To encourage continued education and professional development for both public health students and practitioners, we offer a number of certificate programs that can be completed either through traditional, residential coursework or via the internet through distance learning.  Most certificate programs range from 11 to 15 credits.

Residential certificate programs
Distance certificate programs

Residential certificate programs

The Global Health Certificate prepares students to work in changing environments and with diverse populations, and to respond competently to the challenges presented by permeable geographic and cultural boundaries. The Certificate complements departmental requirements by offering courses, seminars, and fieldwork or internships that provide a comprehensive understanding of global health conditions, needs, and solutions that cross borders in both developing and industrialized countries and regions.

Interdisciplinary Certificate in Health Disparities  Despite significant progress, there are continuing disparities in morbidity and mortality experienced by African-Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, compared to the U.S. population as a whole.  Not only does basic science need to be conducted in many health areas to understand what the contributors to the disparities are, but that information also needs to be translated into specific interventions to counterbalance the effects of these contributors.  This 10-credit hour program trains health professionals to support a long-term and sustained public health effort toward addressing, and ultimately eliminating disparities. 

The Certificate in Public Health Ethics aims to provide graduate students with the basic skills needed to think and act ethically in public health.  Because public health is a diverse field, students can customize their certificate courses to suit their particular areas of interest. They may choose, for example, to focus on research ethics, political processes, or genomics. All students will share in common the course Foundations in Public Health Ethics (EPID 880) and on-line training in research ethics.

Certificate in Interdisciplinary Health Communication prepares graduate students to use theory-informed health communication strategies in applied practice, academic and research settings. Students select one of two specialized tracks, complete three graduate level courses (three credits each), participate in a year-long colloquia series on emerging issues in health communication, and receive guidance on conducting health communication research for their theses or dissertations.

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Distance certificate programs

The Online Certificate in Core Public Health Concepts is a 15-credit hour program covering the core content taught in UNC's masters of public health programs. All courses have been specially designed and developed for delivery via the internet,  No on-campus visit is required for this certificate.  

The Certificate in Field Epidemiology is co-sponsored by the Department of Epidemiology and the North Carolina Institue for Public Health.  The 12-credit hour program of study addresses the core functions of outbreak investigation, surveillance systems and methods, infectious disease epidemiology, and field epidemiology methods.  Students register, receive materials, interact with faculty, order books, and successfully complete this program without traveling to campus.

The Public Health Leadership Certificate is an 11-credit hour program of study. The content is the same as the core content taught in Public Health Leadership Program's MPH programs. All courses have been specially designed and developed for delivery via distance learning but students are required to come to campus for one brief visit to participate in a leadership workshop. 

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