African mother and son with male doctor and female nurse

Promote the health and well-being of women, children and families.

The graduate certificate in maternal and child health (MCH) is a multidisciplinary certificate designed for students and working professionals with a bachelor’s degree who are interested or working in maternal and child health. Maternal and child health is a rapidly growing profession aimed at meeting challenging social and health issues facing women, children, and families.

Program Type

Graduate Certificate

Program Format

On Campus

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This maternal and child health certificate is suitable for students from a variety of professional and educational backgrounds with a strong interest in addressing and promoting social and environmental justice and health equity in maternal and child health populations. Students with an interest or background in this field will learn about and explore, in greater depth, topics such as infant mortality, maternal mortality, reproductive rights, paternal engagement, and social determinants of health, among others. Students identifying as an ethnic or racial minority or who come from underrepresented and under-served populations are strongly encouraged to apply.

The graduate certificate in MCH is a 17-18 credit program with courses covering foundational knowledge in MCH (11-12cr), and two electives (6 cr) in MCH content and applied areas taken at the graduate level.

Please Note: This program is not eligible for federal financial aid.

Core Coursework (11-12 credits)

PH 820: Maternal and Child Health Foundations, Policy and Practice (3 credits)
PH 830: Seminar in leadership and advocacy in MCH and Public Health (1 credit)
PH 831: Community Engagement and Participatory Research Approaches in Public Health (3 credits)
PH 730: Overview of Programs, Policies, and Interprofessional Service for Children with Special Health Care Needs (3 credits)
PH 790: MCH Field Practicum (1 to 2 credits)

Two Electives (Choose 1 methods and 1 content)

MCH Applied Methods Electives

PH 727: Program Planning and Implementation in Public Health (3 credits)
PH 728: Program Evaluation in Public Health (3 credits)
PH 729: Survey Research Methods in Public Health (3 credits)
PH 726: Community Health Assessment (3 credits)
PH 777: Quantitative Research Methods for Public Health Policy and Admin (3 credits)
PH 779: Public Health Policymaking and Policy Analysis (3 credits)
GEOG 726: Geographic Information Science (3 credits)
SW 750: Social Welfare Policy Development & Implementation (3 credits)
PH 704: Principles and Methods of Epidemiology (3 credits)
PH 702: Introduction to Biostatistics (3 credits)

MCH Related Content Electives

PH752: Public Health and Mental Health (3 credits)
PH 725: Theories and Models of Health Behavior (3 credits)
PH 781: Public Health Administration (3 credits)
SW 932: Theories & Research on Behavior Change (3 credits)
PH 708: Health Systems and Population Health (3 credits)
NURS 708: Global Maternal and Child Health: From Evidence to Action (3 credits)
NURS 763: Issues in Women’s Health and Development (3 credits)
SW 774: Trauma Counseling I: Theory & Research (3 credits)
SW 630: Families & Poverty (3 credits)
EDPSY 640: Human Development: Theory and Research (3 credits)
SOCWRK 771: Development of the Family Over the Life Span (3 credits)

*Other MCH related electives may be considered with permission from the program director.

SAMPLE COURSE WORKPLANS

Full-time Option A

Course Fall Y1CourseSpring Y1
PH 8301PH 8203
PH 8313PH 7303
Elective 13PH 7902
Elective 23
Total Credits108

Full-time Option B

CourseFall Y1CourseSpring Y1Summer
PH 8031PH 8203PH 790
PH 8313PH 7303
Elective 13Elective 23
Total Credits792

Some of the courses required for the certificate (e.g. PH 704) may have a prerequisite or other requirements that are not counted in the 17 credits. Additional MCH population focused electives may be allowed with permission from the program director.

Field experience (PH 790) requirements may vary based on a student’s background program, prior experience in MCH and permission from the program director. Students in the certificate program with two years of MCH public health experience in a government or non-profit setting will complete a one-credit practicum for 80 hours, while students with no experience will have a two-credit practicum, for 160 hours.

Application Requirements

Please note: To be considered for the MCH Certificate students must hold a bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing.
Please note — Certificate students should apply through UWM’s Graduate Application System, Panthera.

Applicants are admitted to the certificate program in one of three categories:

  • Post-baccalaureate student who has completed a bachelor’s degree with a grade point average of 2.75 or above (4.0 scale) and is not currently enrolled in a graduate degree program at UWM.
  • Current UWM graduate student. Admission requirements are consistent with those specified in the UWM Graduate School and the graduate health profession program. A separate application for the Maternal and Child Health Graduate Certificate is required for enrollment.
  • Post-graduate student who has completed a graduate degree with a grade point average of 3.0 or above (4.0 scale).

Those not already admitted to a UWM graduate degree program must complete a UW System online admission application and have an official undergraduate transcript sent to the Graduate School.

Students who are considering the MPH degree are encouraged to talk with graduate program managers in those respective units to learn more about the specific degree program and how the Certificate can fit into a long-range plan for a graduate degree. Please note that not all courses may be transferable to a specific degree. 

Required Application Materials 

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to UWM of Graduate Admissions.

Reason Statement-Certificate in Maternal and Child Health.

An essential part of your application, the reason statement is used to determine the appropriateness of your educational and professional goals and serves as an example of your ability to express yourself in writing. Your statement should cover the following components:

  • Describe why you wish to pursue this certificate and why are you interested in maternal and child health (MCH)
  • Describe specific interests in MCH and your background in the field
  • Describe any relevant skills or training you have acquired
  • List any relevant academic awards or honors you have received

For application specific questions, contact us at applyph@uwm.edu.

Young Cho
  • Associate Professor, Community & Behavioral Health Promotion
Paul Florsheim
  • Professor and Program Lead, Community and Behavioral Health Promotion, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Amy Harley
  • Interim Dean and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
Rose Hennessey Garza
  • Assistant Visiting Professor
Emmanuel Ngui
  • Associate Professor and MPH Director
Lance Weinhardt
  • Associate Dean for Research. Professor, Community & Behavioral Health Promotion
Musa Yahaya
  • Teaching Faculty II