Adolescent Health
Overview
The certificate builds on the certificate student’s existing clinical knowledge and the clinical, research, and/or program/policy-related skills s/he is developing through his/her degree or training program. It focuses on adolescent pregnancy, substance abuse, and violence prevention and on mental health promotion–all of which are strengths of the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Certificate topics include:
- Primary causes of adolescent mortality and morbidity both domestically and globally
- Adolescent growth and development including biological, neurological and cognitive, psychological, emotional, and other developmental processes, as well as cultural contexts in which young people live that impact health and health behavior
- Proximate and distal social environments in which young people mature and the mechanisms by which such environments influence health outcomes
- Ethical issues inherent in working with adolescents who are legal minors
- Policies and legislation that are evidence-based as well as culturally and developmentally appropriate and health promoting (e.g., graduated drivers’ licenses)
Educational Objectives
Students earning the certificate will be able to apply knowledge of adolescent growth and development, positive youth development, and cultural and ethical considerations of youth to design, implement, and evaluate adolescent health-related research, programs, and policies. Upon completing the certificate, students will be able to::
- Describe how developmental (biological, cognitive, psychological), environmental (physical and social), and cultural factors do and can be used to influence the health and health-related behaviors of adolescents
- Participate in designing research, programs, and/or policies using family-, school-, and/or community-based methodologies that are effective for addressing adolescent health issues and that adhere to ethical standards for adolescents who are legal minors
- Use integrated knowledge about 1) the factors influencing adolescent health and 2) effective research, program, and/or policy methodologies to design, conduct, and/or evaluate research and/or to develop, implement, monitor, and/or evaluate programs/policies that are appropriate to address adolescent health issues, prevent unhealthy behaviors, and/or promote healthy ones
Eligibility
The certificate is open to currently enrolled masters and doctoral students at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, with the exception of MAS students who are not eligible to apply until they have completed their primary degree program. It is open to students in graduate programs at Johns Hopkins University, as well as to individuals who are not currently enrolled in the university who have an interest in Adolescent Health.
Admissions Process
Applicants should review the How to Apply page for information about eligibility and special instructions. The certificate program's review committee will review the applications and notify each applicant of their admissions decision.
Requirements for Successful Completion
The certificate requires a minimum of 18 term credits. All required and elective courses must be taken for a letter grade; a minimum grade of C is required in all certificate coursework and students must maintain a 2.75 or better overall GPA for all certificate coursework. The certificate program length is flexible; it varies from student to student, however, the certificate must be completed within three years.
The student should review the section of the website that addresses completion before completing certificate program requirements. The student's transcript will not indicate that the certificate was earned until the Notification of Completion has been submitted, verified by the certificate program, and processed by the Registrar.
Course of Study
Students should check the course catalog to confirm when courses are offered. The term and time may change from what is listed in the table below and some courses are only offered every other year. Students should also check for prerequisites and whether instructor consent is required.
Course No. | Course Title | No. Credits | Online Term | Campus Term |
Introduction to Online Learning All Students are required to complete this free course before taking other online courses. | 0 | 1,2,3,4, Summer | - | |
| 550.860 | Academic & Research Ethics at JHSPH All students are required to complete this free online course during their first term of study. | 0 | 1,2,3,4, Summer | - |
| Required Courses: Students must complete 380.623 AND EITHER 380.725 OR 380.747 | ||||
| 380.623 | Adolescent Health and Development | 3 | 3 | - |
| 380.725 | The Social Context of Adolescent Health and Development | 3 | - | 4 |
| 380.747 | International Adolescent Health | 3 | 4 | - |
| Elective Courses: Students must complete at least four elective courses (12 credits minimum). Students should complete 3 elective courses from Groups A and B, and one elective course from Group C | ||||
| Elective Courses Group A: Sexual and Reproductive Health | ||||
| 380.720 | Masculinity, Sexual Behavior and Health: Adolescence and Beyond | 2 | - | 2 |
| 380.749 | Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health | 3 | - | 4 |
| 380.761 | Sexually Transmitted Infections in Public Health Practice | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 380.762 | HIV Infection in Women, Children and Adolescents | 4 | 4 | - |
| 410.657 | Communication Strategies for Sexual Risk Reduction | 3 | - | 4 |
| 410.681 | Gay, Bisexual and Other Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) & HIV: Theoretical Perspectives on the US Epidemic | 3 | - | 3 |
| 550.629 | The Epidemiology of LGBT Health | 3 | - | 2 |
| Elective Courses Group B: Other Topics in Adolescent Health | ||||
| 301.627 | Understanding and Preventing Violence | 3 | - | 3 |
| 305.610 | Issues in Injury and Violence Prevention | 2 | - | 1 |
| 318.654 | Adolescents, Crime and Justice | 4 | - | - |
| 330.602 | Epidemiology of Substance Use and Related Problemse | 3 | - | 2 |
| 330.627 | Gender and Mental Health | 1 | - | - |
| 330.640 | Childhood Victimization: A Public Health Perspective | 3 | - | 4 |
| 330.661 | Social, Psychological and Developmental Processes in the Etiology of Mental Disorders | 3 | - | 3 |
| 380.624 | Maternal and Child Health Legislation and Programs | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 380.625 | Attitudes, Programs, and Policies for Children with Special Healthcare Needs | 3 | - | 3 |
| 380.635 | Urban Health in Contemporary America | 4 | - | 4 |
| 380.640 | Children in Crisis: An Asset-Based Approach to Working with Vulnerable Youth | 3 | - | 3 |
| 380.663 | Gender-based Violence Research, Practice and Policy: Issues and Current Controversies | 3 | - | 3 |
| 380.721 | Schools and Health | 3 | - | 4 |
| 410.625 | Injury Prevention: Behavioral Sciences Theories and Applications | 3 | - | 4 |
| 410.626 | Alcohol, Society and Health | 3 | - | - |
| 410.752 | Children, Media, and Health | 3 | - | 3 |
| Elective Courses Group C: Program Evaluation | ||||
| 221.645 | Large-Scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 224.689 | Health Behavior Change at the Individual, Household and Community Levels | 4 | - | 2 |
| 318.615 | Program Evaluation for Public Policy I | 3 | - | 1 |
| 380.611 | Fundamentals of Program Evaluation | 4 | - | 3 |
| 410.620 | Program Planning for Health Behavior Change | 3 | 4 | 1, W1 |
| 410.631 | Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research: Principles and Methods | 3 | - | 2 |
Contact Information
Sponsoring Department
Population, Family and Reproductive Health
Certificate Program Contact
Name: Gilbert Morgan
Phone (410)614-6676
Email gmorga13@jhu.edu
Faculty Sponsor
Name Arik Marcell, MD, MPH
Faculty Co-Sponsor
Name Robert Blum, MD, PhD
Gainful Employment Program Information
In accordance with US Department of Education regulations, the JHU Bloomberg School of Public Health is required to disclose graduation rate data, median loan debt data, and other select information for all Title IV eligible gainful employment programs. To see the most recent data available for this gainful employment program, please view the attached disclosure.