Public Health Principles: Systems and Strategies

Public Health Principles: Systems and Strategies

Instructors: Starweaver Instructor Team

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1 module

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

3 hours to complete

3 weeks at 1 hour a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

1 module

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

3 hours to complete

3 weeks at 1 hour a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Identify key government roles, functions, and services in public health and their impact on overall population health.
Analyze public health strategies and demonstrate understanding of infrastructure, including vaccine data systems.
Examine effective health communication strategies to drive behavior change in public health programs.
Evaluate the impact of multi-sector collaboration on public health policy implementation.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

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There is 1 module in this course

In this course, you’ll examine how public health systems operate, the principles that guide them, and the strategies needed to drive meaningful change. Led by Dr. Jose Prabhu J, this course blends systems thinking with strategic frameworks to equip you for leadership in an evolving public health landscape. You’ll explore the essential functions of public health, learn to evaluate policy and program effectiveness, design behavior driven communication campaigns, and harness multi-sector collaboration to enhance health outcomes.

This course is designed for public health students, healthcare professionals, policymakers, nonprofit leaders, social workers, and educators who are involved in shaping health policies, managing programs, or engaging with communities. It equips learners across sectors with practical tools and strategies to innovate and improve public health systems. Learners should have basic knowledge of public health principles like epidemiology and disease prevention and be comfortable interpreting data and evaluating health programs. Familiarity with community engagement and cross-sector collaboration is helpful, but no advanced technical skills are required. By the end of this course, you'll be ready to design and support public health strategies that drive real impact. Whether improving communication, promoting equity, or responding to crises, you’ll have the skills to lead with clarity, apply systems thinking, and create lasting change.

In this course, you’ll explore the structure, principles, and real-world applications of public health systems across diverse contexts. Through a strategic blend of systems thinking and leadership frameworks, you’ll learn to evaluate policy and program effectiveness, design behavior-driven communication campaigns, and foster multi-sector collaboration. You’ll also gain tools to drive meaningful change in public health, developing strategies that enhance population health outcomes in an evolving global landscape.

What's included

16 videos4 readings1 assignment3 peer reviews2 discussion prompts

16 videosTotal 100 minutes

Introduction and Welcome 5 minutesPreview module
Foundations of Public Health: Core Functions and Services 7 minutes
Public Health Policy and Governmental Influence 6 minutes
Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance in Public Health 6 minutes
Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health 7 minutes
Advancing Health Equity: Monitoring, Assessment, and Global Insights 7 minutes
Prevention and Health Promotion Strategies 6 minutes
Crisis Management and Emergency Preparedness4 minutes
Data-Driven Decision Making in Public Health 6 minutes
Community Engagement and Public Health Advocacy 6 minutes
Strengthening Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response 8 minutes
Program Planning and Evaluation in Public Health 5 minutes
Health Communication and Behavior Change Strategies 6 minutes
Collaboration Across Sectors for Public Health Impact 6 minutes
Ethical Considerations and Policy Development in Public Health6 minutes
Congratulations and Continuous Learning Journey2 minutes

4 readingsTotal 20 minutes

Welcome to the Course: Course Overview5 minutes
Essential Public Health Services: A Key Framework for Communication 5 minutes
Global Health Diplomacy: New Perspectives, Strategies, and Skills 5 minutes
Evaluability Assessment for Enhancing Public Health Policies and Programs 5 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 20 minutes

Public Health Principles: Systems and Strategies 20 minutes

3 peer reviewsTotal 80 minutes

Hands-On-Learning: Identifying Key Public Health Components 10 minutes
Hands-On-Learning: Public Health Emergency Response Simulation10 minutes
Project: Public Health in Action: Policy Decision-Making Simulation60 minutes

2 discussion promptsTotal 10 minutes

Addressing Social Determinants to Achieve Health Equity5 minutes
The Power of Health Communication in Diverse Communities 5 minutes

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Instructors

Starweaver Instructor Team

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Frequently asked questions

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

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The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.