Distance Learning

The North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness (NCCPHP) has developed multiple training options to meet the educational needs of the public health workforce as part of the NCCPHP distance learning strategy. Distance learning is an essential strategy for improving public health system infrastructure by meeting the training needs of the public health workforce, and has been shown to be an effective training modality.

Through various training options, NCCPHP has provided training to over 15,000 individuals in almost 100 countries. NCCPHP public health preparedness training options are designed to address specific audience needs through 30- to 60-minute trainings on the NCCPHP Training Web Site, online continuing education courses, and a 16-month graduate level online certificate in field epidemiology.

Below are brief descriptions of the three training options which best exemplify the NCCPHP distance learning strategy:

Training Option 1: Internet-based Public Health Training Site for Public Health Professionals

The NCCPHP Training Web Site is a free, Internet-based public health training site for public health professionals designed to provide users with immediate access to more than 150 short public health preparedness trainings developed by NCCPHP. Learn more about the NCCPHP Training Web Site.

Training Option 2: NCCPHP Continuing Education Courses

NCCPHP develops courses in partnership with public health agencies to meet targeted training needs. Two such courses were developed n partnership with the General Communicable Disease Control Branch of the North Carolina Division of Public Health used to educate public health professionals in North Carolina. These courses are an 8-week "Pandemic Influenza Preparedness for Local Health Departments" course and a 14-week course titled "Introduction to Communicable Disease Surveillance and Investigation in North Carolina." Learn more about NCCPHP Continuing Education Courses.

Training Option 3: Graduate Online Certificate in Field Epidemiology

NCCPHP collaborates with the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health to deliver online graduate level programs. The Online Certificate in Field Epidemiology was developed by NCCPHP and the Department of Epidemiology at the UNC Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health (UNC SPH) to provide a comprehensive training program in field epidemiology. The certificate program consists of four graduate level courses taught completely online by faculty at UNC SPH. Learn more about the Certificate in Field Epidemiology.

For questions or more information contact Lorraine Alexander, DrPH

North Carolina Center for Public Health Preparedness
NC Institute for Public Health | Gillings School of Global Public Health | The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Campus Box 8165 | Chapel Hill, NC 27599-8165
Phone 919-843-5561 | Fax 919-843-5563 | email nccphp@unc.edu

NCCPHP is part of a national network of Centers for Public Health Preparedness funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through Grant/Cooperative Agreement U90/CCU424255.

Updated 9/25/09