will be evaluated for receipt of the certificate of participation based on class participation and an advocacy campaign outline. Participants taking this course for Johns Hopkins or UPF academic credit will be further evaluated by a final paper, the creation of a campaign plan for changing public policy regarding a specific public health problem, due no later than December 20, 2024.

308.604.98 Effective Writing for Public Health Change (3 credits)
November 21-23, 2024
Course Location: To be determined late August
8:30 am -6:00 pm each day
Instructor: Lymari Morales
Enrollment Maximum: 25

Public health researchers and practitioners have life-saving knowledge to share but are often not trained on how best to share that knowledge so that it is easily understood and put to use at scale. Public health leaders and advocates learn how to translate their knowledge for individuals at all levels of health literacy, to achieve greater understanding and adoption of public health knowledge and solutions. Students leave this course able to distill what they know into a variety of communications that audiences can understand and act on in the pursuit of public health policy goals.

Sharpens writing skills for clear, effective public health communication. Introduces the key elements of successful writing, and how to successfully apply those fundamentals to different communication formats and goals, both traditional and modern. Practices writing and organization skills through writing assignments focused on practical real-world examples students will face in their careers, including one-pagers, policy memos, and data summaries, including learning to edit, improve, and pressure test the work of others. Presents professional standards for accuracy, readability, structure, and style that help communicate more effectively and persuasively in the pursuit of public health goals.

All participants enrolled in this course must complete the required readings before the course starts. Participants enrolled in this course will be evaluated for receipt of the certificate of participation based on the pre-course assignment, class participation and in-course assignments. Participants taking this course for Johns Hopkins or UPF academic credit will be further evaluated by a final paper, due no later than December 20, 2024.

Note: the last day of this course will be held on Saturday, November 23.