MPH Program Curriculum and Competencies

PROFESSION SCIENCE OF PUBLIC HEALTH
1. Explain public health history, philosophy and values
2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services
3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health
4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the US or other community relevant to the school or program
5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge

FACTORS RELATED TO HUMAN HEALTH
7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health
8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health
9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health
10. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities
11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (e.g., One Health)

The MPH Foundational Competencies are arranged into eight domains.

DOMAIN 1: EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO PUBLIC HEALTH
1. Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice
2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate
4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice

DOMAIN 2: PUBLIC HEALTH & HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS
5. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
6. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequalities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels

DOMAIN 3: PLANNING & MANAGEMENT TO PROMOTE HEALTH
7. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
8. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design or implementation of public health policies or programs
9. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
10. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
11. Select methods to evaluate public health programs

DOMAIN 4: POLICY IN PUBLIC HEALTH
12. Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
13. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
14. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
15. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity

DOMAIN 5: LEADERSHIP
16. Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making
17. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges

DOMAIN 6: COMMUNICATION
18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
19. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
20. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

DOMAIN 7: INTERPROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
21. Perform effectively on interprofessional teams*

DOMAIN 8: SYSTEMS THINKING
22. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

*In this context, “interprofessional” refers to engagement with professionals (either students in other professions or practicing professionals) outside of public health (eg, architects, nurses), rather than to engagement with individuals from other public health disciplines (eg, biostatisticians, health promotion specialists). “Interprofessional education occurs when students from two or more professions learn about, from and with each other to enable effective collaboration and improve health outcomes.” From: Framework for Action on Interprofessional Education & Collaborative Practice (WHO/HRH/HPN/10.3).

1. Develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of epidemiology and biostatistics in providing a quantitative approach for examining the effectiveness of clinical decisions and interventions
2. Critically evaluate the methods and results of observational and experimental studies that are designed to examine the effectiveness of clinical decisions and interventions, such as cohort studies, case-control studies, quasi-experimental studies, and randomized controlled trials
3. Design and conduct valid and efficient studies in specific areas that are relevant to clinical effectiveness research, such as clinical epidemiology, health services research, comparative effectiveness research, and quality improvement
4. Calculate and interpret epidemiologic measures of frequency and association that are used in studies designed to examine the effectiveness of clinical decisions and interventions
5. Apply appropriate biostatistical techniques, using computer software packages, to analyze and interpret data from studies that are designed to examine the effectiveness of clinical decisions and interventions, including crude analyses, stratified analyses, and regression methods

1. Develop comprehensive knowledge of the study design principles of epidemiology to provide a quantitative approach for addressing health problems
2. Develop comprehensive knowledge of the quantitative methods of epidemiology and biostatistics to provide a quantitative approach for addressing health problems
3. Critically evaluate published clinical and public health articles and grant proposals
4. Execute a literature review and summarize knowledge about health issues of interest
5. Implement and interpret the results of a study to address a clinical or public health issue

1. Prepare written and oral communications that utilize storytelling and evidence to build support and persuade others for public health action
2. Formulate and evaluate population and community-based solutions to respond to community and stakeholder needs
3. Integrate ethical arguments and solutions into complex public health problems, policies, and systems
4. Synthesize, assess, and use evidence to make informed public health decisions for immediate and long-term action
5. Identify and assess a public health threat and design an appropriate response for action and recovery

1. Evaluate and apply qualitative and quantitative research methods for analyzing a wide variety of global health challenges and settings
2. Design and evaluate global health interventions under different circumstances with different objectives, including their relationship with health system reform
3. Develop public health policies to reflect technical, normative, and political considerations
4. Design communication and implementation strategies, including leadership capacities for influencing public health action
5. Describe various ethical perspectives for understanding the values and consequences of public health policies and decisions; and analyze the ethical dimensions of public health problems, policies, and systems according to these perspectives

1. Explain and use financial data to assess financial health and make managerial decisions for a health care unit, organization, or system
2. Critically evaluate organizational and team structures, processes, and climates to initiate and sustain performance
3. Apply appropriate frameworks and analysis in the development of an organizational strategy
4. Create an action plan to address an unmet public health need by applying key concepts and skills of innovation and entrepreneurship
5. Explain the imperatives to improve health quality and apply methods of quality improvement to address a quality problem

1. Apply economic concepts to analyze and critique health care and public health policies
2. Recommend a course of action to address a health policy challenge, including assessing alternative approaches within a specific political, economic, and social context
3. Critically evaluate and draw policy implications from health decision science studies or health program impact evaluations
4. Design an effective political strategy to influence a health policy outcome
5. Prepare professional quality health policy memos that are informed by skillful use of evidence and are appropriate to their purpose and audience

1. Evaluate behavioral and social theories and conceptual paradigms in the design of basic and applied inquiries in social and behavioral sciences
2. Formulate social and behavioral change interventions based on these theories that are appropriate and responsive to the social and cultural context
3. Critically appraise principles of research, evaluation, and public health monitoring/surveillance methodology, including quantitative and qualitative methods, to address research hypotheses using a range of research designs
4. Describe and apply rigorous, theory-based approaches to research translation for practice, policy, and public health settings
5. Recognize the principles of social inclusion, diversity, social justice, and ethics in research and interventions

1. Evaluate the role nutrition plays in the development and prevention of certain diseases and health conditions
2. Evaluate drivers of poor diets and malnutrition (e.g., culture/behavior, socioeconomic status, food environments and ecology, etc.)
3. Assess policies, programs, and strategies typically used in public health nutrition initiatives
4. Utilize communication skills to disseminate evidence-based nutritional messaging to promote public health
5. Decipher discrepancies between nutrition research and nutritional information conveyed to the public using critical reading skills

1. Acquire an accurate and relevant history, including occupational history related to workplace or environmental exposures; and begin formulation of the differential diagnosis
2. Identify potential population health effects from exposure to chemical, physical, and biological hazards, and describe individual factors that impact susceptibility to adverse health effects from environmental exposures
3. Assess environmental and occupational health issues using core principles of industrial hygiene, ergonomics, occupational safety, and risk/hazard control and communication (e.g., recognition of regulatory standards and guidelines)
4. Identify and evaluate workplace and environmental causes of injury or illness and recommend controls or programs to reduce exposure, and to enhance the health and productivity of workers under minimal supervision
5. Apply the principles of toxicology, epidemiology, and risk analysis to public policy and the actions of regulatory agencies

1. Evaluate the effectiveness of public health and clinical interventions using epidemiologic and statistical methods, including crude, stratified, and standardized analyses, and regression methods
2. Critically evaluate the results of observational and experimental research studies relevant to clinical and/or public health research and practice
3. Calculate and interpret measures of health and disease status encountered in epidemiologic research, health services research, comparative effectiveness research, and public health practice
4. Design and conduct valid and efficient epidemiologic investigations, including cohort and case-control studies, relevant to public health and clinical applications
5. Apply appropriate biostatistical methods using software packages (e.g., STATA , SAS, or R) to perform and interpret crude and adjusted analyses of data