Public Health
Graduate Certificate
Online
Course Delivery
18
Total Credits
$725
Credit Hour
1 year
Minimum Duration
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
- 60th Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2024
- 123rd Global University — U.S. News & World Report, 2024
Dr. Wayne McCullough
Director of Master of Public Health Program
As director of the College of Human Medicine’s online Master of Public Health Program, Dr. McCullough urges students to address health disparities especially among underserved populations. He has spent much of his more recent career finding ways to remove barriers to better care and improved health. He served as senior associate director of MSU’s Man Up Man Down program, a federally funded study to help African American men achieve better mental and physical health. He is co-investigator on the federally funded MSU program, Research to Reduce Disparities (R2D2), to train CHM students on research.
Course Information
PH 801 - Introduction to Public Health (3 Credits)
Introduction to public health philosophy and core knowledge areas. Ethical, legal and political considerations. Emphasis on principles and tools for population health, disease prevention and health promotion, health determinants, healthcare and public health systems.
PH 802 - Biostatistics for Public Health (3 Credits)
Practical applications and methods using software (SAS, Epi-Info) for statistical analysis, database construction, data visualization and interpretation.
PH 803 - Epidemiology for Public Health (3 Credits)
Distributions and determinants of disease in population. Epidemiologic research, quantitative methods, study designs pros/cons.
PH 804 - Public Health Administration (3 Credits)
Structural, operational, leadership and components of health policy and public health administration. Community health assessment, advocacy and evaluation within public health agencies and programs. Major business systems used for administration of public health agencies and programs.
PH 805 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health (3 Credits)
Concepts and methods of social and behavioral sciences applied to public health problems and issues.
PH 806 - Environmental Factors of Health (3 Credits)
Biological, physical and chemical factors that affect health of populations. Regulatory approaches to environmental hazards. Potential impact of environmental agents on health and preventive management approaches.
Admissions and Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Bachelor of Applied Science is not acceptable
- Résumé or CV
-
- Volunteer or student organization experience is encouraged
- Official transcript for each post-secondary institutions attended
-
- Transcripts from international institutions must be sent directly to the MSU Office of Admissions from the issuing institution in a sealed envelope. WES evaluations are not accepted.
- Three letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources
- Personal statement discussing your interests and goals in public health
- Academic statement (optional)
-
- For applicants who have academic situations, they would like to discuss with the Admissions committee (e.g., low GPA, withdrawals, etc.)
- International Applicants Only: English language proficiency test scores
To apply to this program:
- We highly recommend applicants review our website before starting an application.
- Complete an application in SOPHAS.
- Submit the materials above through the SOPHAS application.
- Submit an MSU Application to Graduate Study after completing the SOPHAS application.
- Application fee waivers available to anyone who submits a request on our website. Paid fees cannot be refunded.
State Authorization: Distance Education Restrictions Based on Permanent Residence. Michigan State University is obligated to comply with existing state laws regarding distance education (programs/departments offering courses delivered exclusively online). State laws regarding distance education vary state-by-state, and even program-by-program within a state. The Master of Public Health offered through the College of Human Medicine’s Division of Public Health at Michigan State University requires a practicum experience that constitutes a physical presence in some states, therefore restricting enrollment in our program to residents of those states. Prior to applying, please access the State-by-State Summary, for the most up-to-date approved and restricted states. For more information, please visit MSU's State Authorization website. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Key Dates
Fall
Application Deadline
May 31st
Summer
Application Deadline
February 28th
Spring
Application Deadline
September 30th
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 here.
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
- 60th Best Public Universities in America — U.S. News & World Report, 2024
- 123rd Global University — U.S. News & World Report, 2024
Dr. Wayne McCullough
Director of Master of Public Health Program
As director of the College of Human Medicine’s online Master of Public Health Program, Dr. McCullough urges students to address health disparities especially among underserved populations. He has spent much of his more recent career finding ways to remove barriers to better care and improved health. He served as senior associate director of MSU’s Man Up Man Down program, a federally funded study to help African American men achieve better mental and physical health. He is co-investigator on the federally funded MSU program, Research to Reduce Disparities (R2D2), to train CHM students on research.
Course Information
PH 801 - Introduction to Public Health (3 Credits)
Introduction to public health philosophy and core knowledge areas. Ethical, legal and political considerations. Emphasis on principles and tools for population health, disease prevention and health promotion, health determinants, healthcare and public health systems.
PH 802 - Biostatistics for Public Health (3 Credits)
Practical applications and methods using software (SAS, Epi-Info) for statistical analysis, database construction, data visualization and interpretation.
PH 803 - Epidemiology for Public Health (3 Credits)
Distributions and determinants of disease in population. Epidemiologic research, quantitative methods, study designs pros/cons.
PH 804 - Public Health Administration (3 Credits)
Structural, operational, leadership and components of health policy and public health administration. Community health assessment, advocacy and evaluation within public health agencies and programs. Major business systems used for administration of public health agencies and programs.
PH 805 - Social and Behavioral Aspects of Public Health (3 Credits)
Concepts and methods of social and behavioral sciences applied to public health problems and issues.
PH 806 - Environmental Factors of Health (3 Credits)
Biological, physical and chemical factors that affect health of populations. Regulatory approaches to environmental hazards. Potential impact of environmental agents on health and preventive management approaches.
Admissions and Requirements
To be accepted to this program, you must have:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university
- Bachelor of Applied Science is not acceptable
- Résumé or CV
-
- Volunteer or student organization experience is encouraged
- Official transcript for each post-secondary institutions attended
-
- Transcripts from international institutions must be sent directly to the MSU Office of Admissions from the issuing institution in a sealed envelope. WES evaluations are not accepted.
- Three letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources
- Personal statement discussing your interests and goals in public health
- Academic statement (optional)
-
- For applicants who have academic situations, they would like to discuss with the Admissions committee (e.g., low GPA, withdrawals, etc.)
- International Applicants Only: English language proficiency test scores
To apply to this program:
- We highly recommend applicants review our website before starting an application.
- Complete an application in SOPHAS.
- Submit the materials above through the SOPHAS application.
- Submit an MSU Application to Graduate Study after completing the SOPHAS application.
- Application fee waivers available to anyone who submits a request on our website. Paid fees cannot be refunded.
State Authorization: Distance Education Restrictions Based on Permanent Residence. Michigan State University is obligated to comply with existing state laws regarding distance education (programs/departments offering courses delivered exclusively online). State laws regarding distance education vary state-by-state, and even program-by-program within a state. The Master of Public Health offered through the College of Human Medicine’s Division of Public Health at Michigan State University requires a practicum experience that constitutes a physical presence in some states, therefore restricting enrollment in our program to residents of those states. Prior to applying, please access the State-by-State Summary, for the most up-to-date approved and restricted states. For more information, please visit MSU's State Authorization website. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Key Dates
Fall
Application Deadline
May 31st
Summer
Application Deadline
February 28th
Spring
Application Deadline
September 30th
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 here.
The MSU Value Promise
You can be ensured a return on your investment at Michigan State University.
As one of the top research universities in the world, Michigan State University has advanced the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years.
MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community.
MSU has been offering online degree programs for over 20 years. Our maturity is evident in the high quality of the learning experience enjoyed by our online students.
MSU provides programs and initiatives that support and enhance diversity. We will expand our campus and external partnerships to put in place inclusive recruitment and retention practices. We nurture and promote individuals’ varied experiences and perspectives, ensuring structures and processes make possible full participation by all members of our community.
MSU actively collaborates with campus and external partners to innovate across all dimensions of graduate education. We create and support networks that increase collaboration and improve educational opportunities for our online students.
MSU’s nationally recognized online programs foster student growth and well-being throughout their academic career. We will expand inclusive mentoring practices and accelerate improvement across units to implement evidence-based practices to ensure our students complete successfully.
Continuing education can be one of the most exciting, challenging, and rewarding experiences you undertake in your life. We hope you consider becoming a Spartan, to learn online and reach your career goals. With highly ranked online programs and exceptional professors, we educate students who advance the common good with uncommon will.