Core Disciplines of Public Health Graduate Certificate

Michigan State University offers an online graduate certificate in the Core Disciplines of Public Health. The courses that make up this certificate serve as foundational and core courses for students who are pursuing a Master of Public Health degree. This certificate is designed to provide students with a basis for understanding the breadth and scope of the public health field. The core public health disciplines include biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health sciences. 

This certificate is appropriate for a variety of students. Public health professionals benefit by enhancing their existing skills and gaining an official credential. Medical students find this certificate enhances their education by learning the population-based side of medicine in addition to their traditional patient-centric training. Other professionals who also benefit from this certificate include nurses who want to broaden their clinical perspectives, accountants who work in health and want to gain a greater understanding of the health care industry, or attorneys who want to specialize in public health and health policy. Since public health affects every aspect of modern society, the applications of this knowledge are far-reaching into many other professional disciplines.

Join the hundreds of Spartans in Public Health working to protect people and communities.

Application Requirements  

Apply Now*   

*Core Disciplines of Public Health graduate certificate applicants are not required to submit graduate or professional school test scores.

Core Disciplines of Public Health Curriculum

Please note: All courses previously had a prefix of HM; beginning in spring 2024, the prefix changed to PH.

MSU Course Descriptions