Global and Planetary Health

Graduate Certificate in Global Health

Through the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, VUSN students can earn the Graduate Certificate in Global Health. The certificate requires 12 additional hours of course credit, including one of the three core courses: Fundamentals of Global Health (NURS 8072), Foundations of Global Health or Foundational Skills in Global Health, a variety of elective courses (including independent study opportunities), and/or a practicum. Learn more about the Graduate Certificate in Global Health.

Since its inception, two VUSN students per year have earned the Global Health Certificate.

Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health

The Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health (VIGH) maintains a website of resources for students participating in global health (and other international) experiences. The site’s pre-departure travel modules on cultural competency and other information about international health insurance, free VU evacuation services (ISOS), and the State Department’s STEP program for travel alerts might be useful for some of your students who are traveling abroad this summer. Students can find this all of this information and more on VIGH’s student travel portal (VUnetID login required). Additionally, the pre-departure modules and project development and educational resources may be helpful as well.

Independent Studies in Global Health

Students interested in completing independent studies can submit an idea to Dr. Carol Ziegler or another faculty mentor of their choice. Students can register for an independent study and gain credit towards the global health certificate, as well as complete a local practical and meaningful project in a community of their choice. Students completing independent studies are expected to engage in mentored scholarship and disseminate their work within and outside of the VUSN community. 

Global Health and Environmental Justice Club

The Global Health and Environmental Justice Club meets monthly to host speakers presenting current topics in global health. These announcements are sent out through the global health listserv.

Please email carol.c.ziegler@Vanderbilt.Edu if you are interested.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Nursing Student Global Health Club has hosted two open discussions on diversity and inclusion and more are planned. These pithy sessions allow students and faculty a safe space to openly and honestly discuss how to build meaningful relationships in the current environment. Students and faculty share stories, and work to build empathy and meaningful dialogue to foster long-term change and relationship building. Hard questions around the topic of race in America, and across the globe, are addressed and discussed.

External funding available for student global health activities

VUSN students may compete for funding from the Friends in Global Health: Frist Award program and the VU Nichols Humanitarian Fund program. These were suspended recently, but will likely resume in the future. Students are made aware of these opportunities via the newsletter. VUSN has had awardees each year that these funds were offered.

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