Course Syllabus
Title of Course PUBLIC HEALTH CAPSTONE
Prefix and Number [PUBHLTH 490]
Semester and Year [Spring 2026]
Number of Credit Hours [3]
Prerequisites [JUNIOR OR SENIOR STANDING]
Course Details
Day and Time: [T/Th]
Meeting Location: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor Name: [tbd]
Instructor Contact Information: [tbd]
Instructor Office Hours: [tbd]
TA Name: [tbd]
TA Contact Information: [tbd]
TA Office Hours: [tbd]
Course Description
PUBHLTH 490 satisfies the CAPS requirement for WSU’s University Common Requirements (UCORE), which is designed to help you acquire broad understanding, develop intellectual and civic competencies, and apply knowledge and skills in real world settings. CAPS courses provide a culminating experience asking students to apply skills, concepts, and methods of inquiry from their general education experience and/or experience in the major to develop a culminating project, and to investigate and explore open-ended issues and problems. With these broader goals in mind, PUBHLTH 490 helps you draw on prior learning to demonstrate a depth of knowledge, an ability to apply concepts, and an ability to integrate methods and concepts.
Course Materials
Books: none.
Other Materials: Readings will be posted on Canvas or will be accessible online through the Washington State University library system.
Fees: n/a
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Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) [add more lines if necessary] |
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Course Learning Outcomes (students will be able to:) |
Activities Supporting the Learning Outcomes |
Assessment of the Learning Outcomes |
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Critically examine a public health issue that disproportionately impacts a specific population (i.e. health disparity) |
All paper assignments, final presentation |
Grades |
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Explain the underlying factors that contribute to the disparity |
Rough draft, final paper, final presentation |
Grades |
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Locate and synthesize data from multiple scientific and professional sources |
Annotated Bibliography, outline |
Grades |
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Demonstrate an understanding of evidence-based best practice as related to the disparity of focus |
Rough draft, final paper, presentation |
Grades |
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Organize a research paper |
Topic Choice, Outline, rough draft, final paper |
Grades |
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Communicate findings in writing to lay audiences |
Rough draft, final paper |
Grades |
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Develop professional presentation |
Final presentation |
Grades |
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Understand the ethical implications associated with the issue |
Final paper, final presentation |
Grades |
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Course Schedule [Please note that a WSU semester is 15 weeks + Thanksgiving/Spring Break. The schedule below does not include the break.] |
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Dates |
Lesson Topic |
Assignment |
Assessment |
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Week 1 |
Course introduction |
Read Syllabus |
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Week 2 |
What is a research paper? Understanding the components and expectations |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 3 |
Writing in APA style |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 4 |
Selecting relevant literature |
Readings posted on Canvas Topic choice due |
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Week 5 |
Developing an annotated bibliography |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 6 |
Synthesizing data |
Readings posted on Canvas Outline due |
Outline |
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Week 7 |
Framing your research |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 8 |
Organizing data |
Readings posted on Canvas Annotated bibliography Due |
Annotated Bibliography |
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Week 9 |
Interpreting data |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 10 |
Developing an abstract |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 11 |
Peer review |
Readings posted on Canvas Rough draft Due |
Rough draft |
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Week 12 |
Communicating findings in an oral presentation |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 13 |
Submitting conference abstracts |
Readings posted on Canvas |
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Week 14 |
In-class workshopping for final paper |
No readings this week! |
Final paper due during finals week |
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Week 15 |
Professional Presentations |
No readings this week! |
Presentations |
Expectations for Student Effort
For each hour of lecture equivalent, students should expect to have a minimum of two hours of work outside of class. Some weeks will have a higher workload due to the nature of assignments. Please consult the course schedule and ask your instructor if you have questions.
Grading [add more lines if necessary]
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Assignment Breakdown |
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Type of Assignment (tests, papers, etc) |
Points |
Percent of Overall Grade |
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Outline |
25 |
10 |
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Annotated Bibliography |
50 |
20 |
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Rough Draft |
50 |
20 |
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Final Research paper |
100 |
40 |
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Final presentation |
25 |
10 |
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Grading Schema |
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Grade |
Percent |
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A |
[>90] |
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B |
[80 – 89] |
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C |
[70 – 79] |
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D |
[60 – 69] |
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F |
[0 – 59] |
[Scores will be rounded to the nearest whole percent to assign a letter grade]
Attendance and Make-Up Policy
Students should make all reasonable efforts to attend all class meetings. However, in the event a student is unable to attend a class, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor as soon as possible, explain the reason for the absence (and provide documentation, if appropriate), and make up class work missed within a reasonable amount of time, if allowed. Missing class meetings may result in reducing the overall grade in the class.
Academic Integrity Statement
You are responsible for reading WSU's Academic Integrity Policy, which is based on Washington State law. If you cheat in your work in this class you will:
-Receive an F in the class
-Be reported to the Center for Community Standards
-Have the right to appeal my decision
-Not be able to drop the course of withdraw from the course until the appeals process is finished
If you have any questions about what you can and cannot do in this course, ask me.
If you want to ask for a change in my decision about academic integrity, use the form at the Center for Community Standards website. You must submit this request within 21 calendar days of the decision.