Missions Certificate (clinician and non-clinician options)
A certificate in Missions prepares the individual to serve and/or lead a mission initiative to support care for citizens in underdeveloped and developing regions of the world (at home and abroad) usually through coordination and collaboration with community agencies, non-profit organizations, and humanitarian groups.
Missionary leaders provide much needed basic services in areas of the world that may not have access to technology or necessary resources such as antibiotics, vaccines or even clean drinking water. In addition to providing physical support, short-term missionaries also provide emotional and spiritual encouragement.
*for-credit and not-for-credit options
This 15 hour certificate program is open to clinicians or non-clinicians who wish to learn more about serving on, developing, supporting, and leading medical missions.
To complete the requirements for this certificate, students can choose any courses in the areas of clinical ministry, leadership, educational application, and/or organizational behavior/management, from the curriculum. This flexibility allows a focus in coursework in the focus area(s) they desire.
CERT011: Ministry in Healthcare (3 credit hours):
This course will focus on health promotion across the lifespan utilizing epidemiological principles with a uniquely spiritual perspective. Students will identify interventions to support health promotion for individuals, families and/or selected age groups through the lens of faith-based care.
CERT012: Spiritual Dimensions of Nursing/Missions Leadership (4 credit hours):
This course is designed to develop the leadership, management, and professionalism expected of a healthcare missionary with a theological perspective. This course explores the complex internal and external forces that affect the delivery of care.
CERT013: Holistic Care (3 credit hours):
This course is a concept synthesis course in which students use nursing concepts previously introduced and apply them to vulnerable and at-risk populations in a variety of clinical and community settings
CERT015: Essentials of Healthcare Business/Missions Management (3 credit hours)
This course addresses important concepts needed to effectively lead and manage a mission trip. Topics include preparing for the trip, as well as managing logistics during and after. The course incorporates various types of graphical charts in operations management, managing innovation, and developing strategies for working with individuals and groups.
CERT016: Organizational Behavior (3 credit hours)
Organizational Behavior explores how to lead and manage effectively in diverse environments. The course requires students to demonstrate the ability to apply organizational leadership theories and management strategies in a series of scenario-based problems.
CERT017: Healthcare Missions Financial Management (3 credit hours)
Healthcare Financial Management provides an opportunity to apply strategic change management principles through the application of fiscal management and data analysis in a healthcare/missions environment. This course will examine strategies to increase value and sustainability.
CERT014 Healthcare Mission (3 credit hours):
This course is designed to apply clinical, leadership, management, and professionalism expected of a healthcare missionary in an experience through a 10-day, US or international study abroad trip (or comparable experience if travel not permitted). The focus of this course is advocacy and critical assessment and evaluation of needs on the personal, client, community, and global levels.
(^Passport and international travel may be required).