Graduate Certificate in Public Health-MS in Kinesiology

Preventive practices are gaining favor over the traditional treatment approach to health care in the United States. Preventive practices not only improve overall health and quality of life but are much more cost effective than the treatment required for diseases associated with a sedentary lifestyle.

Public health is the science of protecting and improving the health of communities through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention. With the growing awareness of the role that exercise plays in promoting wellness and preventing disease, the role of the exercise specialist with knowledge of public health will rise in prominence as a career of choice.

The master’s degree in kinesiology combined with a graduate certificate in public health is designed to provide students with an in-depth science-based understanding of how exercise/physical activity interventions can decrease risk of diseases related to sedentary living and prevent health problems from happening or recurring through surveillance, educational programs, sound public health policies, and research.

Graduate Certificate in Public Health

The Graduate Certificate in Public Health is a 15-credit-hour program of study. Courses for the certificate program are offered in the fall, spring, and summer. Courses are available in person or online.

In order to receive the Graduate Certificate in Public Health, students must complete 15 credit hours of approved public health coursework with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Transfer credit or course waivers are not allowed as substitution for any courses in the certificate program.

NOTE: Students who have been awarded a Graduate Certificate in Public Health have two years to apply their credits toward the MPH or MS in Kinesiology degree. Graduates of the certificate program who do not apply to the MPH or MS in Kinesiology program within two years after completion of the certificate will not be allowed to apply the 15 credits from the certificate program toward the MPH or MS in Kinesiology programs on the IU Indianapolis campus.

For example, a student who uses some or all of the certificate credits toward the Master’s in Public Health (MPH) cannot use the same credits toward the MS in Kinesiology degree. Admission to or successful completion of the Certificate in Public Health does not guarantee subsequent admission into the MPH program or MS in Kinesiology graduate programs.