Choosing a specialization is not necessary at the time of application. Students can
make the decision during the first year or prior to the completion of their core coursework.
The Indigenous Health MPH is designed to provide students with a critical understanding
of determinants of Indigenous health and solutions to health disparities. Students
will examine Indigenous populations, histories, cultures, societies, traditional healing
systems, food sources, patterns and impact of colonization, and health inequity. Students
will also evaluate the impact of historical and ongoing traumas associated with colonization
and colonialism, explore Indigenous concepts of health and healing, and will synthesize
new approaches of moving toward health equity in a culturally relevant manner. Indigenous
populations include American Indian/Alaska Native, Canadian First Nations, Inuit,
Sami, Aboriginal Australian, Maori, Ainu, and Pacific Islanders, among others.
Required Courses (12 credits)
- PH 581: Principles of Indigenous Health
- PH 582: Social & Ecological Determinants of Indigenous Health
- PH 583: American Indian Health Policy
- PH 584: Public Health Programming in Indigenous Populations
Electives (3 credits)
PH 581: Principles of Indigenous Health
This is a three-credit hour course designed to provide students with a critical understanding
of determinants of Indigenous health and health disparities. In this course we will
define Indigenous populations, histories, cultures, societies, traditional healing
systems, food sources, patterns and impact of colonization, and health disparities.
We will address historical and ongoing traumas associated with colonization and colonialism,
understanding Indigenous concepts of health and healing, and ways of moving toward
health equity. Populations we will assess include American Indian/Alaska Native, First
Nations, Inuit, Sami, Aboriginal Australian, Maori, Ainu, and Pacific Islanders. 3 credits
PH 582: Social & Ecological Determinants of Indigenous Health
This is a three-credit hour course designed to provide students with the skillsets
to apply the Social-Ecological Model to Indigenous Health through an Indigenous lens.
Key concepts and determinants of health will include: Social determinants of Indigenous
Health, Indigenous environmental health and environmental justice, impact of discrimination
and marginalization of Indigenous populations, social and ecological case studies. 3 credits
PH 583: American Indian Health Policy
The American Indian (AI) population is unique in the United States in that AIs are
born with a legal right to health services. This is based on treaties and numerous
other laws, executive orders, court decisions and other legal bases in which the tribes
exchanged land and other natural resources for various social services, including
housing, education, and healthcare. The Indian Health Service (IHS) is the federal
agency responsible for carrying out the federal government's trust responsibility
to provide public health and healthcare services to AIs. 3 credits
PH 584: Public Health Programming in Indigenous Populations
This is a three-credit hour course designed to provide students with the knowledge
and strategies needed to develop and implement effective public health programs in
Indigenous populations to address significant public health disparities. Key areas
of focus include: Applying the Ten Essential Public Health Services in Indigenous
Populations, Indigenous Research Program Evaluation Frameworks, Grant writing and
management, Funding sources for Indigenous Public Health programming, Case Studies/Best
and Promising Practices in Indigenous Public Health. 3 credits
