Global Health Interdisciplinary Concentration (GHIC)

The Global Health Interdisciplinary Concentration (GHIC) provides graduate students who are pursuing an M.P.H. with information necessary to define the constitution, cause and consequences of health problems worldwide. The program offers a unique opportunity to explore the relationships between health, environment, politics, culture, and economic pressures in developed and developing nations.

Developing countries are currently undergoing profound demographic changes--changes that are accompanied by shifts in patterns of illness. In many of these nations, the major causes of morbidity and mortality are mutating from traditional infectious diseases to chronic, non-communicable maladies like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes. As a result, there is increasing demand for qualified public health practitioners who can identify and help reduce the vast and varied global vectors for chronic disease.

Practical application of theory in the field is a major component of the GHIC. In the classroom, students learn to identify major factors influencing global health and are provided with facts and concepts that could help develop appropriate policies to alleviate public health problems.

Students are encouraged to hone their expertise by pursuing an international field experience. The School of Public Health has established relationships with collaborative institutions aboard. More information can also be found here: GHIC: Recent Developments, Opportunities for Research and Field Experience.

Educational Components

The GHIC at the University of Minnesota provides M.P.H. students with a flexible approach to learning about global health issues. Here are the educational components:

• A total of 12 credits are required to complete the GHIC.
• • Working in Global Health, and a Global Health Seminar Series are the only courses required of all students taking this concentration.
    
• The remaining 10 credits are achieved through elective courses that relate to global health.
• • The flexibility allows students to hone their particular interests.
  • The courses are approved in consultation with the student’s faculty advisor.
  • Click here for a list of recommended electives.
• For the field experience component:
• • Students may choose to go overseas or they may elect to do field work in the United States, where they can focus on the health issues concerning immigrants, migrant workers and traveling U.S. residents.
  • The School of Public Health is establishing collaborative agreements with several international sites where students may elect to do internships.
  • Students also may create their own field experiences at international or local sites. Please see a GHIC faculty advisor for more information about field experiences.

For more information about GHIC, contact Carol Francis, GHIC coordinator, at franc004@umn.edu or (612) 624-6952.