Optional Certificates
Students have the option to complete one or more program certificates. Students who choose to complete a certificate will gain specialty in one of five areas: community and behavioral health, epidemiology, family health, global health, or healthcare leadership. Certificates are 18 credits (12 elective credits and 6 credits of field work in the area of the certificate). Students receive a certificate from the Department of Public Health. Completion of the certificates is not noted on academic transcripts.
Certificate | Description |
|---|---|
Certificate Lead: | The Community and Behavioral Health (CBH) certificate prepares students to be leaders in engaging communities in the public and/or private sphere. Students will take courses that will build their skills relating to program management, evaluation and assessment, and communication using a variety of methodologies. |
Certificate Lead: | Epidemiology is the study of the patterns, causes, and effects of health and disease conditions in defined populations. Epidemiology's main role is preventing the onset and spread of disease by finding the reasons why some groups of people are healthier than others and then removing or controlling these causes. Completion of the epidemiology certificate will prepare students to (1) analyze and interpret data and present results in words, tables, charts, and graphs; (2) design epidemiologic studies and compare and contrast study methodology; and (3) critique studies for their validity and contribution to the discipline. |
Certificate Lead: | The Family Health certificate prepares students to incorporate families as a pathway to improving population health through programs, policies, and research. Students will be equipped to (1) apply family theories to public health settings; (2) conduct family impact assessments of programs and policies to examine the effects of public health interventions on families; and (3) identify and utilize appropriate and effective methods to engage families in intervention planning, implementation, and evaluation. |
Certificate Lead: | Global health seeks to improve health and health equity for all people worldwide, not just among individual nations. As such, completion of the Global Health certificate will prepare students to (1) understand important concepts and principles associated with global health; (2) collaborate and partner with global health stakeholders; and (3) address health disparities among underserved and at-risk populations. |
Certificate Lead: | The Healthcare Leadership certificate seeks to prepare students for leadership and management roles in healthcare organizations. As such, completion of this certificate will prepare students to (1) demonstrate an understanding of healthcare organizations and health service delivery; (2) apply financial and business principles to a healthcare environment; (3) evaluate laws and policy regulations associated with administration in healthcare organizations; and (4) exercise leadership within healthcare organizations. |
Nutrition (Dietetic Internship Students ONLY) Certificate Lead: | The nutrition certificate prepares students to consider population-level methods to address nutrition and dietetic needs. Students will be equipped to translate the science of nutrition into practical solutions through policy, practice, and research. Students will receive a certificate from the Department of Public Health. Upon graduation with the MPH, completion of the certificate, and completion of the dietetic internship program, students will be eligible to receive a Verification Statement, which is needed to take the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) examination. |