180.626.81
Environmental Justice and Public Health Practice
Location
Internet
Term
2nd Term
Department
Environmental Health and Engineering
Credit(s)
3
Academic Year
2024 - 2025
Instruction Method
Asynchronous Online
Auditors Allowed
Yes, with instructor consent
Available to Undergraduate
No
Grading Restriction
Letter Grade or Pass/Fail
Course Instructor(s)
Contact Name
Frequency Schedule
Every Year
Resources
Prerequisite
180.609 Principles of Environmental Health or 180.601 Environmental Health or an equivalent introductory course in environmental health
What is environmental justice and how does it impact public health? What current strategies are being used to address environmental justice concerns? How can different sectors contribute to achieving environmental health equity?
Explores environmental justice through a historical, ethical and political lens with discussions on the impacts of environmental injustice on health disparities, particularly in low income and minority communities. Critical assessment of existing environmental justice approaches will be used to foster discussions and strategies for alleviating inequities in environmental exposure and disease at multiple levels and domains of public health. This course will highlight various approaches for public health officials, advocacy groups, health professionals, policymakers, and stakeholders to contribute to environmental justice, and guide students through integrating existing expertise into environmental justice solutions.
Learning Objectives
Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
- Summarize the evolution of the environmental justice movement in an accurate historical and ethical context
- Explain the impact of inequities in neighborhood-level environmental exposures on health disparities
- Explain the need for collaborative partnerships and the various roles of scientists, community members, public health officials, and policy makers in addressing environmental justice concerns
- Identify present-day environmental justice concerns, the impact of these on public health, and potential financial, political, and logistic hurdles to achieving environmental equity
- Critique current approaches to addressing concerns of environmental justice
- Use existing skill sets to construct environmental justice solutions at various levels and within various domains
Methods of Assessment
This course is evaluated as follows:
- 20% Participation
- 50% Homework
- 30% Final Project
Enrollment Restriction
Undergrads not permitted