[ undergraduate program | graduate program ]
All courses, faculty listings, and curricular and degree requirements described herein are subject to change or deletion without notice.
For course descriptions not found in the UC San Diego General Catalog 2019–20, please contact the department for more information.
FMPH 40. Introduction to Public Health (4)
This course provides an introduction to the infrastructure of public health; the analytical tools employed by public health practitioners; bio-psychosocial perspectives of public health problems; health promotion/disease prevention; quality assessment in public health; and legal and ethical concerns. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 40. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 40 and FMPH 40. Prerequisites: restricted enrollment to freshman, sophomore, and junior standing.
FMPH 50. Primary Care and Public Health (4)
This course explores historical and current interactions, achievements, and challenges of primary care and public health. It will analyze the impact of common medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, mental health disorders, and others on individuals, their families, and society. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 50. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 50 and FMPH 50. Prerequisites: restricted enrollment to sophomore, junior, and senior standing.
FMPH 101. Epidemiology (4)
This course covers the basic principles of epidemiology, with applications to investigations of noninfectious (“chronic”) and infectious diseases. Explores various study designs appropriate for disease surveillance and studies of etiology and prevention. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 101. Students may not receive credit for FMPH 101 and either FPMU 101 or FPMU 101A. Prerequisites: FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B; and upper-division standing.
FMPH 102. Biostatistics in Public Health (4)
Fundamentals of biostatistics and basic methods for analysis of continuous and binary outcomes for one, two, or several groups. Includes: summarizing and displaying data; probability; statistical distributions; central limit theorem, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing; comparing means of continuous variables between two groups; comparing proportions between two groups; simple and multiple linear regression. Hands-on data analysis using software and statistical applications in public health. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 102. Students may not receive credit for FMPH 102 and either FPMU 101B or FPMU 102. Prerequisites: FMPH 40; PSYC 60 or MATH 11 or COGS 14B; and upper-division standing.
FMPH 110. Health Behavior and Chronic Diseases (4)
This course introduces health behavior concepts through applications to chronic disease prevention. The focus is on smoking, dietary behaviors, and physical activity and is organized around relationships to health, measurement, influencing factors, interventions, and translation to public health practice. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 110. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 110 and FMPH 110. Prerequisites: FMPH 40 and upper-division standing.
FMPH 120. Health Policies for Healthy Lifestyles (4)
This course covers the rationale for and effectiveness of policies to influence nutrition, physical activity, and substance use behavior. Policies include legalization, taxation, labeling, produce manufacturing, warning labels, licensing, marketing, and counter-marketing practices and restrictions on use. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 120. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 120 and FMPH 120. Prerequisites: FMPH 40 and upper-division standing.
FMPH 130. Environmental and Occupational Health (4)
This core public health course addresses the fundamentals of environmental and occupational health, including identification of hazards, basic toxicology, risk assessment, prevention/protection, and regulatory/control policies. Specific environmental and occupational hazards and relevant case studies will be presented. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 130. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 130 and FMPH 130. Prerequisites: FMPH 50, FMPH 101, and upper-division standing.
FMPH 180A. Public Health Advanced Practicum I (4)
Emphasizes key public health concepts including program planning, research design, and written/oral communication skills. Practicum done in combination with research, internship, or overseas experiences, completed after FMPH 180A. Open to public health majors with upper-division standing.Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 180A. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 180A and FMPH 180A. Prerequisites: FMPH 40, FMPH 50, FMPH 101 or FMPH 102, and FMPH 110. Department approval required. Restricted to upper-division public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 180B. Public Health Advanced Practicum II (4)
Practicum participants will engage in an experiential learning program at a pre-approved practicum site. Students will participate in applied public health research and/or programs under supervision of UC San Diego faculty. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 180B. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 180B and FMPH 180B. Prerequisites: department approval required. Restricted to upper-division public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 180C. Public Health Advanced Practicum III (4)
Practicum participants will interpret and contextualize findings from the experiential learning program planned in 180A and completed during 180B. Oral and written presentations will focus on disseminating public health information in diverse formats. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Renumbered from FPMU 180C. Students may not receive credit for FPMU 180C and FMPH 180C. Prerequisites: FMPH 180B. Department approval required. Restricted to upper-division public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 191. Topics in Public Health (4)
Selected topics in the field of public health. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. May be taken for credit up to three times. Prerequisites: FMPH 40. Restricted enrollment to sophomore, junior, and senior standing. Department approval required.
FMPH 193. Public Capstone I (4)
This is the first of a two-part capstone series that serves as the culminating experience for the BS in public health (BSPH) majors. Students will integrate the skills and knowledge gained throughout the BSPH program and learn critical elements of public health research and practice.Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Prerequisites: FMPH 40, FMPH 50, FMPH 101, FMPH 102, and FMPH 110. Department approval required. Restricted to senior public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 194. Public Capstone II (4)
This is the second of a two-part capstone series that serves as the culminating experience for the BS in public health (BSPH) majors. Students will interpret and contextualize findings from their projects completed in the first part of the series. Oral and written presentations will focus on disseminating public health information in diverse formats.Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Prerequisites: FMPH 40, FMPH 50, FMPH 101, FMPH 102, FMPH 110, FMPH 120, and FMPH 193. Department approval required. Restricted to senior public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 195. Instruction in Public Health (4)
Introduction to teaching in a public health course. As an undergraduate instructional apprentice, students will attend the lectures of the course, weekly meetings with students of the course, and weekly meetings with the course instructor. Responsibilities may include class presentations, designing and leading weekly discussion sections, assisting with homework and exam grading, and monitoring and responding to online discussion posts. Renumbered from FPMU 195. FMPH 195 and/or FPMU 195 may be taken for credit for a combined total of two times. Prerequisites: eligibility includes all of the following: upper-division standing, a minimum of A– in the course in which the student plans to assist, a 3.0 cumulative UC GPA, and instructor and department approval.
FMPH 196A. Public Health Honors Practicum I (4)
This is the first of a three-part honors series that serves as the culminating experience for the BS in public health (BSPH) majors. Students review, reinforce, and complement skills and knowledge gained throughout the BSPH program, and prepare a proposal integrating critical elements of public health research and practice.Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Prerequisites: FMPH 40, FMPH 50, FMPH 101 or FMPH 102, and FMPH 110. Department approval required. Restricted to upper-division public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 196B. Public Health Honors Practicum II (4)
This is the second of a three-part honors series that serves as the culminating experience for the BS in public health majors. This course represents an experiential learning opportunity at a pre-approved community site. Under supervision of public health faculty and pertinent site representatives, students will refine and implement the public health proposal developed in the first part of the honors series. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Prerequisites: FMPH 196A. Department approval required. Restricted to upper-division public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 196C. Public Health Honors Practicum III (4)
This is the third of a three-part honors series that serves as the culminating experience for the BS in public health majors. Students will analyze, interpret, and contextualize findings from their projects completed in the series. Oral and written communication will focus on disseminating public health information in diverse formats, and will include a presentation and an honors thesis. Must be taken for a letter grade to be applied to the public health major. Prerequisites: FMPH 196B. Restricted to upper-division public health majors only (FP25).
FMPH 199. Independent Study (2–4)
Individual undergraduate study or research not covered by the present course offerings. Study or research must be under the direction of a faculty member in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health and approval must be secured from the faculty member prior to registering. P/NP grades only. Renumbered from FPMU 199. FMPH 199 and/or FPMU 199 may be taken for credit a combined total of six times. Prerequisites: upper-division standing, completion of ninety units of UC San Diego undergraduate study, a minimum UC San Diego GPA of 2.5, consent of instructor, and a completed and approved Special Studies form.
FMPH 221. Biostatistical Methods I (4)
Introductory graduate course on the analysis of biomedical data using the R statistical software. Topics include t-tests, ANOVAs, linear regression, model diagnostics, model building and selection, interaction, confounding, multiple comparisons, and robust tests based on ranks and resampling. Prerequisites: biostatistics major or program approval.
FMPH 222. Biostatistical Methods II (4)
Intermediate-level graduate course in the analysis of categorical data. Topics include generalized linear models (logistic, Poisson, loglinear models); splines and nonlinear regression; stratified and case-control studies. Maximum likelihood, quasi likelihood, and Bayesian approaches; large scale model selection and inference. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 221 and MATH 281A or MATH 282A or program approval.
FMPH 223. Analysis of Longitudinal Data (4)
Covers analysis of longitudinal data, parametric modeling of covariance, generalized estimating equations, linear, nonlinear, and generalized linear mixed effects models and modeling dropout in longitudinal studies. Data analysis and computational issues are emphasized. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 222 and MATH 281A and MATH 282A or MATH 281B and MATH 282B or program approval.
FMPH 224. Clinical Trials (4)
The graduate class will cover statistical aspects of clinical trial design, monitoring, analysis, and ethics of human subjects research. Data analysis and computation will be emphasized. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 221 and FMPH 222 or program approval.
FMPH 225. Advanced Topics in Biostatistical Inference (4)
The graduate class will cover modern statistical inference including non-parametric statistics, estimating equations, resampling methods, and statistical learning. Data analysis and computation will be emphasized. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 221, FMPH 222, and FMPH 223 or program approval.
FMPH 226. Statistical Methods for Observational Studies (4)
An introduction to inference and causal modeling for observational data, including propensity score adjustment, inverse probability weighting, instrumental variables, and sensitivity analysis. Data analysis and computation will be required. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 221, FMPH 222, and FMPH 223 or program approval.
FMPH 227. Applied Multivariate Statistical Analysis (4)
This graduate course covers concepts, methods, and applications of multivariate data analysis, including multivariate regression, principal components, clustering and functional analysis. Data analysis will be emphasized. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 221 and FMPH 222 or program approval.
FMPH 241. Biostatistics Rotation (3)
This practicum provides hand-on experience with biomedical research and data analysis. Working within a specific biomedical domain (e.g., cancer, genomics, or physical activity research), students will conduct original data analysis, and prepare or substantially contribute to a final project report. May be taken for credit up to five times. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 221 and FMPH 222; biostatistics major only.
FMPH 242. Advanced Topics in Biostatistics (4)
Biostatistics elective courses will be taught under this course heading. Courses will have a varying focus each year/quarter. Topics will include random field theory and image analysis, advanced statistical computing, Bayesian methods, and others. May be taken for credit up to three times. Prerequisites: successful completion of FMPH 221 and FMPH 222 or program approval.
FMPH 277. Health Policy, Technology, and Public Health (4)
This course provides an overview of the US health policy landscape. It addresses the development of explicit health policies to promote certain health behaviors, policies aimed at public health safety, and policy issues related to emerging health and biomedical technologies. Renumbered from FPM 290. Students may not receive credit for FMPH 277 and FPM 290. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the UC San Diego/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in public health (PU75, PU76, and PU77), biostatistics major (FP75), or consent of instructor.
FMPH 290. Biostatistics Journal Club and Seminar (1)
This course requires attendance and participation in the Division of Biostatistics seminar series and journal club. Students will critically read the assigned articles and participate in biweekly journal clubs. Students are also required to lead at least one journal club discussion. Prerequisites: biostatistics major only.
FMPH 291. Special Topics in Public Health (1–4)
Topics of special interest in public health. Topics may vary from quarter to quarter. May be taken for credit up to twelve times for a maximum of forty-eight units.
FPM 231. Exposure Assessment and Biomarkers in Epidemiology (2)
To address how exposure assessment accuracies or biases can influence study outcomes and conclusions in epidemiology. Special emphasis will be on biomarkers as recent measures of
FPM 233. Clinical Nutrition (2)
Clinical nutrition is the study of nutrition and diet as related to the prevention and treatment of human disease. Nutrition is an interdisciplinary field of study, built on a foundation of biomedical and behavioral sciences. This course emphasizes class discussion of clinical topics and assigned readings in current areas of research and practice (i.e., diet and cancer, vitamin and other diet supplements), with case studies and illustrative class exercises.
FPM 237. Microarray Technology and Informatics (2)
This course is an introduction to microarray technology and analysis of gene expression data. This ten-lecture course will cover a range of microarray topics including platform types. Image processing, experimental design, and statistical analysis and application in medicine and health sciences.
FPM 238. Introduction to Clinical Family Medicine (1-7)
Introduction to clinical ambulatory medicine where students spend one afternoon per week in a physician’s practice participating in patient care commensurate with their training. Students may opt to continue the course over successive quarters or enroll full time during the summer for up to four weeks. S/U grades only. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: medical student status.
FPM 244. Clinical and Public Health Elective, Baja California, Mexico (2)
(Cross-listed with MED 248) Integrated clinical and public health experience with US and Mexican graduate student and faculty teams over three to four days in Baja California, Mexico; emphasis on common clinical and public health problems in underserved populations. Minimal working knowledge of Spanish recommended. May be taken for credit four times. Prerequisites: UC San Diego SOM student and graduate students with consent of instructor.
FPM 246. Occupational/Environmental Health (2)
An introduction to the history and epidemiology of work-related disease. A review of occupational-related health problems, i.e., heart disease, pneumoconiosis, peripheral neuropathy, sterility, birth defects, psychiatric problems. Emphasis on the occupational history in the diagnosis of job-related disease and disability. Major modalities of prevention and control will be presented and the role of health practitioners, government, management and labor will be reviewed. The course will include guest lecturers, films, videotapes and field visits to local industries and/or clinicians treating occupational diseases. Prerequisites: SM 208.
FPM 247. Clinical Epidemiology Seminar (2)
This seminar is designed to expand the student’s understanding of clinical epidemiology by investigating several major controversial issues, such as treatment of breast cancer, oral hypoglycemic in diabetes, and dietary habits as a risk factor for coronary artery disease. The seminar will address clinical and methodological issues in the epidemiology of various chronic diseases.
FPM 257. Cancer: Cause and Prevention (2)
This course will provide an overview of the problem of cancer and its avoidable causes. It covers some of the hottest topics currently facing cancer prevention professional as they try to prevent cancer from occurring in the first place and delay its progression.
FPM 258A. Public Health Doctoral Lecture Series I (2)
This first quarter of a three quarter sequence combines didactic instruction, interactive sessions and student presentations. Topics cover study design, ethics, data analysis and management techniques, and qualitative research will be presented. Focus: lectures (different from II or III). Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, SOM student.
FPM 258B. Public Health Doctoral Lecture Series II (2)
This second quarter of a three quarter sequence combines didactic instruction, interactive sessions and student presentations. Topics cover study design, ethics, data analysis and management techniques, and qualitative research will be presented. Focus: lectures (different from I or III). Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, SOM student, FPM 258A.
FPM 258C. Public Health Doctoral Lecture Series III (2)
This third quarter of a three quarter sequence combines didactic instruction, interactive sessions and student presentations. Topics cover study design, ethics, data analysis and management techniques, and qualitative research will be presented. Focus: lectures (different from I or II). Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, SOM student, FPM 258B.
FPM 259A. Applied Epidemiology—Scientific Analysis (4)
Students will explore an epidemiologic research question by reviewing relevant published literature, and then design and conduct appropriate data analysis using a pre-existing dataset. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate students.
FPM 259B. Applied Epidemiology—Scientific Writing (4)
Students will learn the principles of scientific writing, review examples of scientific literature, and then complete a manuscript suitable for publication based on their project from FPM 259A. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, FPM 259A.
FPM 259C. Applied Epidemiology—Scientific Presentations (4)
Students will learn the principles of scientific presentations, for the classroom, and for scientific meetings (both oral and poster presentations). Students will then prepare and deliver presentations based on their project from FPM 259A. May be taken for credit two times. Prerequisites: Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health graduate student, FPM 259B.
FPM 270. Cultural Perceptions of Health and Disease (4)
To improve knowledge about health and illness within cultural contexts, including review and discussions of epidemiologic studies describing health indicators/beliefs/practices. Students interact with experts in cross-cultural health research to explore ethnicity/culture in health care delivery and utilization, and disease risk. Prerequisites: medical or graduate student. Other students admitted with consent of instructor.
FPM 272. Community Advocacy (4)
The UC San Diego Student-Run Free Clinic Project operates in partnership with two community programs for the homeless and an inner-city elementary school. Students participate in didactic sessions learning principles of working with the underserved and are supervised in clinical, health education, and administrative roles at the clinic sites. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: medical student.
FPM 276. Health Behavior Interventions I (4)
Course will include a discussion of intervention goals suggested by major theories of health behavior change. Common communication modes and messages will be studied, including examples using small group settings, mass media, legislation, and telephone counseling. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health.
FPM 277. Health Behavior Interventions II (4)
This course focuses on critical analyses of success and failure of behavior theories as applied to interventions in multiple fields (e.g. smoking, dietary behavior, and physical activity). It covers individual and population approaches to behavior change. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the UC San Diego/SDSU Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU 75 and PU 76).
FPM 278. Scale Development for Behavioral Health Measurement (4)
Course will present theory and methods for developing scales to assess health behavior constructs (e.g., self-efficacy, social support). Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health. Graduate level statistics or research methods class.
FPM 280A. Practicum in Health Behavior I (4)
Students will learn about grant writing, project management, and preparation of manuscripts for publication and presentations for scientific meetings, and also work individually with a faculty mentor to learn how to conduct a health behavior intervention. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU75 and PU75). Courses must be completed in sequence (e.g., A before B and B before C).
FPM 280B. Practicum in Health Behavior II (4)
Students will learn about grant writing, project management, and preparation of manuscripts for publication and presentations for scientific meetings, and also work individually with a faculty mentor in preparing manuscripts using data from a specific health behavior intervention. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU75 and PU75). Courses must be completed in sequence (e.g., A before B and B before C).
FPM 280C. Practicum in Health Behavior III (4)
Students will learn about grant writing, project management, and preparation of manuscripts for publication and presentations for scientific meetings, and also work individually with a faculty mentor in analyzing existing data sets. S/U grades only. Prerequisites: must be enrolled in the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Public Health (PU75 and PU75). Courses must be completed in sequence (e.g., A before B and B before C).
FPM 286. Free Clinic II (2 or 4)
The Free Clinic Project operates at three community-based sites. In this class, students, under faculty supervision, provide clinical services and learn administrative, health education and leadership. S/U grades only. May be taken for credit as many times as desired. Prerequisites: FPM 272.
FPM 288. Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods (4)
Focus on qualitative methods addressing both theoretical and practical dimensions of conducting qualitative research. Identify research questions for which qualitative methods are appropriate, and to critique qualitative research in terms of design, interview techniques, analysis, and interpretation.
FPM 291. Dissemination and Implementation Science in Health: An Introduction (4)
Focus on disseminating and scaling up health interventions in real-world settings. Interactive didactic sessions and guest lectures on implementation of research principles, approaches, and methods. Will design a proposal to implement or scale-up a clinical or public health intervention.
