The UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health is pleased to offer a continuing education certificate program in Global Health Studies (GHS). This certificate program is offered to any local, regional, national, or foreign professional who is interested in taking these courses as a non-accredited, continuing education option.

 

Global health is defined as the application of public health principles to solutions of health problems and challenges that transcend national boundaries. In the face of a growing awareness of the need for shared solutions to shared problems, opportunities in global health work are increasing, and more individuals are expressing interest in careers in global health. Individuals who desire to work in the global health field require skills to identify and delineate critical health and human development issues that confront populations in the settings in which they work. They may be required to design and/or implement large- or small-scale interventions to prevent disease, protect, or to promote population health. In addition, they may also be hired as consultants to provide technical advice.

 

The UAB continuing education GHS certificate program is designed to equip professionals with the basic skills necessary to function effectively in global health practice. The program covers several critical issues in global health, including epidemiology and disease control, health systems management, disabilities, evidence-based policy and practice, project design, monitoring and evaluation, environment and health. It will be offered entirely in an online format for continuing education professionals.

 

GHS Continuing Education Certificate Program Objectives
Upon completion of the GHS continuing education certificate program, participants will be able to:

 

 

The UAB GHS certificate program will be offered to any local, regional, national, or foreign professionals interested in taking these courses as a non-accredited, continuing education option, upon meeting admission requirements.

 

The online courses will be offered using UAB’s Moodle online platform, which encompasses a variety of features to facilitate and enrich online teaching and learning. All course participants will be provided technical support in the use of the online platform features. Admission Requirements Continuing education professionals wishing to enroll must apply directly to The UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health. Note that there is a $30 application fee due upon submission of the application. The application can be downloaded from here. Because the courses are taught at the graduate level, all enrollees are expected to submit copies of an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. In addition, copies of relevant professional certificates and diplomas may also be submitted. Formal experience working in the field of global health is not required.   

 

 

In order to complete the continuing education certificate course, professionals will be required to complete 3 core modules in addition to 3 elective modules, all of which will be offered online.

         

There is also an optional internship module that may be completed at the discretion of the student, with instructor approval. The Sparkman Center currently partners with The Southern Institute for Appropriate Technology (SIFAT) based in Lineville, Alabama to provide a 2-week intensive internship experience for graduate students, professionals, and international scholars designed to train participants in the application of simple, affordable appropriate technologies that can offer solutions for meeting basic human needs in the developing world at the household and community levels. Cost of the SIFAT course, including travel expenses, varies on annual basis and is in addition to the costs of the GHS certificate program.  

           

 

The Continuing Education GHS online course curriculum will consist of:

 

 

*Note: The online core modules will be offered concurrently over 8 weeks and are designed to be completed in a single semester.

 

 

 

Participants may elect to complete a 2-week intensive course at The Southern Institute for Appropriate Technology (SIFAT). Alternatively, with approval from the course administration, participants can also arrange with adequate supervision, to undertake their field study with relevant global health institutions/agencies that are accessible to each course participant, including    but not limited to, ministries of health, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), bilateral and multilateral agencies, and faith-based organizations. Participants will be required to write a technical report on their field study experience.    

 

*Note: The online core modules are offered over 8 weeks and may be completed over several semesters, according to when they are offered.

 

 

Courses offered as part of the GHS certificate program will be offered according to the availability of the instructor and in accordance with UAB’s academic calendar. The core courses will be offered during the 9-week summer semester calendar (June-August, 2010), and electives will be offered on an annual basis throughout the academic year.

 

 

All continuing education professionals will be evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Each module will be graded pass (a grade of 70% and above) or fail (a grade of 69% and below). Participants who achieve a passing grade of 95% and above will be awarded the certificate with distinction.

 

Continuing education professionals who maintain “Pass” status in a total of 6 modules will be awarded a certificate from the UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health.

 

 

For the 2010 calendar, continuing education professionals must enroll at least one week prior to June 1, 2010 when the online core classes will begin. Please contact Heather White hwhite@uab.edu for an application.

 

 

There are a total of 6 required modules in the certificate program and an optional field study module. Each module costs $540, for a total of $3,240. This excludes other costs associated with the field study module (e.g., transportation, accommodation, and board). Financial assistance for course participants is not available at this time through the course.

 

 

The GHS certificate program will be administered through the UAB Sparkman Center for Global Health located within the UAB School of Public Health. For more details regarding the program, please contact:

         

Ms. Heather White, GHS Course Manager, at: hwhite@uab.edu Ph: 205-975-7613