Program Overview

Certificate in Climate & Disaster Resilience

The Certificate in Climate & Disaster Resilience is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on training leaders to help domestic and international communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters. This program can be completed entirely online, on the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, or through a combination of both.

Program Description

In this program, students will learn how to promote the health of communities threatened by natural hazards, incidents of mass violence, civil conflict, infectious disease outbreaks, and other emergent public health threats. The program provides hands-on experience through table-top and field simulation exercises, allowing students to put evidence into practice.

Curriculum

The curriculum for the Certificate in Climate & Disaster Resilience includes the following required courses:

• Introduction to Public Health in Disasters (EHOH 6622, 3 credits)
• Global Response to Disasters and Climate Crises (EHOH 6625, 3 credits)
• Disasters and Climate Crises: Practical Applications (EHOH 6626, 3 credits)
• Climate and Disaster Mental Health (EHOH 6642, 3 credits)
• Electives (minimum of 3 credits)

The total credits required for the program are 15.

Electives

Approved electives for the program include:

• Public Health in the Global Community (CBHS 6619, 3 credits)
• Community Health Assessment (CBHS 6624, 3 credits)
• Health and Human Rights (CBHS 6629, 3 credits)
• Risk Assessment and Decision Making (EHOH 6620, 3 credits)
• GIS for Public Health Research and Practice (EHOH 6621, 3 credits)
• Geographic Perspective on Global Health (EHOH 6623, 1 credit)
• Infectious Disease Environmental Context (EHOH 6624, 3 credits)
• International Travel and Health (EHOH 6633, 1 credit)
• Climate Change and Health (EHOH 6635, 3 credits)
• Communication Skills for Public Health Impact (EHOH 6638, 3 credits)
• Public Health Surveillance (EPID 6624, 2 credits)
• Global Health and Disasters (EPID 6628, 2 credits)
• Applied Global Health Epidemiology (EPID 6634, 2 credits)
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology (EPID 6635, 2 credits)
• Investigation of Disease Outbreaks (EPID 6640, 2 credits)
• Ethical and Legal Issues in Public Health (HSMP 6608, 2 credits)
• Current Global Health Policy Issues (HSMP 6615, 2 credits)
• Comparative Health Systems (HSMP 6618, 2 credits)
• The Culture of Disaster (ANTP 5320, 3 credits)
• Food, Hunger and Culture (ANTP 5380, 3 credits)
• Food Systems, Nutrition and Food Security (FSHN 5000, 2 credits)
• Applications of International Development (IEOO 6790, 3 credits)

Learning Objectives

The learning objectives for the Certificate in Climate & Disaster Resilience include:

• Comprehension of an all-hazards approach to disasters, including climate-related events, natural hazards, disease outbreaks, acts of violence, technological disasters, complex and cascading crises
• Demonstration of knowledge of why and how climate variability and change create hazards and disasters
• Analysis of public health implications of disasters, including how outcomes differ by event type
• Comprehension of public health informed climate and disaster cycle frameworks for mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery
• Application of public health approaches to climate and disaster events, including hazards and risk analysis, mitigation and preparedness, incident management, and response coordination
• Synthesis of knowledge of social determinants of climate and disaster vulnerability, including factors that influence exposure risk, response, and recovery
• Application of best practice public health climate and disaster interventions, focused on increasing adaptive capacity, fostering resilience, incorporating social justice, or promoting equity
• Comprehension of practice-oriented frameworks, including core capabilities associated with climate change adaptation and resilience, and national and global public health emergency preparedness and response

Additional Requirements

MPH students who are also completing a concurrent specialty certificate will need to meet the requirements of both the MPH and the certificate, with only nine overlapping credits, and have a minimum of 48 total credits to graduate with both.