Adolescent Health Certificate Program
NOTE: This certificate program may be completed entirely online!
OVERVIEW
The certificate program builds on the certificate student's existing clinical knowledge and the clinical, research, and/or program/policy-related skills they are developing through their degree or training program. It focuses on adolescent pregnancy, substance abuse, and violence prevention and on mental health promotion-all of which are strengths of the Bloomberg School of Public Health. Certificate topics include:
- Primary causes of adolescent mortality and morbidity both domestically and globally
- Adolescent growth and development including biological, neurological and cognitive, psychological, emotional, and other developmental processes, as well as cultural contexts in which young people live that impact health and health behavior
- Proximate and distal social environments in which young people mature and the mechanisms by which such environments influence health outcomes
- Ethical issues inherent in working with adolescents who are legal minors
- Policies and legislation that are evidence-based as well as culturally and developmentally appropriate and health promoting (e.g., graduated drivers' licenses)
EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES
Students earning the certificate will be able to apply knowledge of adolescent growth and development, positive youth development, and cultural and ethical considerations of youth to design, implement, and evaluate adolescent health-related research, programs, and policies. Upon completing the certificate program, students will be able to::
- Describe how developmental (biological, cognitive, psychological), environmental (physical and social), and cultural factors do and can be used to influence the health and health-related behaviors of adolescents.
- Participate in designing research, programs, and/or policies using family-, school-, and/or community-based methodologies that are effective for addressing adolescent health issues and that adhere to ethical standards for adolescents who are legal minors.
- Use integrated knowledge about 1) the factors influencing adolescent health and 2) effective research, program, and/or policy methodologies to design, conduct, and/or evaluate research and/or to develop, implement, monitor, and/or evaluate programs/policies that are appropriate to address adolescent health issues, prevent unhealthy behaviors, and/or promote healthy ones.
