Teaching

Dr. Nancy Wells teaches the following courses at Cornell University:

DEA 2700 Healthy Places

Drawing from the fields of public health, environmental psychology, design, urban planning, architecture and landscape architecture, we examine how the physical environment influences health and health behaviors. We consider a variety of contexts from rooms and buildings to parks and cities. We consider outcomes related to physical and mental health, diet, physical activity and obesity.

Learn more about Health Impact Assessment

Syllabus

DEA 6610 Environments and Health

Examines the impact of the physical environment on human health and well-being through the life course. Environmental factors examined include characteristics of the built and natural environment, housing, and neighborhood, as well as sprawl, the dominance of the automobile, and patterns of American landscape development. Health outcomes include physical health, obesity, mental health, and cognitive functioning. Working within the life-course perspective, the course focuses particularly on environmental factors that may act as either protective mechanisms fostering the long-term resilience of individuals or risk factors contributing to long-term vulnerability.

See BTG: Bridging The Gap projects

See Sharing RPM: Reasonable Person Model projects

Syllabus

DEA 6560 Research Methods

Intended for graduate students who want a more thorough understanding of the use of research in the social sciences. The course begins with the fundamentals of research design and covers internal and external validity, measurement reliability and validity, and a variety of tools and techniques. Recommended for graduate students undertaking thesis or dissertation projects. Students will need to see the instructor for section assignments.

DEA 6560 2023 Syllabus