Certificate in Public Health

Overview of Field

The field of public health promotes the general health of the community by surveying cases, supporting healthy habits and making organizational level decisions to prevent the spread of disease. It is an ideal profession for individuals with basic-level management and problem solving skills who want to improve the quality of life of people in an organized manner. Such individuals can enter the career by doing certificate or degree programs in public health.

A public health certificate program is different from the degree programs in public health because it is usually shorter with fewer course requirements. It can possibly be completed in a year, though may take less or longer depending on the a particular student's enrollment status. Also, there are various types of certificates in public health. The ones offered at undergraduate level are usually general whereas the postgraduate certificates concentrate on a subspecialty of public health such as statistical methods, injury control, population health, health education, maternal and child health, gerontology, etc. Nowadays, there is a growing trend in schools for providing first-rate programs for public health certificate online.  
 
Course Work
A general certificate in public health program may cover the following courses:

• Introduction to Public Health Practice
• Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
• Evidence-based Public Health Methods
• Environmental Health
• U.S. Healthcare System

 
Admission Requirements
As compared to formal degree programs, the admission process is easier for certificate programs; however, every public health school has its own set of requirements. Most of the schools look for analytically minded individuals who are good at number crunching as biostatistics is an integral part of public health. Another important prerequisite may be proficiency in communication, both verbal and written.

Career Prospects
An individual with a general public health certification may improve one's prospects of finding entry level jobs in research, policy development and health administration departments of various healthcare organizations such as hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, pharmaceutical companies, humanitarian organizations and government agencies. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that public health professionals such as health educators earned an annual median salary of $50,430 in May 2014. Baccalaureates who achieve a post-graduate certificate in public health can have brighter career prospects as they can attain management level jobs in the field.

Further Education
People with a general public health education can enroll in special public health certificate programs in their fields of interest to enhance their career prospects such as pursuing a certificate program in maternal& child health or public health informatics. Furthermore, all students or working professionals in the field of public health should consider taking the certification examination of the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE), which is an organization especially geared towards checking the quality of public health professionals across the country.

How long does it take to get a certificate in Public Health?

There are two different types of certificates in public health, i.e. an executive certificate and a junior level certificate. Executive certificates are for experienced health care professionals who want to further their careers. Junior level certificates are for recent undergraduate students looking for experience in the field. Certificate Programs in public health generally include taking 15 credit hours i.e. a year-long program with a maximum of 5 courses. Most programs take 8 to 12 months to complete.

What are the requirements to get a certificate in Public Health?

Before you get a junior certificate, you must complete a bachelor's degree in public health or a related field. However, for a junior level certificate, candidates do not require work experience. For an executive certificate, you must have work experience in the field prior to applying. To complete a certification in public health, you will have to clear courses such as Basic Principles of Epidemiology, Biostatistics for Public Health and Environmental Health.

How much can I make after I get a certificate in Public Health?

Health educators and community health workers encourage behavior that leads to a better quality of life. They can usually be found working in hospitals, NGO's and on college campuses. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay as of May 2018 was $46,080 per year and $22.15 per hour for health educators and community health workers. Employment opportunities in this sector are on the rise with the expected increase in jobs from 2016 to 2026 being 19,200.