- Degree Level
- Graduate
- Degrees Offered
- Certificates
- school/college
- College of Health Sciences
Prepare to Lead Effective Health Programs
Program evaluation is essential to creating successful public health initiatives. The online Program Planning for the Health Sciences Certificate from Arcadia University emphasizes the fundamentals you need to implement evidence-based interventions.
As the only program of its kind in the region, this certificate trains you to use a variety of approaches to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate health programs. Whether you are ready to pursue leadership roles or want to enter the field with skills employers value, you can open doors to new opportunities with this online graduate certificate.
- All credits can be applied to the Master of Public Health.
- The curriculum includes project-based learning to provide practical experience.
- No GRE/GMAT is required for admission.
- Study topics relevant to a range of fields, including health, education, and social services.
Arcadia University’s Certificates Provide Diverse Pathways to Success
The online program planning certificate delivers the education you need for your unique career path. Complete the standalone certificate in as little as nine months with the option to transfer all the credits you earn to Arcadia’s Master of Public Health program. Our online graduate certificate programs serve as a fast, affordable, and convenient way to elevate your potential and grow your career.
Learn More Today
Complete the form to learn more about this online program from Arcadia University.
Advance Your Career with an In-Demand Skill Set
Professionals who can implement successful health programs are in high demand in settings like nonprofits, health departments, and other healthcare settings. The online certificate in program planning for health sciences can help increase your marketability through targeted skill development.
Employment of medical and health services managers is projected to increase 29 percent from 2023 to 2033.1 For community health workers, employment is expected to increase 13 percent during the same period.2 Both occupations are growing much faster than the national average, making now an ideal time to develop expertise in this high-impact area.
Health Science Certificate Courses
The online program planning certificate consists of three required courses. Each course teaches useful tools needed to implement and evaluate public health programs, ensuring they achieve positive health outcomes at the individual and population levels.
Because all nine credits can be transferred to the Master of Public Health program, this certificate can be completed as a standalone program or pursued as part of a pre-MPH curriculum for continued education.
Course Highlights:
PBH 630 Program Planning and Evaluation for Health Professionals
This course provides an overview of models and approaches appropriate for designing, implementing, and evaluating health programs. The basics of this program planning course include a needs assessment, program operations planning, implementation strategies, and an introduction to evaluation techniques. By the end of the course, students will have the knowledge and skills necessary to systematically design and evaluate health promotion programs and critically assess programs developed by others. Students should be able to think critically and apply skills they acquire during this course to excel in their semester-long projects.
PBH 640 Research Methods and Design for Health Professionals
This course provides fundamental skills for students planning to conduct quantitative and qualitative research. Topics include developing a research topic and specific questions and/or aims, understanding conceptual frameworks or theory that can guide studies/research, the selection of a research design, ethics in research, participant sampling, measurement, and related analyses, and the dissemination of research findings. Students can apply these techniques to advance their skills in public health research.
PBH 645 Developing Leadership and Public Health Practice Skills
This course has been designed for students to develop public health leadership and practice skills for organizational and program management and evaluation. Over the semester, students will
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Learn and apply public health leadership and management skills required for successful public health practice.
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Apply skills learned in selecting evaluation methods and designing strategies for evaluating real-world local non-profit organizations and projects.
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Critically assess programs, evaluations, and organizational leadership topics presented by public health guest speakers and from students’ interviews with key community or program stakeholders.
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Identify valuable team and project leadership qualities.
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Assess their leadership styles.
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What You Need to Apply
The admission process for this online graduate certificate program begins with submitting your application. Additionally, you’ll also need to meet the following requirements:
| Online Application | Apply now |
| Application Fee | $0 |
| Degree | Bachelor’s degree |
| Transcripts | Official transcripts from each college, university, or professional school attended |
| Additional Requirements | Submit your CV and a personal statement |
Online Graduate Certificate Tuition and Aid
Invest in your future with the online program planning certificate. Designed to help you achieve professional advancement, this program features specialized skill areas that are in high demand by today’s employers. This program consists of nine credit hours at $855 each and accepts various sources of financial aid.
What You Will Learn
In this program, you will learn to develop programs that support community health needs and evaluate program effectiveness in achieving public health outcomes. Upon completion, you will be prepared to apply what you’ve learned in a range of health, education, and social services contexts.
Certificate Outcomes
After completing the online Program Planning for the Health Sciences certificate, you will be able to:
- Assess the needs, assets and capacities that affect health outcomes of a community
- Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention to improve health outcomes
- Apply the basic principles and tools associated with budget and resource management of health programs
- Assess the strengths of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods data collection approaches and determine the appropriate method to employ in a public health context
- Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate
- Apply principles of leadership, governance, and management, including creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration, and guiding decision-making in a health organization
- Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of community health programs, policies, and interventions using input from stakeholders and other sources
- Develop an effective mission statement for a public health organization and build strategies that successfully operationalize the stated mission
Learn From Health Sciences Experts
Each course in the program planning certificate is taught by expert faculty with real-world knowledge and experience in the field. You’ll receive the same one-on-one attention and support online that is offered to students on campus.
Faculty Spotlight
Reema Persad-Clem, PhD, Department Chair, MPH
Full Bio
Areas of Focus
Society of Behavioral Medicine
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Population Health Sciences SIG (chair elect, 2023-24, chair 2024-25, past chair 2025-26)
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Women’s Health SIG
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Climate Change SIG
Bucks County Medical Reserve Corps
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Leadership Committee (2021-present)
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Epidemiologic Investigations Team Volunteer (2020-21)
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Community Volunteer (2017-present)
Climate for Health Ambassador
Education
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University of California, Berkeley.
MPH. Specialty: Data Science.
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Miami University of Ohio, Ohio.
PhD. Zoology.
Online Learning Experience
Arcadia’s online programs bring together the best aspects of flexibility and personal guidance. You can study at your pace, accessing the online coursework at convenient times for your schedule. At the same time, we built our online environment to provide seamless engagement with your instructors and classmates. Benefit from a highly flexible experience backed by ongoing support for achieving your career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions you may have about the online program planning certificate. If you have any other questions, request more information to connect with an enrollment advisor or call 855-235-6653.
Is Arcadia's online program planning certificate accredited?
This online graduate certificate program is not accredited. However, all courses are also part of our Master of Public Health curriculum, which is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), signaling the rigor of our curriculum.
Does Arcadia's online program planning certificate require a GMAT or GRE score for admission?
No, entrance exam scores are not required. You can learn more about admission by completing a request more information form or by calling 855-235-6653.
Does Arcadia's online program planning certificate require work experience?
Work experience is always recommended for prospective graduate students but not required for admission. You can learn more about our admissions by contacting us, or by visiting our graduate admissions page.
How do I apply to the online program planning certificate?
The first step is submitting your online application.
Sources
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Medical and Health Services Managers.” Retrieved May 8, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Community Health Workers.” Retrieved May 12, 2025, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/community-health-workers.htm.
