Course information
Book before the end of November 2024 and receive a ZAR 1,700 scholarship
In recent years health statistics have shown a marked improvement in areas of global health, such as the life expectancy and well being of communities across the world. However, this progress can often be skewed by social factors such as income levels, gender, education and ethnicity.
Join the Foundations in Global Public Health program to gain a deeper understanding of global healthcare systems and the work done by public health professionals to address leading health concerns. Learn more about what steps are being taken to increase access to quality health care for all. After completing this program you’ll be equipped with the foundational knowledge needed to start pursuing your career in the field of global public health.
If learning about how to increase accessibility and the quality of health services for people worldwide is something you are passionate about, then this is the course for you. This course is open to high school, college or graduate students who’d like to get into a career in the fields of health education, health system management or patient care. Likewise, if you’re a working professional or are retired and interested in setting up a local health initiative in your community, you are also welcome to join this online course.
After completing this course you’ll be able to:
- understand some of the most common global health problems and solutions
- discuss the objectives and targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) 3: Health and Well-Being
- advise on best practices to follow when implementing community development initiatives
- effectively communicate with a team and track the stages of team development
- define your top skills and possible career paths, as well as the criteria for your dream job.
Want to show colleges, universities and employers that you’ve got the knowledge and skills covered in this course? Once you’ve successfully completed any of our courses, we’ll send you a digital certificate of completion at no additional cost. The certificate will feature the official name of the course and your name. Add the certificate to your college application, your graduate school application, your job application or your LinkedIn page.
This program includes our Global Public Health online course. In this course, you’ll learn more about the social and economic influences that affect international public health and discuss what solutions can be found for common health problems. You’ll gain an understanding of universal health coverage (UHC) and analyse successful approaches to mental health, preventative health, nutrition and maternal health.
You will also complete the Community Development course. In this course, you’ll find out more about the history and definition of “community development”. Identify the strengths of a community by using the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, and learn about the importance of local context and how having the buy-in of a community can affect the success or failure of community initiatives.
The program also includes our Careers in Sustainable Development and Leading Teams for Impact courses. In the careers course, you’ll learn about the different careers available in sustainable development. You’ll also learn how to network, write a resume, submit an application and impress during an interview. In the leadership course, you’ll identify your own leadership style. You’ll learn how to set goals, give feedback, manage conflict and identify different roles of team members.
Dr Lindi van Niekerk has designed and led health innovation projects around the world in partnership with a wide range of organisations. She co-founded the Social Innovation in Health Initiative (SIHI) with the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases based at the World Health Organization (WHO). As SIHI’s principal investigator, she researched 25 social innovation models across 17 countries. She also led the establishment of social innovation research hubs at universities in Malawi, Uganda and the Philippines.
Candice Clark, a certified life coach, has spent over a decade as a human resource (HR) practitioner and has led hundreds of individuals in making crucial career decisions. Her background is in psychology and she’s a specialist wellness counsellor registered with the Association for Supportive Counsellors and Holistic Practitioners (ASCHP). She’s currently completing a Master’s of Public Health (MPH).
Over the course of nearly a decade working with GVI, Cheryl Martin has led hundreds of leadership training courses around the world. Originally starting her career as an early childhood development teacher, Cheryl has over 25 years of experience as a classroom teacher and spent five as an assistant principal. As GVI’s regional director of Asia, Cheryl oversees the development of GVI staff across the Asian subcontinent.
Jill Walker has spent more than a decade in leadership positions across GVI’s many sustainable development projects around the world. As GVI’s director of operations, she oversees the development and training of dozens of GVI’s mid-level managers. Jill holds a MSc in environmental education, and she’s currently completing an integrative coaching certificate.
