Graduate Certificate in Health Policy

Program Director: Lara Cartwright-Smith

The mission of the health policy certificate is to train public health, health services, law, medical, public policy, and other students and professionals seeking careers in health policy. Graduates with this certificate understand the substance of health policy. Students develop in-depth policy analysis skills to use in various practice settings, including both federal and state levels of government, private-sector health policy consulting, and not-for-profit advocacy.

The health policy certificate is a chance for those students seeking a solid foundation in the substance of health policy and the skills of health policy analysis, but who do not wish to undertake the full MPH. The health policy graduate certificate also includes elective course offerings to fit the student’s personal and professional goals. When deciding to undertake the certificate, the student will meet often with an advisor to craft a personalized course of study.

Graduates of this health policy certificate program will gain:

• A core understanding of the wide-ranging issues that dominate the modern health policy debate at all levels of government.
• Basic skills in health policy analysis and the ability to conduct original policy analysis and research.
• Familiarity with the policy-making processes that control the development and implementation of health policy.
• Strong data management skills, including creating datasets, reading various types of raw data, creating variables, and processing data.
• The ability to synthesize complex information for policymakers.
• The ability to apply the skills of health policy analysis in a workplace setting.
   

Visit the program webpage for additional information.

Visit the Milken Institute School of Public Health website for additional information about the school and its academic programs. Graduate admissions information, including application requirements and deadlines, can be found on the GWSPH Graduate Admissions website.

The following requirements must be fulfilled: 18 credits, including 13 credits in required courses and 5 credits in elective courses.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required
PUBH 6002	Biostatistical Applications for Public Health
PUBH 6012	Fundamentals of Health Policy
PUBH 6310	Statistical Analysis in Health Policy
PUBH 6315	Introduction to Health Policy Analysis
PUBH 6320	Advanced Health Policy Analysis
Electives
5 credits in health policy elective courses.

SPH certificate program graduation requirements

1. Graduate credit requirement: Successful completion of 15 graduate certificates (Public Health) or 18 graduate credits (Health Policy, Health Administration).
2. Curriculum: Successful completion of required courses.
3. Grade-point requirement: A minimum program grade-point average of 3.0 (B average).
4. Time limit requirement: The degree must be completed within two years.
5. CITI training requirement: All students are required to complete training regarding human subject protection regulation and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).
6. Integrity quiz and plagiarism requirement: All students are required to review the George Washington University Code of Academic Integrity and take the SPH Academic Integrity Quiz within their first semester of study.
7. Professional enhancement requirement: Students must participate in eight hours of public health-related lectures, seminars, and symposia, related to their field of study.