Learning Objectives for MPH Program

Master of Public Health

The Master of Public Health degree provides a broad introduction to the fi eld of public health and its core disciplines. The general learning objectives for the MPH degree are listed below. These objectives apply to all MPH students, regardless of the department or track in which they are enrolled. The program- and track-specific learning objectives are shown in Appendix V-1.

Upon satisfactory completion of the MPH program, students should be able to meet the following learning objectives:

Overarching MPH Core Learning Objectives

Communicate effectively and persuasively, both orally and in writing.
Work effectively in and with diverse cultures and communities (cultural competency).
Critically read and evaluate quantitative and qualitative research findings contained in medical, public health, and social science journals.
Apply analytic tools to defining and describing public health problems.
Demonstrate creativity, inquisitiveness, and evidence-based rigor in the application of public health problem-solving skills.

Core Area-specific MPH Learning Objectives

Biostatistics

Plot graphs and compute summary statistics to display important features of a set of data.
Describe major research study designs and their advantages and limitations.
Explain the logic of statistical hypothesis tests and confi dence intervals.
Perform appropriate hypothesis tests to compare one group to a standard, two groups to each other, and K-groups to each other.
Set up hypotheses to be tested based on data from a biomedical research study and the major research question of the study.
Determine the sample size needed for a study to have a given power.

Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Define the major sources of chemical, microbial, and physical agent contamination identified in water, air, soil, and food.
Understand the effects of environmental contaminants on the human body.
Describe basic methods of assessment and control of environmental health hazards.
Describe the impact of social and behavioral influences on health and the interaction of these influences with environmental hazards;
Organize data and information, prepare technical reports, and give oral presentations on recognition, evaluation, management, and control of environmental health hazards;
Identify current regulatory problems and legislative authorities directed at managing contamination in water, air, soil, and food; and
Effectively communicate environmental health risks and prevention strategies to potential affected communities.

Epidemiology

Define and calculate measures of disease frequency and measures of association between risk factors and disease;
Describe the major epidemiologic research study designs and their advantages and limitations;
Describe the major sources of bias in epidemiologic research (confounding, selection bias, and measurement error) and the ways to evaluate and reduce the bias;
Apply criteria to support whether an association is causal;
Understand the basic terms and methods used in outbreak investigation, infectious disease epidemiology, chronic disease epidemiology, disease prevention trials, and evaluation of screening tests;
Critically review the scientifi c literature, synthesize the findings across studies, and make appropriate public health recommendations based on current knowledge;
Interpret results of an epidemiologic study, including the relation to findings from other epidemiologic studies, the potential biological and/or social mechanisms, the limitations of the study, and the public health implications; and
Apply epidemiologic skills in a public health setting, specifi cally in the formulation or application of public health programs or policies.

Health Services

Explain and apply an understanding of the socioeconomic, behavioral, biological, and societal determinants of health and disease. Understand the factors affecting the etiology, incidence, and prevalence of major health problems and disparities in populations;
Explain the sociocultural and health sector responses to health conditions in society. Understand the factors affecting the need, demand, and utilization of health care and public health services;
Explain and apply an understanding of the economic, social, technological, political, and regulatory factors shaping the financing and organization of health services;
Explain how the availability, financing, and organization of health services affects access, costs, quality, and outcomes;
Explain the context, structure, functioning, and effectiveness of public health systems and other programs aimed at protecting and promoting the health of the public;
Explain and apply an understanding of the economic, social, and political factors that influence health policy; and
Understand the importance of and be able to balance science and values in the development and advocacy of policy positions.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Identify and evaluate the relative contribution of social and behavioral determinants—including race, ethnicity and class, social capital, gender, age, disability status, sexual orientation, level of economy, income inequality, attitudes and beliefs, and health and illness behaviors—to the health status of populations;
Describe how social and behavioral processes affect the etiology, incidence, and prevalence of the major diseases in the population;
Identify and discuss possible ways to remove barriers to self-care and the use of effective health care services, including those outside the health sector; and
Identify political, economic, and social processes that infl uence the development, evaluation, implementation, fi nancing, and advocacy for policies and programs that improve the public’s health.