Equipping students who are passionate about making the world a better place, to make a global impact in the reduction of health disparities and economic, social, environmental, political inequalities.

Want to build knowledge, skills and credentials in a specialized area above and beyond and beyond a master’s degree without extending your time at Syracuse University? The Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Global Health is a 15-credit hour graduate program that can be completed concurrently while pursuing a graduate degree at Syracuse University. The CAS aims to further your knowledge through a comprehensive, specialized curriculum of applied skills in global health policy and healthcare delivery. For students who have already earned a bachelor’s or advanced degree, the CAS in Global Health may be completed as a stand-alone option to enhance career goals. This program emphasizes evidence-based strategies for developing and evaluating health programs and policies in global settings. The CAS is particularly useful in providing students in technical or terminal degrees with global health credentials to help them pursue their careers in a global setting. Unique features of the program include:

  • Understanding multi-faceted challenges on health
  • Ecological and cultural contexts of health/well-being and relationship to health practices
  • A global perspective to understanding public health and implementing public health programs
  • Understanding how to develop international partnerships for practice

Why this degree makes a difference in society today…tomorrow…

Our globally focused CAS teaches students about the public health issues and solutions that vary across cultures and countries, providing an important foundation for global public health work. With this unique worldview, our CAS trains students in seeking out best practices around the globe and applying them to address specific international public health initiatives. Our program prepares students to implement critical public health agendas, from investigating causes of illnesses and epidemics, developing effective disease prevention policies, to designing educational and wellness programs in countries without advanced public health practices.

Sample Courses

Course work helps students apply theories, concepts and models from social and behavioral disciplines as they relate to global health. Sample courses include:

  • Development and Evaluation of Public Health Programs
  • Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Control
  • Global Health Governance
View all course requirements and electives

Why a CAS is Important

Students consider CAS programs to advance or complement an existing skill set, or to develop a new one. For some students, CAS programs are helpful stand-alone options to enhance an advanced degree they already have. For others, supplementing a master’s program with a CAS generally entails coursework that matches master’s or doctoral degree requirements. With little to no additional time or financial investment required, pairing a graduate degree and a CAS simultaneously is appealing. Such pairing allow for combining competencies and skills in high demand and enhance marketability for employment.

What’s the advantage of earning a CAS credential and a master’s degree?

Graduate certificates are important when pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree because they can give you a leg up on employment once you graduate. You build knowledge, skill and credentials in a specialized area of interest above and beyond the master’s or doctoral degree without extending your time at Syracuse University. And when you graduate with a graduate degree and a Certificate of Advanced Study, the CAS letters next to your MA, MS, PhD on your new business cards are a valuable addition.


Research

Students have the opportunity to engage in ongoing research projects in local and global settings. Faculty and students adopt an interdisciplinary collaborative research approach that frequently bridges multiple laboratories, centers, and institutions, including the Syracuse University campus, Upstate Medical University’s Research Institutes, and Centers and Upstate Medical University faculty. View public health faculty research projects


Careers

Many global health graduates find employment within government and non-government organizations. A variety of job titles exist in the field of global health, from opportunities in health promotion and disease prevention in developing countries to health consequences of trauma, violence, war, and displacement. Students interested in this career path are encouraged to also achieve proficiency in a second language. Graduates can go into jobs such as Medical and Health Services Managers, Health Educators, Community Health Workers and Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary. Career paths for CAS in Global Health graduates include the following sectors:

  • Development agencies with national and international scope where graduates are involved in implementing, managing and monitoring development activities, such as WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP, The World Bank, European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, International Red Cross, Save the Children, etc.
  • Private companies, consultancies and industries dealing with health such as pharmaceutical and medical companies, the food industry, patent organizations and private consultancy firms.
  • Government bodies and public authorities where graduates are involved in policy related activities, such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Board of Health and Ministry of Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs.
  • Universities and research institutions where graduates are involved in research.

Learn more about careers in Public Health.


Getting Admitted

Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate coursework. Requirements include an official transcript, personal statement and 2 letters of recommendation (one of which must be an academic reference; the other may be a professional reference). To be awarded a CAS, a student must be matriculated in the certificate program for at least one semester. Matriculation may not be backdated. Certification for an advanced degree at Syracuse University requires a minimum average of 3.0 for work comprising the program for the degree and a 2.8 average for all credits earned. Students may transfer up to three credits. Substituted/transferred course work should cover material equivalent to that which is covered in the relevant required course. Substitution/transfer requests is approved by the Public Health graduate program director.

Apply Today!

Admission information for current Syracuse University students

You are considered an “internal admit” if you are a current SU student. If you wish to pursue a concurrent degree; are presently completing one degree program and wish to pursue another; or wish to be admitted to a doctoral program in the same program of study in which you are currently pursuing a master’s degree you need to complete the internal admit process. To be considered for admittance to the Global Health, CAS you will need to submit a Graduate Enrollment Internal Admission Application Form and personal statement to Laura Sauta in 444 White Hall.

Personal Statement Instructions

Submit your personal statement as a hard copy or PDF document along with your completed internal admissions application. Be sure to include your name and SUID Number on your personal statement. The purpose of the personal statement is to help the Admissions Committee better understand your interest in, and compatibility with, your chosen profession. Please submit a personal essay of 600-800 words that addresses the following:

  • Why you have selected the program to which you are applying?
  • Describe your personal and professional experiences with diverse populations, referencing at least three of the following dimensions of diversity: age, class, ethnicity, gender, mental/physical ability, race, religion, or sexual orientation.
  • Describe your professional goals, future professional plans, and academic interests.

Once you have completed the internal application form and personal and submitted all materials to Laura Sauta in suite 444 White Hall, you will meet with the Graduate program director, or designee, to determine eligibility for internal admission. It is the applicant’s responsibility to obtain signatures from their current department prior to submitting the application and supporting materials. Applicants from the School of Education must also obtain the signature of Amy Redmond before forwarding the form to the new department. There is no application fee for an internal application.


Learn More:

For additional admissions information, contact the Office of Admissions at falk@syr.edu, or fill out our online form:

Get more information!

Return to top