Public Health Informatics Certificate
Public Health Informatics is an emergent area that has been defined as the systematic application of information and computer science and technology to public health practice and research. Public Health Informatics is distinguished from other healthcare informatics specialties in its focus on population/community health, prevention orientation and the role of government agencies in public health practice.
The Graduate Certificate in Public Health Informatics (PHI) program is offered by the Gillings School of Global Public Health (SPH) as an 11-credit hour specialized educational option to prepare graduates for a variety of public health informatician roles.
Combining the existing strength of the SPH curriculum and the informatics curriculum at the School of Information and Library Science (SILS), it will offer focused education with emphasis on public health information systems, information management and manipulation as well as evidence-based public health policy.
The PHI certificate is envisioned as either complementary to a graduate degree from SPH, SILS, and other UNC programs or as post-Baccalaureate advanced specialization training for members of the current public health workforce.
Interested students should contact Bill Gentry, PHI certificate administrator, at wgentry@email.unc.edu.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| INLS 582 | Systems Analysis | 3 |
| HPM 893 | Public Health Informatics Practicum | 2 |
| Students are required to take one of the following courses: | ||
| BIOS 669 | Working with Data in a Public Health Research Setting | 3 |
| or HPM 760 | Healthcare Quality and Information Management | |
| or INLS 523 | Introduction to Database Concepts and Applications | |
| Electives | ||
| 3 minimum credit hours of elective courses are required from the list below. 2 | 3 | |
| Minimum Hours | 11 | |
- 1
Students will be required to pick or include a PHI-related work arrangement for their certificate practicum.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives | ||
| Choose one from the list below: 2 | ||
| BIOS 664 | Sample Survey Methodology | 4 |
| BIOS 668 | Design of Public Health Studies | 3 |
| BIOS 669 | Working with Data in a Public Health Research Setting 3 | 3 |
| ENVR 468 | Temporal GIS and Space/Time Geostatistics for the Environment and Public Health | 3 |
| EPID 750 | Fundamentals of Public Health Surveillance | 3 |
| EPID 766 | Epidemiologic Research with Healthcare Databases | 3 |
| HPM 620 | Implementing Health Informatics Initiatives for Emerging Leaders | 3 |
| HPM 760 | Healthcare Quality and Information Management 3 | 3 |
| PUBH 784 | Project Management Strategy and Application | 3 |
| INLS 523 | Introduction to Database Concepts and Applications 3, 4 | 3 |
| INLS 767 | Information Assurance | 3 |
| INLS 718 | User Interface Design 5 | 3 |
| CHIP 725 | Electronic Health Records | 3 |
- 1
At least 6 of the 11 credit hours must be from School of Public Health courses.
- 2
If not taken to satisfy the data management core course requirement.
- 3
INLS 161 as a prerequisite or test.
- 4
INLS 582 as a prerequisite.
