In the past several years, the industry of global health has continued to expand, and with it, the need for professionals with the skills to navigate this changing landscape. As global health challenges become more complex, organizations need leaders who can not only understand health problems, but who can manage programs, lead teams, allocate resources, and translate policy into action.
The rapid growth of digital health and health information systems combined with climate change and demographic shifts are pushing organizations to hire professionals who can operate at the intersection of health, policy, technology, and logistics. With a graduate certificate in global health management, you can gain the skills needed to succeed in the expanding global health marketplace.
What Can You Do with a Certificate in Global Health Management?
The global health management certificate has been developed to help students meet the growing demand for global health professionals. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates a projected shortfall of about 11 million health workers by 2030, largely in low- and lower-middle income countries.
“This workforce gap is driving demand not only for clinicians, but for managers, policy leaders, and systems thinkers who can design and run programs, strengthen health systems, and steward scarce resources,” says Dr. Liliya Roberts, portfolio director for global health management at University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC). “For students, this means that global health management is not a niche; it is a growth area where leadership, analytics, and implementation skills are increasingly valued.”
The certificate can help prepare students for multiple positions, including
Global health program or project manager (NGOs, Ministries of Health, UN agencies)
In-country field consultant
Global health policy analyst or policy advisor
Disaster response professional
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) specialist
Organization development specialist
Global supply chain and logistics officer for health commodities
Donor relations and grants manager focused on health programs
“Many of the core competencies in the certificate are directly relevant to health policy and management roles,” says Roberts. “The skills students learn map well into jobs like health policy analyst, program officer, global health advisor, and health systems manager across government agencies, international organizations, nonprofits, private contractors, and global consulting firms.”
Develop High-Demand Skills to Succeed in the Workplace
Several trends are reshaping the field of global health management. Through digital health and telemedicine, countries are scaling electronic medical records (EMRs), telehealth platforms, and mobile health apps to expand access and improve quality of care. Digital tools are being used to monitor climate and planetary health, such as heat-wave early warning, vector-borne disease surveillance, and climate resistant health systems.
A graduate certificate in global health management can help students respond to these trends by building skills in health systems and policy, global health program design and implementation, financial stewardship, leadership, and resource allocation.
“Employers consistently look for a blend of technical, managerial, system thinking, and the ability to lead in complex environments,” says Roberts. “The global health management certificate is designed to prepare you to lead and manage in this changing environment, not just understand it.”
When choosing between global health management certificates, consider a program that includes
“The global health management certificate equips students with the tools to translate evidence and policy into service delivery models that actually reach people,” says Roberts. “Improving access to healthcare is ultimately about removing barriers: geographic, financial, cultural, organizational, and digital.”
Advance Your Career in Healthcare at UMGC
A certificate in global health management can help expand your opportunities for a promising career path and position you to support our world’s greatest health challenges. UMGC’s global health management certificate can be completed entirely online and in six months or less, depending on the number of credits you complete each term and how many credits you are able to transfer. It is built specifically for working professionals and career-advancers, with no prior global health or clinical experience required. It is focused on applied management and leadership skills, not technical system operation.
Once you complete the program, you can continue to advance your education by applying your earned credits towards the master’s in healthcare administration. This can help you graduate sooner with a graduate degree and the skills to join the workforce right away.
UMGC also offers a variety of healthcare certificates and degrees, including digital health leader, health information management and technology, and long-term care administration.
Courses are taught by faculty who are experts in their field and can provide you with quality and relevant information to help you succeed in the workforce. At UMGC, you also gain access to several student resources including tutoring, a success coach to support you throughout your academic journey, and lifetime career services to help you in your job search and career path.
With a certificate in global health management, you can bridge the gap between your current experience and the leadership roles of tomorrow’s healthcare landscape.
Reference on this webpage to any third-party entity or product does not constitute or imply endorsement by UMGC nor does it constitute or imply endorsement of UMGC by the third party.