University of Iowa Home

International Programs Home

Academic Programs

Download the Guide to Global Health Studies

The GHSP provides a broad choice of educational options to supplement and enhance students' interests and study in almost any conventional discipline:

The Global Health Studies Certificate

International Programs, in conjunction with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Graduate College, offers a certificate in Global Health Studies to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. The Global Health Studies certificate program is a stimulating interdisciplinary program, requiring 25 semester hours of study and a significant research project in a foreign country. The program helps prepare students for advanced work or careers in global health.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the Global Health Studies certificate program are to provide:

  • An understanding of related global health phenomena including infectious and chronic diseases, nutrition, changing demographics, public health and health care systems, global climate change, natural disasters, and environmental hazards.
  • An institutional focus where students and faculty from different departments, colleges, and disciplines can meet on the common ground of shared interests in global health.
  • An introduction to the foreign field experience that is often needed to be competitive when seeking an international career.

Admission

Admission to the Global Health Studies certificate program is competitive and available both to undergraduate students currently enrolled at The University of Iowa and pursuing a degree program and to graduates of Iowa and other institutions. Students must submit an application, found in Appendix 3 in the Global Health Studies Guide, to Martha Greer in International Programs at 1111 University Capitol Centre by the deadline each semester (see application for deadlines). Successful candidates will be in good academic standing and demonstrate an interest in, and understanding of, the field of global health.

Certificate Requirements

  • UI undergraduates must complete a degree program in order to be granted a Global Health Studies certificate.
  • Students must maintaina mean GPA of 3.00 or higher in the 25 s.h. of coursework for the certificate.
  • All coursework completed for the certificate must be graded, with the exception of graduate student independent study hours.
  • A maximum 8 s.h. of independent study and/or research credits may be applied toward the 25 s.h. required for the certificate.
  • Students may obtain retroactive credit toward the certificate for coursework completed up to two years previous to entering the program.

Summary of requirements:

Global Health Core Courses

Students must complete the following:

  • 152:111/173:111/175:111 International Health - 3 s.h.
  • 152:150 Research Design in Global Health - 3 s.h.
  • 152:151 Proseminar in Global Health* - 1 s.h.
  • 152:152 Global Health Conference** (may be repeated for elective credit) - 1 s.h.

*Offered each fall prior to the opening of the semester
**Offered every third semester

Global Health Electives

Students must complete 17 s.h. of Global Health Studies electives, chosen from the approved elective list. At least 9 s.h. of the required 17 s.h. must be completed in residence and in a formal classroom setting at The University of Iowa. Students may petition to take courses not on the approved list, providing these courses can be shown to include substantial material related to global health. To petition for a course to be included in the certificate program, students should submit a course title, description, and syllabus to Martha Greer in 1111 UCC.

Students may propose an independent study and register for 152:199 Special Projects in Global Health under the supervision of a faculty member of the Global Health Studies Steering Committee. Up to 8 s.h. of independent study work may be applied toward the 17 s.h. minimum required Global Health electives. More information and registration information for 152:199 Special Projects in Global Health are available in Appendix 1 of the Global Health Studies Guide.

Foreign Language

Students should complete modern language study, equivalent to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program requirement. This requirement can be waived for students whose native language is not English.

The GHSP steering committee may require students to take additional language study in preparation for a proposed research or international experience.

Unless foreign language coursework is integral to a study abroad program used to satisfy the GHSP international experience requirement, it will not count toward the 25 s.h. required for the certificate.

International Experience

Students must develop and conduct a research project or participate in a study-abroad or in an internship on a global health/environmental health issue, typically in a foreign setting. Projects require GHSP steering committee approval and supervision by a faculty member of the GHSP steering committee. Up to 8 semester hours of academic credit for the international experience, whether in the form of independent study registration or a formal study abroad program, may be applied toward the required minimum 17 s.h. of Global Health electives.

An eight week experience is considered the minimum amount of time to meet this requirement. Students will be advised about on and off-campus funding opportunities for their foreign experiences; some support may be available through International Programs.

Students admitted to the Global Health Studies Certificate program are eligible to apply for a $1,000 international travel scholarship. The scholarship has the following criteria:

  • Applicants must be admitted GHSP certificate students
  • Travel must be related to student's approved international experience
  • At least 9 s.h. toward the certificate must be completed by dates of travel, at least two of which must be approved GHSP core courses
  • Students must submit their international experience proposal indicating their interest in the scholarship on the required approval form, by April 15th for travel in summer and fall semesters, or November 15th for travel in the spring semester.

See Appendix 2 in the Global Health Studies Guide for the GHSP international experience proposal and approval form.

Public Presentation

In the semester following the international experience, and as a culmination of the certificate program, all students will present the results of their foreign research project results to a special session of the Global Health Seminar (152:150) or to an equivalent public forum such as a departmental seminar. Students must also submit a project report summarizing their research experiences. Advice on preparing this report in set out in Appendix 2 of the Guide.

Minor in Global Health Studies

The minor in Global Health Studies is available to undergraduate students completing a degree program at The University of Iowa and requires completion of at least 15 s.h. of coursework approved for the Global Health Studies Program. Because the program is interdisciplinary, students should choose coursework from at least two different departments, and they are strongly encouraged to include a core course from those listed under requirements for the Certificate in Global Health Studies. A period of study abroad focused on global health issues is highly recommended.

Each student's plan of study for the minor is developed according to the student's interests and in consultation with a program advisor. Students must earn a GPA of 2.00 or higher in all work for the minor and must complete at least 12 s.h. for the minor at The University of Iowa.

Those interested in the Global Health Studies minor are encouraged to contact Martha Greer at martha-greer@uiowa.edu or 319-335-0368.

Related Programs of Interest to GHSP Students

As an interdisciplinary program GHSP often shares resources and programming goals with a variety of programs, centers, and colleges across the the UI campus. Our students are encouraged to become familiar with and draw upon the offerings and expertise of faculty in these other related University international programs and activities and including the area studies programs.