Exploratory Courses
Spring 2025 Course Offerings
Consider these courses when building your schedule to further explore health and healthcare as a field of study and vocation.
Consult with your Academic Advisor when registering for courses to ensure your progress toward the completion of degree requirements.
If you’re considering a career in direct patient care, consider Biology and/or Chemistry depending on your placement in those courses.
Visit our Pre-Health Advising page on Coursework for more on program prerequisites.
If you’re considering a career in health, but not sure exactly what or where, consider Health Studies or Health Elective courses.
EPI 360/G H 360 – Exploring the HIV/AIDS Pandemic
Who gets HIV and how? How can HIV infection be prevented? How is HIV/AIDS treated? What can be done to end the epidemic? In this course, you will:
- Explore the historical, public health, clinical, and social aspects of HIV infection.
- Examine the epidemiology of the US and global HIV/AIDS epidemic.
- Lay the foundation for pursuing a degree and career in public health, epidemiology, global health, infectious diseases, health/medicine, or social justice/advocacy.
No prerequisites. All majors are encouraged to enroll. This is a great course for students preparing for careers in a health related field. A basic understanding of biology is recommended, but not required. Areas of Knowledge: I&S, NW, & QSR.
EPI 360A SLN = 14362 (or G H 360A SLN = 14797); 5 credits; Lecture meets: MW 3:30-4:50pm; Quiz meets: F, 9:30-10:20am or 2:30-3:20pm; Instructor: Arjee Restar (restar@uw.edu)
Additional details about the course can be found here. Direct questions to epcourse@uw.edu.
Cross-campus enrollment at UW Seattle required.
EPI 330 – Analyzing Epidemiologic Data: Basic Methods
Have you ever wondered HOW epidemiologists actually conduct their analyses? Do we really do everything as a 2×2 table on paper? In this course, you will:
- Learn to apply epidemiologic concepts to real data using basic epidemiologic analysis methods
- Gain hands-on experience with statistical software
- Learn the basics in data management techniques
- Conduct an epidemiologic analysis from start to finish
Prerequisites: EPI 320 and any introductory biostatistics or statistics course or AP statistics (grade of 3.0 or above). Areas of Knowledge: I&S, QSR
SLN = 14361; 4 credits; Lecture meets: T/Th 2:30-4:20 p.m.; Instructor: Simon Sandh (ss11641@uw.edu)
Additional details about the course can be found here. Direct questions to epcourse@uw.edu.
Cross-campus enrollment at UW Seattle required.
ENV H 405 Toxics and Human Health
https://sdb.admin.uw.edu/timeschd/uwnetid/sln.asp?QTRYR=SPR+2025&SLN=14256
Prerequisite: a minimum grade of 2.0 in BIOL 220; and a minimum grade of 2.0 in either CHEM 220, CHEM 224, CHEM 238, or CHEM 336.
In ENV H 405, you’ll explore the intricate world of toxicology, gaining a deep understanding of how chemicals impact human and environmental health. From fundamental principles like dose-response relationships to pressing topics such as cancer, birth defects, and occupational hazards, you’ll explore the real-world implications of toxic exposure. Through engaging lectures and assignments, you’ll equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to advocate for a healthier future for all. This course is open to students in all majors, and is one of the core requirements for the Environmental Public Health major.
Cross-campus enrollment at UW Seattle required.
ENV H 490 A / 590 B Special Topics
Data for Action: Data Science in Public Health
Taught by Edmund Seto
This course will cover emerging topics and provide hands-on skills in Data Science, with an emphasis on Public Health data applications. Students will be taught to think critically about hypothesis generation, study design and data collection and analysis in the context of Big Data in Public Health.
The course will explore common Data Science methods which include
- (1) data cleaning and data feature design and selection,
- (2) data dimensionality reduction,
- (3) data visualization approaches,
- (4) machine learning and Artificial Intelligence, and
- (5) computational strategies for working efficiently with large dataset.
The exploration of these methods will be complemented with training in analytical transparency and reproducibility, developing basic proficiency in R programming, and learning good practices for data processing, management, and data/code versioning and sharing. The course will cover important organizational concepts of data structures, “tidy data” and data documentation. Also, data privacy and data ethics will be discussed in this course. The course will also cover topics related to science communication and dissemination and translation of data science findings to public health action.
Cross-campus enrollment at UW Seattle required.
Urban Health and Wellbeing
URBAN 498 E, 5 credits
Lectures Mon & Wed, 3:30 – 4:50pm, Location: PAA A118
Discussion sections Friday, 1:30 – 2:50pm or 3:00 – 4:20pm
Instructor: Helen Pineo, hspineo@uw.edu
Short description: Examines the complex ways that cities affect health and wellbeing. Challenges traditional biomedical models of health, focusing instead on structures, systems and policies that create inequitable access to healthy environments. In simple terms, where we live has a much bigger physical and mental impact than most people think. Students will gain insights to promote health in a broad range of non-health fields. Covers local and global examples to expand thinking about approaches for improving physical and mental health in cities.
May interest undergraduate and graduate students in the following fields: Built environment, public health, environmental health, global health, social work, political science, anthropology, gender studies, international studies, psychology, civil and environmental engineering, Science, Technology and Society Studies, public policy, health services, and others.
Prerequisites: None.
Learning objectives:
- Develop an understanding of diverse models of health and wellbeing and the major influences of urban environments and policies.
- Explore historical and present urban development models, with critical evaluation of whose health and wellbeing is supported or disadvantaged across such models.
- Examine urban policies that support the social and environmental determinants of health and wellbeing across multiple sectors, with international examples.
- Develop skills and knowledge to evaluate the potential health and wellbeing impacts of urban policy and the ability to effectively communicate policy approaches to non-health audiences.
Cross-campus enrollment at UW Seattle required.
Summer 2025 Course Offerings
Consider these courses when building your schedule to further explore health and healthcare as a field of study and vocation.
Consult with your Academic Advisor when registering for courses to ensure your progress toward the completion of degree requirements.
If you’re considering a career in direct patient care, consider Biology and/or Chemistry depending on your placement in those courses.
Visit our Pre-Health Advising page on Coursework for more on program prerequisites.
If you’re considering a career in health, but not sure exactly what or where, consider Health Studies or Health Elective courses.