Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Health and Wellness Certificate

The interdepartmental (BCHS, EPID, IDM) Certificate Program will prepare students to collaborate and conduct independent research designed to improve the understanding of unique health concerns among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) populations; participate in agency or organization planning, training, and delivery of health care for LGBT populations; work with local, state, and federal agencies in developing LGBT competent health care providers; provide leadership in public and private sector organizations serving the health and wellness needs of LGBT populations; and evaluate the effectiveness of health care delivery systems to meet the needs of LGBT populations.

In the United States, public health professionals seek to address health disparities. Students enrolled in this program will be prepared to address health disparities affecting subpopulations who may be experiencing a lower quality of health and wellness, due in part, to historic discrimination, with a focus on lesbian women, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender/transsexual individuals. As such, the certificate will offer courses that include information on identifying and documenting health disparities; impact of historical stigmatizing politics that contribute to development of health disparities; impact of politics and policy to improve means of addressing health disparities; design of appropriate research programs to address health disparities; theories behind intervention programs that work among disparate populations; and means to develop competency skills in working with stigmatized populations.