MPH Context Certificate: Pharmaceutical Development, Delivery, and Access

Many public health programs rely on pharmaceuticals to achieve their goals—from treating infectious diseases to managing preventive and chronic care. This 12-credit certificate is one of the world’s few programs examining the intersection of public health and medicines. Students will gain skills in medicines development, delivery, policies, and programs. Students will be able to effectively translate their knowledge and skills into rapidly growing public health, pharmaceutical, and medical technology markets.

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

  • Communicate the role of pharmaceuticals as public health tools for prevention and treatment of acute and chronic diseases.
  • Examine critical steps in research and development of pharmaceuticals, including clinical trials and market dynamics.
  • Analyze the performance of the pharmaceutical sector using key indicators.
  • Demonstrate the ability to access and use data related to the financing, procurement, distribution, and use of pharmaceuticals in order to propose solutions to domestic and international pharmaceutical challenges.
  • Apply a multidisciplinary systems approach to analyzing the overlapping roles of the public and private sectors in pharmaceutical policy, including innovation, intellectual property, and medicines regulation.

Course Requirements

  • SPH PH 740 Foundations in Public Health and Pharmaceuticals (4 cr)
  • At least 8 credits from the following:
    • SPH BS 722 Design & Conduct of Clinical Trials (4 cr)
    • SPH EP 748 Drug Epidemiology (4 cr)
    • SPH GH 715 ARV Program Management (2 cr)
    • SPH GH 722 Supply Chain Management (2 cr)
    • SPH GH 756 Analyzing Pharmaceutical Systems (4 cr)
    • SPH GH 801 How to License a New Vaccine (4 cr)
    • SPH GH 891 Global Pharmaceutical Policy: At the Intersection of Process & Politics (2 cr)
    • SPH PM 802 Pharmaceutical Management, Policy & Practice (2 cr)
    • SPH PM 833 Health Economics (4 cr)