SRJC Course Outlines

9/17/2025 8:26:35 AM	HLC 52 Course Outline as of Fall 2026	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr: HLC 52	Title: INTRO PUBLIC HEALTH
Full Title: Introduction to Public Health
Last Reviewed:9/15/2025

Units		Course Hours per Week		Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00	17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0	6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0		Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00		Contact Total	52.50

		Non-contact DHR	0		Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours: 105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category: AA Degree Applicable
Grading: Grade Only
Repeatability: 00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As:
Formerly:

Catalog Description:
Untitled document

In this course, students will learn about important, foundational concepts in community and public health, and the history and accomplishments of public health professionals and agencies. Topics will include the historical development of public health, epidemiological methods, determinants of global health policy, public health information resources, health improvement in schools, and prevention of infectious and chronic diseases. Students will also engage in analysis of statewide epidemiological reports on chronic and infectious disease.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL C1000 (formerly ENGL 1A) OR Eligibility of EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) OR equivalent or appropriate placement based on AB705 mandates; and Course Completion OR Concurrent Enrollment in HLE 5

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description: Untitled document

(Grade Only)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL C1000 (formerly ENGL 1A) OR Eligibility of EMLS 10 (formerly ESL 10) OR equivalent or appropriate placement based on AB705 mandates; and Course Completion OR Concurrent Enrollment in HLE 5
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:		Inactive:
Area:

CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:

IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:

CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 2018	Inactive:

UC Transfer:		Effective:		Inactive:

C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:
Untitled document

1. Analyze public health models and concepts and determine how they impact society.

2. Demonstrate accurate analysis of statewide epidemiological reports on chronic and infectious disease.

Objectives: Untitled document

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Define important foundational concepts in community and public health.

2. Identify different public health professions and organizations and explain how each contributes to the field of public health.

3. Describe the historical development of public health including the most important achievements of public health.

4. Distinguish the difference between personal and public health.

5. Distinguish how public health differs from the traditional Western medicine approach to treating disease and illness.

6. Demonstrate the use of basic epidemiological methods, such as the analysis of rates, and the definition of cases, population at risk, risk factors, incidence, prevalence, morbidity, and mortality.

7. Outline strategies for prevention, detection, and control of infectious and chronic diseases.

8. Outline the process of community organizing and health promotion programming.

9. Describe the interplay between health determinants, such as environmental conditions, social, behavioral and cultural factors, and biological considerations, and explain the role of each in determining local, national and global health organization and policy.

10. Analyze current public health issues and describe how they affect societal well-being among specific populations of age, sex, ethnicity, minority, education and socioeconomic status.

11. Describe the organization, financing, and delivery of various medical and population-based services in the U.S. healthcare system.

12. Identify, assess, and utilize credible information resources on community health current issues, such as the internet, social media, media outlets, and libraries.

13. Identify the components of the Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC) model designed to improve learning and health in our nation's schools.

14. Describe the Dual Diagnosis/Co-Occurring Disorders approach to treating people who suffer from both an addiction and a psychiatric disorder.

15. Identify common practices that contribute to intentional and unintentional workplace injuries and public health policies that would reduce their occurrences.

16. Communicate orally and in writing in the scientific language of the discipline.

Topics and Scope
Untitled document

I. Definition of Public Health

A. Distinction between personal and public health

B. History and accomplishments of public health officials and agencies

C. Core functions of public health professions and institutions

II. Analytical Methods of Public Health

A. Epidemiology

B. Statistics

III. The Biomedical Basis of Public Health

A. The conquest of infectious disease

B. New infectious disease

C. Chronic disease

D. Genetic disease

IV. Community Organizing and Health Promotion Programming

V. Social determinants of health

A. Gestational endowment

B. Social circumstances

C. Environmental conditions

D. Behavioral choices

E. Access to medical care

F. Individual and community health status

G. Local, state, national, and global health organization and policy

VI. Environmental Issues in Public Health

A. Clean air

B. Clean water

C. Garbage

D. Food and drug safety

E. Population control

F. Injury prevention

G. Emergency preparedness

VII. Healthcare Systems

VIII. Whole School, Whole Child, Whole Community (WSCC) school health promotion model

A. Health Education

B. Physical Education and Physical Activity

C. Nutrition Environment and Services

D. Health Services

E. Counseling, Psychological, and Social Services

F. Social and Emotional Climate

G. Physical Environment

H. Employee Wellness

I. Family Engagement

J. Community Involvement

IX. Workplace Safety

A. Intentional injuries

B. Unintentional injuries

C. Prevention

X. Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA) Regulations

XI. Public Health Information

A. Interpreting and evaluating health and medical information from libraries and credible internet resources

1. General information

2. Subject specific

Assignments:
Untitled document

1. Written assignments (2-3), including:

a. Health research paper (5-6 pages)

b. Analysis of various public health media sources (2-3 pages)

2. Group presentation on a public health issue

3. Quizzes (5-7)

4. Midterm (1) and final exam (1)

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 35 - 55%
Written assignments
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 0 - 0%
None
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 0 - 0%
None
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 35 - 50%
Quizzes; midterm and final
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 10 - 15%
Group presentation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:
Untitled document

Schneiders Introduction to Public Health. 7th ed. Kruger, Moralez, Siqueira. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 2026.

Print PDF

Curriculum

SRJC Course Outlines