In these times of man-made and natural calamities, public health professionals are called to the front line of emergency and bioterrorism preparedness. Federal, state and local health and homeland security agencies are increasingly in need of professionals with information technology and informatics skills to assist in public health preparedness and health communications. Informatics professionals are also needed to collect, manage and analyze vast amounts of data so that public health policymakers can implement programs and monitor their impact.
The University of Maryland Department of Public & Community Health, a leader in the public health sciences, is offering a new online graduate certificate in Public Health Informatics. Designed for the working professional, the graduate program features a curriculum rich in the latest scientific and technological principles and practices needed to advance a career in the fastest growing area of public health.
The 12-credit graduate certificate program, which can be completed online in only eight months, is ideal for health professionals such as nurses, pharmacists, epidemiologists, infectious disease experts, hospital workers and lab technicians, as well as professionals in systems management and information technology. The curriculum provides a thorough understanding of the theory and practice of health data collection, analysis and presentation.
Courses include:
- Public Health Information Systems
- Geographic Information Systems in Public Health Surveillance
- Information Management for Public Health Professionals
- Advanced Health Informatics
The graduate certificate satisfies the Continuing Education Units (CEUs) requirements of health educators through the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) in the U.S. and the state of Maryland. Credits earned may also meet the requirements for the Master of Public Health and PhD degrees. No entrance exams are required.
