Certificate Program in Social Epidemiology
OVERVIEW
The Social Epidemiology Certificate Program will train students and public health professionals in social epidemiology theory and methods. The program will equip students to translate social epidemiology knowledge into research, practice, policy, and beyond. Students will examine how social factors influence health and disease distributions. This certificate program offers both onsite and online options.
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
After completing the certificate, students will be able to:
- Articulate what social factors are and the fundamental role that social factors play in shaping the distribution of health and disease in and across populations.
- Identify and apply analytic methods to assess how social factors influence population health patterns.
- Demonstrate skills to address and evaluate social determinants of health and programs or policies that intervene on social determinants of health.
- Apply social epidemiology principles into research, practice, and real-world policy, to advance health equity.
SPONSORING DEPARTMENT
ADMISSIONS
Contact information and complete certificate program admissions information are available on the certificate program page on the Bloomberg School of Public Health website. Applicants who are already enrolled in graduate programs at JHU must submit a short letter of interest and CV/resumé to the Certificate Program Contact, and complete a Declaration of Intent form prior to starting coursework. For further information contact BSPH.EpiAcademic@jhu.edu.
REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION
Students will be required to successfully complete a minimum of 18 didactic credits. Two tracks are being offered: the Analyst track that focuses on academic research methods and theory and is geared toward existing graduate students and academics; and the Implementation track that focuses on practical skills and is geared toward public health professionals and practitioners in the field.
The Analyst track will be available for BSPH degree-seeking students who plan to take or have already completed prerequisites of: one introductory epidemiology course (340.601, 340.721, 340.751, or equivalent) and biostatistics series (140.611-612, 140.621-622, 140.651-652, or equivalent), within the past 5 years. The Analyst track includes 9 credits for required courses and a minimum of 9 credits from elective courses, and participation in at least two Social Epidemiology journal club (monthly during the semester) meetings per school year.
The Implementation track is available for degree-seeking and non-degree seeking students who have proficiency in basic epidemiology and biostatistics either through prior coursework or work experience. The track includes 7 credits for required courses and a minimum of 11 credits from elective courses.
No internships, or capstones will be required.
The student should review the section of the website that addresses completion before completing the 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 Bloomberg School course directory to confirm when the courses are offered. Students should also check for prerequisites and whether instructor consent is required.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| PH.550.860 | Academic & Research Ethics at BSPH | |
| PH.340.666 | Foundations of Social Epidemiology | 3 |
Track 1: Analyst Track Course Requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PH.340.723 | Epidemiologic Practice Methods for Population Health Research | 2 |
| PH.340.698 | Methods For Assessing Power, Privilege, and Public Health in the United States | 4 |
| PH.340.705 | Advanced Seminar in Social Epidemiology | 4 |
Note: Students in the Analyst track are required to complete either 340.698 or 340.705. The Social Epidemiology Student Organization Journal Club will also be required for the Analyst Track. Students in the Analyst Track must select and complete elective courses so that the total number of credits completed for the certificate program amounts to 18 credits.
Analyst Track Course Electives:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PH.140.655 | Analysis of Multilevel and Longitudinal Data | 4 |
| PH.140.656 | Multilevel and Longitudinal Models - Data Analysis Workshop | 4 |
| PH.140.658 | Statistics for Psychosocial Research: Structural Models | 4 |
| PH.140.664 | Causal Inference in Medicine and Public Health I | 4 |
| PH.140.698 | Spatial Analysis III: Spatial Statistics | 4 |
| PH.180.625 | Community-Driven Epidemiology and Environmental Justice | 3 |
| PH.221.654 | Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches | 3 |
| PH.221.660 | Systems Science in Public Health: Basic Modeling and Simulation Methods | 3 |
| PH.224.691 | Qualitative Data Analysis | 3 |
| PH.330.657 | Statistics for Psychosocial Research: Measurement | 4 |
| PH.340.727 | Introduction to Health Survey Research Methods | 2 |
| PH.340.769 | Professional Epidemiology Methods | 4 |
| PH.340.776 | Study Design and Analysis for Causal Inference With Time-Varying Exposures | 3 |
| PH.380.602 | Basic Demography and Population Dynamics | 3 |
| PH.380.725 | The Social Context of Adolescent Health and Development | 3 |
| PH.410.611 | Under Pressure: Health, Wealth & Poverty | 3 |
| PH.410.686 | Advanced Quantitative Methods in The Social and Behavioral Sciences: A Practical Introduction | 4 |
Track 2: Implementation Track Course Requirements:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PH.340.667 | Health Equity Research Methods to Address Social Determinants of Health | 4 |
Note: Students in the Implementation Track must select and complete elective courses so that the total number of credits completed for the certificate program equals at least 18.
Implementation Track Course Electives:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PH.180.626 | Environmental Justice and Public Health Practice | 3 |
| PH.221.654 | Systems Thinking in Public Health: Applications of Key Methods and Approaches | 3 |
| PH.260.848 | Community-Based Practice Through Civic Engagement | 2 |
| PH.318.623 | Social Policy for Marginalized and Disenfranchised Populations in the U.S. | 3 |
| PH.330.602 | The Epidemiology of Substance Use and Related Problems | 3 |
| PH.330.676 | Intersectionality in Public Mental Health | 2 |
| PH.340.639 | Assessing Epidemiologic Impact of Human Rights Violations | 2 |
| PH.340.696 | Spatial Analysis I: ArcGIS | 4 |
| PH.340.697 | Spatial Analysis II: Spatial Data Technologies | 3 |
| PH.340.698 | Methods For Assessing Power, Privilege, and Public Health in the United States | 4 |
| PH.340.705 | Advanced Seminar in Social Epidemiology | 4 |
| PH.340.727 | Introduction to Health Survey Research Methods | 2 |
| PH.340.769 | Professional Epidemiology Methods | 4 |
| PH.340.841 | SS/R Translational Epidemiology | 2 |
| PH.380.604 | Life Course Perspectives on Health | 4 |
| PH.380.611 | Fundamentals of Program Evaluation | 4 |
| PH.410.611 | Under Pressure: Health, Wealth & Poverty | 3 |
| PH.601.731 | Spatial Analysis for Public Health | 4 |