About PH 6310 OL1
Floods, droughts, severe heatwaves, wildfires, and disruptions to the food supply are a few anticipated direct effects of climate change. Examines each of these public health challenges, and their potential to cause/significantly contribute to complex humanitarian emergencies, civil unrest, military conflict, and large-scale migration, as well as policy implications going forward.
Notes
Open to graduate-level students; All other students require instructor permission; Must submit the request at: http://go.uvm.edu/phcourses Students will be notified if permission is granted; Contact student Advisor, Pallas Ziporyn at Pallas.Ziporyn@uvm.edu; for any questions; Asynchronous online
Section Description
This course asks a simple question: if the climate science is right, if the most recent data is accurate, what does that actually imply? Not just for the planet, but for governments, economies, legal systems, and most importantly the hundreds of millions of people who will be displaced, impoverished, or endangered in the decades ahead.
Following a multi-week introduction to the relevant earth systems science, students will go on to examine the likely cascading humanitarian consequences: the ways drought fuels civil war, how current international refugee law is outdated and inadequate to meet expected challenges, what it means for host countries when climate migration arrives at scale, why climate scientists may actually understate the risks they study, and finally the difficulties of engaging in persuasive climate communication in today’s fragmented society. The course draws on academic literature, advocacy journalism, a visiting lecturer, as well as documentary and fictional film, reflecting a core premise: that public health professionals in a warming world will need to communicate across disciplines and speak to audiences well beyond the scientific community, using a wide variety of media.
Weekly modules address water scarcity, agricultural disruption, abrupt and runaway climate change, the climate-conflict nexus, the legal and political dimensions of large-scale migration, and the psychology of climate communication. A staged research paper — developed weekly from prospectus through final draft — asks each student to conduct an original deep dive into one of these intersecting themes.
Section Expectation
Credit Hours: 3. Fully asynchronous, online. No prerequisites. Students should expect to spend 5–7 hours per week on course materials, including required readings, documentary films, and module content. Access to streaming platforms (Netflix, YouTube) required for film viewings.
Evaluation
: Grades are based on weekly quizzes (18%), YellowDig discussion board participation (20%), three documentary film reviews (12%), a five-minute narrated slide presentation modeled on a policy briefing (20%), and a 10–15 page final research paper developed in stages (30%). No midterm or final exams.
Important Dates
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| Last Day to Drop | |
| Last Day to Withdraw with 50% Refund | |
| Last Day to Withdraw with 25% Refund | |
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Resources
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PH 6310 OL1 is closed to new enrollment.
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