Graduate Certificate in Global Health

The Graduate Certificate in Global Health, Online (Z183) is offered through the Department of Global, Environmental, and Occupational Health in the School of Public Health. The program equips students with foundational knowledge of global health within the broader field of public health.

Mentoring and advising are an essential part of the program. Students meet with faculty and the academic program director to support their educational and career development goals. Students with specific academic questions should contact Dr. Suhana Chattopadhyay at suhanac@umd.edu.

The Graduate Certificate in Global Health provides students with interdisciplinary knowledge of the field.

• The 12-credit, four-course online program emphasizes foundational elements of global health, including program planning and evaluation, communication and health promotion, and the development of skills needed to work effectively across cultures and communities.
• The program can be completed in 12 months of continuous part-time enrollment as a standalone graduate certificate or earned as part of another UMD School of Public Health graduate degree. See Designation of Full-time/Part-time Status.

Registration Overview

Students should use the sample plan of study below as a guide when developing their academic plan with the program director.

• Course offerings are determined by the program and may vary by term. Students should review course requirements carefully, including any prerequisites or corequisites.
• Specific class meeting days and times are available in Testudo, UMD's student services and registration portal. Select "Schedule of Classes," then the term/year, and browse courses by academic unit. 
• The program uses specific section codes for registration, which are listed on the sample plan of study.

Sample Plan

Courses

For a listing of program courses, see the Graduate School Catalog program requirements for Z183. For course descriptions that include prerequisites or corequisites, see the MIEH course listing.

Overview

• Instruction provided by UMD faculty and professionals in the field.
• The program follows the semester academic calendar, with classes held during the 16-week fall and spring semesters, one three-week Winter Session, and one six-week Summer Session.

Online Learning

• Features 100% online instruction with engaging and interactive learning.
• Using advanced audio and video technology, UMD’s online learning environment delivers dynamic and interactive content. 
• Featuring convenience and flexibility, online instruction permits asynchronous and/or synchronous participation, depending on the course.

Upon successful completion, graduates will have mastered the following competencies:

• Analyze global health challenges, health system responses and strengthen strategies, and apply Sustainable Development Goals to design informed, evidence-based solutions to complex international health issues.
• Design, implement, and evaluate health promotions and communication interventions by applying behavior change theories, understanding different levels of communication, developing effective messages and materials, and integrating health literacy principles to improve program outcomes. 
• Apply key concepts, principles and evaluative tools in global health program management to design, analyze, and implement results-oriented interventions addressing complex health challenges. 
• Apply the principles of One Health to analyze and address human, animal, and environmental health challenges, evaluate interdisciplinary interventions for global food safety and security, and communicate effectively to support collaborative solutions at local and international levels.