International Health Concentration
International Community Health is one of three areas of concentration of the Community Public Health program. It is a 46-credit program leading to the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. The program is designed for students who seek graduate training in planning and evaluating programs designed to promote health and prevent disease in diverse population groups throughout the world. It prepares students for careers in international health agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
Program Goals
The MPH trains students to integrate the knowledge, skills, and experience fundamental to all public health disciplines and to apply this integrated knowledge to prevent health problems among diverse population groups. This goal is accomplished through training in public health fundamentals--biostatistics, epidemiology, research methods, environmental health sciences, health services administration, social and behavioral sciences, and program planning and evaluation. The program places great emphasis on the application of material learned in courses to practical experience obtained through supervised fieldwork placements.
The goals of the International Community Health concentration are to prepare health professionals to:
- Identify and assess preventable health problems among diverse population groups in low-income and developing countries as well as among immigrant and indigenous communities within the United States.
- Identify the social, cultural, economic, environmental, and institutional factors that contribute to the risk of health problems among diverse international populations
- Develop educational and other population-based intervention strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve quality of life.
- Develop policies and programs to reduce barriers to improved health status.
- Apply population-based research findings to the development, implementation,
and evaluation of health policies and programs in low-income and developing
countries.
Course Sequence
For students matriculating FALL semester.
1st Fall semester:
E33.2000.003 New Graduate Student Seminar (0)
E10.2995 Biostatistics I (3)
E33.2322 History & Principles of Public Health (3)
E33.2355 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health (3)
P11.1830 Community Health & Medical Care (4)
1st Spring semester:
E10.2996 Biostatistics II (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2306 Epidemiology (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3) [prerequisite:
E10.2995 or permission of instructor]
E33.2383 International Population and Family Health (3)
2nd Fall semester:
E33.2356 Environmental Health Problems (3)
E33.2318 Assessing Community Health Needs (3) [prerequisite:
E10.2996, E33.2306, E33.2361]
E33.2314 International Health and Economic Development (3)
_______ Elective ____________________________
2nd Spring semester:
E33.2349 Program Planning and Evaluation (3) [prerequisite:
E33.2318, E33.2355 ]
E33.2360 Internship and Seminar in Public Health (3)
_______ Elective ____________________________
For students matriculating SPRING semester.
1st Spring semester:
E33.2000.003 New Graduate Student Seminar (0)
E33.2361 Research Methods in Public Health (3) [prerequisitie:
E10.2995]
P11.1830 Community Health & Medical Care (4)
E33.2383 International Population and Family Health (3)
_______ Elective ____________________________
1st Fall semester:
E10.2995 Biostatistics I (3)
E33.2322 History & Principles of Public Health (3)
E33.2355 Social and Behavioral Determinants of Health (3)
E33.2318 Assessing Community Health Needs (3) [prerequisite:
E10.2996, E33.2306, E33.2361]
2nd Spring semester:
E10.2996 Biostatistics II (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2306 Epidemiology (3) [prerequisite: E10.2995 ]
E33.2349 Program Planning and Evaluation (3) [prerequisite:
E33.2318, E33.2355 ]
_______ Elective ____________________________
2nd Fall semester*
E33.2356 Environmental Health Problems (3)
E33.2360 Internship and Seminar in Public Health (3)
E33.2314 International Health and Economic Development (3)
* Students taking less than 12 credits but enrolled in E33.2360
can apply for full-time equivalency
Language Policy
The faculty of the NYU Community Public Health program believes strongly that proficiency in at least one language other than English is not only desirable, but essential for effective work in international health. Language facility is increasingly viewed as prerequisite for a career in international health and is often required for employment. But even when it is not required, it opens doors to employment opportunities.
Students who are not already fluent in a language other than English should view this requirement as an opportunity, an incentive, and an investment in a future career. We recommend doing whatever is necessary to achieve as high a level of proficiency as possible, including taking internships in international situations in which you are challenged to speak the language on a daily basis.
To fulfill the language requirement students must present to advisors one of the following documents:
- A letter from a school, college, or university language instructor attesting
to the ability to function or work in
the language. - A transcript or other document demonstration completion of an intermediate-level
language class with a grade
of B or better, - A letter attesting to fluency in another language by virtue of upbringing,
living in a foreign country, or other
circumstances requiring a language other than English.
Suggestions for language learning opportunities follow.
NYU Language Opportunities
- School for Continuing and Professional Studies
- College of Arts and Sciences language programs
- Lewis Levine Language Laboratory (2ND Floor, Bobst Library) - videos and tapes.
- College Learning Center (1st Floor, Weinstein, 5 University Place) - a computer room offers language software, websites, multimedia, and videos.
- NYU Speaking Freely: non-credit
Alternative Routes to Language Proficiency
Online courses
http://abclang.com/virtual_lessons.htm
http://www.studyspanish.com/
http://www.123teachme.com/
Language Schools (multiple languages)
http://www.bmcc.cuny.edu/languages/index.html
Spanish
http://www.tallerlatino.org/SpanishClasses.html
French: Institute Alliance Française
http://fiaf.org/frenchclasses/index.shtml
International Health Internships
http://library.umassmed.edu/ihoc/
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/internship/public_health/