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Master of Public Health

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Core Competencies

MPH Degree Program Competencies 

  1. Define public health and the core functions of assessment, policy development, and assurance in the analysis of public health problems and their solutions;
  2. Articulate one health model of population-based health that reflects the human, animal, environmental health interdependency;
  3. Identify social, cultural and ethnic differences in the conduct, interpretation and use of public health studies, interventions and outcomes;
  4. Analyze, interpret and present public health data and strengths and limitation of public health source material;
  5. Describe biological concepts relevant to public health;
  6. Apply principles of study design and biostatistics in public health; (BIOST)
  7. Interpret results of statistical analysis in public health studies; (BIOST)
  8. Assess determinants and dynamics of health in communities and populations for the design and implementation of interventions that protect, maintain and /or restore health, well-being and productivity in individuals and populations; (EPI)
  1. Identify the direct and indirect population health effects of environmental hazards (biological, chemical and physical) on humans, animals and the ecology; (EH)
  2. Apply principles of environmental health sciences (exposure assessment, toxicology, environmental epidemiology) and risk assessment to evaluate environmental and occupational factors that impact health; (EH)
  3. Analyze health policy using sound policy analysis procedures; (PHA)
  4. Apply organization and management principles to public health agency operations; (PHA)
  5. Analyze the social and behavioral factors affecting health of individuals and populations; (SBS)
  6. Apply health behavior theories and models to address public health problems; (SBS)
  7. Demonstrate ability to communicate public health principles and concepts through various strategies across multiple sectors;
  8. Demonstrate team building, negotiation, and conflict management skills and use of collaborative methods for achieving organizational and community health goals.

Concentration Specific Competencies

Public Health Education Concentration
Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates from the Public Health Education concentration will demonstrate proficiency in the main areas of responsibility defined by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC):
  • Area I: Assess Needs, Assets and Capacity for Health Education
  • Area II: Plan Health Education
  • Area III: Implement Health Education
  • Area IV: Conduct Evaluation and Research Related to Health Education
  • Area V: Administer and Manage Health Education
  • Area VI: Serve as a Health Education Resource Person
  • Area VII: Communicate and Advocate for Health and Health Education
Infectious Disease Concentration
Upon completion of the MPH degree, graduates from the Infectious Disease concentration will demonstrate proficiency in the following competencies:
  • Identify and describe local, regional, national, and global infectious disease problems;
  • Describe infectious disease processes in populations and resulting disease impacts;
  • Discuss descriptive, analytical and experimental studies focused on infectious disease agents and related risk factors;
  • Describe the role of infectious disease public health specialists in recognizing, detecting, evaluating, and mitigating infectious disease and their impact on community and population health;
  • Design public health interventions that integrate general microbiological and immunological knowledge and tools as well as cultural and social, and local and global economic factors at the human - animal - environment interface, to prevent, control and/or eliminate emergence, introduction and propagation of infectious diseases in communities and populations.