Northwestern Launches New Online Certificate and MPH Concentration in Implementation Science
September 9, 2025
By Andrew Nellis
Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine has launched two new programs designed for working professionals and graduate students eager to bridge the gap between research and real-world application.
The Implementation Science in Public Health and Medicine certificate program and Master of Public Health concentration invite students to engage with advanced methodologies and frameworks that are an increasingly vital part of modern medical research. Both programs are offered through the Institute for Public Health and Medicine’s Program in Public Health and are now open to applications.
“Implementation science is in incredibly high demand for a reason — a significant number of discoveries are made every year but few make their way from the lab into practice,” said Amelia Van Pelt, PhD, MPH, assistant professor of Medical Social Sciences , core faculty in the Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science, and director of both new programs. “Through these two programs, we are equipping current and future researchers to close that gap and become independent leaders, translating work to practical use in public health and medicine.”
Implementation science is in incredibly high demand for a reason — a significant number of discoveries are made every year but few make their way from the lab into practice”
Research has shown that it takes an average of 17 years to translate evidence-based interventions into practice. This research-to-practice gap exists across nearly all areas of medical research, resulting in substantial health inequities. Implementation science is dedicated to closing that gap through rigorous frameworks and design processes.
Each program offers a distinct training path.
- The certificate program is offered online and includes five courses, which can be completed in one or two years. Designed to be flexible, the certificate is an ideal option for scientists and clinicians already working in the field.
- The MPH concentration is offered online as part of the Master of Public Health degree, allowing full- and part-time students to specialize in the field as part of their normal education.
Feinberg is deeply invested in shaping the future of implementation science. The Center for Dissemination and Implementation Science (CDIS), led by national implementation science leader Sara Becker, PhD, serves as the hub for implementation science at Northwestern, hosting several widely-recognized experts and a community of 108 affiliate faculty across the university.
“Implementation science can help us to accelerate and catalyze the uptake of evidence-based practice into routine clinical care,” said Becker, who is also the Alice Hamilton Professor of Psychiatry. “By harnessing Northwestern’s nationally renowned faculty, these two new educational programs will equip the next generation of implementation scientists and practitioners with the knowledge and skills needed to have enduring impact on the field.”
Implementation science can help us to accelerate and catalyze the uptake of evidence-based practice into routine clinical care.”
Additionally, Northwestern’s Department of Medical Social Sciences, which is chaired by implementation science expert Rinad Beidas, PhD, is home to a Division of Implementation Science.
Faculty from multiple departments will teach the new courses, offering direct insight into the latest developments in the field. After completing either program, students will be able to design rigorous implementation studies, identify the conditions that determine implementation success, design context specific implementation strategies, and evaluate implementation outcomes.
“Research tells us when a new drug, device, or service delivery approach can improve human health, so it is unfortunate when innovations do not reach the practice community,” said Ron Ackermann, MD, MPH, director of Feinberg’s Institute for Public Health and Medicine. “Implementation science brings the research and practice communities together to design innovations to be relevant and usable in practice. Researchers, practice leaders and managers all can enhance their work through this training, and I am excited that we can now offer this new bundle of courses specifically for that purpose.”
No prior experience in implementation science is required to enroll in either program, as courses for both offerings will take students through core concepts of implementation science, advanced methodologies, human-centered design, and real-world applications.
More information about the new programs can be found on the Implementation Science Certificate program website the MPH concentration website.