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Public Health Courses

Whether you want to develop as a public health professional or broaden your knowledge, there's an online course for that. You can take your learning further with online short courses and degrees. Have a look below at some recommended online courses from top universities and public health organisations.
Imperial College London

Global Master of Public Health (GMPH)

Conduct cutting-edge research alongside influential public health leaders & earn a Global MPH from one of the world’s top-10 universities.The Global Master of Public Health from Imperial College London is a highly respected online Master’s degree programme from one of the top 10 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2021). As a Global MPH student, you’ll study biostatistics, epidemiology, health systems, health economics, population health improvement, and more, while honing your research skills by exploring issues affecting your own community.The postgraduate programme’s curriculum is rooted in evidence-based research skills. You’ll learn from faculty who are shaping global policy, such as researchers who led the fight against the Ebola virus. Awarded University of the Year 2022 (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide), Imperial College London is committed to improving public health for people throughout the world. Imperial has recently been recognised as having a greater proportion of 4* “world-leading” research than any other UK university and ranks top in the UK overall, according to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021.Global MPH students build strong portfolios while creating projects which model the tasks they will be asked to do as they move forward in their careers, as well as having the opportunity to develop work which can be submitted to peer-reviewed journals. They also learn practical quantitative and qualitative research skills that help evaluate the public health research and policy of their peers. In previous years, students have had the opportunity to engage with experts in various public health fields at the World Health Organisation in Geneva.What makes this MPH degree unique?Internationally Respected: One of the top 10-ranked universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2021) and named University of the Year 2022 (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide). Imperial College London is also among the top 10 World's Most International Universities (Times Higher Education 2022), with students and faculty from more than 140 countries.Completely Online: Imperial College London’s Global MPH brings the study of epidemiology, health data analytics, and biostatistics to learners around the world. Offered fully online, this Master’s degree enables students to continue working as they learn from a top research institution and make an impact in their home community.Proven Career Results in Healthcare: Ranked first for career prospects in The Guardian University Guide 2021, the reputation of an Imperial College London postgraduate degree extends beyond the borders of the United Kingdom and the European Union. Alumni of the School of Public Health go on to roles in academia, government, industry and non-governmental organizations such as the Gates Foundation, the United Nations, and the World Health Organization.Frequent Access to Faculty: Imperial College London faculty work in cutting-edge fields and come from diverse career backgrounds such as clinicians, researchers, policymakers, biomedical computing experts, and health economists. With regular access to faculty through their office hours and live global classroom sessions, Global MPH students will benefit from each instructor’s unique perspective.Applied and Analytical Curriculum: Designed specifically for an online audience and rooted in research, the Global MPH will challenge students to apply their knowledge to real-world health problems and scenarios. You’ll develop an impressive research portfolio to showcase your skills to potential employers. Additionally, you may be able to submit your final research project to a peer-reviewed journal.Breakthrough Price Point for a Top Master’s Degree: For 2022 entry, at a cost of £6,500/year (for Home/UK students) and £10,725/year (for Islands/Overseas students), Imperial College London’s Global MPH costs less than on-campus alternatives, as well as other top online programmes for international (non UK/European) students. Keep your job while earning the Global MPH degree, by studying online on your own schedule.‍

University of Michigan

Master of Public Health

The online Master of Public Health in Population and Health Sciences degree from the University of Michigan provides cutting-edge multidisciplinary education for those seeking to create a healthier world through research, education, and practice. To prepare to become leaders in the field, MPH students build expertise in core public health concepts and customize their learning with skill development in areas like precision nutrition, health communication, data analysis, environmental epidemiology, and more.What makes this degree unique?Top-quality learning from world-class faculty. Learn from the same world-renowned faculty that teach residentially and benefit from mentorship and guidance of instructors who are experts and leaders in their field. The MPH enlists a generalist curriculum, meaning you will get a broad knowledge of public health across its various disciplines. In this way, online MPH students benefit from, not one, but all six departments of the nationally ranked University of Michigan School of Public Health.Hands-on public health experience. Gain exposure to the practical demands of working in the public health field through several engaged learning experiences built into the degree program. Students get the opportunity to support a real public health organization in achieving a goal, work with authentic, publically available datasets for assignments, and conduct research relevant to real-world health issues. The required applied practice and integrated learning experience capstone projects are flexible in order to match your unique interest in public health.Flexibility to learn where you want, when you want. The MPH is ideal for working professionals, those with families, or anyone seeking to enhance their public health knowledge and skills without giving up the rest of their lives. With its fully-online format, you have the freedom to access coursework, participate in classes, and connect with peers on a schedule that is convenient for them. Our team of faculty and advisors are available to offer guidance and support navigating your unique circumstances.What is Population and Health Sciences?Population health science tries to understand the interconnected factors that impact everyone’s health. Combining insights from many sectors and disciplines, the population health approach can create data-informed solutions to support the health of whole populations.‍

Yale University

Essentials of Global Health

Essentials of Global Health is a comprehensive introduction to global health. It is meant to introduce you to this topic in well-structured, clear and easy to understand ways. Much of the course will focus on five questions: What do people get sick, disabled and die from; Why do they suffer from these conditions? Which people are most affected? Why should we care about such concerns? What can be done to address key health issues, hopefully at least cost, as fast as possible, and in sustainable ways? The course will be global in coverage but with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, the health of the poor, and health disparities. Particular attention will be paid throughout the course to health systems issues, the linkages between health and development, and health matters related to global interdependence. The course will cover key concepts and frameworks but be practical in orientation.

Imperial College London

Health Systems Development: Health systems, Policy and Research

This specialization is intended for people interested in health systems and how they function. Participants will learn about the global health systems landscape and the challenges and opportunities to achieve better health outcomes. This specialisation is divided into three courses which are offered as massive online open access courses (Courses 1-3), and a fourth course which is offered as part of the Online MPH degree (capstone). The Health Systems Development specialisation is geared toward learners who have no prior knowledge of health systems or those who are starting to explore this area of study. Overall, sessions in this specialisation span 16 week with approximately 96 hours of viewing learning materials per week. Formative assessments in the form of quizzes and activities are incorporated throughout the weeks to help learners gauge their level of depth of understanding and to prepare them for their summative assessments. Participants will have the opportunity to explore a range of areas within health systems. The first course will introduce the main building blocks of health systems and shed some light on key components of well-functioning health systems including how health system performance is assessed. In course two, students will learn how to conduct a health impact assessment and how to assess the impacts of policies, plans and projects, as well as how that support decision-makers make choices regarding alternatives and improvements to prevent disease or injury and to actively promote health. The third course explores human resources for health and service delivery. In this course, students will learn about and analyse country experiences in transforming health services delivery, and interventions and to address human resources for health challenges at a global level. By the end of this specialisation, learners should be able to identify key components of, and critically compare, different health systems; analyse country experiences in transforming services; and apply theoretical framework for assessing the health impacts of policies, plans and projects.‍

Imperial College London

Introduction to Participatory Approaches in Public Health

This course will introduce you to participatory approaches to public health. You will learn about the history of participatory health research and why it is essential to solving contemporary public health challenges. The course will help you to understand the social and cultural context of public health, before introducing you to essential concepts for working with communities: knowledge and power. Finally, you will engage with critical analyses of participatory approaches, to help you to determine if and when such strategies are appropriate. Throughout the course you will analyse real-world case studies of community-based health projects, including historical HIV social movements, public health projects with sex workers, and participatory approaches to the COVID-19 pandemic. The course will equip you to practice public health in partnership with local communities. It is followed by a second course, Applying Participatory Approaches in Public Health Settings, which builds upon the theoretical foundations of this introductory course.

Imperial College London

Logistic Regression in R for Public Health

Welcome to Logistic Regression in R for Public Health! Why logistic regression for public health rather than just logistic regression? Well, there are some particular considerations for every data set, and public health data sets have particular features that need special attention. In a word, they're messy. Like the others in the series, this is a hands-on course, giving you plenty of practice with R on real-life, messy data, with predicting who has diabetes from a set of patient characteristics as the worked example for this course. Additionally, the interpretation of the outputs from the regression model can differ depending on the perspective that you take, and public health doesn’t just take the perspective of an individual patient but must also consider the population angle. That said, much of what is covered in this course is true for logistic regression when applied to any data set, so you will be able to apply the principles of this course to logistic regression more broadly too. By the end of this course, you will be able to: Explain when it is valid to use logistic regression Define odds and odds ratios Run simple and multiple logistic regression analysis in R and interpret the output Evaluate the model assumptions for multiple logistic regression in R Describe and compare some common ways to choose a multiple regression model This course builds on skills such as hypothesis testing, p values, and how to use R, which are covered in the first two courses of the Statistics for Public Health specialisation. If you are unfamiliar with these skills, we suggest you review Statistical Thinking for Public Health and Linear Regression for Public Health before beginning this course. If you are already familiar with these skills, we are confident that you will enjoy furthering your knowledge and skills in Statistics for Public Health: Logistic Regression for Public Health. We hope you enjoy the course!‍

John Hopkins University

Evaluating Public Health Programs at Scale

This course provides an introduction to evaluating public health programs at scale. This course focuses on evaluating public health programs and policies in low- and middle-income countries, however, core skills of designing and carrying out an evaluation are applicable to any public health programs and policies. The course will equip you with skills to: 1. Critique an evaluation of an international health program, identifying its strengths and possible weaknesses and how they could be addressed. 2. Develop a technically-sound evaluation plan for a reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health (RMNCAH) and nutrition program being implemented at scale in a low- or middle-income country, including evaluation design, key indicators, measurement methods, analysis, and communication of results. 3. Guide program managers and donors through a process of agreeing on priority evaluation activities included in an evaluation plan for a specific RMNCAH and nutrition program. 4. Make informed decisions about whether they want to pursue further learning and/or a professional role as an evaluator of large-scale programs.

John Hopkins University

Systems Thinking In Public Health

This course provides an introduction to systems thinking and systems models in public health. Problems in public health and health policy tend to be complex with many actors, institutions and risk factors involved. If an outcome depends on many interacting and adaptive parts and actors the outcome cannot be analyzed or predicted with traditional statistical methods. Systems thinking is a core skill in public health and helps health policymakers build programs and policies that are aware of and prepared for unintended consequences. An important part of systems thinking is the practice to integrate multiple perspectives and synthesize them into a framework or model that can describe and predict the various ways in which a system might react to policy change. Systems thinking and systems models devise strategies to account for real world complexities.

University of Geneva

Disease Screening in Public Health

Current and future public health is characterized by the increase of chronic and degenerative diseases, corresponding to the worldwide ageing of the population. The increasing prevalence of these conditions together with the long incubation period of the chronic diseases and the continual technological innovations, offer new opportunities to develop strategies for early diagnosis. Public Health has an important mandate to critically assess the promises and the pitfalls of disease screening strategies. This MOOC will help you understand important concepts for screening programs that will be explored through a series of examples that are the most relevant to public health today. We will conclude with expert interviews that explore future topics that will be important for screening. By the end of this MOOC, students should have the competency needed to be involved in the scientific field of screening, and understand the public health perspective in screening programs.

John Hopkins University

Hypothesis Testing in Public Health

Biostatistics is an essential skill for every public health researcher because it provides a set of precise methods for extracting meaningful conclusions from data. In this second course of the Biostatistics in Public Health Specialization, you'll learn to evaluate sample variability and apply statistical hypothesis testing methods. Along the way, you'll perform calculations and interpret real-world data from the published scientific literature. Topics include sample statistics, the central limit theorem, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, and p values.

The State University if New York

Leadership for Public Health Crises Specialization

Leadership for Public Health Crises will enable current and prospective managers, directors, unit heads, and elected officials to effectively lead their organizational response to profound health-related emergencies and to build leadership capacity across multiple sectors, agencies, organizations, and divisions. This series of courses prepares graduate students (in, e.g., public administration, public health, social work, business, homeland security, education, and related fields) and practitioners in a range of roles in this broader arena who seek to attain or advance in leadership roles. The courses focus on foundational competencies required to confidently and competently lead in preparation for and response to far-reaching health-related crises, including communication, cross-agency collaboration, organizational contingency planning, and data analysis, especially as these relate to civilian sectors. To learn more about the Leadership for Public Health Crises specialization, please watch the overview video by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHhzlgdHIxU

John Hopkins University

Summary Statistics in Public Health

Biostatistics is the application of statistical reasoning to the life sciences, and it is the key to unlocking the data gathered by researchers and the evidence presented in the scientific literature. In this course, we'll focus on the use of statistical measurement methods within the world of public health research. Along the way, you'll be introduced to a variety of methods and measures, and you'll practice interpreting data and performing calculations on real data from published studies. Topics include summary measures, visual displays, continuous data, sample size, the normal distribution, binary data, the element of time, and the Kaplan-Meir curve.

John Hopkins University

Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice

Epidemiology is often described as the cornerstone science in public health. Epidemiology in public health practice uses study design and analyses to identify causes in an outbreak situation, guides interventions to improve population health, and evaluates programs and policies. In this course, we'll define the role of the professional epidemiologist as it relates to public health services, functions, and competencies. With that foundation in mind, we'll introduce you to the problem solving methodology and demonstrate how it can be used in a wide variety of settings to identify problems, propose solutions, and evaluate interventions. This methodology depends on the use of reliable data, so we'll take a deep dive into the routine and public health data systems that lie at the heart of epidemiology and then conclude with how you can use that data to calculate measures of disease burden in populations.

Imperial College London

Epidemiology for Public Health Specialization

Thousands of new epidemiological studies are conducted every year and their results can have a profound impact on how we live our lives. Decisions regarding the food you eat, how much you exercise, where you live and what treatment you will follow if you get sick are made based on data from such studies. This specialization aims to equip you with the skills that will allow you to correctly interpret epidemiological research, consider its limitations, and design your own studies. The first course of the specialisation, Measuring Disease in Epidemiology, looks into the main measures used in epidemiology and how these can inform decisions around public health policy, screening and prevention. The second course, Study Designs in Epidemiology, provides an overview of the most common study designs, their strengths and limitations. The third course, Validity and Bias in Epidemiology, builds on the fundamental concepts taught in the previous courses to discuss bias and confounding and how they might affect study results. It also provides the essential skills to prevent and control bias and confounding and critically think about causality. At the end of this specialization you will have gained the essential skills to design and critique epidemiological research and you will be able to pursue more advanced courses in epidemiology. Although this specialization is part of the GMPH programme, it can be taken independently of the GMPH.

John Hopkins University

Biostatistics in Public Health Specialization

This specialization is intended for public health and healthcare professionals, researchers, data analysts, social workers, and others who need a comprehensive concepts-centric biostatistics primer. Those who complete the specialization will be able to read and respond to the scientific literature, including the Methods and Results sections, in public health, medicine, biological science, and related fields. Successful learners will also be prepared to participate as part of a research team.

Imperial College London

Foundations of Public Health Practice: Health Protection

The Health Protection course is the fourth instalment of the wider Foundations of Public Health Practice specialisation from Imperial College London's Global Master of Public Health (MPH). The scope and content of this course has been developed from the ground up by a combined team of academics and practitioners drawing on decades of real-world public health experience as well as deep academic knowledge. Through short video lectures, practitioner interviews and a wide range of interactive activities, learners will be immersed in the world of public health practice. Designed for those new to the discipline, over three modules (intended for three weeks of learning), learners will become familiar with the scope, principles and nuances of health protection in the context of public health practice. Beginning with the basics of Water, Sanitation and Health (WASH) based interventions, the course will introduce learners to the science and principles of practical microbiology, before examining vaccines, incident management and the threat posed by a wide range of manmade and natural environmental threats. By the end of this course, learners will be familiar and conversant with core health protection principles and approaches, and confident in discussing health protection issues when they move into practice.

Imperial College London

Foundations of Public Health Practice: The Public Health Toolkit

The Foundations of Public Health Practice: The Public Health Toolkit builds on public health thinking (introduced in the previous course) and introduces a variety of core public health approaches (the toolkit) to conceptualising problems, conducting analysis and bringing forward recommendations. In this course we cover health needs assessment, evaluation and public health intelligence-approaches.

Imperial College London

Foundations of Public Health Practice: The Public Health Approach

The Public Health Approach course is the first instalment of the wider Foundations of Public Health Practice specialisation from Imperial College London's Global Master of Public Health (MPH). The scope and content of this course has been developed from the ground up by a combined team of academics and practitioners drawing on decades of real-world public health experience as well as deep academic knowledge. Through short video lectures, practitioner interviews and a wide range of interactive activities, learners will be immersed in the world of public health practice. Designed for those new to the discipline, over four modules (intended for four weeks of learning), learners will become familiar with the scope, origins, ethics, principles and paradigms of public health practice. But there is also important foundational content for those coming from more experienced practitioner backgrounds. The 'Public Health Approach' is a phrase that is used widely to describe an up-stream, preventive, values-driven and evidence-based approach to improving population health. By the end of this course, learners will be confident with identifying and describing a wide range of public health challenges using the language and reference points of the public health profession. The subsequent courses require the knowledge from this course, as learners will be introduced to the public health toolkit of health needs assessment and evaluation, before taking deeper dives into behaviour change and health protection.‍

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