College of Public Health launches new PhD Minor in Indigenous Health

The Zuckerman College of Public Health has launched a new PhD Minor in Indigenous Health to train students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage and collaborate with Native Nations and Indigenous peoples locally and globally to improve health in Tribal communities.

A new PhD Minor in Indigenous Health, launched by the Zuckerman College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, will train students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage and collaborate with Native Nations and Indigenous peoples locally and globally to improve health in Tribal communities. The minor is guided by program director Felina Cordova-Marks (Hopi), DrPH, MPH, MSc, assistant professor in the college.

The University of Arizona boasts more than 2,000 Indigenous students. Many of these students want to serve their communities by learning to conduct health research that is culturally responsive to community needs and honors tribal sovereignty. To train a new generation of Indigenous researchers and health leaders, the PhD Minor in Indigenous Health curriculum includes a holistic look at Indigenous health, covering all stages of life from pre-conception to elder health, and will provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to engage and collaborate with Native Nations and Indigenous peoples locally and globally.

“I am so pleased that we are now able to offer this new minor in Indigenous Health for our graduate level students,” said Dr. Cordova-Marks. “Many of our students are from Native communities and want to implement public health methods and research to serve their communities and improve health and wellbeing.”

To most effectively deliver this education and training, the courses in the new minor are taught by Indigenous faculty that approach material from a culturally responsive perspective. As Indigenous peoples themselves, they bring nuanced knowledge that is centered in experience and grounded in traditional Native knowledge systems.

Minor Program Overview

• Students must be enrolled in a doctoral program at the University of Arizona.
• A minimum of 12 units are required for the minor.
• Courses are online, asynchronous.

Who Should Apply

Doctoral students who:

• Want training/education in Indigenous health, healthcare systems (such as IHS), funding mechanisms, tribal engagement, tribal sovereignty, data sovereignty, and research methodologies and methods.
• Work with Indigenous communities, or with a future goal of working with Indigenous communities.

Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Health

The Minor in Indigenous Health is only available to PhD students. However, the Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Health is available to MPH and other graduate students, and the courses are taught by experienced Indigenous faculty. Master’s students interested in Indigenous Health may want to consider our Graduate Certificate.