The 15-credit Population Health Certificate can help you build a foundation in public health, complementing your pharmaceutical training or serving as a stepping stone to the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree.
PharmD + Population Health Certificate
Only students enrolled in the PharmD program at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy are eligible to apply for the PharmD + Population Health Certificate program.
Why earn a Population Health Certificate as a PharmD Student?
- Many health-focused efforts, such as advances in patient drug therapy, the increased use of pharmacies in the delivery of vaccinations, and the necessity for full emergency preparedness and response efforts throughout communities, call for increasing the participation of pharmacists in all levels of public health.
- You’ll gain a foundational understanding in the core areas of public health, including biostatistics, epidemiology, health systems and policy, social and behavioral health sciences, and environmental health.
- PharmD + Population Health Certificate graduates will build on their pharmacy training with a broad, contemporary perspective that can increase the impact of pharmacists’ work with individuals and communities.
Program Design
To take full advantage of the PharmD + Population Health Certificate program, PharmD students complete the five Population Health Certificate courses while they are still in the PharmD program. However, students who start the Certificate during their PharmD program can also finish the Certificate after PharmD graduation. They will accomplish this by substituting two of the Population Health Certificate courses for two pharmacy professional electives and by taking the remaining three required Population Health Certificate courses in the evening or online. These three additional courses are taken as extra courses beyond those required for the PharmD degree program.
Curriculum Requirements (15 credits)
Courses are available in-person, remote and/or online, varying by semester and course.
- PHCO 0501 - Health Systems and Policy (3 cr.) [Cross-listed as 75:832:501]
- PHCO 0502 - Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (3 cr.) [Cross-listed as 75:832:502]
- PHCO 0503 - Introduction to Environmental Health (3 cr.) [Cross-listed as 75:832:503]
- PHCO 0504 - Introduction to Biostatistics* (3 cr.) [Cross-listed as 75:832:504]
- PHCO 0505 - Social and Behavioral Health Sciences in Public Health (3 cr.) [Cross-listed as 75:832:505]
*Prerequisite: Quantitative Skills Assessment
Cost
Tuition is governed by Rutgers University and is subject to change without notice. Please visit the Rutgers School of Public Health’s Tuition & Fees webpage to confirm tuition rates and fees.
Gainful Employment Information
Admission Requirements
PharmD students interested in the Population Health Certificate program should first contact the PharmD Dual Program Coordinator at EMSOP to certify their eligibility.
Applicants must have:
- Be enrolled in the PharmD program at Rutgers Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
- Demonstrated academic achievement in your PharmD coursework
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2 in your PharmD coursework
Applicants must submit:
- Application for admission
- Letter of intent, including statement of purpose for application to the program
When to Apply
Once certified, interested PharmD students may apply to the Rutgers School of Public Health beginning in the spring semester of the first year (P1) through the first cycle of APPE rotations in the P4 year of the PharmD professional program.