The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.

PHP 410 Public Health Preparedness for Disaster and Bioterrorism Emergencies I (3): Analyzes the history of terrorism and explores the preparation and response to specific terrorist threats, natural disasters, and conventional catastrophes.

Prerequisite: Undergraduate Students - Graduate Students - Enrollment in the MHS program, the Post- Baccalaureate Credit Certificate in Homeland Security, or permission from the instructor.

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Overview

This course introduces students to the preparation and response to necessary to deal with specific terrorist threats, such as chemical, biological, and radiologic agents, as well as conventional civilian attacks. Students will analyze the history of terrorism from a public health perspective, and examine recent domestic and international terrorist incidents. The coordination and planning of specific natural disasters will also be explored. Students will have the opportunity to examine the consequences of conventional civilian disasters, including crisis management of conflict-related disasters and transportation and industrial related catastrophes. The current state and inherent challenges of drug, vaccine, and laboratory response to disasters will be reviewed. Students will also be introduced to models used to predict mass casualties.

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Objectives

At the end of this course, learners should be able to:

• Describe the evolution of bioterrorism as a tool to inflict mass casualties.
• Discuss the challenges involved in the preparation and coordination of disaster response based on insights gained from examining recent incidents.
• Summarize the complexities involved in the preparation, recognition, treatment, and prevention of biological, chemical and radiologic agents that may be used in terrorist attacks.
• Simulate the preparation and coordination of resources involved in conventional civilian disasters, including the management of conflict-related disasters and industrial- and transportation-related disasters.
• Recall fundamental principles involved in protecting the public from specific types of natural disasters.
• Explain the unique problems involved in mobilizing ancillary support services during disasters, including drug, vaccine, and laboratory response and preparedness.
• Describe how existing models in the public domain can be used to predict mass trauma casualties and how these models can be applied to develop meaningful disaster planning.

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Materials

The following materials are required and must be purchased from MBS Direct:

• Hogan, D. and Burstein, J. (2007). Disaster Medicine (2nd edition). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.


• What Leaders Really Do (HBR) Case Study, Kotter, John P., HBS Publishing/TIS, December 1, 2001.

Note: The textbook for this course will continue to be a resource in HLS 510 and throughout the program. If you intend to continue in the program, please keep the copy of your textbook for use in further courses.

Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.

Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can

• access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
• borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
• get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
• much more. 

You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service.  The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.

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Technical Specifications

For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:

Technical Requirements

Operating System	Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8*; Mac OS X 10.5 or higher *Windows 8 support excludes the tablet only RT version
Processor	2 GHz or higher
Memory	1 GB of RAM
Hard Drive Space	20 GB free disk space
Browser	We recommend the latest ANGEL-supported version of Firefox or Internet Explorer. To determine if your browser fits this criterion, and for advice on downloading a supported version, please refer to the following ITS knowledge base article: Supported Browsers and Recommended Computers. Note: Cookies, Java, and JavaScript must be enabled. Pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. Due to nonstandard handling of CSS, JavaScript and caching, older versions of Internet Explorer (such as IE 6 or earlier) do not work with our courses.
Plug-ins	Adobe Reader [Download from Adobe] Flash Player (v7.0 or later) [Download from Adobe]
Additional Software	Microsoft Office (2007 or later)
Internet Connection	Broadband (cable or DSL) connection required
Printer	Access to graphics-capable printer
DVD-ROM	Required
Sound Card, Microphone, and Speakers	Required
Monitor	Capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution

If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.

For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!

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Staying in Touch

The online course format offers a number of ways to stay in touch. Here is a quick summary:

Medium	Type of Message	Notes
General Course Discussion Forum	Questions related to course logistics, functionality, etc.	Lessons tab > General Course Discussion Forum
Weekly Team Discussion Areas	Communications around specific weekly team activities	Lessons tab > [Weekly Lessons]
Student Lounge Chat Room	Option for live chats among class members (Students can set up times to chat whenever)	Communicate tab > Student Lounge
Course E-mail	Individual communications between class participants and/or instructor	Communicate tab > Course Mail
E-live!	Group communications between class participants and/or instructor	Lessons tab > Lesson 1 > Optional Activities > E-live!

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Document File Formats

When submitting documents electronically, please ensure that you use either the .DOC format or the .RTF format.

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Netiquette

Netiquette ("[inter]net" + "etiquette") is a special set of personal conduct rules for online communication and a topic worth reviewing. Remember, it is inappropriate to send offensive e-mail, chain letters or items that interfere with others' work. See these tips for guidance on the content of your postings and other online communications in this course.

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Documenting References

Please note that APA style is preferred for documenting references in your assignments for this course. You can find information on APA formatting at Communicate > Resources > Study Aids > Library Resources.

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E-live

E-live! has been added to the course space to allow students to collaborate synchronously using audio, text messaging, an interactive whiteboard, and more. You can access Elluminate Live! in the Course Orientation folder (Course Orientation > Ellumniate Live!).

Use of the tool is entirely optional. If your team wants to use it to communicate and collaborate, simply follow the directions listed in the Elluminate Live! page in Course Orientation folder. It is probably a good idea to schedule a pilot session if you are interested in trying out the tool so that you can work out any kinks prior to a collaborative working session.

As with all of the technology tools in the course, please contact the Penn State Outreach Help Desk with any technical questions.

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Google Scholar

As you research various course topics, you may find a new Google search tool particularly useful:

"What is Google Scholar?
Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, from academic publishers, professional societies, preprint repositories, universities and other scholarly organizations. Google Scholar helps you identify the most relevant research across the world of scholarly research."

Feel free to explore the tool at http://scholar.google.com

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Obtaining Transcripts

Students can access all of their Penn State administrative information (e.g. schedule, grades, tuition bill, etc.) online at eLion (https://elion.oas.psu.edu).  If you need hard copies of your grades, you may also request this through eLion.

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Registering for Future Courses

For more information on upcoming courses in the program see the Penn State World Campus online catalog at http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/OnlineCatalog. If you have further questions regarding registration, you can contact Penn State World Campus Student Services at http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/Contact.shtml.

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Interacting with the Course TA

Your course may have a TA. The course TA interacts with teams and individual students through discussion forums, e-mail, or E-Live. They provids guidance and feedback, as needed, with respect to team and individual activity assignments. Finally, the TA serves as a resource to students for general questions regarding lesson content and regarding preparation for the essay, research proposal, and final exam.

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Participation Points

In calculating each student's participation points, the instructor will take into consideration the following:

• Total number of hours logged
• Total number of log-ins
• E-mail activity
  • Number of e-mails initiated
  • Number of e-mails replied to
• Total number of discussion forum posts
• Peer evaluation results.

At the end of the course, students will be ranked from first to last for each category (i.e. worst to best). The number of participation points allocated will then be based on each student's overall relative ranking score.

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Team Assignments

Team... Should Critique the Summary Done by Team... Alpha Beta Beta Gamma Gamma Delta Delta Epsilon Epsilon Zeta Zeta Alpha

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Rubric

Assignment	Format	Total Points
Weekly Team Activities	Team	80
Weekly Individual Activities	Individual	205
Participation	Individual	100
Essay	Individual	200
Project	Team	115
Final Exam	Individual	300
GRAND TOTAL		1000

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Assignment Deadlines

Unless noted otherwise, all weekly activities are due as follows:

• Individual Activities --> Friday at 11:55 p.m. Pacific Time each week
• Team Activities --> Wednesday at 11:55 p.m. Pacific Time each week

Pacific Standard Time (PST) is implemented in this course to ensure that the deadlines reasonably accommodate all time zones in the contiguous U.S.

Late Penalties for pass/fail assignments:

• One day late – 20% off
• Two days late – 40% off
• Three days or more days late – No credit

Please refer to the University Registrar's information about University grading policies.

If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.

For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.

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Unsatisfactory Grades

All degree-seeking students in the MHS program who receive an F in the course will be reviewed by the Committee on Admissions and Academic Affairs, which has the final say regarding continued progress toward the degree, and under what conditions.

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Privacy Notice

For your privacy, the World Campus has chosen to limit course access to only those individuals that have a direct impact on your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant may be assigned to the course to insure optimal faculty availability and access. At times, your course instructor may invite a guest lecturer in order to meet a specific educational goal or objective. Each course has one or two instructional designers to assist the instructor in managing both the course content and the online delivery. Finally, the Program Chair has course access for administrative and educational purposes. The Program Chair can serve as a valuable resource and mentor to both faculty and students. The Program Chair, in collaboration with your instructor, is ultimately responsible for overall course quality and for making sure that the academic integrity of the course is consistent with University and Program policies.

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Course Schedule

Unit / Lesson	Activity
1: Introduction and Orientation	Academic Integrity Form (I, P/F) --> 5 points Student Questionnaire Form (I, P/F) --> 5 points Syllabus Scavenger Hunt (I, P/F) --> 15 points
2: Leadership in Public Health Preparedness	Initial Team Assignment (T, P/F) --> 0 points Abilene Paradox Video Reflection (I, P/F)--> 10 points Group Think Discussion (T, P/F) --> 5 points Leadership Reflection (I, P/F) --> 15 points
3: The Historical Context of Bioterrorism	Write a Synopsis (I, P/F) --> 15 points Prepare a Presentation (I, P/F) --> 15 points
4: 9/11 - The World Trade Center Attack	Lesson Review Worksheet (I, P/F) --> 5 points 1993 WTC Attack Team Activity (T, P/F) --> 15 points Team Activity Critique (I, P/F) --> 5 points
5: 9/11 - The Pentagon Attack	NIMS Vocabulary Review (I, P/F) --> 5 points Incident Management Structure Activity (I, P/F) --> 15 points
6: Essay Exam	Essay Exam (I, G) --> 200 points
7: Biological Agents	Biological Agents Worksheet (I, P/F) --> 5 points Bioterrorism Response Scenario Team Activity (T, P/F) --> 15 points Team Activity Critique (I, P/F) --> 5 points
8: Chemical Agents	Avian Flu Activity (I, P/F) --> 5 points Chemical Agents Worksheet (I, P/F) --> 5 points Manuscript Review Worksheet (I, P/F) --> 5 points
9: Radiological and Nuclear Emergencies	Lesson Review Worksheet (I, P/F) --> 5 points Medical Management of Acute Radiation Syndrome Team Activity (T, P/F) --> 15 points Team Activity Critique (I, P/F) --> 5 points
10: Group Project	Manuscript Submission (T, G) --> 115 points
11: Conventional Civilian Disasters	Literature Review on Mass Casualty Preparedness for Conventional Terrorist Attacks (I, P/F) --> 15 points
12: Natural Disasters	Mass Casualty Preparedness for Natural Disasters (Part 1) (I, P/F) --> 15 points Mass Casualty Preparedness for Natural Disasters (Part 2) (T, P/F) --> 15 points
13: Introduction to Disaster Planning	Reflections on the National Response Plan (I, P/F) --> 15 points
14: Analysis of the Hurricane Katrina Response	Wikipedia Reflection (I, P/F) --> 5 points Critical Infrastructure Interruptions (T, P/F) --> 15 points Team Activity Critique (I, P/F) --> 5 points
15: Final Exam and Course Wrap Up	Final project (I, G) --> 300 points Peer evaluations of your team members (I, P/F) --> 5 points

Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.

Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please refer to Graduation at the Chaiken Center for Student Success.

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Academic Integrity

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Policies

Accommodating Disabilities

Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University’s educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities, including World Campus. The Disabilities and Accommodations section of the Chaiken Center for Student Success website provides World Campus students with information regarding how to request accommodations, documentation guidelines and eligibility, and appeals and complaints. For additional information, please visit the University's Student Disability Resources website.

In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.

Students with disabilities participating in internship, practicum, student teaching, or other experiential learning opportunities as part of their degree requirements may also be eligible for reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access and opportunity. These accommodations are determined through an interactive process involving the student, their University supervisor, and the site supervisor. Student Disability Resources can assist students with identifying potential barriers, facilitating accommodation requests, and coordinating with University supervisors to promote inclusive learning experiences.

Additional Policies

For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.

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Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.

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