The University at Albany College of Integrated Health Sciences has received a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration to provide full scholarships to incoming students in the Graduate Certificate in Public Health Fundamentals and Principles who will join the Strengthening the Public Health Workforce Training Program.
Students selected for this program will receive full scholarships for the tuition and fees associated with the Graduate Certificate Program and an opportunity to receive special training to enhance their ability to address health disparities and current and emerging public health crises, and dedicated career development resources to facilitate their entry into the public health workforce.
Eligibility
To be eligible, an applicant must:
- Be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.
- Be an incoming graduate student pursing the fully online Graduate Certificate in Public Health fundamentals and Principles enrolled in a minimum of 6 credits per semester. Candidates must complete the certificate program by the end of the Fall 2025 semester.
Applicants who will contribute to the diversity of the program and the future public health workforce through their lived experiences and/or work with underserved and socially vulnerable communities are strongly encouraged to apply.
Requirements
If you wish to be considered for the SPHWSP training program, you must:
- Submit your application and all required materials for admission into the certificate program to the Graduate School by June 1 for Fall 2024 and December 1 for Spring 2025.
- Complete a supplemental application for the SPHWSP. The supplemental application requires a statement of purpose that should address your interest in public health disparities and/or social determinants of health; long-term career goals; and how this training program will help you advance those goals. The statement should also describe how you will add to the diversity of the program and the future public health workforce. The statement should not exceed 750 words.
Selection
The Selection Committee in their review of applicants will take the following into consideration:
- interest in addressing health disparities and/or social determinants of health;
- interest in future employment in state or local health departments;
Special consideration will be given to applicants from underserved communities, including but not limited to the list below, as well as to applicants who will enhance the diversity of the future public health workforce in other ways, and to applicants with experience working with underserved and socially vulnerable populations.
- First generation college status
- Rural residence
- Historically underrepresented populations
Trainee Benefits
Financial: A scholarship that covers the full-tuition and fees of the graduate certificate program and special training opportunities.
Academic:
- 6 courses, fully online
- Taught by leading public health practitioners, the program covers basic concepts and pressing problems across public health domains
- Fulfills most of the core coursework for the Master of Public Health program at UAlbany
Career Development: Opportunity to participate in the SPHWSP non-credit seminar series on topics such as emerging workforce needs, culturally and linguistically appropriate services, COVID-19, and other career development fundamentals to accelerate and enhance workforce preparedness.
Continued support dependent on satisfactory academic achievement and participation in required programming.
Disclaimer: Scholarships are limited so not all applicants who meet eligibility requirements will receive one. Federal employees are not eligible for this scholarship.
This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of an award totaling $1.5 million.