Global Health Track

Elizabeth Armstrong-Mensah, PhD, MIA – Subject Matter Expert

Goal & Course Offerings

The Global Health Track is designed to prepare graduates for leadership roles in local, state, national and international public health agencies emphasizing health status improvements for underserved and underrepresented populations. Understanding the health concerns of underrepresented and underserved international populations requires knowledge and experience in cultural sensitivity, understanding of health conditions from a social historical perspective, identification of differences in global health systems & practices and the ability to develop interdisciplinary approaches to answer complex health concerns and conditions.

Required Track Courses

MPH 539. Global Health Challenges (3 credit hours) This course examines major public health threats around the world including chronic and re-emerging diseases. It also explores the interrelationships of the environment, cultural practices, demography, socio-economic disparity and politics with global health. Students will be exposed to case studies of key health issues among special populations.

MPH 540. Introduction to Global Health (3 credit hours) This course combines classroom and interactive instruction to introduce students to core topics and pertinent issues in global health with a focus on resource-limited countries and the health of the poor. Students will be introduced to key concepts of global health and the critical links between health, disease, globalization, inequality, and economic development. Students will explore contemporary issues, problems, and controversies in global health through a multidisciplinary approach.

MPH 541. Global Health Research: Design and Practice (3 credit hours) The course provides a comprehensive overview of how to design and conduct pragmatic and effective global health research in resource limited countries. It introduces students to the scope and core characteristics of global health research practice. Course topics will cover critical ethical, cultural and methodological issues involved in conducting research with a focus on ethical considerations, partner involvement, mixed research approaches, implementation, dissemination, and translation of research results into gains in health status.

MPH 542. Health Systems in Developing Countries (3 credit hours) This course introduces students to key challenges faced in strengthening of health systems in low and middle income countries. Topics include an overview of organization of health systems, financing health care, and issues in service delivery such as quality of care and human resource challenges. Students will learn frameworks and methods employed in the evaluation of health systems.