HLS 770 represents the professional work experience required in the homeland security major. Students work in a professional setting for a minimum of 180 hours under the supervision of a site supervisor. All internships require students to identify and complete work on a specific project (s) approved by the HLS coordinator. Internships may be taken at any time after students have taken 30 credits of university coursework. Note that students who are academically or otherwise unable to enter into internship must take HLS 799 (thesis in homeland security which requires senior standing and permission from the HLS program coordinator). Prereq: HLS 410, HLS 455 and HLS 480.

Students work under the direction of a faculty thesis advisor to plan and carry out independent research resulting in an oral presentation and a major research paper. Research projects should include the development of a research thesis/question, a literature review, analysis, and synthesis of relevant data/sources, discussion and interpretation and presentation of results. Senior Thesis can be used to substitute for Internship in HLS. Permission by HLS program coordinator required, open only to HLS seniors. Prereq: HLS 510 and HLS 515 and HLS 650 and HLS 760.

This course describes and defines ?what is public health? and seeks to convey its critical importance and relevance to both public and individual (personal) wellbeing. It presents an overview of the structure, function, and organization of the public health system/services (government, proprietary, and voluntary sectors) and how they operate, emphasizing core functions and major divisions (public health administration, epidemiology and biostatistics, environmental health, social and behavioral health). Addresses the social, ethical, issues; bioterrorism; epidemics; obesity; tobacco, alcohol, and opioid use; violence. Seeks to challenge students to think critically about existing and emerging U.S. and global public health issues. Introduces public health careers.

The distribution and determinants of disease, illness, and health in the community. Community health and illness measures, health status, and source of data. Development of hypotheses and study designs to reduce community health problems using epidemiological reasoning, methods, and analyses. Lab.