Advancing Health Equity Series Graduate Academic Unit Certificate

Innovative course series prepares the next generation of health equity nursing leaders

The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing offers the Advancing Health Equity Series Graduate Academic Unit Certificate (AHES-GAUC). The Graduate Academic Unit Certificate Program provides students with foundational knowledge around health equity in healthcare and health care settings, health equity standards and expectations, political determinants of health and health equity, an understanding of race and health in the U.S., and the application of these principles into real-world practice.

Who can apply?

• Current students within any of the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate Group degree programs, including Doctor of Nursing Practice — Family Nurse Practitioner, Doctor of Philosophy, Master’s Entry Program in Nursing and Master of Health Services — Physician Assistant Studies.
• UC Davis graduate students who have an interest in advancing health equity. These students may apply and will be admitted on a space-available basis, with consent from the graduate academic unit executive committee.
• UC Davis graduate students who are interested in this graduate academic unit certificate but are not pursuing a career in nursing or health care may apply but must explain within their application why they are interested in the program.

Admissions into the Advancing Health Equity Series Graduate Academic Unit Certificate Program is competitive and not all applicants are guaranteed admissions. Students may be placed on a waitlist to fill any space-available spots.

Potential applicants should apply for the certificate program after they completed at least one quarter of graduate education at UC Davis.

Qualifications to apply

Criteria used to determine admission of students:

• Current graduate student in Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate Group degree program
• Good academic standing (at least 3.0 GPA)
• Successful completion of at least one quarter of graduate education or consent of the program chair
• No prerequisite courses are required for admission

Although a background in nursing or health-related field is highly encouraged, it is not required. However, first consideration for admission will be given to applicants who have an interest in nursing and/or the health care field.

What will I gain from this experience?

Health equity is an aspirational vision of what health outcomes can be. To achieve health equity, we must address and solve the unjust, systemic, and avoidable health inequities caused by social and economic policies and practices that create barriers to health. Equity-minded health care professionals have the knowledge, skills, and desire to solve complex healthcare issues caused by health inequities. Equity-minded healthcare professionals recognize themselves as informed and capable drivers of change who are poised to inform healthcare practice, policies, research, and educational standards. In the AHES-GAUC participants will learn about structural, institutional and individual inequities and action-based strategies for tackling them to improve health outcomes.

UC Davis graduate students who complete the AHES-GAUC receive the following benefits:

• Notation on the official UC Davis transcript of completion of the Advancing Health Equity Series Graduate Academic Unit Certificate
• Advancing Health Equity Series Graduate Academic Unit Certificate from the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis

Application Process

Students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice – Family Nurse Practitioner degree program are not required to complete the application form. Instead, the School of Nursing student services team contacts students directly with enrollment instructions.
All other students must complete an internal application

Students are strongly encouraged to apply prior to enrolling in any of the graduate academic unit certificate courses but are eligible for admission to the AHES-GAUC program up to and including completion of the second course in the series. All applicants are notified via email within eight weeks of applying for the certificate program.

Application Deadline

Applications must be submitted by September 1 for consideration in the first round of application review. After September 1, applicants are reviewed and admitted on a space-available basis.

Certificate Requirements

The series of courses for the AHES-GAUC begins each fall and is a total of three quarters in length. All courses are offered through the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate Degree Programs. AHES-GAUC students are able to enroll in all the necessary courses.

Students electing to complete the AHES-GAUC complete the three courses in addition to courses required for the graduate program in which they are enrolled.

The AHES-GAUC requires 12 didactic units as described below. Students may take the AHES-GAUC courses as electives.

Students who enroll in the AHES-GAUC are required to complete the NRS 309V, NRS 310V, and NRS 311V course series in order, beginning in fall quarter and finishing in spring quarter, or at the discretion of the instructor. In the event of programmatic changes, the order of courses will adjust to align with program start dates

Contact

Interested students should contact the school at hs-SONAdmissions@ucdavis.edu with any additional questions.