Dr. Darline El Reda
Director of Master of Public Health Program
At Michigan State University, we are investing in the next generation of public health professionals while responding to the workforce needs informed by local health departments, private health sectors, and our alumni.” Dr. El Reda is an applied public health practitioner with nearly 20 years of experience working in both the public (i.e., city, county, and state health departments) and private sector (health insurance industry) in the United States. Dr. El Reda is an epidemiologist and alumni of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Epidemic Intelligence Service (2003-2005). She has published on a variety of topic areas, such as infectious disease outbreaks, maternal and child health, patient-centered medical homes, immunization, obesity, cancer, and menstrual health and hygiene. Dr. El Reda has extensive experience in the use of healthcare administrative claims data in the design, implementation, and evaluation of value-based care programs. Dr. El Reda joined the MPH program in 2012, as an assistant professor, teaching numerous courses such as Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Informatics, and Poverty before expanding her roles to associate director in 2023, and MPH program director in 2025.
Program Overview
Our Core Disciplines of Public Health Graduate Certificate is designed to provide students with a basis for understanding the breadth and scope of the public health field. Students gain competency in all of the core disciplines through taking these core courses; biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, social and behavior sciences, and environmental health sciences.
Current public health professionals benefit from our certificate by enhancing their existing skills and gaining an official credential. Current medical students find this certificate enhances their education by learning the population-based side of medicine in addition to their traditional patient-centric training. Other professionals participate in the certificate program to broaden their clinical perspectives, gain a greater understanding of the health care industry, and learn more about public health and health policy.
Is it a step to earning a masters?
A person interested in a master in public health does not have to pursue the core course certificate to apply for the MPH program. Our core course certificate program targets professionals who are interested in the field of public health but may not want to fully commit to completing a master's degree in public health.
Program Outcomes
Current public health professionals benefit by enhancing their existing skills and gaining an official credential. Medical students find this certificate enhances their education by learning the population-based side of medicine in addition to their traditional patient-centric training. Other professionals who also benefit from this certificate include, nurses who want to broaden their clinical perspectives, accountants who work in health and want to gain a greater understanding of the health care industry, or an attorney who wants to utilize this certificate to help specialize in public health and health policy. Since public health affects every aspect of modern society, the applications of this knowledge are far-reaching into many other professional disciplines.
A Top-Ranked Education
- 29th among Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
- Veteran-Friendly 'Gold Status' 10 Years in a Row — Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency, 2025
- #51 in Graduate Public Health Programs — U.S. News & World Report, 2026
Tuition & Fees per credit
In-State Tuition
Out-of-State Tuition
$725 plus university fees
$725 plus university fees
Cost of Attendance
The university reserves the right to make changes in the types, structures, rates for fees, and tuition. Every effort will be made to give as much advance notice as possible. In addition to tuition and fees, there are other expenses associated with your Cost of Attendance. A breakdown of a graduate student budget can be found on the "Estimate Your Cost of Attendance" page.