Online Pandemic Sciences Graduate Certificate
Pandemic Sciences
Program Overview
The increasing frequency and complexity of pandemic threats underscore the urgent need for a well-trained, multidisciplinary workforce in pandemic science. Pandemics are inherently multifaceted, involving factors ranging from biology and environmental science to public health policy and engineering. Traditional disciplinary approaches often fail to address the intersections that define pandemic dynamics, making multidisciplinary approach essential. That’s why this certificate imparts students with a unique, systems-level perspective on pandemics with insights from multiple disciplines.
Why Choose the Pandemic Sciences Graduate Certificate?
Offered as part of the NSF Center for Analysis and Prediction of Pandemic Expansion (APPEX), the Pandemic Science Certificate helps students build their knowledge and skills to join a network of innovators committed to improving global health security. By training to think and work in multidisciplinary teams, students who earn this certificate ensure that pandemic science evolves beyond traditional boundaries, creating a workforce equipped for the complexities of tomorrow. Students will also be given the option to be listed in NSF reports and highlighted on our websites, which they can use to increase their visibility to future employers.
Request Information
Featured Courses
Students have one required course and will choose their remaining 9 hours from a selection in Comparative and Experimental Medicine, Mathematics, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Political Science, Psychology, and Public Health.
This course addresses the link between human, animal, and environmental health. Each online module focuses on some aspect of “One Health” and may include topics such as emergency preparedness, zoonotic diseases, antibiotic resistance and food safety, responsible pet ownership and the human-animal bond, and the effects of climate on disease prevalence. Methods of intervention and problem solving such as research design, program evaluation, community education, and policy analysis are also incorporated.
An examination of the role of policy, systems, and environmental change strategies (PSE) for achieving population health and health equity from a public health perspective. PSE across settings (e.g., schools, worksites, community, etc.) and within local, state, and national jurisdictions. Role of advocacy, public health leadership, coalition development, and cross-sectoral collaboration for achieving regional and multijurisdictional systems change. Application of tools and approaches such as health impact assessment, health equity assessment, and health in all policies.
Fundamentals of a new scientific discipline based on sequencing genomes (entire DNA) of individual organisms. Goals, principles and types of genome analysis are covered in a traditional lecture course. Computational tools for genome analysis (bioinformatics) are presented in both lecture and hands-on (computer-laboratory) settings.
Selected topics in theoretical and applied mathematical biology: including modeling of cell biology, ecology, evolution, disease dynamics, behavioral science, and the connection to experimental and field data from the life sciences.
