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Programs

Implementation Science & Community Health Outcomes Certificate

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About

The Certificate in Implementation Science & Community Health Outcomes (ISCHO) addresses the gap between basic research discoveries and their application in clinical and public health practice. Such research requires engagement among community members, organizations, clinicians, and researchers and draws on distinct skills.

To learn more about the ISCHO Certificate Program, see the ISCHO Certificate Flyer & the ISCHO Brochure.

ISCHO Capstone Certificate

The Capstone Certificate in Implementation Science & Community Health Outcomes is for non-degree-seeking students looking for specialized training in Implementation Science & Community Health Outcomes Research. Applicants must have completed a minimum of a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent.

Pre-Requisites:

  • Students not currently enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program may enroll in the Capstone Certificate program through Adult Career and Special Student Services (ACSSS). ACSSS is part of the UW Division of Continuing Studies.
  • NOTE: The Capstone Certificate program is not a full-time program and therefore cannot grant admission to international students needing an F-1 or J-1 visa.
  • An earned baccalaureate degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university is required for enrollment in the Capstone Certificate.
  • Every applicant to the Capstone Certificate program whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must submit evidence of English language proficiency, if applicable. The required proficiency scores are: TOEFL IBT 92, PBT 580; or IELTS 7.0.

Application Process:

Tuition:

Tuition and fees are charged at the UW-Madison Health Professional level rate.

Contacts:

As a Capstone student, you will be working with two offices on campus:

  • ACSSS can assist you with determining which University Special Student status best fits your needs, enrollment questions, connecting with other departments and offices on campus, and University policies and procedures (e.g. add, drop, and withdrawal process).
  • ICTR can assist you with course requirements specific to the Capstone Certificate, matching you with an advisor, and other matters concerning your certificate program. Contact: Deidre Vincevineus at studentinquiry@ictr.wisc.edu 

ISCHO Professional & Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate is for students currently enrolled in any of the approved graduate programs at the UW-Madison and is intended to supplement basic research training. The Professional Certificate is for students enrolled in professional programs (MD, PharmD, DVM, JD, MPH, DNP). Course requirements for both are the same.

Application Guidelines:

Graduate and professional students from any discipline are eligible to apply for enrollment in the Certificate in Implementation Science & Community Health Outcomes. To be considered for admission, complete the following application procedures.

  1. Print and complete the certificate application.
  2. Send your completed application to Deidre Vincevineus at studentinquiry@ictr.wisc.edu
  3. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by the Certificate Faculty Advisory Committee.
  4. If you have completed the application procedures described above, you will receive notification of the admission decision within three weeks. 
  5. After you have been admitted, the Certificate Faculty Advisory Committee will review your stated research interests and recommend an advisor for you (your certificate advisor is different than your advisor for your degree program). 

Testimonials

I learned the importance of involving end-users right from the start of the research project. Their involvement enhances the entire research experience from ensuring that the research question/topic is pertinent, increasing the participation in the project, and ensuring the success of translating your research findings into clinical practice.

Dr. Jennifer Weiss

Our Team

Barbara King
Director, ISCHO Certificate Program
Deidre Vincevineus
Manager, Clinical Investigation Graduate Program, Workforce Development

Course Requirements & Advisement

Course Requirements: 

Course requirements are the same for Graduate, Professional and Capstone Certificates in ISCHO. 

Depending on your course load, you may be able to complete course requirements within two years. The certificate requirements are flexible in that you may propose qualifying courses to be considered as elective credit and you may adapt your master’s or PhD project to meet the criteria for the certificate project requirement.  

The ISCHO Certificate consists of four courses and one project for a total of 11 – 13 credit hours. 

  • Pop Health 709 – Translational and Outcomes Research in Health and Health Care (3 credit hours) 
  • Choose from elective area: Working with Communities & Implementation Science (2-3 credit hours) 
  • Choose from elective area: Qualitative Methods Relevant to Translational and Outcomes Research (2-3 credit hours) 
  • Project (2 credit hours) 
  • Seminar (1-2 credit hours) 

Advisement:

After you have been admitted to the certificate program, you will be contacted with the name of your certificate adviser. The objective is to match each student with an adviser from a discipline other than their own, to expose students to a variety of perspectives. Schedule a meeting with your certificate advisor within the first month of your certificate program to identify learning and career objectives and to discuss your program in relation to your goals.

  • Your Certificate Advisor can help you identify courses that qualify as elective credit. Refer to the online handbook for suggested elective courses.
  • At least 50 percent of credits applied toward certificate requirements must be taken in residence at UW-Madison.
  • PhD students: You may want to start your Certificate in Implementation Science & Community Health Outcomes early enough to be finished before you start your dissertation because University policy states: “If a dissertator wants to add a program (typically a master’s program) or a certificate program, he/she cannot hold dissertator fee status while pursuing a graduate degree (or certificate) in a field other than the PhD program. Dissertators who add a program or a certificate program must enroll and pay fees as a regular graduate student.”