The social and behavioral sciences in public health address the behavioral, social, and cultural factors related to individual and population health, health behaviors and health disparities over the life course. This course emphasizes the importance of social context and cultural construction and examines current issues in health from a social and behavioral sciences perspective. Students will choose a specific topic to explore from all these different perspectives throughout the semester (examples of a special topic could be breastfeeding or childhood obesity). The course is designed to encourage students to think about the multiple and complex roots of behavior (“what people do”) and introduce students to the relationship between behavior and a selection of major health issues. To provide an introductory background to the kinds of social and behavioral theories that guide our understanding of health-related behavior, and that form the background for health promotion and prevention efforts; and to explore some of the ways in which these theories and approaches are used in applied health promotion efforts.

Grades will be based on attendance and participation, weekly discussion board assignments, projects, and written assignments.