MPH Program Competencies

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

Public health and 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 inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels

Planning and 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

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

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

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

Interprofessional practice

21. Perform effectively on interprofessional teams 

Systems thinking

22. Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue

• Apply advanced descriptive and analytical epidemiology to assess health status and the burden of disease in populations.
• Interpret and apply epidemiologic research methods and findings to the practice of public health.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify and use existing key sources of epidemiologic data at the local, state, national, and international level.
• Integrate key components of disease surveillance and screening into public health programs.
• Develop presentations specifically on advanced epidemiologic analyses and interpretations for both population health professionals and lay audiences.
• Demonstrate basic data management and analysis skills using statistical software such as SAS by translating raw epidemiologic data into actionable public health information.
• Identify the principles and assess the strengths and limitations using advanced epidemiologic methods, including reliability and validity of tools to evaluate public health screening programs
• Explain the importance of epidemiology for informing scientific and ethical discussion of health issues
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of epidemiological research and reports.

• Propose policy solutions that could be recommended to management.
• Apply public health ethical concepts and analytical frameworks to current local, national or international public health events.
• Identify a policy recommendation through analysis of multiple policy alternatives, evaluating potential strengths and weaknesses of each.
• Identify characteristics of leadership in healthcare or public health.
• Apply the diverse segments of financial management to an understanding of the financial viability of a public health organization.

Procedures for Designating Interdisciplinary Public Health Concentration Competencies

All MPH concentrations accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) require that graduates demonstrate at least five competencies in addition to the foundational competencies common to all CEPH-accredited MPH programs. As an individualized concentration, Interdisciplinary Public Health Studies students have the opportunity to pursue a set of competencies that reflect their specific career goals. Students work with their academic advisor to select five competencies and approved coordinating courses from the list of concentration courses.

Once identified, the student and academic advisor map a plan for degree completion, based on course availability.  The advisor enters the selected courses into the student’s Plan of Study matrix which includes all courses and competencies included in the student’s individualized concentration.

These individualized concentration competencies will be utilized when students are in their internship (APE) course and the capstone (ILE) course.

• Propose informatics strategies that support or improve work processes within health care and public health organizations.
• Apply analytics to the discovery, interpretation, and communication of population health data.
• Evaluate the impact of information systems and informatics interventions on population health outcomes.
• Generalize computer and information science methods to the capture, storage, management, exchange and use of data among health care and public health organizations.
• Apply available data and information standards to the design, implementation and use of informatics systems that enhance the public health infrastructure.

1. Identify basic theories, concepts, and models from a range of social and behavioral disciplines that are used in public health research and practice.
2. Identify the causes and conditions linked to social and behavioral factors that affect health of individuals and populations.
3. Specify multiple priority populations and levels of intervention for social and behavioral science programs and/or policies.
4. Design, implement, and analyze research studies, in collaboration with a community agency, to address an agency-identified public health issue.
5. Construct in partnership with a community agency a program implementation and evaluation plan to address an agency-identified public health issue.
6. Develop a grant proposal and fundraising case statement to advance a community agency’s programming and mission.