Adolescent Health Certificate Program
NOTE: This certificate program may be completed entirely online!
OVERVIEW
The certificate program builds on the certificate student’s existing clinical knowledge and the clinical, research, and/or program/policy-related skills they are developing through their degree or training program. It focuses on adolescent pregnancy, substance abuse, and violence prevention and on mental health promotion–all of which are strengths of the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Certificate topics include:
- Primary causes of adolescent mortality and morbidity both domestically and globally
- Adolescent growth and development including biological, neurological and cognitive, psychological, emotional, and other developmental processes, as well as cultural contexts in which young people live that impact health and health behavior
- Proximate and distal social environments in which young people mature and the mechanisms by which such environments influence health outcomes
- Ethical issues inherent in working with adolescents who are legal minors
- Policies and legislation that are evidence-based as well as culturally and developmentally appropriate and health promoting (e.g., graduated drivers’ licenses)
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Students earning the certificate will be able to apply knowledge of adolescent growth and development, positive youth development, and cultural and ethical considerations of youth to design, implement, and evaluate adolescent health-related research, programs, and policies. Upon completing the certificate program, students will be able to::
- Describe how developmental (biological, cognitive, psychological), environmental (physical and social), and cultural factors do and can be used to influence the health and health-related behaviors of adolescents.
- Participate in designing research, programs, and/or policies using family-, school-, and/or community-based methodologies that are effective for addressing adolescent health issues and that adhere to ethical standards for adolescents who are legal minors.
- Use integrated knowledge about 1) the factors influencing adolescent health and 2) effective research, program, and/or policy methodologies to design, conduct, and/or evaluate research and/or to develop, implement, monitor, and/or evaluate programs/policies that are appropriate to address adolescent health issues, prevent unhealthy behaviors, and/or promote healthy ones.
Sponsoring Department
Population, Family and Reproductive Health
ADMISSIONS
Contact information and complete admissions information is available on the certificate program page on the Bloomberg School of Public Health website.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
The certificate requires a minimum of 18 term credits. All required and elective courses must be taken for a letter grade; a minimum grade of C is required in all certificate coursework and students must maintain a 2.75 or better overall GPA for all certificate coursework. The certificate program length is flexible; it varies from student to student, however, the certificate must be completed within three years.
The student should review the section of the website that addresses completion before completing certificate program requirements. The student's transcript will not indicate that the certificate was earned until the Notification of Completion has been submitted, verified by the certificate program, and processed by the Registrar.
COURSE OF STUDY
Students should check the BSPH course directory to confirm when courses are offered. Students should also check for prerequisites and whether instructor consent is required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PH.550.860 | Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH | |
| Required Courses:Students must complete 380.623 AND EITHER 380.725 OR 380.747 | ||
| PH.380.623 | Adolescent Health and Development (typically offered asynchronous online in 3rd term) | 3 |
| PH.380.725 | The Social Context of Adolescent Health and Development (typically offered onsite/in-person in 4th term) | 3 |
| PH.380.747 | International Adolescent Health (typically offered asynchronous online in 4th term) | 3 |
| Elective Courses: Students must complete at least 12 elective credits. Students must complete at least one elective course from each Groups A, B, and C. | ||
| Elective Courses Group A: Sexual and Reproductive Health (must select at least one course from Group A) | ||
| PH.380.633 | Promoting Equity for Adolescents and Emerging Adults: Problem-Solving Seminar (typically offered asynchronous online in 2nd term) | 3 |
| PH.380.720 | Masculinity, Sexual Behavior & Health: Adolescence & Beyond (typically offered onsite/in-person and synchronous online in 3rd term) | 3 |
| PH.380.749 | Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (typically offered onsite/in-person and synchronous online in 4th term) | 3 |
| PH.380.761 | Sexually Transmitted Infections in Public Health Practice (typically offered asynchronous online in 4th term) | 4 |
| PH.380.762 | HIV Infection in Women, Children, and Adolescents (typically offered asynchronous online in 4th term) | 4 |
| Elective Courses Group B: Other Topics in Adolescent Health (must select at least one course from Group B) | ||
| PH.221.621 | Gender and Health: Foundational Theories and Applications (typically offered onsite/in-person in 1st term) | 3 |
| PH.301.627 | Understanding and Preventing Violence (typically offered onsite/in-person in 2nd term) | 3 |
| PH.305.610 | Issues in Injury and Violence Prevention (typically offered onsite/in-person in 1st term) | 2 |
| PH.330.602 | The Epidemiology of Substance Use and Related Problems (typically offered onsite/in-person, and asynchronous online with some synchronous online in 2nd term) | 3 |
| PH.330.640 | Childhood Victimization: A Public Health Perspective (typically offered onsite/in-person, and hybrid asynchronous and synchronous online in 4th term) | 3 |
| PH.330.607 | Prevention of Mental Disorders: Public Health Interventions (typically offered onsite/in-person, and asynchronous online with some synchronous online in 3rd term) | 3 |
| PH.330.674 | Suicide As A Public Health Problem (typically offered onsite/in-person and synchronous online in 4th term) | 3 |
| PH.330.661 | Etiologic Frameworks for Public Mental Health (typically offered onsite/in-person and asynchronous online in 3rd term) | 3 |
| PH.380.624 | Maternal and Child Health Legislation and Programs (typically offered asynchronous online in 2nd term) | 4 |
| PH.380.625 | Evidence and Opportunities to Mitigate Childhood Adversity and Promote Well-Being (typically offered onsite/in-person and synchronous online in 3rd term) | 3 |
| PH.380.640 | Children in Crisis: An Asset-Based Approach to Working With Vulnerable Youth (typically offered onsite/in-person and synchronous online in 3rd term) | 3 |
| PH.380.663 | Gender-Based Violence Research, Practice and Policy: Issues and Current Controversies (typically offered onsite/in-person and asynchronous online in 3rd term) | 3 |
| PH.380.721 | Schools and Health (typically offered onsite/in-person and synchronous online in 2nd term) Course is offered every other year | 3 |
| PH.380.742 | Family - Health, Public Health and Policy (typically offered onsite/in-person in 4th term) | 3 |
| PH.380.883 | Lessons in Leadership: Applications for Population, Family and Reproductive Health (typically offered onsite/in-person in 4th term) | 3 |
| PH.410.752 | Media Impacts on Child and Adolescent Health (typically offered onsite/in-person in 3rd term) | 3 |
| Elective Courses Group C: Program Evaluation (must take at least one course from Group C) | ||
| PH.221.645 | Large-scale Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Programs (typically offered onsite/in-person and synchronous online in 2nd term; and asynchronous online in 4th term) | 4 |
| PH.224.689 | Health Behavior Change At the Individual, Household and Community Levels (typically offered onsite/in-person in 2nd term) | 4 |
| PH.380.611 | Fundamentals of Program Evaluation (typically offered asynchronous online in 1st term; and onsite/in-person in 3rd term) | 4 |
| PH.410.620 | Program Planning for Health Behavior Change (typically offered onsite/in-person in 1st term; asynchronous online with some synchronous online in 3rd term; and synchronous online with some asynchronous online in Summer Institute) | 3 |
| PH.410.631 | Introduction to Community-Based Participatory Research: Principles and Methods (typically offered onsite/in-person in 2nd term) | 3 |