Certificate Name and Number:  Health Policy Certificate – CTHPCG

Department(s)/Unit(s):  Department of Interdisciplinary Health Studies

Delivery Mode:  Online

Terms of Entry:  Fall, Spring, Summer

Enrollment Eligibility:  Degree-seeking student or non-degree status

Certificate Overview:  The Health Policy Graduate Certificate is designed to enhance the education of both current and working professional students who desire to gain skills in the analysis, interpretation, and/or ability to seek solutions to problems affecting population health and healthcare. Moreover, students wishing to better understand the health policy environment in the United States, and professionals engaged in public health and healthcare delivery will benefit from this certificate. Typical expected time to completion is 1½ -2 semesters.

Opportunities upon Completion:  Students who complete the health policy certificate will be prepared to effectively engage with the health policy process as policy advocates, policy analysts, or policy influencers. For many students, completing the certificate will enhance their professional practice through increased understanding of how health policy impacts, or will impact, their career. Other students may seek positions as policy advocates for healthcare/public health sector employers or professional associations of which they are members or as health policy analysts with health research organizations.

Completion Requirements: The Health Policy Graduate Certificate consists of four three-credit hour courses for a total of twelve semester credit hours. Upon applying for graduation (for degree-seeking students) or completion of the certificate requirements (for non-degree students), you must contact the program coordinator for verification of completion and the awarding of the certificate.

Required Courses:

• IHS 5300 - Fundamental Health Policy: Concepts, Components and Systems (3)
• IHS 5301 - The Health Policy Making Process (3)
• IHS 5302 - Health Policy: Current Issues, Trends and Emerging Topics (3)
• MPA 5850 - Policy Analysis for Public Affairs and Leadership (3)

Financial Aid Eligibility Information:

• Non-degree-seeking students enrolled in this certificate are not eligible for federal financial aid.
• Current degree-seeking students may use federal financial aid only for 1) coursework fulfilling requirements of their degree, including required elective hours, or 2) coursework toward a second financial aid-eligible program.
• Students receiving federal financial aid may not take courses for this certificate unless they are also enrolled full-time (9 hours) in their degree program during the same academic term. Financial aid may be used for courses that count toward both degree requirements and the certificate.

Admission Requirements:  The Health Policy Graduate Certificate program will accept students in two categories: 1) those who have been admitted to an advanced degree program at Ohio University and 2) those who possess a bachelor’s or advanced degree but are not currently in a degree program at Ohio University.

• Students who have already been admitted to an advanced degree program at Ohio University (degree-seeking graduate students) need to complete an Application for Update of Graduate Academic Program. This application can be obtained online or in person from the Graduate College. The completed application, including the signature of an advisor and the certificate/program coordinator, should be submitted to the Graduate College office at Ohio University.
• To apply for the certificate program as a non-degree student, you must submit a non-degree application to the Graduate College. Admission requirements include the following:
  • 4-year bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university/college or equivalent from a non-U.S. institution
  • Ability to manage graduate studies as evidenced by undergraduate performance, current professional responsibilities, and/or similar criteria.

International Students:  This certificate program does not permit full-time enrollment in residence at Ohio University, and an I-20 cannot be issued based on admission to this program.