Dr. Gen Meredith, a graduate of McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine (Occupational Therapy) and the University of Massachusetts’ School of Public Health (Master of Public Health), has come to Cornell to help design and lead the Master of Public Health program. Prior to this, Dr. Meredith spent eight years leading large international development projects with a focus on national public health systems development in sub-Saharan Africa and the Caribbean, and four years doing the same in the United States. Dr. Meredith’s work has centered primarily on institutional capacity development and growth specifically related to integrated disease surveillance and response systems, the routine collection and use of data, and effective public health leadership and management infrastructure to support population health access and accountability.
Public Health EssentialsCornell Certificate Program
Overview and Courses
The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented health challenge on a global scale. A novel virus jumped from an animal to a person, and within a matter of weeks, people were infected around the world. Public health and healthcare systems were not prepared, and neither those frameworks nor our bodies were ready to detect, prevent, and respond. Countless lives were lost, as were jobs and financial security, food access, housing, and access to education. Now, we need to build back, and build back better, together.
Public health is a field of work made up of many different types of people working in many different roles at community, state, national, and international levels. Its purpose is to develop and implement programs and policies to create the conditions where people can achieve health.
This certificate program is designed for people who work — or want to work — to improve the health and wellbeing of communities. You will study fundamental public health principles and practices to enable you to be part of a push for health equity for all. You will examine how to review and interpret data so you can focus your efforts, and you will practice critical communication skills so you can support your community in making choices that prevent infection and illness. Using COVID-19 as one of many case studies, you will explore how, in public health, we learn from the past to improve the future. You will be positioned to use the knowledge and skills you gain to support the long-term goal of maximizing good health for all.
The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.
Course list
The field of public health has been evolving for centuries, and thanks to research and documentation, you will learn from and build upon the lessons and successes of the past. In this course, you will explore how public health is funded and administered in the U.S., what some of the key tools and functions of public health are, and who implements this powerful work in our communities.
You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Public Health Foundations
Public health actions should be informed by data, and opportunities to use data that can inform public health interventions are everywhere. In this course, you will build your data- and evidence-based public health skills and confidence. You will explore trusted and reliable sources of public health data and look for themes and disparities that can answer your questions about a community's health and wellbeing.
You will identify factors in your own community that contribute to positive or negative public health outcomes and practice supporting your perspective with data. Finally, you will connect those factors to the organizations and services that can help address them, offering recommendations you can use to serve and improve the health of the community in which you live or work.
You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Public Health Foundations
- Assessing and Implementing Public Health
Practicing public health involves working directly with people to advocate for and support the behaviors that will prevent disease, promote health, and prolong life among individuals and the population as a whole. Through this course, you have the opportunity to enhance your ability to facilitate behavior change by studying behavior principles. You begin by examining two important behavior models and considering several different factors that influence behaviors. You will then review key components of effective public health communication, including audience analysis and accessible messaging. Finally, you will explore and practice critical strategies for developing trust and meaningful connections with people of other cultures and social identities.
You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Public Health Foundations
- Assessing and Implementing Public Health
- Using Public Health Data for Action
Human health depends upon the health of the environment in which we live. We create systems to bring us clean water and to take away our waste, or we try to plant trees to keep land from washing away and to filter the air. Unfortunately, we also make changes to our environment that have the unintended effect of hurting our health.
Sometimes people think issues like air pollution or natural disasters are “too big,” yet there are things we can each do that will help protect ourselves. When combined, these individual actions can make a real difference.
You will start by understanding the risks then, using a case-study approach, examine some of the main environmental issues that affect our health. Looking back at history as well as into the future, you will share ideas for your role in addressing these problems.
You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:
- Public Health Foundations
- Assessing and Implementing Public Health
- Using Public Health Data for Action
- Supporting Public Health Behaviors
How It Works
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Faculty Authors
Dr. Alex Travis’s research explores a diverse set of subjects related to One Health, which is interdisciplinary work that links the functions and well-being of people, animals, and the environment. His interests include animal health and fertility as well as efforts to help alleviate poverty and hunger in developing countries, work that indirectly benefits local wildlife. Dr. Travis serves as Associate Dean of International Programs and Public Health at the College of Veterinary Medicine, and he is founding Director of Cornell’s Master of Public Health program.
Key Course Takeaways
- Build your understanding of the various factors that impact health as well as the role you can play in improving health outcomes
- Apply public health assessment models, data analysis methods, and communications best practices to a variety of circumstances
- Identify factors contributing to public health disparities in your community
- Determine public health and intervention opportunities to improve overall health
- Assess how to influence behavioral changes to support public health and intervention opportunities
- Develop practical strategies for increasing your influence to improve public health behaviors
- Plan for interventions at a community level, including impact assessment as well as vaccination acceptance and uptake
What You'll Earn
- Public Health Essentials Certificate from Cornell University
- 105 Professional Development Hours (10.5 CEUs)
Watch the Video
Who Should Enroll
- Community health leaders
- Emerging public health leaders
- Public health volunteers
- Volunteers working with high-risk populations
- Outreach coordinators
- Anyone interested in personal and collective health and wellbeing, community development, preventing disease and injury, or leading change to support health equity
Explore Related Programs
“I have been looking for a healthcare program where I could broaden my knowledge and skills, and this is how I found eCornell. I signed up, and I am so happy that I did. The faculty gave thorough lessons, and I am taking so much away from their classes!”
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Public Health Essentials
| Select Payment Method | Cost |
|---|---|
| $2,999 | |