Program on Forced Migration and Health

Student Experience

The Program on Forced Migration and Health (FPMH) offers a comprehensive curriculum for humanitarian aid workers who are training to work in the field. The PFMH oversees the Public Health and Humanitarian Action (PHHA) certificate. PHHA certificate students can expect to engage in some of the following courses: 

  • Epidemiological Methods for Measuring Human Rights Abuses

  • Food and Nutrition in Complex Emergencies

  • Gender-Based Violence in Complex Emergencies

  • Investigative Methods in Complex Emergencies

  • Outbreak Preparedness and Response in Resource-Limited Settings

  • Protecting Children in Humanitarian Settings

  • Psychosocial and Mental Health Issues in Forced Migration

  • Public Health and Humanitarian Action 

  • Sexual and Reproductive Health in Humanitarian Settings

  • Water and Sanitation in Complex Emergencies

A list of currently offered courses and detailed descriptions can be found in the Course Directory. For more information on courses in the Program on Forced Migration and Health please see the Public Health and Humanitarian Action certificate page.

Applied Practical Experience (APEx)

PHHA Certificate students are required to complete an Applied Practical Experience (APEx), which takes place during the summer between their first and second year of the program. The APEx consists of a planned, supervised and evaluated practical experience. The APEx allows students to explore their particular interests and gain real world skills, as well as apply classroom teachings in a humanitarian setting. PHHA students are expected to participate in an APEx that is set in a low-income and fragile setting, for a duration of 8 to 10 weeks. 

Online Course Modules

The PFMH offers free, online course modules for health workers to use in the field. Click here for the online module on Water and Sanitation. Click here for the online module for Maternal Health.