Masters in Science in Global Health Equity at the Medical College of Wisconsin

The priority deadline for Fall admission is April 1 followed by rolling admissions through a final deadline of July 1. Students are also able to apply to begin the program in the Spring semester, November 1 is the application deadline for Spring admission.

The MCW Graduate School operates on a rolling admissions basis, which means there is never a time that we do not accept applications and related materials. The GRE is not required for admission to the program.

Students should satisfy the minimum requirements for admission:

• Baccalaureate degree- official transcripts required
• 3.0 cumulative GPA preferred
• Three letters of recommendation
• Personal statement describing career goals and reasons for interest in the program
• Strong foundation in quantitative, behavioral, and biological sciences
• TOEFL scores for students who do not use English as their primary language of communication is required. The Institution Code is 1519.

Courses for the program were developed using the competencies toolkit from the Consortium of Universities for Global Health. Our 36-credit program can be completed in 18 months and can accommodate both full time or part time students. The program requires a 6-credit thesis work experience which students can complete with one of our local or global partners. The thesis work can be spread out throughout the semesters and/or the summer.

Core Courses

29275 Global Health Consulting and Research Methods 3 credits

This course is an applied, project-focused, “real-world” overview for individuals in healthcare consulting. Students will learn about planning, executing, and evaluating research that is applicable to advising with respect to relevant needs to help organizations serve their stakeholders more effectively, efficiently, and efficaciously. This course provides you with an introduction to a range of established and emerging consultancy practices such as design thinking, open innovation and sourcing, stakeholder journey mapping, and agile methodology.

29219 Introduction to Global Health Equity 3 credits

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that ten great public health achievements worldwide in the last decade have been their science and programmatic role in global health including the prevention of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis control, access to safe water and sanitation, control of neglected tropical disease, reductions in child mortality, vaccines, malaria prevention and control, and tobacco control. In seeking to address and understand complex global health concerns, the MS GHE Program is uniquely positioned to enlist multidisciplinary faculty to present the world’s burden of disease and propose solutions to decrease health disparities.

A focused approach to local and global health issues adds value to public health professionals’ roles. As the United States becomes increasingly more globally diverse, there is a growing need to understand and serve the global populations in our own neighborhoods and communities. By training our future public health professionals to be culturally sensitive and world thinkers they can better understand the unique distinctions each culture brings.

29239 Ethics and Global Health 3 credits

This course will be in the intersection between bioethics, global public health, and international biomedical research and practice. It will look at global health issues and their ethical challenges from the perspective of culturally diversity communities and their local experience related to health and health care. This course engages in a debate of the main ethical issues of clinical practices in health care and research institutions and health care actions in global health. It aims to provide students resources and practical skills to handle ethical dilemmas and lead decision-making processes in clinical contexts, related to research with human subjects, healthcare delivery, and public health policies. To achieve this goal, this course is divided into two parts: First, it examines the foundational structures of bioethics, letting them to be challenged by pluralistic worldviews. Second, it discusses ethical dilemmas and concrete clinical situations in which students are challenged to lead decision-making processes in order to deal with moral stress and to address ethical dilemmas, at the same time that high ethical standards are considered. In addition, participants will be exposed to firsthand data from ethnographic and participatory action research in global health and challenged to read authors that show special consideration for the voices and experiences of vulnerable and historically marginalized populations.

29230 Epidemiologic Research Methods in Global Health Equity 2 credits

The overall focus of the course is on quantitative methods of epidemiology that can be applied globally. The course provides: 1) an overview of epidemiologic concepts; 2) the importance of determinants of health, theoretical models and how they apply globally, 3) practical steps to study design, and 4) dissemination of results.

29220 Statistics for Global Health 2 credits

This course will provide a foundation for statistical analysis in global health research using Stata software. First, we will cover research design and data collection, including questionnaire design, sample selection, sampling weights and data cleaning. Second, we will emphasize the use of code or command files in Stata to ensure that students are taught how to write programs. Third, the students will learn how describe statistical results for technical and non-technical audiences. The students will be introduced to univariate, bivariate, logistic regression and linear regression analyses. The students learn to formulate a research question that addresses a sustainable developmental goal, analyze data using existing international data sets, and interpret the results. They will learn to present their results to the scientific community as well as to local communities and will prepare a final research paper.

29236 Digital Storytelling for Public Health 1 credit

The translational aspects of Public Health sciences require creative approaches to stakeholder engagement, communication, and trust building. Digital storytelling has become a recognized methodology to build relationships for community engagement as well as generate useful qualitative data. The latter are particularly useful for developing cultural context in health communication. This course will provide an overview of how indie filmmaking techniques can be used to efficiently produce digital stories. We will also present examples of how this process facilitates community (stakeholder) engagement for research projects.

29279 Thesis Work Prep course 1 credit

Experiences in global health have proven to be invaluable in shaping the interests and careers of students. Participation in global health educational and research activities is associated with increased likelihood of addressing health disparities and the social determinants of health. However, there are also potential pitfalls associated with sending students to research arenas in which they are unfamiliar- processes are different, the resources available for research may be limited, there are language and cultural barriers, and students face safety issues pertaining to travel and occupational exposures.  This type of experience is a means for professionals-in-training to learn important lessons about health disparities and cultural diversity. This course will provide a step by step guide to prepare students for successful thesis work.

29299 Thesis Work 6 credits

Thesis work is a required component of the MS in Global Health Equity program. It is a planned, supervised, and evaluated practical experience designed to enhance and complement the educational training. Students will engage in research or a community engagement project. Students are encouraged to choose a thesis placement that aligns with their career interests. Global and local placements are available with MCW’s established partners.

Elective Courses

29100 Community Health Needs Assessment 2 credits

Understanding the health needs of communities is central to the success of programs designed to address the most pertinent health challenges of vulnerable communities. Participants will get an understanding of why community health needs assessments are necessary. They will delve into the steps taken in designing, conducting and analyzing the findings of a health needs assessment, with a focus on rural communities in developing country settings. They will get insights on the types of data needed for a health needs assessment and the indicators used for this type of assessment in the context of rural communities in low income country settings.

29150 Global Environmental Health 3 credits

Global Environmental Health will examine environmental problems that manifest at a global scale, with implications for human health and health equity. This course provides (1) a survey of major global environmental issues impacting human health, and (2) a focused examination of global climate change, related health impacts, and approaches to environmental sustainability, mitigation, and resilience. Issues to be considered include urbanization, air quality, water and sanitation, energy, food systems, biodiversity, waste, drivers of emerging diseases, climate change, and green infrastructure. The course will consider relevant social, economic, and political factors and approaches to controlling or eliminating risks. We will apply a global health equity perspective, examining causes and effects of environmental issues and implications for vulnerable populations. Environmental health issues in both developed and developing countries will be presented.

29235 Fragile Lives: Understanding Vulnerability in Old Age 2 credits

In bioethics, vulnerability is a very important concept along with ethical principles such as autonomy, justice, beneficence, integrity, and dignity. The notion is an integral part of several international ethical and legal guidelines such as the Nuremberg Code and the Belmont report which aimed to protect the vulnerable from inhuman medical practices. Despite being at the heart of bioethical inquiry, the concept of vulnerability has no clear-cut definition. Vulnerable populations are generally believed to include (but are not limited to) minors, incapacitated adults, prisoners, institutionalized individuals, minorities, refugees, nomads, homeless persons, unemployed, poor persons, pregnant women, women, and older persons. This labeling approach to vulnerability has been strongly criticized in the bioethics literature for being broad and thus lacks discrimination of individual and situation differences.

29245 Health and Forced Migration 2 credits

Introduction to displaced populations and refugee health with special attention to:  vulnerable populations; the intersection of human rights, health policy, and health systems; and the health consequences of forced migration.  This course will describe some aspects of the causes for populations to flee their homelands, common ways refugee camps are set up and structured, frequently seen health effects of displaced populations, specific vulnerable sub-groups within displaced populations, and the legal and ethical challenges of the displaced.  This course is suitable to anyone interested in the effects of forced migration on population health.

29250 How to Build Health Research Partnerships with Native American Communities 2 credits

Working with Native American communities to conduct health research presents unique challenges. Many of these challenges align with community-based participatory research principles. However, the unique socio-political context of Native American tribal groups requires that health professionals reach beyond standard best practices. This course will provide the contextual information to navigate cultural competency, historical distrust, and government-to-government policy necessary to build durable health research partnerships with Native American groups.

29160 Infectious Disease Epidemiology 2 credits

This course addresses the epidemiological, clinical, and practical issues important to the study of infectious diseases of public health significance. The epidemiology of selected infectious diseases commonly occurring nationally or internationally, or of potential use as a bioterrorism weapon, will be discussed in detail. Subjects discussed include; immunizations, microbiology tools for the epidemiologist, nosocomial infections, outbreak epidemiology and emerging infectious diseases.

29110 Introduction to Chronic Diseases in Global Health 2 credits

This course will provide an introduction to chronic disease. The major groups of chronic diseases that will be discussed in this course include: cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, major forms of cancer, diseases of the respiratory tract, metabolic and digestive diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Specifically, it will describe the major causes of chronic disease morbidity and mortality around the world, and how the risk of disease varies with regions. It will discuss major public health efforts to reduce disparities in chronic health around the world. Students will have the opportunity to develop country reports on specific chronic diseases, reports of global and public health efforts within those countries, as well as demonstrate the ability to identify opportunities for specific health interventions and create evidence-based programs aimed at chronic diseases with a focus on cultural values, integration of community assets and resources, and utilization of the expertise of identified global health professional and groups with similar interests.

29325 Maternal and Child Health in Developing Countries 2 credits

Global Maternal and Child Health provides students with an introduction to underlying health challenges as they pertain to women and children in a global setting. Students will develop a broad understanding of the factors that shape the health of populations and understand how healthcare system shortfalls might be effectively addressed. The goal of this course is to prepare students with knowledge and skills to improve the health of women and children, through primary prevention, interventions strategies, broadening accessibility to quality health care, and enhancing public awareness of special needs among vulnerable populations.

29240 Multicultural Mental Health Guidelines in Native American Populations 3 credits

This course is designed to familiarize students with essential, and largely Pan-cultural information about the mental health issues facing the First Nations populations of North America.  First Nations persons include those also generally referred to as American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native American Indians.  Demographic, historical, sociopolitical, and inter- and intra-ethnic contexts critical to understanding the First Nations will be addressed.  Specific knowledge constructs such as historical context, identity formation, acculturation, enculturation, language, family and community values, religion and spirituality. Traditional beliefs about health and illness, gender role socialization, and social class are emphasized. Attention will be given to contemporary issues facing the First Nations that influence service delivery and the receipt of care. Culturally relevant interventions are presented.

BISC 5461 Comparative Health Politics and Policy 3 credits

How do different countries seek to reconcile the goals of equitable access to affordable, quality health care? What are the similarities and differences in the health care challenges confronting industrialized nations and developing countries? To answer these questions, this course takes as its starting point that health care systems and health policies fundamentally reflect politics. We will explore how the structure of the political system, the power of health care interest groups and
political parties, the influence of dominant values and ideology, and past policy legacies shape health policy choices across different nations. We will employ comparative analysis to consider a broader range of possible policy options than would be afforded by studying a single nation or health care system. And we will draw on international politics to understand how global forces interact with national and local actors to shape health politics and policies.

This course is taught at Marquette University.

BISC 7150  Outbreaks, Epidemics and Pandemics 3 credits

Have you ever wondered why some infectious diseases spin out of control, causing widespread panic whereas others are effectively controlled?  This course expands upon your knowledge of microbiology to examine not only the biological determinants of infectious disease spread but also the human determinants, that is the social, cultural, economic, political, geographical factors that also impact disease spread in populations.  As you will learn, to understand epidemics, you cannot study infections in isolation.  Instead, we need an appreciation of the dynamics of transmission, the resistance and the susceptibility of the hosts, and the behavior of people and their responses to infectious disease.  We have to see the connections between the biological and social mechanisms of disease dynamics. 

We can use mathematical models that can help capture our understanding of an outbreak and allow us to ask important questions regarding interventions such as who do we need to vaccinate?  How many do we need to vaccinate?  How can we break the chain of transmission?  How is the infection going to evolve? As you can see, understanding outbreaks requires teams of multidisciplinary thinkers with various skills and expertise which is why much of the work we will do this semester will be done in groups.  Through case studies, discussion, group work and service learning we will examine these dynamic processes.  By the end of the course, you will understand how infectious disease epidemics occur, what can be done to control them and why control efforts succeed or fail. 

This course is taught at Marquette University.

29237 Researching, Analyzing and Profiling Global Health Trends, Issues, Policies, and Stakeholders 2 credits

This course grows students’ awareness of and engagement with significant, urgent, and uncertain global healthcare issues and policies, with an emphasis on their equity considerations and outcomes. The course provides data- and evidence-driven, “real-world” contexts and applications. Students will examine subject matter areas that their research has the highest potential of producing valued results (i.e., analyzing data and translating evidence and science into policy) for stakeholders, especially healthcare organizational leaders, practitioners, and policymakers. Practical knowledge will be developed in conducting issues research and policy analysis, shaping different briefs and communicating findings for leadership audiences, developing partnerships, promoting, and implementing evidence-based interventions. Lastly, it aims to connect how students can help move data and evidence-based insights about problems toward desired actions and improvement of health and medical practices.

29238 Global Health Initiatives 2 credits

Global Health Initiatives (GHIs) have been instrumental in the rapid acceleration of programs targeting specific diseases such as HIV, TB, malaria, malnutrition, maternal and child health in low- and middle-income countries. Early GHIs were created in response to rapidly growing public health crises and were implemented in an emergency fashion. The urgency of implementing these early GHI’s limited the extent to which their implementation was rigorously evaluated. However, some retrospective research has complained that early GHI efforts developed parallel health systems to those already established in the countries where GHI were being implemented. This was in some ways necessary due to deficiencies in health resources, but over time, it contributed to further weakening of health systems by drawing health personnel away from the national system to the better paid positions in GHI funded clinics and projects. More recently, GHIs have attempted to correct this by involving government health services in HIV prevention and treatment strategies and working with the civil sector, including grassroots organizations that serve key populations who belong to marginalized groups. The purpose of this course is to critically examine the GHIs’ roles in addressing public health emergencies and the effects of these efforts on the healthcare system and health of populations living in LMICs.

29239 Ethics in Qualitative Research 2 credits

This course examines ethical considerations beyond regulatory approval. Together, we assist in laying a foundation for ethical qualitative research practices as well as considering the ethical treatment of special populations, and the development/evolution of one’s own ethical stance. Topics will include ethics, culture and context, positionality, and reflexivity.

29295 Readings and Research 1-2 credits

This is an independent study course; the student is to independently conduct research in their chosen thesis topic. The number of credits selected by the student determines the number of hours per week that must be dedicated to working on the Readings and Research plan. The student is responsible for finding a faculty member who is willing to work with the student; together they will establish learning goals, deliverables, resources, timeline, and mechanism for feedback.

I received my degree from a University outside of the United States but the instruction was in English, do I still need to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores?

The graduate school requires that the applicant prove the degree was completed in English. This could be a letter from the Registrar from the University you attended stating that the language of instruction was English or if the University’s website states instruction is in English. The graduate school will review the information and decide on a case by case basis.

Are International students eligible for financial aid?

International students are not eligible to apply for FAFSA to receive government funded grants or loans. There may be private loan options available, students are encouraged to contact the MCW Financial Aid office to discuss their options.

Will the University issue me a student visa upon acceptance into the degree program?

The graduate school will work with you to obtain a F1 visa. The graduate school provide students the I-20 form after students complete a certification of finances. It is the responsibility of the student to meet the requirements of their country’s embassy to receive their visa in a timely manner. Visas are valid through the duration of stay.

Can an international student complete the program part-time?

International students are required to be full time students (9 credits per semester). During the summer term, international students are not required to take courses but if they decide to take credits, they must take a minimum of 6 credits during the summer.

Can I take online classes as an international student?

International students may take no more than one course per semester where the primary mode of instruction is online. This is a restriction of the student visa.

For any additional questions regarding international students please contact: gradschool@mcw.edu

Ryan Jacobson: All of Us Research Program, Community Program Coordinator

Cassie Laibly: Substance Use Public Health Specialist, Pueblo Pojoaque, Santa Fe New Mexico.

Abby Rudd: Research Analyst, Madison, WI.

Sarah Cornell: Clinical Research Coordinator III, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin.

Emily Krueger: General Surgery Residency at Virginia Commonwealth University

Dominique Evans: Health Equity Lead, Minnesota Department of Human Services

Hannah Kovacevich: Clinical Research Coordinator, Emergency Department, Medical College of Wisconsin

Radhika Dua: Clinical Research Assistant, clinical trials office, Medical College of Wisconsin and applying to medical school

Courtney Roofe: Program Manager, Wisconsin Association of Free and Charitable Clinics

Alexa Wild: Clinical Research Coordinator II, Medical College of Wisconsin

Dr. Mary (Libby) Schroeder: Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Froedtert Hospital

Dr. Taylor Jaraczewski: Surgical Fellow, Medical College of Wisconsin

Maxwell Mantych: Medical student at Loyola University Chicago

Asil Hossoon: TBD

Madeline Gwinn: TBD

Carolina Cuevas: Virtual Culinary Professional, Pritikin Intensive Cardiac Rehab