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Learn to assess community needs and master health improvement planning
Build stronger, healthier communities through data-driven insights and collaborative action. This course covers how to understand community health assessments and interpret survey results. It equips participants with the knowledge and tools needed to design and implement effective community health assessments and public health improvement plans.
You’ll learn how to gather and analyze health data, engage community partners, and identify key priorities in health status that guide meaningful change. From conducting surveys to developing strategic action plans, this program emphasizes evidence-based methods and real-world applications that support public health goals through reliable survey data. This course serves as a foundation point for those eager to pursue careers in public health and can be stacked into an MSU Denver credential or degree.
Cost | Schedule | Details
Students will learn concepts and methods of community health improvement and the role of assessment in ongoing care. This course will cover important community health topics including systems thinking that leads to coordination of health care and public health activities to achieve community health goals; Community health assessments and plans to improve them, the nature of health and its determinants; the use of quantitative and qualitative methods; data analysis; community mobilization and capacity building; and the impact on community health improvement.
The course is $450, with a $35 transaction fee per payment. There are no books to purchase.
- Registration opens in November
- Course begins – February 2, 2026
- Last day to register – February 9, 2026
- Course ends – April 2, 2026
Once you successfully complete the Community Health Survey, Assessment, and Health Improvement Planning online course, you can enter the workforce with newly learned skills. You will receive a digital badge embedded with the competencies learned. You can include this badge on your resume, LinkedIn page, portfolio, or share it with an employer. Students will also receive a certificate of completion.
Students can also expand their education by converting the course to three credits and continue to an MSU Denver certificate or degree, bolster their resume, advance their career, or uncover a new passion in the realm of public health principles. See FAQs for more information.
- Learn foundational and applied skills of conducting surveys
- Learn about identifying areas and strategies to assess the data collected from surveys
- Learn about evidence based theories and how this can impact in decision making
- Students will learn about analyzing the primary data
- The course serves as a foundational level for people who want to explore public health and its applications
Why take this course?
Flexible schedule
The course can be completed in 4-8 weeks and is self-paced online.
Career advisement
Receive a personal advising session with an industry leader.
High job demand
Gain a competitive edge.
What students are saying about Career Launchpad
The majority of students who completed a post-course survey in spring 2025 report:
✓ Increased knowledge, skills, and understanding of the subject matter.
✓ Were highly satisfied with the overall experience of the course.
✓ Agreed that the subject matter was organized and presented effectively.
Career pathways in Public Health
Approximate return on investment for each public health academic pathway
Pathway 1: Enter the workforce quickly. Complete the Community Health Survey, Assessment, and Health Improvement Planning online course and enter the workforce with increased knowledge and skills.
- Median salary is $35,000 a year.
Pathway 2: Go deeper and convert your noncredit course to credit, and take and pass four additional classes. This makes you eligible to sit for the Colorado state assessment (launching in 2025). After passing, you can apply for positions like Access Representative, Admissions Coordinator, Case Manager, Medicaid Service Coordinator, Patient Access Coordinator, Patient Access Specialist, Patient Advocate, Patient Navigator, Patient Resource Worker, and Patient Service Representative.
- The median salary is $48,000 a year.
Pathway 3: Continue your academic journey and earn a degree in public health, which allows you to increase your earning potential. You can find positions like Policy Associate, Community Partnerships Coordinator, Infection Control Coordinator, Infection Prevention Program Coordinator, Health Data Science Coordinator, Health Educator, and Environmental Protection Specialist.
- Median salary is $60,000 a year.
Pathway 4: Continue your academic journey and earn a Graduate Certificate in Community Health Education. This will provide you with additional opportunities in management and leadership in the public health field.
- Median salary is $63,000 a year.
Take advantage of the opportunity provided with online public health courses to upskill your resume to advance in your career or discover a new passion.
Are you interested in taking the Community Health Worker state exam?
The MSU Denver Community Health Worker Certificate will provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill established Colorado Community Health Worker Core/Professional Competencies in the field and practice of Community Health Workers.
About your Community Health Survey, Community Health Assessment, and Health Improvement Planning course instructor
Garvita Thareja
Dr. Garvita Thareja is an Associate Professor at the Department of Health Professions at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Her specialties include physical therapy rehabilitation, orthopedic rehabilitation, data analysis, data mining, health management and community health education in the broad area of public health.
Prior to joining the Metropolitan State University of Denver, Garvita served as a statistical consultant and taught diverse healthcare courses at Middle Tennessee State University, while also pursuing her PhD. As a Public Health advocate, she participated in various community health needs assessments for counties in TN and CO and participated in the surveys as well as data analysis. As a physical therapist, she has served in the rehabilitation clinics in a variety of healthcare departments such as cardiac-thoracic, neurology and orthopedic departments. She also has assessed and treated various behavioral and developmental delays among children.
In her present role, she serves as reviewer for various state, national and international level conference submissions, leads university and community wide professional committees as well as teach undergraduate and graduate students in healthcare management and public health programs. Bringing a diverse background, she believes in inter-professional activities and have experience working on cross professional projects.
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Email usPhone: 303-615-1234
Office Location:
Jordan Student Success Building
3rd Floor – #330
Auraria Campus
Mailing Address:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Innovative and Lifelong Learning
P.O. Box 173362
Campus Box 6
Denver, CO 80217-3362