Main Content
Syllabus
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 530: CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION OF HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEMS (3) Investigates the impact that terrorist incidents may have on healthcare facilities or their ability to deliver healthcare services. Prerequisite: HLS/PHP 510 or permission of the instructor
Overview
This course examines the security and protection of critical infrastructure systems for health care delivery systems. It begins with an overview of vulnerability assessment and disaster planning with a focus on health care delivery systems and then moves on to five critical infrastructures:
- Energy Supply Systems
- Water Supply Systems
- Transportation Systems
- Communication Systems
- Information Technology Systems
Overall, the course aids in the identification of a healthcare delivery system’s vulnerabilities and the production of a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan. The course also examines the relationships between healthcare delivery systems and various local, state, and federal emergency response agencies.
Course Objectives
At the end of this course, students should be able to:
- Perform a vulnerability assessment on health care delivery systems and other critical infrastructure systems
- Develop an emergency response plan and coordinate this plan with various agencies at all levels of government
- Apply concepts from a vulnerability assessment and emergency response plans to a hypothetical developing situation with a significant impact on a regional health care delivery system
Final Assessment Scheduling
During the last week of the course (Final Assessment (Part 2) Lesson), students will need to monitor the Angel space, participate actively in team discussions, and write up responses on a daily basis. Accordingly, you should check your personal and professional schedule now to ensure that you will be available to fully and actively participate on a daily basis during that last week of the course.
Homeland Security Digital Library (HSDL)
All Penn State students now have access to the HSDL. To view instructions for logging in, go to Communicate > Resources.
Materials
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. The following materials are required and must be purchased from MBS Direct:
- Case Studies in Public Health Preparedness and Response to Disasters by Landesman and Weisfuse (2014, Jones and Bartlet). ISBN: 9781449645199
For pricing and ordering information, please see the Barnes & Noble College website.
Materials will be available at Barnes & Noble College approximately three weeks before the course begins. It is very important that you purchase the correct materials. If your course requires one or more textbooks, you must have exactly the correct text required (edition and year).
Library Resources
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.
E-Reserves
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
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 |
| 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 > Course Orientation > E-live! |
Document File Formats
When submitting documents electronically, please ensure that you use either the .DOC format or the .RTF format.
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.
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.
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 Request Form in the Course Orientation folder found within the Course Orientation folder (Course Orientation > Ellumniate Live Request Survey).
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 Elive FAQ page in Course Orientation folder found within the Lesson 1 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.
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
Obtaining Transcripts
Students can access all of their Penn State administrative information (e.g. schedule, grades, tuition bill, etc.) online at eLion (http://www.registrar.psu.edu/). If you need hard copies of your grades, you may also request this through eLion.
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.
Technical Requirements
For this course we recommend the minimum World Campus technical requirements listed below:
| 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 |
World Campus Help Desk
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!
Unsatisfactory Grades
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.
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 provide guidance and feedback, as needed, with respect to team and individual activity assignments. Finally, they serve as a resource to students for general questions regarding lesson content and regarding preparation for the essay, research proposal, and final exam.
Privacy Notice
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Course Schedule
Note that assignments are due based on the Eastern Time zone (EST or EDT). This ensures that all students have the same deadlines regardless of where they live.
Course Access
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.
Graduation
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 see "Graduation" on the World Campus Student Policies website.
Grading
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
University Policies
Deferred Grades
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.
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources 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.
Graduation
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 go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Additional Course 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.
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.