Public Health in Ghana

Michigan State University has a long history of international engagement and has led the nation in study abroad participation among public universities. MSU's Office for Education Abroad administers over 300 programs taking place in more than 60 countries around the world on all seven continents. Each year, close to 3,000 students are transformed by their educational experiences outside of the United States and can be found in classrooms, research labs, field stations, and internship sites throughout the world.

Public Health in Ghana: A One Health Perspective

This three-week program, led by Connie Currier, DrPH, MPH, combines classroom lectures and field practice with an exploration of quantitative and qualitative research methods for assessing community health in Ghana. Students enroll in either PH 847 Public Health in Ghana: A One Health Perspective for five credits, or, for those using the Public Health in Ghana experience as their practicum, PH 892: Public Health Applied Practice Experience for five credits. While Public Health in Ghana is targeted to graduate public health students, it is open to undergraduate students from all majors following a selective application process.

Public Health in Ghana offers lectures about Ghana's historical, social, political, economic and cultural environment to provide a context for understanding the interaction of human health, animal health and the environment in Ghana. Students will go to Cape Coast for a field trip during the first week and then move to Hohoe, Volta Region, for the community engagement experience. Evaluation of students' work will include journaling, individual reflections, community presentations, and a final report/poster presentation.

Students will spend the first week attending lectures in Hohoe, Volta Region, at the Fred N. Binka School of Public Health at the University of Health and Allied Sciences. We will remain in Hohoe for the community engagement experience. Evaluation of students' work will include journaling, individual reflections, participation in focus groups, one-on-one interviews and participant observation, and a final community and poster presentation. 

Field trips include visits to Elmina Castle, Cape Coast, Kakum National Forest, Wli Falls, schools, traditional dancing performances, and other cultural institutions. The Public Health in Ghana program provides a unique opportunity to experience local African art, music, and rural living. 

There is a three-week required online orientation class (non-credit-bearing) to prepare students for fieldwork for the Ghana program during March/April of the previous semester. Students should plan their course schedules accordingly.

Public Health in Ghana at a Glance:

• 5 credits
• Courses: PH 847, PH 892, OST 847
• Minimum GPA 3.00 
• Graduates and undergraduates
• Estimated cost: $3,850 (not including tuition)
• Program application: Due February of each year for summer participation

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