The Department stresses the development of analytic and technical skills that will give students a comparative advantage in future employment. The teaching program draws directly on the faculty's experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating programs in developing country settings. The curriculum translates theory into practical applications to current problems in developing countries. The research and teaching programs of the department have several major areas of strength including, nutrition and food security, emergencies and disasters management, reproductive health and population, infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS, policy-programs-management, and monitoring & evaluation. These areas have been identified to help the student prepare for future professional opportunities in a specific sector or technical specialization. There is only one degree offered by the department at the master's level, the MPH. Students will design their own unique programs of study which draw upon the strengths of the department in consultation with the appropriate faculty advisor.
Emergencies and Disaster Management The past decade has seen a dramatic rise in the incidence of public health emergencies caused by violent conflict and environmental crises. Additionally, technological emergencies, weapons of mass destruction and other man-made emergencies are increasingly recognized to be a risk to international public health. Complex emergencies (CE's), which entail some degree of violent conflict and forced migration, now affect most regions of the world. Directly or indirectly, CEs affect nearly all countries of sub-Saharan Africa, several transitional nations that were previously part of the Soviet Union or Soviet Block, and numerous countries in Asia and the Middle East. The risk of large-scale CE's is also evident in several Latin American countries where low-intensity conflict is endemic. Natural hazards such as floods, earthquakes and droughts are a recurrent source of public health emergencies due to environmental risks and inadequate disaster response capacity. Currently, the program emphasizes the development of practical and conceptual skills required to manage the public health/nutritional aspects of disasters and complex emergencies. The Department has been able to accommodate students whose interests lie in the area of technological crises and terrorism threats through special studies courses, on-line courses offered by other universities, research and study based at the Payson Center, and special internship placements. Faculty contact: Nancy Mock, DrPH
Infectious Diseases and HIV/AIDS HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, other sexually transmitted diseases, schistosomiasis, and other viral, bacterial and helminthes are of major interest to the faculty in the department. The research into these diseases is complemented by courses within IHD and in Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine; it is truly an interdisciplinary focus. Students have opportunities to develop practical skills in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs intended to prevent or minimize risk of these diseases. Students also critically review leading models of treatment and develop skills in survey design, data analysis and presentation. Faculty contacts: Carl Kendall, PhD, and Kate Macintyre, PhD
Nutrition and Food Security Students who are preparing for a career working on improving the nutrition and food security of populations will find IHD faculty teaching and doing research working in these areas. Students will find a global perspective on nutritional problems (especially general and micronutrient malnutrition) faced by varying populations around the world. Malnutrition resulting from poverty --mainly in poor but also in industrialized countries-- is the prime focus. The faculty provides practical examples of nutrition problems and program strategies based on their extensive research and consulting experience in Africa, Asia, Latin America, countries of the former Soviet Union, and the United States. The department emphasizes the development of conceptual and methodological skills through practical work in assessment analysis and program and policy planning using case studies and data sets from around the world. Students develop skills and acquire knowledge that enable them to be effective problem solvers, either as managers or investigators. Students also acquire hand-on experience in data management, analysis, and presentation. Graduates of this program are working in a variety of roles: Africa Regional Director, Helen Keller International; Director of Nutrition, US Public Health Department, Indian Health Services; Food Aid Coordinator, USAID Madagascar; Nutrition Advisor, World Health Organization; Nutrition Advisor, World Bank; Nutritionist, Louisiana State Health Department. For more information, visit the International Nutrition website http://www.tulane.edu/~internut. Faculty contact: John Mason, PhD Reproductive Health and Population
Opportunities exist to develop expertise in the major reproductive health problems facing women and men in developing countries. The primary substantive foci involve topics related to family planning and HIV/AIDS. Students will have opportunities to develop practical skills in the design, implementation, and evaluation of reproductive health programs for developing countries, as well as research skills in survey design and analysis, demographic measurement, and qualitative research techniques. Faculty contact: Anastasia (Stacey) Gage, PhD
Policies, Programs and Management Students whose future careers will require the knowledge and skills to participate in program design, management and evaluation, and to understand the major issues that influence the development and implementation of international health policy will find faculty within the department who have direct research experience in these areas. Students will hear about health care delivery systems in both the public and private sphere with an emphasis on the applied aspects of policy and management. The department attracts students with a large range of experiences and we strive to use those experiences in the classroom through lectures and projects. Students may also find relevant courses in Health Systems Management to complement their learning in this area. Faculty contact: Paul Hutchinson, PhD
Monitoring and Evaluation
Much of the work of the department's faculty is focused on the monitoring and evaluation of public health programs worldwide. Students who seek careers as epidemiologists and field researchers in international health programs, especially as program evaluation researchers and information systems specialists will find faculty with teaching and research expertise in applied field research and evaluation in the department. Faculty contact: Dominique Meekers, PhD
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