Shenandoah University’s Division of Public Health (SUPH) offers an innovative online graduate Public Health Certificate program.
At Shenandoah University, the online program format allows students the flexibility to earn this certificate from any location, and engage with students and faculty who have a shared drive and passion for making a difference.
The Public Health Certificate is designed to offer working professionals, current health professions students, and other traditional and non-traditional students a way to advance their public health training. The certificate is affiliated with the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and consists of a set of core courses and the introductory public health course that is required of all MPH graduates. In this certificate program, students will gain a foundation in the core principles of public health, including epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy and administration, social and behavioral aspects of public health, and health communication.
What is Public Health?
Public health promotes and protects the health of communities and improves the quality of life for all people. The goal of public health is to promote disease and injury prevention through research, community interventions and education. A further defining goal of public health is its work towards addressing and eradicating health disparities and promoting healthcare equity, quality and accessibility.
Public health is a dynamic, diverse, and growing field where practitioners work from a myriad of disciplines and approaches to improve the health and lives of people. Practitioners work together to address the root causes of complex and multi-faceted health problems in order to develop practical, sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
Career and Salary Possibilities
Public health is a dynamic, diverse, and growing field where practitioners work from a myriad of disciplines and approaches to improve the health and lives of people. Practitioners work together to address the root causes of complex and multi-faceted health problems in order to develop practical, sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
A career in public health allows people to contribute to preventing injury and illness across populations at many different levels, with the potential to reach thousands of people at one time. The variety of jobs available make public health a good fit for those who seek to serve others and make an impact.
The current employment outlook for public health professionals is strong and growing annually. The demand for public health professionals continues to rise in response to increasing domestic and international health concerns such as: growing problems with chronic diseases, potential pandemics, air and water quality issues, workplace safety and more. As these health concerns continue to impact the health of our populations, the need for a trained public health force to respond to these issues persists.
Public health offers a wide range of career opportunities, and annual wages for public health jobs range from $35,000-$130,000.
Classes
Shenandoah University’s Public Health Certificate program is delivered entirely online. Students will attend classes and learn in an online environment that will be engaging and interactive. The online learning model requires students to be highly motivated, active, independent and self-directed learners. Students are expected to think critically and act professionally in the application of course material to real-world health problems.
This program will provide students with an opportunity to analyze current health problems from a variety of interdisciplinary and interprofessional viewpoints. The program provides coursework opportunities for students to obtain broad knowledge and basic skills in public health. The Public Health certificate program provides a foundation in public health training, and earned certificate credit may be used towards completion of the MPH degree at Shenandoah University.
Public Health Certificate Requirements
| Course | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
|
PH 501 |
History and Philosophy of Public Health |
3 |
| PH 505 |
Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health |
3 |
| PH 510 |
Biostatistics |
3 |
| PH 515 |
Principles of Epidemiology |
3 |
| PH 520 |
Health Policy and Management |
3 |
| PH 535 |
Health Communication |
3 |
|
Total |
18 |
Application Information
View application deadlines, program prerequisites, and submit your application for Shenandoah’s graduate Public Health programs through the Office of Admissions.
How much will this degree cost? View Shenandoah University’s tuition and fees.
For more information about cost of attendance, see our financial aid page. Tuition scholarships are available for INOVA, Valley Health and SU Alumni. See the Graduate Scholarships and Tuition Discounts page.
International Learning Opportunities
Public Health students have participated in a variety of international opportunities such as attending the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland. Global Experiential Learning (GEL) classes are also offered each year for students to work on community health education. Recent Public Health GEL trip destinations include Haiti, Uganda and Nepal.