Global Opportunities

Check our study away courses:

• Behavioral Communication Strategies for Global Epidemics
• Climate Change & Global Public Health in Shanghai
• Disease Elimination & Eradication Strategies for Infectious Diseases in LMICs
• Urban Health Equity: New York & London

The School of Global Public Health (GPH) stands proudly in one of the world's most remarkable cities, New York City, providing you with an unparalleled opportunity to engage with some of the most pressing public health challenges within its vibrant urban landscape. Nevertheless, the increasingly expansive and intricate nature of global health concerns necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the diverse public health issues affecting communities worldwide. Our graduate programs are meticulously designed to equip you with a truly global perspective on public health matters. Through an array of study abroad opportunities, faculty research, and immersive applied learning experiences spanning the globe, we empower you to cultivate a distinct advantage as the next generation of public health innovators and pioneers. By embracing these enriching experiences, you will be poised to make a significant impact on the world stage, addressing the intricate interplay of global health challenges and transforming into the next generation of public health innovators and pioneers the world needs. The following courses were developed and facilitated by Global & Environmental Public Health faculty. To view all upcoming global opportunities, please visit this page. 

Behavioral Communication Strategies for Global Epidemics
The 16th edition of the Behavioral Communication Strategies for Global Epidemics (BCSE) course took place in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2024. In partnership with Strathmore Business School (SBS) and the UNICEF Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ESARO), the course provided 34 participants, including NYU GPH MPH students, UNICEF staff, and Kenyan health professionals, with hands-on experience in addressing public health challenges. Led by Drs. Chris Dickey (NYU GPH), Ben Ngoye (SBS), and Erma Manoncourt (NYU GPH, ex-UNICEF), participants collaborated on developing actionable Social and Behavior Change (SBC) strategies.

A key component of the course was a visit to the Kayole II health facility in Nairobi’s Eastlands, where participants worked with local community health promoters to map cholera risks exacerbated by heavy rains. GPH, UNICEF, SBS, and the Kenya Red Cross Society facilitated sessions on systems analysis, community engagement, emergency response, and human-centered design. This multidisciplinary approach enabled teams to create comprehensive systems maps and develop targeted behavioral strategies aimed at improving health outcomes, with the winning proposal focusing on reducing climate-change-related cholera outbreaks in Tanzania.

Participants joined a network of over 800 BCSE alumni worldwide, benefiting from a valuable resource for professional development and collaboration. 

Pictured Behavioral Communication Strategies for Global Epidemics Participants

Climate Change and Global Public Health – Shanghai, China

This course delves into the critical subject of climate change, which has emerged as the most significant public policy challenge of the 21st century. Our comprehensive curriculum covers various aspects, including climate change science, its profound impact on public health, ecological consequences, the detrimental effects of fossil fuel air pollution, global food security concerns, and available policy options.

This course explore strategies for adaptation to mitigate the adverse consequences of climate change, such as storm flooding, intensified ozone and heat waves, drought, and threats to biodiversity. Moreover, student will assess the feasibility and potential benefits of achieving 100% renewable energy through wind and solar power, and critically evaluate policy solutions, ranging from local city governments and regional states to global treaties such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change-Conference of the Parties Paris Agreement. To provide a comprehensive understanding, this course will explore the phenomenon of Climate Denialism, analyzing its impact and implications. A recommended text for this exploration is "The Madhouse Effect."

Students that have participated in this course gain a deep understanding of the complexities surrounding Climate Change, are walk out equipped with the analytical and decision-making tools needed to be active participants in addressing this global health challenge.

Disease Elimination & Eradication Strategies for Infectious Diseases in LMICs

This course was developed, and held in collaboration with the Global Institute for Disease Elimination (GLIDE). The course is comprised of two components: 1) A series of online modules that covered various topics, including the principles and history of disease elimination and eradication, ethics and human rights, case studies on the prevention and treatment of neglected tropical diseases, integrated approaches to disease elimination and eradication, and an introduction to systems thinking. 2) An 8-day intensive live course that took place on the NYU Abu Dhabi campus. During this portion of the course, students and practitioners from the field had the opportunity to collaborate and develop a comprehensive proposal for action aimed at the elimination or eradication of an infectious disease within a specific geographic context.

This iteration of the course welcomed 53 participants, including NYU GPH graduate students, disease elimination program managers from Cameroon, Togo, Malawi, South Sudan, Pakistan, Egypt, and other countries, and government and WHO staff from the Eastern Mediterranean and African regions. This course was taught by Dr. Chris Dickey with several guest facilitators and content experts, which included, Dr. Erma Manoncourt, Dr. Rana Jawad, Dr. Daniel Boakye, and Dr. John Chimumbwa. GLIDE facilitators included Dr. Lisa Bryde, Senior Technical Advisor, and Diana Yousef, Technical Advisor.

Skills Learned: The course offers the state of the art in disease elimination and eradication, beginning with a knowledge base that includes key concepts and case studies from low and middle income countries. Further, the participants are trained on: addressing infectious diseases in low resource settings while integrating four thinking models  (systems, design, strategic & evaluative), working in teams with diverse public health professionals, presentation skills, and proposal development.

Urban Health Equity: New York and London - A Comparative Perspective

With urbanization accelerating worldwide, more than half the global population now resides in cities, and by 2050, this is expected to rise to 70%, with more than 90% of that urban growth occurring in low and middle-income countries. This course, held at NYU London, offered GPH students a unique opportunity to explore urban health and health equity in a real-world context. Led by Jo Ivey Boufford, students, including MPH, DrPH, and MPA in urban planning, collaborated on interdisciplinary projects addressing critical urban health challenges.

Participants engaged in hands-on projects aligned with the Greater London Authority's (GLA) priority initiatives, such as climate mitigation, heat action plans, and mental health crisis response. The course included:

• Guest lectures from renowned public health leaders and site visits.
• Providing insights into health equity.
• Non-communicable disease prevention.
• Comparative health systems.
• Historical landmark visits to aid in the understanding of public health history, including the Florence Nightingale Museum and the John Snow water pump

The course underscored the importance of urban health in achieving global health goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. By addressing health disparities and promoting well-being in urban settings, students gain invaluable practical experience and are poised to contribute significantly to global health and development issues in cities like London and New York City. 

Pictured Urban Health Equity students and participants