7 Public Health Courses & Certificates 2025

Public health is a field of health sciences that is focused on improving health outcomes of populations and communities. In addition to biology and epidemiology, it requires knowledge of sociology, behavioral science, and statistics.

Public health courses can help you understand the fundamentals of public health or hone your knowledge in a specific area, while certificates offer a more comprehensive education in public health and help you further your career. Free online public health courses are available on some sites, and free online public health certificates may be available to qualifying students.

Top online certificates are offered through universities as well as online learning platforms. Keep reading to discover online courses and certificate programs for public health.

Best Online Courses and Certificate Programs for Public Health

There are a range of certifications you can get online as well as courses you can take in public health. Below, we've highlighted some of the best options students can take to further their knowledge of public health.

1. Global Public Health

Through the online learning platform edX, SDG Academy offers a Global Public Health course. This course is designed for public health professionals and students and covers topics such as:

• environmental health
• health equity
• healthcare systems
• public health problems

This is a self-paced program, and most students finish within 10 weeks. Students have the chance to audit the course for free or pay the fee for the full course experience.

2. Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health

Coursera is another online learning platform, and it hosts the Epidemiology: The Basic Science of Public Health course from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This course helps students understand the practice of epidemiology as it relates to real life and makes for a better appreciation of public health programs and policies.

The program is available to audit for free or students can pay for the full course option. Financial aid is available, and the course is also included in the CourseraPlus subscription. Students complete the course at their own pace, most finishing within six hours.

3. Johns Hopkins Training Certificate in Public Health

Johns Hopkins University, a private institution in Baltimore, is well-known for its medical programs. Its Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited Bloomberg School of Public Health offers an online training certificate in public health.

This certificate requires 22 credit hours and provides an introduction to the fundamentals of public health. Courses cover topics like biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental health, behavioral science, and public health management.

The admission requirement for this program is that students must have a bachelor's degree. Students who decide to pursue a Master of Public Health (MPH) can apply their credits from this certificate into their master's degree program.

4. Pathways to Public Health

Another course offered on edX is the Pathways to Public Health course from George Washington University. This course examines important and impactful public health topics such as global health, public health research methods, and health disparities.

The introductory course is self-paced, with most online students finishing within eight weeks. It's free to audit, and the price for the full experience is $379. This online course is also part of the Maternal and Child Health MicroMasters Program offered through edX.

5. University of Alabama at Birmingham Public Health Certificate

The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers an online graduate certificate in public health through its CEPH-accredited School of Public Health. This is a 17-credit certificate that includes courses on:

• community health
• health policy
• public health data analysis
• public health practice

Prerequisites for this program include a bachelor's degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA, although the degree can be in any field. Students have the option of putting the credits earned from this certificate toward UAB's MPH program.

6. University of Michigan-Flint Certificate in Public Health

At the University of Michigan-Flint, students can complete an online certificate program in public health. This certificate includes coursework on epidemiology, social determinants of health, and public health administration and policy.

The certificate requires 10 credit hours and applicants must have a bachelor's degree, with preference to those with degrees in health sciences or business. Students can use this certificate toward the university's MPH if they so please. The public health programs at UM-Flint are CEPH-accredited.

7. University of North Dakota Public Health Graduate Certificate

An online graduate certificate in public health is also available through the University of North Dakota. This program offers three areas of emphasis: general public health, population health research and analytics, and Indigenous health.

While the program is designed for those who don't want to earn an MPH degree, all credits from this certificate will transfer to the university's MPH. This certificate, as well as the other public health programs at UND, are CEPH-accredited.

Our Selection Criteria

There are a lot of options out there for public health courses and certificates. To choose the programs for this list, we focused on:

• Providers: All schools and learning platforms on this list are well-known and trusted resources.
• Accreditation: Every school on this list is regionally accredited, and all for-credit public health certificates are accredited through the CEPH.
• Type: We tried to offer both online public health courses and credit-bearing certificates. Additionally, the courses are all free online courses for those who choose to audit.

Why Enroll in a Public Health Certificate Program or Online Course?

Public health certificate programs and courses are a great way for beginning learners to grasp the foundations of public health, and they're also excellent for those wanting to further their knowledge or focus on a specific area of public health.

Additionally, programs that are accredited by the CEPH can help students prepare for the Certified in Public Health exam.

What Is the Certified in Public Health Exam?

The Certified in Public Health (CPH) credential is an industry-standard credential offered through the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE). To earn this credential, you need to pass the CPH exam, which covers 10 domains:

• communication
• leadership
• law and ethics
• disease prevention and injury reduction
• community engagement and partnership
• program planning and evaluation
• program resource management
• policy and advocacy
• health equity and social justice
• data analytics and informatics

Many public health certificates are designed to help students pass these exams. Courses also help students prepare by covering specific areas of public health.

What Will I Learn in a Public Health Certification Program

The specific topics covered in a public health certification program can vary, but most cover concepts like:

• biostatistics and data analysis
• community and population health
• epidemiology
• environmental health
• health disparities and health equity
• health management
• health policy and systems

Some certificates have a specific set of classes that you need to take, while others will have a couple of core courses and then let you choose a few electives.

Public Health Careers for Certified Professionals

With a credential in public health, you can pursue several jobs in the field, such as:

• health policy analyst
• public health administrator
• public health educator
• public health statistician

Note that some careers may require some experience within the health services field.

Explore Online Healthcare Certificate Programs Today

Start your journey toward a career in public health by exploring the certificates and courses featured on Learn.org. Reach out to program providers for more information today.