Competencies

MPH in Biostatistics 

Upon completion of the MPH degree in biostatistics, the graduate will be able to:

• Identify statistical issues in contemporary public health problems.
• Perform power and sample size calculations to assist in the design of clinical or observational studies.
• Use statistical software for advanced data management.
• Analyze continuous data using linear regression models and discrete data using generalized linear models.
• Analyze right-censored data with time-to-event regression models.
• Analyze correlated data (longitudinal and multi-level) using mixed effect and marginal models.
• Explain fundamental concepts of probability and inference used in statistical methodology.

MSPH in Biostatistics

Upon completion of the MSPH degree in biostatistics, the graduate will be able to:

• Identify statistical issues in contemporary public health problems.
• Perform power and sample size calculations to assist in the design of clinical or observational studies.
• Use statistical software for advanced data management.
• Analyze continuous data using linear regression models and discrete data using generalized linear models.
• Analyze right-censored data with time-to-event regression models.
• Analyze correlated data (longitudinal and multi-level) using mixed effect and marginal models.
• Assess the impacts of assumptions in advanced statistical analysis using probability and statistical theory.
• Apply concepts in probability and statistical theory to define performance or extend basic statistical analysis techniques.
• Assess technical accuracy and performance of advanced analytic methods.

BA/MSPH in Biostatistics

The MSPH competencies related to this degree are the same as the MSPH in Biostatistics competencies. 

Certificate in Public Health Informatics 

• Define public health information systems as needed to support public health efforts
• Assist in the development and adoption of appropriate information technology in public health
• Choose appropriate software allowing for the interface of data entry and statistical analysis software
• Apply appropriate statistical methods in the analysis of public health information
• Interpret data results effectively and appropriately
• Adhere to guidelines of responsible research

MPH in Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to:

• Analyze public health history for perspective on current health problems.
• Apply the socio-ecological framework or other theories to public health research, policy, or practice.
• Select study designs to plan health promotion research or evaluation.
• Select valid and reliable instruments to measure variables in public health research, policy, or practice.
• Synthesize a range of multidisciplinary scientific literature for public health research, policy, or practice.
• Use behavioral and social science theories to guide data analysis for public health research, policy, or practice.
• Engage collaborators in community assessment, program design, or program evaluation.
• Apply qualitative or quantitative methods in public health research, policy, or practice.
• Design or implement an evaluation plan to assess public health programs.
• Apply ethical principles relevant to public health research, policy, or practice.
• Identify multilevel strategies to advance health equity in public health research, policy, or practice.

MPH in Applied Epidemiology 

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Describe distributions of morbidity, mortality and risk factors.
• Apply basic principles of public health surveillance in the practice of public health.
• Identify key sources of data for epidemiologic purposes.
• Formulate a research question and study aims.
• Differentiate among the strengths and limitations of various study designs.
• Calculate and interpret basic design-specific measures of association and their standard errors.
• Conduct basic epidemiologic research using multivariable models (e.g., linear, logistic, Cox, Poisson regression).
• Interpret individual published epidemiologic studies in which the major epidemiologic study designs are used.
• Utilize statistical programming packages in preparing scientific reports.
• Communicate epidemiologic information in a written scientific report.
• Recognize potential ethical issues in epidemiologic studies.

MPH in Applied Public Health Informatics 

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Support development of strategic direction for public health informatics within the enterprise.
• Participate in development of knowledge management tools for the enterprise.
• Use informatics standards.
• Ensure that data needs of a project or program stakeholders are met.
• Support information system development that meets public health program needs.
• Manage IT operations related to project or program (for public health agencies with internal IT operations).
• Monitor IT operations managed by external organizations.
• Communicate with cross-disciplinary leaders or team members.
• Evaluate information systems or applications.
• Participate in applied public health informatics research for new insights or innovative solutions to health problems.
• Contribute to development of public health information systems that are interoperable with other relevant information systems.
• Support use of informatics to integrate clinical health, environmental risk, or population health.
• Evaluate solutions that ensure confidentiality, security, and integrity while maximizing availability of information for public health.
• Conduct education or training in public health informatics.

MPH in Prevention Science 

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Apply behavioral theories across systems levels of the socio-ecological framework in addressing public health issues.
• Assess the effects of public health interventions or programs.
• Develop materials to address real-world public health problems.
• Apply educational theory or instructional design models to the development of workforce training.
• Evaluate ethical considerations for public health interventions.
• Incorporate the use of public health informatics in professional practice.
• Incorporate research design or program planning skills in the development of grant proposals.

MPH in Environmental Health

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to:

• Explain major environmental risks to human health ranging from the local to global scale.
• Apply the principles of exposure science to characterize environmental exposures.
• Describe how the principles of toxicology can be used to assess health effects of environmental exposure.
• Apply the principles of epidemiology to assess health effects of environmental exposures.
• Explain major policy issues in environmental health.
• Evaluate the risks posed by environmental hazards using risk assessment methods.
• Apply principles and frameworks of environmental justice and social determinants of health to environmental health issues.

MPH in Global Environmental Health

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to:

• Explain major environmental risks to human health ranging from the local to global scale.
• Apply the principles of exposure science to characterize environmental exposures.
• Describe how the principles of toxicology can be used to assess health effects of environmental exposure.
• Apply the principles of epidemiology to assess health effects of environmental exposures.
• Explain major policy issues in global environmental health.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data sources to assess global health outcomes or risk factors, including temporal trends such as past or current patterns as well as projected future trends, and distribution by socioeconomic and demographic predictors.
• Exhibit professional values that demonstrate diplomacy, commitment to social justice or health equity, or respect for the unique cultures, values, roles or responsibilities, or expertise represented by other professions, communities, or groups working in global health.
• Apply ethical reasoning to the design, implementation or evaluation of global health programs, policies, or practice.
• Describe select causes or consequences of health inequities within or across contexts.
• Apply qualitative or quantitative methods to inform the design or implementation of global health research or practice.
• Apply principles and frameworks of environmental justice and social determinants of health to environmental health issues.

MPH in Environmental Health and Epidemiology

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to:

• Explain major environmental risks to human health ranging from the local to global scale.
• Apply the principles of exposure science to characterize environmental exposures.
• Describe how the principles of toxicology can be used to assess health effects of environmental exposure.
• Apply the principles of epidemiology to assess health effects of environmental exposures.
• Explain major policy issues in environmental health.
• Apply principles and frameworks of environmental justice and social determinants of health to environmental health issues.
• Describe distributions of morbidity, mortality, and risk factors in terms of magnitude, time, place, and population.
• Calculate and interpret basic design-specific measures of association and their standard errors.
• Differentiate among the strengths, limitations, and differences and similarities of various study designs.
• Interpret epidemiologic results in a causal framework.
• Formulate an environmental epidemiology research question and study aims.

BS/MPH in Environmental Studies and Environmental Health

The MPH competencies related to this degree are the same as the MPH in Environmental Health competencies.

MPH in Epidemiology 

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Formulate a research question and study aims.
• Differentiate among the strengths, limitations, and differences and similarities of various study designs.
• Calculate and interpret basic design-specific measures of association and their standard errors.
• Differentiate among design-specific sources and types of systematic error.
• Differentiate between the main types of effect modification and the methods of recognizing and accounting for it.
• Describe distributions of morbidity, mortality, and risk factors in terms of magnitude, time, place, and population.
• Utilize statistical software to conduct epidemiological analysis.
• Interpret epidemiologic results in a causal framework.
• Prepare a written report of advanced epidemiologic information.

MPH in Global Epidemiology 

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Formulate a research question and study aims.
• Differentiate among the strengths, limitations, and differences and similarities of various study designs.
• Calculate and interpret basic design-specific measures of association and their standard errors.
• Differentiate among design-specific sources and types of systematic error.
• Differentiate between the main types of effect modification and the methods of recognizing and accounting for it.
• Describe distributions of morbidity, mortality, and risk factors in terms of magnitude, time, place, and population.
• Utilize statistical software to conduct epidemiological analysis.
• Interpret epidemiologic results in a causal framework.
• Prepare a written report of advanced epidemiological information on a topic relevant to global and/or underserved populations in a written scientific report.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data sources to assess global health outcomes or risk factors, including temporal trends such as past or current patterns, as well as projected future trends, and distribution by socioeconomic or demographic predictors.
• Demonstrate reflexivity or humility regarding power, privilege, culture, or professional paradigms, acknowledging strengths, limitations, biases, or influence.
• Exhibit professional values that demonstrate diplomacy, commitment to social justice, or health equity, or respect for the unique cultures, values, roles or responsibilities, or expertise represented by other professions, communities, or groups working in global health.
• Apply ethical reasoning to the design, implementation, or evaluation of global health programs, policies, or practice.
• Describe select causes or consequences of health inequities within or across contexts.

MSPH in Epidemiology 

Upon completion of the MSPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Formulate a research question and study aims.
• Appraise the strengths, limitations, and differences and similarities of various study designs with respect to given research questions.
• Calculate and interpret basic design-specific measures of association and their standard errors.
• Assess impact of different design-specific types of systematic error.
• Differentiate between the main types of effect modification and the methods of recognizing and accounting for it.
• Describe distributions of morbidity, mortality, and risk factors in terms of magnitude, time, place, and population.
• Utilize advanced statistical programming in performing epidemiological analysis.
• Critique epidemiologic results in a causal framework.
• Write a manuscript to report the results of an epidemiologic study in a written scientific report that is suitable for submission for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

MSPH in Global Epidemiology 

Upon completion of the MSPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Formulate a research question and study aims.
• Appraise the strengths, limitations, and differences and similarities of various study designs with respect to given research questions.
• Calculate and interpret basic design-specific measures of association and their standard errors.
• Assess impact of different design-specific types of systematic error.
• Differentiate between the main types of effect modification and the methods of recognizing and accounting for it.
• Describe distributions of morbidity, mortality, and risk factors in terms of magnitude, time, place, and population.
• Utilize advanced statistical programming in performing epidemiological analysis.
• Critique epidemiologic results in a causal framework.
• Write a manuscript to report the results of an epidemiologic study on a topic relevant to a global and/or underserved population in a written scientific report that is suitable for submission for publication in a peer reviewed journal.
• Use qualitative and quantitative data sources to assess global health outcomes or risk factors, including temporal trends such as past or current patterns, as well as projected future trends, and distribution by socioeconomic or demographic predictors.
• Demonstrate reflexivity or humility regarding power, privilege, culture, or professional paradigms, acknowledging strengths, limitations, biases, or influence.
• Exhibit professional values that demonstrate diplomacy, commitment to social justice, or health equity, or respect for the unique cultures, values, roles or responsibilities, or expertise represented by other professions, communities, or groups working in global health.
• Apply ethical reasoning to the design, implementation, or evaluation of global health programs, policies, or practice.
• Describe select causes or consequences of health inequities within or across contexts.

Certificate in Maternal and Child Health

Upon completion of the certificate the graduate will be able to:

• MCH knowledge base/context 
  a. Use data to identify issues related to the health status of a particular MCH population group, describing health disparities within MCH populations and offering strategies to address them.
  b. Demonstrate the use of a systems approach to explain the interactions among individuals, groups, organizations and communities.
• Self-reflection
  a. Use self-reflection techniques effectively to enhance program development, scholarship, and interpersonal relationships, recognizing that personal attitudes, beliefs, and experiences (successes and failures) influence one’s leadership style.
• Ethics and professionalism
  a. Identify ethical dilemmas and issues that affect MCH population groups. 
  b. Describe the ethical implications of health disparities within MCH populations with an awareness of ethical issues in patient care, human-subjects research, and public health theory and practice. 
  c. Initiate and act as catalyst for the discussion of these dilemmas and issues.
• Critical thinking
  a. Identify practices and policies that are not evidence-based but are of sufficient promise that they can be used in situations where actions are needed.
  b. Use population data to assist in determining the needs of a population for the purposes of designing programs, formulating policy, etc. 
  c. Formulate a focused and important practice, research, or policy question.
• Communication
  a. Share thoughts, ideas, and feelings effectively in discussions, meetings, and presentations with diverse individuals and groups.
  b. Write clearly and effectively to express information about issues and services that affect MCH population groups.
  c. Understand nonverbal communication cues in self and others.
  d. Listen attentively and actively.
• Negotiation and conflict resolution
  a. Apply strategies and techniques of effective negotiation and evaluate the impact of personal communication and negotiation style on outcomes, demonstrating the ability to manage conflict in a constructive manner.
• Cultural competency
  a. Conduct personal self-assessments regarding cultural competence, assessing strengths of individuals and communities and responding appropriately to their needs based on sensitivity to and respect for their diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic status. 
  b. Describe strategies to assure culturally-sensitive public health and health service delivery systems, integrating cultural competency into programs, research, scholarship, and policies.
• Family-centered care 
  a. Operationalize the “family-centered care” philosophical constructs and use these constructs to critique and strengthen practices, programs, or policies that affect MCH population groups. 
  b. Describe how family perspectives play a pivotal role in MCH research, clinical practice, programs, or policy.
• Developing others 
  a. Recognize and create learning opportunities for others.
  b. Participate in a mutually beneficial mentoring relationship
• Interdisciplinary team building 
  a. Identify strengths of team members appropriate to a given task, and facilitate group processes for team-based decisions valuing and honoring diverse perspectives. 
• Working with communities and systems 
  a. Participate in basic strategic planning processes such as developing a mission, vision, strategic goals, and activities, identifying community stakeholders and their level of engagement in the collaboration process.
• Policy and advocacy 
  a. Understand the roles and relationships of groups involved in the public policy development and implementation process, including the branches of government.
  b. Analyze the potential impact of policies on diverse population groups.
  c. Use data, levels of evidence, and evaluative criteria in proposing policy change.
  d. Frame problems based on key data, including economic, political, and social trends that affect the MCH population.

Domain 1: Global Health Measurement and Metrics

1. Apply quantitative or qualitative methods to inform the design or implementation of global health research or practice.
2. Critique the application of data and metrics commonly used in global health for example, fertility, mortality, morbidity, disability, equity.
3. Visualize or present data in ways that are accurate, accessible, and appropriate for different stakeholders.
4. Describe the use of qualitative or quantitative methods in developing recommendations or priority setting for research or practice.

Domain 2: Global Health Systems

1. Critique the design, administration, delivery, and performance of health systems.

Domain 3: Program Cycle

1. Demonstrate ability to integrate evidence or appropriate theory to ensure program alignment with priorities at the local, regional, national or international level.
2. Describe how to conduct relevant operational, implementation, or community-based research to inform the design, adaptation, implementation or evaluation of programs or interventions.
3. Use evidence and theory to design or adapt interventions, projects, or programs that are appropriate for local context.

Domain 4: Communication and Advocacy

1. Communicate global health research, recommendations or policies effectively and transparently across a range of audiences and contexts, tailoring information, messaging, channels or approaches to their needs and preferences, including but not limited to written, oral and visual formats.
2. Advocate for policies or programs to improve global health through goal-oriented situational analysis, strategy formulation, coalition-building, community organizing, or sustained action.

Domain 5: Interprofessional Practice and Collaboration

1. Demonstrate reflexivity and humility regarding one’s own power, privilege, culture and professional paradigms, acknowledging one’s own limitations, biases, and influence.
2. Exhibit professional values that demonstrate diplomacy, commitment to social justice, health equity, the dismantling of oppressive systems of power and respect for the unique cultures, values, roles/responsibilities and expertise represented by diverse professions, communities and groups working in global health.
3. Describe leadership practices or styles that foster local ownership, joint decision-making, mutual learning and benefit, and equitable representation of stakeholders in partnerships, especially across a range of power and privilege differentials.
4. Identify professional habits that enable self-guided, ongoing learning and leadership development in global health.

Domain 6: Health Equity and Social Justice

1. Analyze the impact of sociocultural, political, economic, environmental, religious, or historical factors on health or health behavior at multiple levels of a socio-ecologic framework in low-resource settings.
2. Describe factors that influence equitable access to resources, including quality health services, between or within countries.
3. Critique the systems of oppression and discrimination that exist in a given context and their influence on health or health behavior.
4. Identify strategies to challenge systems oppression and discrimination (e.g., global racism, gender bias, homophobia) to improve health outcomes.
5. Critique global health and development policies, programs, or research with respect to impacts on health equity, human rights, and social justice.
6. Contrast the causes or consequences of poverty or inequity across diverse global contexts.

Domain 7: Global Health Ethics

1. Apply key concepts in global health ethics (e.g., equality, equity, social justice) to global health practice and research.
2. Apply sound ethical reasoning to the analysis of ethical challenges in global health, through the application of key principles, theories and conceptual analysis.
3. Anticipate the ways that global health programs (research and/or implementation) may affect the interests of a wide range of stakeholders (i.e., harm them or benefit them) and how these effects can be mitigated or amplified, respectively.

MPH in Health Policy 

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Describe how the organization and financing of health services influence access, quality, and costs.
• Apply management principles to planning, organizing, leading, and controlling health care enterprises.
• Apply skills in financial accounting to healthcare administration decisions.
• Apply principles of health economics in analyzing the behavior of health care market stakeholders.
• Conduct economic evaluations of health care services.
• Utilize public finance theory to assess the efficiency and equity of proposals to reform the financing and delivery of health care services.
• Incorporate legal principles of public health law in the assessment of health policies.
• Prepare health policy briefings suitable for the range of policy stakeholders involved with the formulation and implementation of a health policy under consideration at the national, state, and local level.
• Employ quantitative analytic tools to assess health care needs and services in population-based research.
• Apply the tools of policy analysis to make quantitative predictions about the impact of policy changes.
• Communicate evidence-based alternatives for public health policies, both in writing and through oral presentation.

MSPH in Healthcare Management 

Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Describe how the organization and financing of health services influence access, quality, and cost.
• Apply management principles to planning, organizing, leading, and controlling health care enterprises.
• Apply skills in financial accounting to health care administration decisions.
• Apply principles of health economics in analyzing the behavior of health care market stakeholders.
• Apply analytic tools and theories to guide the management of financial assets in health care organizations.
• Incorporate human resources management principles in administering health care organizations.
• Apply marketing concepts in the design of health services.
• Incorporate legal principles in the administration and/or management of health care services.
• Develop a proposal to reflect different aspects of supervisory-level general management responsibilities in a health services delivery organization.
• Execute both an operations management and a strategic management analysis in the role of a health services consultant.

MSPH in Health Services Research 

Upon completion of the MSPH degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Describe how the organization and financing of health services influence access, quality, and cost.
• Apply principles of health economics in analyzing the behavior of health care market stakeholders.
• Conduct economic evaluations of health services.
• Utilize public finance theory to assess the efficiency and equity of proposals to reform the financing and delivery of health care services.
• Conceptualize a theoretically grounded original research project.
• Analyze an original research question using quantitative methods.
• Interpret findings from an original research investigation, identifying strengths and limitations of the analytic approach.
• Conduct a scientific presentation and communicate key steps of an original research investigation.
• Function as a team collaborator in the design and conduct of a health services research investigation.

Certificate in Mental Health

Upon completion of the certificate the graduate will be able to:

• Epidemiologically describe the burden of mental illness on society—US and global populations
• Describe the major theories on the etiology of mental illness or categories of mental illness
• Evaluate empirical evidence on social determinants of mental illnesses or categories of mental illness
• Describe how cultural differences affect the experience of mental illness and the seeking of health services
• Identify population-based interventions that would reduce the onset of mental illnesses or categories of mental illness
• Describe how populations in the US receive and finance mental health services
• Identify policy initiatives that would improve access to mental health services in the US
• Identify gaps in coverage for mental health services in the US and global settings and their consequences for mental health

PhD in Behavioral, Social, and Health Education Sciences 

Upon completion of the PhD degree, graduates will be able to:

• Design theoretically-informed interventions that operate at multiple levels to prevent disease, reduce health risks, or improve quality of life.
• Develop original research questions and describe research designs and advanced statistical analysis plans to address those research questions.
• Conduct original, theoretically-informed research directly related to the social sciences, behavioral sciences, and/or health education in the context of public health.
• Develop the skills needed to teach students about public health content.
• Apply principles of ethical conduct to public health research.

PhD in Biostatistics 

Upon completion of the PhD degree, the graduate will be able to: 

• Conduct independent research in the application of biostatistics.
• Develop and assess new statistical theory as needed.
• Develop and assess new statistical methods to address a broad range of complex biomedical or public health problems.
• Conduct complex statistical analyses for a broad range of applications.
• Teach statistical theory or methodology at multiple levels.

PhD in Environmental Health Sciences 

Upon completion of the PhD degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Apply advanced methods for assessing human exposures to environmental agents.
• Explain the actions of environmental exposures on human health via cellular and molecular processes, including risk factors that can modify these actions.
• Apply epidemiologic and risk assessment methods to describe the risks associated with exposure to environmental agents.
• Conduct a novel research project that addresses key challenges in environmental health sciences.

PhD in Epidemiology 

Upon completion of the PhD degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Evaluate epidemiologic research.
• Formulate an epidemiologic research question that addresses a gap in the literature.
• Develop an epidemiologic research study addressing a gap in the literature.
• Conduct independent research using epidemiologic methods.
• Communicate the results of epidemiologic research to a scientific audience.

PhD in Nutrition and Health Sciences 

Upon completion of the PhD degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Apply the fundamentals of nutrition science including methods of nutrition assessment.
• Evaluate scholarly work, programs, and interventions including work completed by peers in nutrition health sciences.
• Conduct independent research using appropriate research design and methods in the field of nutrition.
• Communicate current knowledge about key concepts in human nutrition science to students and peers.
• Develop the skills needed to teach students about nutritional science and health.

PhD in Health Services Research and Health Policy 

Upon completion of the PhD degree, graduates will be able to: 

• Describe major problems in health services and policy that are currently the subject of empirical investigations.
• Apply economic or political science concepts, theories and methods to the framing and analysis of research questions in health services and policy.
• Apply advanced economics or political science methods to relevant research questions in health services and policy.
• Communicate concepts and methods of health services and health policy research to students, professionals, and other stakeholders.
• Conduct a health services or health policy research investigation suitable for peer-reviewed publication as an independent researcher.
• Function as an interdisciplinary team collaborator in the design and conducting of a health services or health policy research investigation.