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Learning Objectives for the MPH Program

Overarching MPH Core Learning Objectives

Core Area-specific MPH Learning Objectives

Biostatistics
Environmental and Occupational Health
Epidemiology
- Institute of Public Health Genetics
- Nutritional Sciences
Global Health
Health Services

Master of Public Health

The Master of Public Health degree provides a broad introduction to the field 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.

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 confidence 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 scientific 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, specifically in the formulation or application of public health programs or policies.

Institute of Public Health Genetics

Apply knowledge of inheritance, including basic cellular and molecular mechanisms, to understanding a variety of rare and common health conditions.
Apply epidemiological and statistical approaches to the study of risk factors and disease with a genetic component.
Identify interactions among genes, environmental factors, and behaviors.
Understand how genetic principles/technologies apply to diagnosis, screening, and interventions for disease prevention and health promotion programs.
Incorporate genetic information into assessment, policy development and assurance activities.

Address the ethical, legal, social, and financial implications that arise from the application of genetic principles and technologies in public health, in ways that avoid discrimination and protect people's privacy.

Nutritional Sciences

Graduates will be able to:

Assess the nutritional health of populations.
Describe the public health nutrition system in the United States.
Plan and manage population-based interventions, programs and initiatives.
Evaluate public health nutrition programs.
Develop and analyze public health nutrition policies.

Department of Global Health

Learning Objectives and Competencies

Identify, analyze, and challenge power structures that produce poverty, inequality and disease. Describe the major underlying and proximate determinants of adverse health in developing countries. Apply community development skills, policy advocacy, and communication strategies to promote public health, while using human rights concepts and instruments to promote social justice.
Describe the burden of the most important health problems contributing to excess morbidity and mortality in developing countries, including their magnitude and distribution. Describe disparities in health status by gender, race and economic class. WHO’s burden of disease categories include: Communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional conditions, non-communicable diseases, and injuries.
Assess the appropriateness of intervention strategies to address major health problems in low-resource settings, including locally determined priorities and their efficacy, cost-effectiveness and feasibility in reaching all segments of the population. Evaluate and establish priorities to improve the health status of populations in low resource settings, with recognition of the importance of integrated strategies.
Incorporate qualitative, quantitative and operations research skills to design and apply reliable and valid research to identify innovative solutions for international health problems. Demonstrate a mastery of epidemiological and biostatistical approaches to public health issues. Read and analyze health literature critically (avoiding “translational”).
Use collaborative and culturally-relevant leadership skills to advocate for evidence-based policies and plans to solve health problems in international settings.
Analyze and explain the role of transnational networks and global institutions in the adoption and enforcement of international laws, conventions, agreements and standards that affect health and safety. This should include the domains of trade, labor, food supply, pharmaceuticals, international aid, human rights and conflict.
Design, manage and evaluate programs in developing countries in close collaboration with local institutions to assure equitable access to quality health care. Use financial management techniques that promote program sustainability and cost-effectiveness of primary health care systems.
Develop tailored messages, intervention methods, and delivery channels for prevention and sustainable behavior change programs. Design practical, culturally relevant and effective education and communication programs for resource constrained settings.
Analyze and explain the economic, social, political and academic conditions that can produce a strong health workforce. Address barriers to recruitment, training and retention of competent human resources in developing countries.

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.

Health Policy Analysis and Process

Public Health Sciences Skills and Perspectives:

Define, assess, and understand the health status of populations, determinants of health and illness, factors contributing to health promotion and disease prevention, and factors influencing the use of health services
Apply basic public health sciences to the development and improvement of public health programs for the prevention of disease and the promotion of public health and well being
Understand how to consider perspectives other than one's own in analyzing public health problems and developing solutions to those problems

Analytical Skills:

Apply critical thinking skills to public health problems
Apply basic economic principles to health policy issues
Apply basic legal principles to health policy issues
Apply basic ethical principles to health policy issues
Determine appropriate use of data and statistical methods for problem identification and resolution, and for program planning, implementation, and evaluation

Policy and Organizational Skills:

Describe the U.S. legislative process
Identify health policy issues
Conduct stakeholder analyses
Conduct impact analyses
Develop a policy implementation plan and mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating such an implementation plan

Communication Skills:

Communicate effectively with colleagues from other disciplines
Lead and participate in multidisciplinary groups to address specific public health problems and issues
Communicate effectively with lay audiences
Effectively advocate for public health programs and resources

Cultural Skills:

Identify the role of cultural, social, and behavioral factors in determining disease, disease prevention, health promoting behavior, and medical service organization and delivery

Interact sensitively, effectively, and professionally with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, and professional backgrounds, and with persons of all ages and lifestyle preferences.

Health Care and Population Health Research

Upon satisfactory completion of the Health Care and Population Health Research program, students will be able to meeting the following learning objectives:

To describe the relevance of health services research to public health organizations
To assist an agency in devleoping a research plan to address a public health problem

Maternal and Child Health

Upon satisfactory completion of the MCH program, students will be able to meeting the following learning objectives:

Describe the etiology, epidemiology, and history of maternal and child health problems
Apply knowledge of demographic, health, social, and community issues in designing MCH programs
Understand the organization, workforce, and financing of health services in the United States, and the position of maternal and child health services within that system
Discuss the historical development of federal, state, and local agencies and programs serving women, children, and families; and their current structures and missions
Demonstrate ethical conduct in practice and research
Demonstrate competency in the quantitative analysis of data
Communicate effectively with diverse audiences to improve the health of women, children, and families, especially low-income families with limited access to quality health services, and children with special health care needs

Social & Behavioral Sciences

Meet the learning objectives of the MPH core curriculum and the MPH in Health Services
Identify and evaluate the relative contribution of social and behavioral determinants including race, class, ethnicity, gender, level of economy, 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
Identify political, economic, and social processes that influence the development, evaluation, implementation, financing, and advocacy for policies and programs that improve the public's health
Analyze the organizational relationships among community and health promoting agencies in order to plan and implement effective health services
Collaborate with community representatives and agencies on the assessment of health problems, setting of priorities, and the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health services
Apply both quantitative and qualitative methodologies in the study of problems in health status, health care, and population health in order to identify effective policies, programs, services, and behaviors
Read and apply quantitative and qualitative research findings contained in medical, public health and social science journals to professional activities
Describe how communication processes affect individuals' health behavior and apply communication theory to the development of effective health communication interventions

Please direct all questions regarding the practicum program to:

Rene' M. Lucas, MPH Practicum Coordinator
Dean's Office
School of Public Health and Community Medicine
Box 357230
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-7230
(206) 685-8904