HHS 120 Disease Detectives

What if you could solve real-life health mysteries?

In Disease Detectives (HHS 120), you’ll uncover how diseases spread, why some groups face bigger health risks and what can be done to protect your community.

What makes this course stand out?

Fulfills a Core Education requirement

Counts toward Scientific Inquiry and Analysis credits.

Become a health detective

Learn how to collect, analyze and interpret health data to solve real-world health challenges.

Uncover health mysteries

Investigate why some people get sick while others don’t, and explore how we can prevent diseases before they start.

Tackle global and local issues

From pandemics to everyday health concerns, discover how public health impacts our lives.

Sharpen your communication skills

Learn to share health information effectively using writing, media, and digital tools.

No prerequisites — open to all majors

You don’t need a background in health to take this course — just curiosity and a willingness to learn.

Who should take this course?

While public health majors will find this course invaluable, Disease Detectives is designed to interest and benefit all majors:

Pre-med or other health care path?

Build a strong foundation in disease prevention and population health.

Business?

Learn how public health affects industries, workforce productivity, and healthcare systems.

Environmental science?

Explore how environmental factors — from pollution to climate change — impact human health.

Political science or public policy?

See how governments use data to create public health policies and interventions.

Psychology?

Understand how human behavior influences disease prevention and health outcomes.

Liberal arts?

Take a real-world, approachable science course — no lab goggles needed.

Sociology or anthropology?

Investigate how culture, society, and inequality shape public health.

Statistics or data science?

Apply your analytical skills to real-world health data and epidemiology.

Human development and family sciences?

Examine how health and disease affect individuals and families, from childhood through aging. 

Exploratory studies?

Discover how health connects to nearly every field while earning Core Ed Scientific Inquiry and Analysis credit.