MPH Core Competencies

All students in the MPH program are expected to master a set of public health competencies during their studies. The foundational competencies are defined by the Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH, 2024).

The Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH, 2024) is the accrediting body for public health schools and programs. The concentration-specific competencies (listed on each MPH Concentrations‘ webpage) were identified by College of Public Health and Health Professions faculty experts and are also consistent with CEPH accreditation standards.

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 relevant communities and individuals 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 to a non-academic, non-peer audience with attention to factors such as literacy and health-literacy.
3. Describe the importance of cultural humility 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 systems thinking tools to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than a standard narrative