Graduate Certificate in Population Health
Driving Change. Creating Impact. Across Communities.
About the Certificate Program
The Graduate Certificate in Population Health offers focused academic training for public health practitioners and other healthcare leaders who are interested in improving health outcomes in the community. The certificate is comprised of six courses (18 semester credit hours) and can be completed in two semesters (either online or in-class).
What will you learn?
This certificate program provides the foundational principles of public health. Learn about elements of social and behavioral science, as well as biostatical methods and epidemiology. Students will be able to recognize and evaluate public health information and apply systems thinking towards solving public health problems.
Where to after graduation?
This program is designed to enrich opportunities for those already engaged in public health work on either a community or clinical level. Courses can also be applied to a master’s in public health at UofM SPH.
Is this degree right for you?
If you have completed your bachelor’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and have a strong motivation to improve health outcomes on the community level, this program may be right for you.
Connect with our Admissions Team
Briana McNeil, MEd
Coordinator, Recruitment and Admissions
sphadmissions@memphis.edu
(901) 678-3740
Shirl Sharpe, MS
Academic Services Coordinator II
ssharpe@memphis.edu
(901) 678-1710
Admission Information
Requirements:
Students must have completed a bachelor’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 and apply for admission to the Graduate School with the classification of “Graduate Certificate.” To apply students must submit:
- Transcripts of undergraduate degree program and any prior graduate study to Graduate Admissions.
- An application and one-page letter describing their intent to pursue the certificate and its relevance to their career goals to the Academic Services Coordinator of the School of Public Health.
- Applicants for whom English is not their primary language are required to meet the University’s minimum required TOEFL score or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score.
- Acceptance into the certificate program is not an implied acceptance into any master’s degree program.
Deadlines
- Fall Semester - July 15*
- Spring Semester - December 15*
*International applicants should plan to have their applications in by May 15 for Fall Semester and October 15 for Spring Semester to ensure sufficient time to receive your Form I-20 and visa.
Curriculum
Completion of six courses (18 semester credit hours), as follows:
- PUBH 7120: Environmental Health I
- PUBH 7150: Biostatistical Methods I
- PUBH 7170: Epidemiology in Public Health I
- PUBH 7180: Foundations of Public Health
- PUBH 7160: Social and Behavioral Sciences Principles
- HADM 7105: Health Policy and Organization of Health Services
Competencies
- Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
- Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
- Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
- Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.
- Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
- Discuss means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.
- Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health.
- Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs.
- Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention.
- Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management.
- Select methods to evaluate public health programs.
- Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.
- Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.
- Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.
- Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.
- Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision making.
- Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.
- Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
- Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.
- Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.
- Perform effectively on interprofessional teams.
- Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.