Curriculum Requirements
A minimum of 9 credits are required for the certificate, including 6 core course credit requirements, one of which is a credit-based global health field experience, and 3 elective credits. Below is a description of the core requirements and electives.
Core Course Requirements (6 credits):
PHS718, section 1: Fundamentals of International Health Care Systems (2 credits)
This course addresses and analyzes differences in health status and methods of organizing and providing health services in countries with varying levels of development and types of socio-political systems. Students develop an understanding of the various avenues of international cooperation in health. It is offered the first 7 weeks of the fall semester.
PHS904, section 4: Topics in Epidemiology: Global Health (2 credits)
The purposes of this course are to explore the relationship between globalization and health and provide students with an understanding of: a) major indicators and determinants of health and health disparities across populations, from less to more developed countries; b) the role of epidemiology in developing proven and potential interventions to improve global health and reduce health disparities; and c) methodological and ethical considerations in international health research. The course is also designed to expose students to health research and clinical work of faculty working in a range of disciplines relevant to global health, and to help students identify ways in which they might contribute in the future to improvements in global health. It is offered the second 7 weeks of the fall semester.
PHS640: Foundations for Global Health Practice (1 credit)
This 1-credit course helps students to prepare for a global health field experience. Students study general precepts of global health, learn to use quantitative and qualitative data to gain an understanding of the health situation related to their selected country and health topic of focus, and plan a global health field experience including selecting a site, identifying a counterpart organization, developing a scope of work that is of mutual benefit to the student and the counterpart organization, and preparing to travel (health and safety). The course is offered in seven evening meetings (every other week) over the course of the semester. It is offered in both the fall and the spring semesters. Note: If a student elects to participate in a faculty-led global health field course rather than an independent field experience, region-specific sections of PHS 644 are pre-requisites for the field courses and are offered in the Spring semester. PHS 644 is a 2-credit course; one credit may substitute for the core course PHS 640, and one credit may apply to the elective requirements.
Global Health Field Experience (1-6 credits)
A global health field experience is a credit-based experience in a setting relevant to global health. Field experiences are generally carried out during winter, spring or summer breaks, and 1 week on site is equivalent to 1 credit. Global health field experiences may also be carried out during the academic semester if they do not interfere with class attendance or completion of requirements for registered coursework. Field experiences are intended to occur after completing the majority of the preparatory course work.
Students may elect to do a faculty-led group field experience through the Global Health Institute (administered by the UW Office of International Academic Programs), or they may choose to design an independent field experience at the site of their choice. Field experiences usually take place in a country outside the US, but may also be carried out among a culturally diverse population in the United States. Students may also work with international agencies, such as the United Nations, the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, or non-governmental organizations.
Requirements:
For faculty-led group experiences students are required to take pre-requisite campus-based courses and apply to participate in the field course through the UW Office of International Academic Programs (IAP). Upon satisfactory completion of the field course, students will receive credit for PHS 645: Global Health Field Study.
For independent field experiences students must prepare a proposal, to be reviewed and approved by his or her advisor, which describes project goals and objectives and lays out a tentative schedule of activities. Students must register for independent study credit in an appropriate school or department (699 in medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, nursing or other graduate department). MPH students may register for PHS 788, Public Health Field Experience. As is noted above, PHS 640, Foundations for Global Health Practice, is a pre-requisite for individual field experiences.
Upon completion of the field experience, all students must submit:
1.) field experience journal (reflection)
2.) referenced field experience report (or field course academic assignment)
3.) evaluation by the field preceptor/course instructor
Students completing an independent field experience will also need to submit a site evaluation.
In order to take full advantage of the field experience, prior completion of all course work is recommended whenever possible.
Students must be in good academic standing to participate in a global health field experience.
Course Schedule for Global Health Field Experiences
Course Schedule for Global Health Core and Electives