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Implementation and Dissemination, Certificate

See Program Details, Dates & Deadlines

Bridge the Divide between Research and Implementation.

The 12-credit, four course post-baccalaureate certificate provides a strong foundation in dissemination and implementation research across the translational continuum. Learners gain practical skills in applying frameworks, evaluating evidence, and adapting strategies to diverse contexts including health systems, families, communities, culture, and socioeconomic factors. The program utilizes emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, digital health tools, and applied data analytics within projects, preparing graduates to bridge research and practice and lead efforts that advance evidence-based solutions in complex and dynamic settings.

Details, Dates & Deadlines

Program Details

Class Format

Online, Asynchronous

Asynchronous learning means that learning takes place at all different times for students enrolled in a course.

Program Location

Online

Program Length

1-3 years

Credits to Complete

12 credits

Cost/Credit Hour

In State: $769
Out of State: $994

  • Online application
  • $75 application fee
  • Official transcripts
  • 300–500 word essay
  • Proof of English language proficiency
  • CV or resume

Dates & Deadlines

Fall Deadline: July 1

 

Information Sessions

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 @ 12 p.m. EST
Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2026 @ 12 p.m. EST

Program Overview

Did you know it can take up to 17 years for proven research to influence everyday practice, and fewer than half of innovations ever reach broad adoption? Implementation science addresses this challenge by uncovering barriers, partnering with patients and communities, and creating strategies that move discoveries into routine use.

In this program, learners build pragmatic skills to design adaptable, person-centered solutions that respond to real-world complexity. Coursework emphasizes applying frameworks, critically evaluating evidence, and tailoring approaches across health systems, families, cultural settings, and socioeconomic contexts. By incorporating emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, digital health tools, and applied data analytics into projects, students learn how to transform knowledge into practice. The result is a dynamic learning experience that prepares graduates to lead change and deliver sustainable outcomes that improve health outcomes and strengthen communities.

The Implementation and Dissemination Science certificate consists of 12 credits delivered through four fully online courses in a flexible, asynchronous format. There are no required log-in times, making it ideal for working professionals balancing career and learning. Learners engage in applied projects, receive constructive feedback, and collaborate with peers who are often health, science, or academic professionals. The structure emphasizes real-world application, giving participants the tools to immediately translate course concepts into practice.

Why This Program is Essential

In a rapidly evolving health landscape, there is a critical need for professionals who can bridge the gap between research and practice. This program equips you not only to design research and interventions that work in complex systems, but also to implement, scale, and sustain them. You will learn how to adapt global strategies to local realities and apply theories and frameworks for meaningful impact. The curriculum builds expertise in evidence-based practice, leadership, policy advocacy, program evaluation, and effective communication, while emphasizing stakeholder engagement and continuous refinement of solutions. The program also integrates emerging trends and evolving methodologies, ensuring your skills remain current and adaptable in a changing field. Delivered through a combination of online asynchronous learning, reflective activities, multimedia presentations, supplementary materials, and real-time interactive case studies, the program fosters pragmatic, person-centered approaches. Graduates leave ready to achieve key outcomes such as feasibility, adoption, fidelity, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability, ultimately improving client outcomes, strengthening service delivery, and enhancing health systems while anticipating and responding to both current and future trends.

  • The program is designed for completion within 1 academic year, but students are allowed up to 3 years to complete the program.
  • The program enrolls in the fall and spring semesters. 

By the end of this course, you will:

  • Foster Systems Thinking: Design and conduct research integrating into complex health systems, considering global strategies and barriers to scaling up interventions.
  • Apply Theoretical Models and Frameworks: Use theories, models, and various frameworks to design and interpret dissemination and implementation research, ensuring effective local adaptation.
  • Classify and Compare Intervention Research: Differentiate between research questions and frameworks in dissemination and implementation science, comparing measures and evaluating global approaches.
  • Evaluate and Scale Interventions: Relate research to implementation and scale-up processes, critically assessing studies and highlighting social determinants and stakeholder engagement.
  • Utilize Interdisciplinary Approaches: Describe the role of interdisciplinary teamwork in global implementation science, applying epidemiology and program evaluation designs while incorporating emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, digital health tools, and applied data analytics to strengthen evidence and accelerate impact.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: Identify and integrate stakeholders in planning and communicating research, ensuring sustainable and context-specific outcomes.

Implementation and Dissemination Science skills are in high demand, driving impact in health systems, research, analytics, and leadership. With healthcare projected to add ~1.9 million U.S. job openings annually through 2034, this certificate positions you for thriving careers like data scientists (34% growth, $112,590 median salary), health services managers (23% growth, $110,680), and epidemiologists (16% growth, $83,980).

Where This Certificate Leads

Launch or advance your career in:

  • Clinical & Implementation Research: Implementation Scientist, Clinical Research Coordinator ($90,000–$120,000).
  • Data & Evaluation: Data Scientist, Program Evaluator ($100,000–$130,000).
  • Health Systems & Quality: Quality Improvement Manager, Health Services Manager ($104,000–$122,000).
  • Policy & Academia: Policy Analyst, Research Associate ($80,000–$110,000).

Enroll now to bridge research and practice, transforming health outcomes worldwide!


Required courses:

  • MHS 613: Research Implementation & Dissemination I (3 Credits)
  • MHS 614: Research Implementation and Dissemination II (3 Credits)
  • MHS 630: Essentials of Chronic and Infectious Disease Epidemiology (3 Credits)
  • MHS 631: Global Non-Communicable (NCD) Epidemiology (3 Credits)

View Course Descriptions

Admission Requirements

Upload your transcripts as a supplemental item to the online application. 

You must submit transcripts from each college/university attended, including coursework in progress at time of application.  Unofficial copies may be provided for the application review process.  
If you are offered admission, you must then provide official transcripts from each college/university from which a degree was earned.  The transcript must be provided to the Graduate School directly from the prior, degree-granting institution in a sealed envelope in order for that document to be considered official.  Alternatively, it may be provided to the Graduate School electronically by way of a secure, encrypted platform.  Each transcript should bear the signature of the registrar and the seal of the granting institution. 

Transcripts (US only) may be obtained from/provided by one of the following secure, encrypted transcript services:
https://www.parchment.com/ 
https://www.studentclearinghouse.org/solutions/ed-transcripts/
Send encrypted, electronic transcripts from your issuing institution to: gradapply@umaryland.edu 

If provided by mail, send official transcripts in sealed envelopes to:
ATTN: Admissions
University of Maryland School of Graduate Studies
620 West Lexington Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-1508

Essay
Your essay must be uploaded as a supplemental item to the online application.  The statement should be between 300- to 500-words and should address your academic and/or professional career goals and objectives in pursuing graduate study.   

CV or Resume
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume is required by most graduate programs.  Your CV or resume must be uploaded as part of the online application.

English Language Proficiency (International Applicants Only)
The Graduate School accepts the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language), the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or the Duolingo English Test as a measure of English proficiency.  Minimum required scores are 80 on the Internet-based TOEFL, 7.0 on the IELTS, and 115 on the DET. Scores must be sent directly from ETS (for TOEFL, use institution code #5848), the IELTS agency, or Duolingo to the Graduate School.

Application for in-state status classification
Maryland residents only.  If you wish to be considered for in-state residency status for admission and tuition purposes, you must complete an Application for In-State Classification and submit it to the campus classification officer within the Office of the Registrar.

If you have problems with or questions about the application process, please contact us at 410.706.7131 or gradapply@umaryland.edu 

Contact Us

Admissions

Arielle Faulkner
Admissions Counselor
afaulkner@umaryland.edu 
410-706-7132 

Academics

Peter Memiah, DrPH, MSc 
Program Director
petermemiah@umaryland.edu 

Meet Your Faculty

Our faculty are leaders in community health, health research, education, health systems, informatics, epidemiology, clinical psychology, and gerontology. With advanced degrees, certifications, and extensive publication records, they bring real-world expertise from collaborative health initiatives rooted in participatory methodology and emerging person-centered designs. They foster an inclusive learning environment that equips you to create and accelerate transformative healthcare solutions.

View Faculty Bios
The Implementation and Dissemination Science course taught me to design human-centered interventions tailored to local communities, ensuring scalability and sustainability. Collaborating with classmates from diverse professional, academic, and cultural backgrounds enriched my learning, while professors' constructive feedback fueled my growth. The program instilled confidence, honed my skills, and sparked enthusiasm for advancing global health outcomes.
Elmyra - MS in Global Health, Spring 2025Practicing Neurologist

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620 W. Lexington St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 706-3100

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