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Public Health (Advanced Certificate)

Description

The Department of Public Health & Health Education’s advanced graduate certificate in Public Health provides a foundation in public health for those students wishing to expand their knowledge of the field and enhance other areas of study or expand their skills for working in health-related settings.

Admission to the Program

All applicants for the Advanced Certificate Program in Public Health must have completed a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university (see the Graduate Admissions section in this catalog for further details). Academic standards for acceptance into the program include the following:

  1. An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0; (An applicant with an undergraduate GPA of less than 3.0 may present his/her written rationale for acceptance in the application materials.)
  2. A personal statement that describes the applicant’s personal and professional experiences that have lead them to pursue graduate coursework in public Health; the personal qualities and skills the applicant possesses that will contribute positively to their success in graduate school, the learning of others, and the positive reputation of the program; and the applicant’s personal/professional goals and how they relate to the ten essential public health services.
  3. Contact information for three academic or professional references. If contacted, the references should comment on the applicant’s ability to do graduate work, including:
    1. Competence in professional work performance
    2. Academic performance in college
    3. Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing
    4. Ability to relate effectively with colleagues, students, clients, superior and subordinate personnel, and the general public
  4. Evidence of having successfully completed (“C” or better) at least two semesters of anatomy and physiology 1 & 2 or one semester of survey of anatomy and physiology.
  5. Evidence of having successfully completed (“C” or better) one semester of statistics at the undergraduate level.

Note: Courses completed prior to matriculation may or may not be approved for subsequent inclusion in a successful applicant’s Course of Study, at the discretion of the department. Generally, no more than six credits taken before matriculation will be applied to a graduate student’s certificate.

Application, official transcripts from all colleges attended, and contact information for three references should be submitted to the Center for Graduate Studies. Applications and deadlines are available online on the Center for Graduate Studies webpage.

The decision to recommend acceptance or rejection of an application lies wholly with the department, whose professional responsibility is to determine if applicants adequately meet academic, professional or ethical standards.

Program Requirements

Students must meet the College’s standards for graduate study.

Students enrolled in the Public Health (Advanced Certificate) must earn a grade of “B-” or higher (a grade of “C+” does not meet this requirement) in each course applied to the degree.

Required Courses (15 credits)

  • PBH 603 Environmental Health
  • PBH 604 Health Behavior Theory
  • PBH 618 Epidemiological Methods
  • PBH 642 Health Care & Policy
  • PBH 688 Program Evaluation

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:

  1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice
  2. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
  3. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
  4. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
  5. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity
  6. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issues
  7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health.
  8. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
  9. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (e.g., One Health)
  10. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services
  11. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other communities relevant to the school or program
  12. Discuss the science of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
  13. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health
  14. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health
  15. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge
  16. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate
  17. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice
  18. Develop recommendations based on findings of research