An option within Boston University’s Master of Public Health degree, the Global Health Context Certificate explores public health behaviors, health systems, and global health policy. Specifically, students expand their understanding of the cultural, political, and/or economic causes and consequences of health problems—especially in developing countries.
This MPH certificate program considers new approaches and delivery systems to improve health behaviors around the world. MPH students are prepared to become researchers and work in global health administration and management.
Describe health challenges faced at global, national, regional, and community levels, including major causes of morbidity and mortality, and context-specific reasons for geographic variation in population health and wellbeing.
Analyze a health system and its component elements in order to examine performance, identify strengths and weaknesses, and compare it to health systems in other countries.
Explain the ways in which culture, social norms and institutions, laws, gender, economic status, access to education and health care, and other factors influence health.
Conduct a situation analysis across a range of cultural, economic, and health contexts.
Demonstrate ability to access, summarize, synthesize, analyze, and communicate background information and public health evidence.
Sample Course Titles
Foundations of Global Health
Managing Disasters and Complex Humanitarian Emergencies (4)
Confronting Non-Communicable Diseases in the Developing World
Global AIDS Epidemic: Social and Economic Determinants, Impact, and Responses
Brookline Sister City Project (Nicaragua) – Analyzing childhood malnutrition, sexual education, and contraceptive availability
Calmette Hospial (Cambodia) – Conducting acute kidney injury research
Lesotho-Boston Health Alliance (Lesotho) – Conducting root cause analysis for home deliveries in Lesotho
Mildmay (Uganda) – Evaluating the effectiveness of the Wisepill among pregnant and postpartum women
Intern/Secretariat, People that Deliver Initiative at the UNICEF Supply Division (Denmark)
World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific (Philippines) – Improving the accessibility of Hepatitis medicine
World Vision USA (Washington D.C., USA) – Coordinating research efforts related to social services from the perspective of para-social workers in Sub-Saharan Africa
The Master of Public Health program’s Global Health Context Certificate provides students the opportunity to explore global health policy through public health courses on a variety of population health topics. For more information about MPH degree requirements and admissions, request information to learn more.
