Certificate Programs

Overview

Sponsoring department

• International Health

Educational Objectives

The overarching purpose of this public health certificate program is to promote participants’ capacity to address American Indian population health disparities through multidisciplinary public health approaches and culturally competent strategies. The certificate program examines four quadrants of influence: physical, behavioral, political, and spiritual/emotional, which, in balance, comprise the sphere of public health for American Indian communities. Through the course of study, individuals will:
1) Be able to identify, analyze and apply available disease, behavioral, and mental health surveillance data to better serve health needs of American Indian communities.
2) Gain understanding to employ public health theory and logic frameworks to design interventions appropriate for American Indian communities.
3) Develop insights into impacts of tribal sovereignty status on health policy and management, and broaden their understanding of the potential interface of tribal, federal and private sectors in health system development.
4) Develop competencies in promoting health through effective community education and health communication campaigns.
5) Gain basic knowledge of unique impact of mental, social and emotional health status on tribal community well-being.
6) Learn basic statistical, demographic, and epidemiologic techniques to evaluate health priorities and intervention impacts.
7) Gain basic skills to objectively evaluate public health research in terms of its statistical content.
8) Gain basic knowledge of the inter-relationship between the environment and the public’s health.
9) Understand the importance of research ethics and the composition and function of Institutional Review Boards (IRBs), with specific emphasis on IRB’s role in tribal environments.
10) Gain skills to support tribal and local community efforts in assessing health needs, quality of services, and strategies for implementing culturally appropriate health services and research.
11) Gain a basic understanding of research methods and data management practices. 12) Identify how community based participatory research can be used to promote American Indian Health 13) Gain knowledge about early childhood programs, intervention research, and community/cultural considerations related to family and school-based approaches to promoting early childhood development in tribal settings.

Gainful Employment Program Information

Intended Audience

American Indian health professionals, paraprofessionals, people working within American Indian communities, and current degree candidates at the School who are interested in expanding their public health expertise and skill sets related to American Indian health. The certificate may be taken for credit or for non-credit.

Admissions Criteria

Admission Criteria for Credit Certificate Program Any student enrolled in a graduate program at the School (see JHSPH student application form) or a non-degree student with a minimum of a baccalaureate degree from an approved institution is eligible to enroll in the certificate program for credit.

Admission Criteria for the Non-Credit Certificate Program Students applying for the non-credit certificate program must have completed a minimum of 60 credit hours of baccalaureate level courses (or equivalent) OR have at least two years of work experience (or equivalent) in public health or a health-related field.