Public Health Certificate

Overview

The mission of the Public Health graduate certificate is to give students a basic, yet robust understanding of all of the aspects of public health. The graduate certificate in Public Health consists of the core curriculum for the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and is intended for those who:

  • are interested in learning more about the field of public health without committing to a full graduate degree
  • are currently public health professionals and want to be eligible to take the certifying examination in public health; or
  • are interested in a degree in public health but are not sure what specific area of expertise they might want to pursue.

The certificate program is 18 credits and can be applied to the University’s online MPH program should a student decide to pursue the degree program. The Public Health certificate program is completed online to allow students maximum flexibility while maintaining personal and professional commitments. Online courses are taught in 12-week online modules across the calendar year (three modules per year); The certificate must be completed within three years of matriculation.

Educational Objectives

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

  • Understand appropriate statistical methods for critical reading of reports of statistical analysis of public health problems.
  • Apply the basic concepts of epidemiology to the study of the patterns of disease and injury applied to public health.
  • Determine the role of environmental factors affecting the health of a population.
  • Identify the managerial and policy issues associated with delivery, quality, and costs of health care.
  • Identify the social, behavioral, and cultural factors related to population health.

Curriculum

The courses required for the certificate program are:

Required Courses
Course Term(s) offered
PH 501 - Epidemiology Spring
PH 509 – Environmental Health Fall
PH 515 – Health Behavior Fall
PH 525 – Biostatistics Fall/Spring
PH 543 – Population-based Health Summer
PH 580 – Programs, Problems, Policies in Public Health Spring/Summer

Cost of Program

Visit our Tuition and Direct Costs page for current cost information.

Admission Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
  • An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  • A statement of purpose as to why you are interested in the pursuing the certificate program.
  • A resume that includes work history and goals.

Applications are accepted for each semester, including summer.

The deadlines for submission are as follow:

  • June 15 for fall admission
  • October 15 for spring admission
  • March 15 for summer admission

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