MPH Context Certificate: Human Rights and Social Justice

Health is strongly affected by racism, sexism, poverty, violence, and discrimination. Consequently, public health strategies that promote human rights and social justice are needed to empower vulnerable and marginalized populations, including the elderly and immigrants, to improve their health and well-being. This 12-credit certificate equips students to engage communities at the local, state, country, and global levels to address critical public health problems in a human rights framework.

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

• Apply principles of human rights and social justice to analyze public health problems, and to inform the design, implementation, and evaluation of national and international public health policies and programs.
• Use the principles of human rights and social justice to address inequalities and disparities that continue to plague public health programs.
• Develop strategies for human rights and social justice advocacy in public health policy and program planning.
• Describe the roles of history, power, privilege, and structural inequality in producing health disparities.

Course Requirements

• SPH LW 740 Health and Human Rights (4 cr)
• Choose 8 credits from the following:
  • SPH EP 775 Social Epidemiology (4 cr)
  • SPH GH 750 Gender, Sexuality, Power, and Inequity (4 cr)
  • SPH GH 770 Poverty, Health, and Development (4 cr)
  • SPH LW 725 Ethical Issues in Medicine and Public Health (4 cr)
  • SPH LW 840 Health Law, Bioethics, and Human Rights (4 cr)
  • SPH LW 854 Mental Health Law & Ethics (4 cr)
  • SPH MC 775 Social Justice and the Health of Populations: Racism and Other Systems of Oppression in America (4 cr)
  • SPH MC 785 Reproductive Health Advocacy: From Rights to Justice (2 cr)
  • SPH MC 786 Immigrant Family Health: Public Health Across Borders (4 cr)
  • SPH SB 760 Health of LGBT Populations (4 cr)
  • SPH SB 860 Strategies for Public Health Advocacy (4 cr)