I. According to the requirements of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), all BSPH degree students must be grounded in foundational public health knowledge. Grounding in foundational public health knowledge is measured by the student’s achievement of the learning objectives listed below, or higher-level versions of the same objectives.

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

  1. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health
  2. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health
  3. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health
  4. Explain the social, political and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities
  5. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
  6. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health and ecosystem health (eg, One Health)

II. In addition to the CEPH learning objectives, graduating students in professional master’s degrees must demonstrate their ability to perform foundational competencies. These CEPH competencies are informed by the traditional public health core knowledge areas, (biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, health services administration and environmental health sciences), as well as cross-cutting and emerging public health areas.

Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health

  1. Apply epidemiological methods to 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 & Health Care Systems

  1. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings
  2. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and systemic levels

Planning & Management to Promote Health

  1. Assess population needs, assets and capacities that affect communities’ health
  2. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation or critique of public health policies or programs
  3. Design a population-based policy, program, project or intervention
  4. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
  5. Select methods to evaluate public health programs

Policy in Public Health

  1. Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
  2. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
  3. Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
  4. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity

Leadership

  1. Apply leadership  and/or management principles to address a relevant issue
  2. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges

Communication

  1. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
  2. Communicate audience-appropriate public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
  3. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content

Interprofessional Practice

  1. Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health

Systems Thinking

  1. Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative

III. In addition to the CEPH learning objectives, graduating DrPH students must demonstrate their ability to perform foundational competencies outlined below.

Data & Analysis

  1. Explain qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods and policy analysis research and evaluation methods to address health issues at multiple (individual, group, organization, community and population) levels
  2. Design a qualitative, quantitative, mixed methods, policy analysis or evaluation project to address a public health issue
  3. Explain the use and limitations of surveillance systems and national surveys in assessing, monitoring and evaluating policies and programs and to address a population’s health

Leadership, Management & Governance

  1. Propose strategies for health improvement and elimination of health inequities by organizing stakeholders, including researchers, practitioners, community leaders and other partners
  2. Communicate public health science to diverse stakeholders, including individuals at all levels of health literacy, for purposes of influencing behavior and policies
  3. Integrate knowledge, approaches, methods, values and potential contributions from multiple professions, sectors and systems in addressing public health problems
  4. Create a strategic plan
  5. Facilitate shared decision making through negotiation and consensus-building methods
  6. Create organizational change strategies
  7. Propose strategies to promote inclusion and equity within public health programs, policies, and systems
  8. Assess one’s own strengths and weaknesses in leadership capacities, including cultural proficiency
  9. Propose human, fiscal, and other resources to achieve a strategic goal
  10. Cultivate new resources and revenue streams to achieve a strategic goal

Policy & Programs

  1. Design a system-level intervention to address a public health issue
  2. Integrate knowledge of cultural values and practices in the design of public health policies and programs
  3. Integrate scientific information, legal and regulatory approaches, ethical frameworks and varied stakeholder interests in policy development and analysis
  4. Propose interprofessional and/or intersectoral team approaches to improving public health

Education & Workforce Development

  1. Assess an audience’s knowledge and learning needs
  2. Deliver training or educational experiences that promote learning in academic, organizational or community settings
  3. Use best practice modalities in pedagogical practices