Applications are now open for the Harvard Child Protection Certificate Program 2026–2027, an interdisciplinary academic programme offered through the François-Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University. The programme is designed for individuals seeking to strengthen their knowledge and professional capacity in child protection through academic coursework, research, expert engagement and practical perspectives. Participants will explore child protection from multiple disciplines, including health, education, public policy, law, social services, advocacy, humanitarian response and leadership. A central requirement of the certificate is the completion of 12 qualifying academic credits, selected from the programme’s approved curriculum. Students must distribute these credits across at least three of the six designated child protection domains, allowing participants to build an interdisciplinary foundation tailored to their interests and professional goals. What Is the Harvard Child Protection Certificate Program? The Child Protection Certificate Program brings together academic training and practical approaches to understanding and addressing challenges affecting children. The programme is hosted by the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, which focuses on research, education and advocacy around health and human rights. Rather than limiting child protection to one professional field, the certificate draws on different disciplines and areas of practice. This interdisciplinary structure allows participants to examine issues affecting children through multiple perspectives. The curriculum encompasses areas such as child protection systems, violence against children, justice, social change, family strengthening and leadership tools. 12 Credits Required for the Certificate Applicants to the programme must plan the selection and distribution of the 12 credits they intend to complete in order to qualify for the Child Protection Certificate. The qualifying courses should be selected from the curriculum offerings provided by the FXB Center. Importantly, students must ensure that their 12 qualifying credits are taken across at least three of the programme’s six domains. The six domains are: 1. Child Protection Systems This domain focuses on the systems, structures and approaches used to prevent and respond to risks affecting children. Students interested in child welfare systems, social services, policy and institutional approaches to child protection may find this area particularly relevant. 2. Violence Against Children This domain addresses issues surrounding violence against children and approaches to prevention, protection and response. It can be particularly relevant for professionals working in child safeguarding, humanitarian settings, public health, social services and advocacy. 3. Justice for Children The justice domain explores issues affecting children within legal and justice systems. It may appeal to students interested in children’s rights, law, access to justice and policies designed to protect children within justice systems. 4. Social Change and Family Strengthening This area examines approaches that support families and communities while promoting positive social change. The domain is relevant to professionals interested in community development, family support, social policy and interventions designed to strengthen protective environments for children. 5. Child Protection Leadership Leadership is an important component of effective child protection programming. This domain provides an opportunity to explore approaches to leadership within child protection and related professional settings. 6. Tools The Tools domain provides opportunities to develop practical approaches and capabilities relevant to child protection work. Together, these six areas provide students with options for creating an interdisciplinary course plan. How Should Applicants List Their 12 Credits? Applicants are required to submit a proposed selection and distribution of the 12 credits they intend to complete. The application instructions specify that courses should be listed according to their domain and in the following format: Course number, course title and number of credits For example: EDU T250: Children with Learning and Developmental Differences, 4 credits Applicants should organise their proposed courses under the relevant domains and ensure that the total reaches 12 qualifying credits. They must also ensure that the selected credits are distributed across at least three domains. Because course offerings and academic scheduling may change, applicants should consult the current curriculum information when preparing their course selections. Interdisciplinary Learning Across Multiple Fields One of the key strengths of the Harvard Child Protection Certificate Program is its interdisciplinary approach. Child protection challenges often require professionals from different sectors to work together. Health professionals may collaborate with educators, social workers, lawyers, policymakers, humanitarian practitioners and community organisations. The certificate reflects this reality by bringing together academic and practical perspectives from several fields. Students can therefore develop a broader understanding of how different systems and professions contribute to protecting children and promoting their rights and wellbeing. Who May Benefit From the Programme? The programme can be relevant to professionals, researchers, practitioners and students whose work or interests intersect with child protection. Potentially relevant backgrounds include: Public health Education Law Social work Public policy Human rights International development Child advocacy Humanitarian response Community development Child welfare Non-governmental organisations Leadership and programme management The interdisciplinary nature of the programme makes it particularly useful for individuals seeking to connect academic knowledge with practical child protection challenges. Curriculum Information for 2026–2027 The programme notes that the academic calendar for 2026–2027 is still being finalised. As a result, course information linked through the FXB Center’s website will be updated as the academic calendar is confirmed. Applicants should therefore review the official curriculum before finalising their proposed 12-credit plan. The current curriculum can be accessed through the official Harvard FXB Child Protection Curriculum. How to Submit the Application Applicants are required to submit an electronic copy of the completed application form to: Rebecca ShinEmail: rebeccashin@hsph.harvard.edu Applicants should ensure that the application includes their proposed selection and distribution of the 12 qualifying credits. The application should follow the required file-naming format: FIRST NAME, LAST NAME – SCHOOL Following the specified format can help ensure that applications are correctly identified and processed. Why Consider the Harvard Child Protection Certificate? The Child Protection Certificate offers an opportunity to develop specialised knowledge while drawing connections between different disciplines. For professionals already working with children, families and communities, the programme can provide an academic framework for understanding complex child protection challenges. For researchers and emerging practitioners, it can offer exposure to different approaches across health, education, law, policy, social services and humanitarian response. The requirement to complete credits across multiple domains also encourages students to develop a broad rather than narrowly specialised understanding of child protection. Final Thoughts The Harvard Child Protection Certificate Program 2026–2027 provides an interdisciplinary pathway for individuals seeking advanced academic and practical perspectives on protecting children. Through the FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, participants can engage with coursework spanning child protection systems, violence against children, justice for children, social change and family strengthening, child protection leadership and practical tools. To qualify for the certificate, students must complete 12 qualifying credits across at least three of the six domains and submit their proposed course selections using the required format. Applicants should review the official curriculum carefully because 2026–2027 course information will be updated as the academic calendar is finalised. For more information and application details, visit the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights Child Protection Curriculum and follow the programme’s application instructions. For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and WPChannel Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization offering this opportunity. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications & CVs to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. 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