Certificate Program

Interdisciplinary Certificate Program

The program in Religion and Health provides an opportunity for the interdisciplinary study of the intersections of health and religions. Perspectives from a variety of disciplines in the health sciences and the social sciences, particularly those in nursing, public health, are brought into dialogue with those from theology, and religion to assist students in developing theories and practices about personal, communal, institutional, and social dimensions of health. An interdisciplinary perspective will provide students with resources to analyze 1) the way in which faith, understood as constituted by a set of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, may contribute to the promotion or inhibition of health of persons and communities from various religious and spiritual traditions, and 2) the way in which religion, health, and their respective structures impact persons, communities and larger systems and influence public policy and institutional practices.

Students will be strongly encouraged to use the wider resources of the university in the course of their studies. This program will be inclusive and respective of the religious and faith traditions of all students and the cultural contexts of their professional practices.

Eligibility

Students currently enrolled in a master's degree program at Candler School of Theology, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing**, and/or Rollins School of Public Health may take courses in this program. Theology and public health students may pursue a certificate in Religion and Health. There is a new concentration in Religion, Science, and Health also available to theology students.

Areas of Emphasis

Students whose interests focus primarily on the personal and communal dimensions of health care and promotion, such as health ministries, parish nursing, or health education, may pursue the emphasis in Community and Congregational Health Ministries. Students whose interests lie primarily at the intersection of communal and social dimensions of health, such as social policy, health disparity and equity, and epidemiology may pursue the emphasis in Faith and The Health of the Public. Students may also design their own program in consultation with their school's coordinator, as long the basic requirements are met. The Rollins School of Public Health coordinator is Mimi Kiser, mkiser@emory.edu, and the Candler School of Theology coordinator is Dr. Karen Scheib, kscheib@emory.edu.

Requirements for the Certificate

Hours:

  1. Completion of 13 hours of academic course credit. Elective courses equivalent to 9 hours.
  2. Students must take at least two courses outside of their school of enrollment.

Academic Requirements:

  1. Orientation: Attendance at an orientation event at the beginning of the program.
  2. Required Courses:

One of the three following courses:

CC 650/SR 650/GH 519 Faith and Health: Transforming Communities. (3 hrs Spring). This course meets the requirement for the Faith and the Health of the Public emphasis.

REL 358/SR 658/GH 590R Health and Healing: Understanding the Role of Religion (3 hrs Fall). This course meets the requirement for either the Faith and the Health of the Public emphasis OR the Community and Congregational Health Ministries emphasis.

NRSG 655 Health Care in Faith Communities (3 hrs) **. This course meets the requirement for the Community and Congregational Health Ministries emphasis.

  1. FH500 Integrative Seminar (1 hour): Attendance at two integrative seminars during the last two semesters of the program. The seminar will meet once each semester. Presentations will include lectures from visiting scholars and presentation of the student's integrative paper.
  2. Integrative Paper/Project: Write a 15-20 page integrative paper on a topic selected by the student and approved by the faculty coordinator. Explicit requirements may vary between the various schools participating in this program. Students are advised to consult with the advisor for the Religion and Health program in the school in which they are enrolled regarding this requirement. Rollins School of Public Health Students may submit their master's thesis or capstone project to meet this requirement.
  3. Practice Component: completion of a practice component designed by the school in which the student is enrolled.
    • Theology students: 1) MDiv Students: completion of Contextual Education I, in a social service agency, or clinical setting or CE II, a congregational setting that allows the student to address issues of faith and health and actively engage these issues. In some cases, an alternative placement maybe developed as needed. CPE or travel seminars focusing on issues of faith and health may count as the practice component. 2) MTS students: Students will develop a practicum project related to a particular site suited to the emphasis chosen in consultation with the certificate coordinator.
    • Public health students: Students will complete the school practicum, which is required of all students without credit.
    • Nursing students: The practicum requirement will be met by a two credit hour course during the last semester of the program of study.

Electives

  1. Students will take three electives courses in consultation with either their academic advisor and/or the designated coordinator at the school of enrollment.
  2. Electives will generally be selected in light of the student's area of emphasis. See Community and Congregational Health Ministries emphasis for a list of selected electives. See Faith and the Health of the Public emphasis for a list of selected electives. Students may also select their electives in consultation with the designated coordinator at the school of enrollment to complement the area of emphasis in their overall academic program or to enhance vocational goals.
    • Theology students may request that a course count as an elective for the certificate with the permission of the coordinator, provided that 30% of the course reading and one paper relate to issues of faith and health.
    • Public health students. Two hours of the elective credit may be satisfied by an approved thesis or capstone project.

** The School of Nursing is currently taking a hiatus to review its courses and redesign the administrative mechanism for student participation. In the interim, nursing students should speak with their advisor about tailoring a course of study on religion and health.