Microcredentials and Badges
Ï㽶ֱ²¥ Global Health Microcredentials
The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Ï㽶ֱ²¥) Microcredential Initiative
offers life-long learners (faculty, staff, and students) valuable opportunities to
build core competencies in global health and ethical global engagement. The objective
of the Global Health Microcredential Program is to cultivate global awareness and
competence, equipping learners with the skills necessary for responsible global engagement.
Currently, the program includes three badges: Global Perspectives, Foundations in Global Health, and Ethical Global Engagement.
Through the Office of Global Health, Ï㽶ֱ²¥ provides learners with comprehensive global health education and structured, ethically guided immersion experiences. The Global Health Microcredential Program is designed to expand educational opportunities and deepen learners' understanding of complex global health issues.
Learners participating in the Ï㽶ֱ²¥ Global Health Microcredential Program gain educational experiences in key areas such as global health history, ethics, global citizenship, leadership, collaboration, and professional practice. To earn a microcredential, learners must complete designated activities associated with each badge. Upon fulfilling these requirements, learners may apply to receive their digital credential badge, signifying their achievement and commitment to global health competencies.
Click here to learn more about other digital badges offered by Ï㽶ֱ²¥.
In today's diverse healthcare workforce, it is essential for health professionals to demonstrate Emotional and Cultural Intelligence when working with people from varied worldviews and backgrounds. The Global Perspectives Microcredential is designed to equip learners and professionals with the skills needed to meet this challenge by encouraging them to broaden and diversify their perspectives, ultimately enhancing their professional competence and proficiency. Through a series of curated lectures, films, panel discussions, and reflective engagement with books and other media, this microcredential encourages learners to critically examine their own beliefs, assumptions, and preferences while gaining insight into the experiences and cultures of others.
Reflective activities will challenge learners to thoughtfully consider their own perspectives and the ways in which different cultures and social factors influence health outcomes, fostering a deeper understanding of global citizenship and interconnectedness. Upon completion, participants will have developed a more informed and empathetic global outlook, empowering them to work more effectively in diverse healthcare environments and to contribute meaningfully to a more equitable and sustainable world.
Collectively, these activities are designed to broaden learners' worldviews and deepen their understanding of how global health issues intersect with their professional responsibilities and societal roles.
Target Audience:
All Ï㽶ֱ²¥ life-long learners (faculty, staff, & students)
Learning Objectives:
- Demonstrate understanding of self as a global citizen.
- Identify social, environmental, and political determinants of health and their effects on health and wellbeing.
- Identify current issues and trends in global health.
Earning Criteria:
- Attend five (5) Office of Global Health events, including the Global Health Lecture Series, the Global Perspectives Film Series, and the Opening Space panel discussions. After attending, email the Office of Global Health at globalhealth@ttuhsc.edu.
- Complete reflection questions after participating in the five events. Reflection questions must be requested from the Office of Global Health and completed responses should be submitted via email to globalhealth@ttuhsc.edu.
- Write a short reflective summary on a resource from the Office of Global Health library or another approved resource. The reflective summary questions must be requested from the Office of Global Health and submitted via email to globalhealth@ttuhsc.edu.
Enrollment Process:
Learners intending to complete the microcredential must notify the Office of Global
Health by .
Due Date:
Learners must fulfill the earning criteria within one (1) year of the enrollment date.
The Foundations in Global Health Microcredential equips participants with essential knowledge and skills to engage with global partners and address global health challenges. Covering critical topics such as socioeconomic status, policy, Cultural Intelligence, ethical engagement, health inequity, and social determinants of health, this microcredential prepares learners to make a meaningful impact in diverse global settings.
The course content, interactive activities, and discussions are structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of global health concepts, while also encouraging active participation and critical thinking. The culminating project not only enhances the learning experience by making the course content more engaging but also allows learners to apply what they learned in a practical, creative way.
Target Audience:
Currently, this badge is available only to School of Medicine students enrolled in
the Global Health 101 elective.
*We are actively working to make this more widely available across the institution.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss how globalization affects health, health systems, and the delivery of healthcare.
- Describe the implications of social determinants of health on a person or community’s wellbeing.
- Consider ways to adapt clinical or discipline-specific skills and practices to various global settings.
Earning Criteria:
- Successfully complete Global Health 101 based on attendance and completion of all course requirements.
- Develop an interactive learning activity that supports and reinforces the course content. For more information regarding the culminating project, request from the Office of Global Health by January 31. The completed project must be submitted via email to globalhealth@ttuhsc.edu.
Enrollment Process:
Learners intending to complete the microcredential must notify the Office of Global
Health by .
Due Date:
Learners must fulfill the earning criteria by May 31 each year.
The Ethical Global Engagement Microcredential affords learners the opportunity to participate in a Ï㽶ֱ²¥-sponsored International Program, while addressing the essential principles and practices necessary for responsible and impactful global engagement. This microcredential emphasizes the critical importance of ensuring short-term experiences in global health (STEGHs) are ethical and rooted in the principles of the , including mutual partnership, and accountability when engaging with communities from diverse cultural and socioeconomic contexts.
The Ethical Global Engagement Microcredential covers key principles that should guide all global health engagement. It underscores the importance of collaborative relationships, with bidirectional input and learning, ensuring that host communities are defining the conditions of any short-term engagement. It highlights the necessity of sustainable projects that build local capacity, aligning with the host community's health priorities and contributing to the strengthening of local health systems. Additionally, it emphasizes compliance with applicable laws and ethical standards, ensuring that all global health initiatives are conducted with humility, cultural sensitivity, and respect for all involved.
Upon completion of this microcredential, participants will be prepared to engage in future global initiatives ethically and with accountability, fostering positive, sustainable change, and reducing health disparities in the communities they serve.
Target Audience:
Ï㽶ֱ²¥ students
Learning Objectives:
- Adapt communication strategies for an interprofessional and cross-cultural environment.
- List and evaluate (from your own perspective) the strengths and challenges of the host community’s health care delivery model.
- Discuss how social determinants of health impact the wellbeing of the host community.
- Identify the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the host community.
- Integrate your professional skill set into existing community assets, adapting to the local health system.
- Formulate strategies of engagement that account for culture, community, and individuals.
- Demonstrate integrity, regard, and respect for others in all aspects of professional practice.
Earning Criteria:
- Complete the Ethics Module available within the International Programs Predeparture Modules and submit the certificate of completion to the Office of Global Health at globalhealth@ttuhsc.edu.
- Apply for and successfully complete a Ï㽶ֱ²¥-sponsored International Program for Students. This experiential activity allows learners to apply ethical principles in real-world scenarios.
- Complete the Ï㽶ֱ²¥ International Programs Reflection Guide and email the summary of responses and activities to the Office of Global Health.
- Complete a culminating Photo Voice project that visually and narratively demonstrates how participation in the international program met selected learning objectives. Learners who receive a score of 90 or higher will be deemed eligible.
Enrollment Process:
Learners intending to complete the microcredential must notify the Office of Global
Health by .
Due Date:
Applicants must fulfill the earning criteria within one (1) month following the conclusion
of the international program.
The Office of Global Health is in the process of developing more digital badges. Check back here for updates.
Please reach out to the Office of Global Health for more information or questions.
GlobalHealth@ttuhsc.edu
806-743-2901