21 courses with the subject PH, each shown exactly as we captured it from the college's catalog, with every element we hold. Where the wording looks broken, that is our reading of the catalog, not the college's text.
PH 101INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC HEALTH4
Public health, founded on the principle of social justice, is the science of improving the health of all individuals in a community. In this introductory course, students will learn about the history of public health, the tools we use to improve the public’s health, and the structure of the U.S. public health system. Students will then apply what they learn to better understand the state of health in the United States and current controversies in public health. Open to first-year students. Offered Term 1. (DIV, MOD, INQ)
This course analyzes the distribution, determinants, and prevention of disease, disability, and premature death in populations. It includes a quantitative analysis of the biological, social, economic, and environmental conditions that affect health, as well as an examination of potential bias in studies.
PH 101 and q, or permission of instructor. Open to first-year students. Offered Term 2. (r, Q,
PH 230HEALTH BEHAVIOR
What prompts people to act in ways that either hurts or improves their health? Turns out, we know a lot about this! This course covers intrapersonal, interpersonal, and structural theories of health behavior with an emphasis on applying that knowledge to change behaviors and improve population health outcomes. Open to first-year students. Offered Spring term in even years.
PH 240ONE HEALTH: LINKING HUMAN, ANIMAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH4
Nearly two-thirds of all human infectious diseases are transmissible to animals and vice versa. One Health is a world-wide movement which focuses on the intersectionality of human, animal, and environmental health and how interdisciplinary efforts can be made to better study and solve these problems. This seminar-based course will take a case study approach to explore concepts and approaches integral to One Health. Key diseases and issues related to human, animal, and environmental health for which this approach could or has been utilized will be explored, along with its associated peer-reviewed literature. This course is specifically targeted towards pre-health, pre-vet, and public health students, along with students interested in field biology and environmental science. Also listed and described as BIOL/ES 240. Prerequisites: ES/BIOL 207/207L, or PH 201, or permission. Open to first-year students. Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 385
PH 250SPECIAL TOPIC: SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH4
Social circumstances influence the health and well-being of individuals and communities. This course fosters an understanding of micro- and macro-determinants that result in racial/ethnic and socio-economic differences in health outcomes. Determinants include income, wealth, education, social status, social support, social stressors, and social-physical environments, among others. Students will learn about the social conditions impacting individual and community health. Open to first-year students. (o, DJP)
Microbial ecology is the study of microbes in the environment and their interactions with the environment, each other, and plant and animal species. The discipline is at the heart of the function of every ecosystem on the planet, from the lithosphere to the cryosphere, the human body, and the built environment. This course will survey the microbial diversity within the biosphere and delve into the complex interactions between microbial communities and the worlds they inhabit. Also listed and described as BIOL 253 and ES 253. Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 386
This lab will use culture-dependent and independent techniques and common biogeochemical assays to survey the microbial ecology of a variety of environments. Also listed and described as BIOL 253L or ES 253L. Co-requisite: BIOL, ES, or PH 253. Offered in Odd Years Spring Term (SCI).
As social justice is the central mission of public health, this course provides critical analysis of the relationship between social justice and population health. Issues include racism, discrimination, poverty, education, employment, and housing, just to name a few. In particular, students will engage in in-depth examination of residential segregation and its impact on the health and well-being of racial/ethnic minorities. Open to first-year students. Offered in even-years Spring Term. (DIV, DJP).
Global Health is more than ever an important field of study and professional practice, thanks to the unprecedented advances in travel, technology, inter-connectedness/inter-dependent economies, and cross-cultural interaction. This course provides an in-depth exploration and analysis of issues that constitute international health. It considers case studies, conceptual frameworks, and methods about health from a multidisciplinary perspective with a focus on practical application. The course analyzes the relation of biological, economic, political, cultural, geographic, and behavioral factors to disease spread and management as well as emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The course primarily covers global health issues with a specific concentration on low- and middle-income countries, and the health situation of vulnerable populations. Students also examine global health policy and develop a policy brief. Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 387
PH 101 or PH 201, or permission of instructor. Offered Term 1. (GLO, DJP)
PH 305QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS4
Students will learn to work with data and calculate and analyze simple, bivariate, and selected multivariate statistics, using common statistical software (Excel, JASP, or SPSS). Course includes a strong emphasis on developing critical thinking skills needed to interpret findings, communicate results, and make evidence-based recommendations supported by analyses. Spring term in even-numbered years.
GPS 216. Also listed and described as SOC 306. Not open to first-year students. Offered
PH 309QUALITATIVE METHODS
This course leads students through the process of carrying out qualitative research from research question development through data analysis and writing up results. Students will learn how to carry out research through methods appropriate to their research questions, including content analysis, focus groups, and interviewing. Students will also learn how to engage with the IRB process and how to conduct ethical studies. Also listed and described as SOC 309. Prerequisites: GPS 216. Offered Spring term in odd-numbered years.
PH 315FEAR OF A FAT PLANET: INTRODUCTION TO FAT STUDIES4
This course addresses the cultural, economic, and political fixations on weight in the US. Students will critically analyze the public health war on obesity, the social construction of fitness, and the health at every size and fat positivity movements. Students will incorporate feminist and queer theory to analyze the intersections of fatness with gender, sexuality, race, class, and disability. Also listed and described as GWS 315. Not open to first-year students. Offered Spring term in even- numbered years. (DJP)
This lecture/lab course will provide a general understanding of disease ecology and examine both common and newly emerging diseases that impact wildlife. We'll also examine the roles these diseases play in population regulation, game management, conservation of rare and endangered species, and how they can affect human and domestic animal health. Lab components of the course will involve both field and laboratory-based experiences involved in routine testing of wildlife and/or vectors for pathogens. This course cannot count as a 300- level laboratory course for the biology major. Also listed and described as BIOL/ES 316. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing and BIOL/ES 207/207L and BIOL 236/236L, or PH 201, or permission. (SCI, TLAS) Hollins University 2026–27 Undergraduate Catalog Page 388
Government plays a significant role in population health through health policy making. Health care accessibility, cost, and quality as well as food, water, environmental safety, and disaster response are all structured by policy. This course equips students to understand the policy making process at the local, state, and federal levels. Students will learn to analyze policy for its impact on population health and will learn how to advocate for policy that improves health equity. Also listed and described as POLS 330. Not open to first-year students. Offered Fall term in odd-numbered years
Health communication is an emerging specialty in the field of communication. This course is a survey of some of the concepts and theories in health communication and explores several areas, including the social construction of health and illness, patient-provider interaction, the development of health care promotion messages, and an overview of health care models and organizational structures in the U.S. Also listed and described as COMM 344. Prerequisite: sophomore standing.
PH 350SPECIAL TOPIC: COMPARATIVE HEALTH SYSTEMS AND POPULATION HEALTH4
Access to healthcare is a significant determinant of health. This course is anchored in study of the structure and function of the U.S. health care as a system, and analysis of its impact on health outcomes across multiple populations. It will situate this study in a global context to highlight the impact different health care systems have on population health outcomes.
Environmental justice refers to both a field of study and an activist movement. Both the realm of study and activism focus on the way different groups of people are differently impacted by environmental issues. This course examines the roots of environmental justice, considers the role of citizen activism and citizen science, and considers the systemic roots of environmental injustices in the United States, its territories, and the broader North American continent. Additionally, the course incorporates applied examples and experiences from the field in adjacent study areas including public health and sociology. Also listed and described as ES 373 and SOC 373. Prerequisite: ES 104, ES 117, PH 201, or SOC 110. (DIV,
Academic component of supervised field experience in public health consists of a daily log, RATE tool, and final reflective essay Application must be made with faculty prior to registration. May be proposed any term.
This course guides students through the process of public health intervention design, from needs assessment to evaluation. Students work in groups mentored by the course instructor to develop a community health needs assessment and improvement document, simulating public health working environments. The course is designed to empower students to synthesize their academic experience gained in prior public health coursework that will incorporate and gauge students’ practical skills in developing an impactful project based on real life public health intervention.
