MPH Concentrations and Core Courses

The MPH program offers two concentrations: Research in Practice, or Health Law, Policy, and Ethics. The competencies for each are as follows:

Research in Practice Concentration Competencies

1. Generate hypotheses and assess relevant variables to measure and address health problems.
2.  Synthesize quantitative and/or qualitative data from numerous sources to assess the health status of populations and/or evaluate programs or interventions
3.  Choose data visualization techniques to design a communication strategy fora range of community and professional stakeholders
4.  Design a research study to address a health problem using a secondary/population data source
5.  Manage data with appropriate software for collection, storage, analysis, and presentation
6.  Incorporate equity and ethical principles and best practices in population health research in practice.

 

Health Policy, Law, and Ethics Concentration Competencies

1.  Synthesize health information and data from numerous sources to generate policy options to improve population health outcomes.
2.  Conduct a comprehensive economic review and analysis of a public health policy.
3.  Formulate strategic or financial plans for public health or healthcare organizations
4.  Assess the organizational structure, responsibilities, and values of key stakeholders, including governmental and nongovernmental organizations, to design and evaluate health policy options
5. Evaluate ethical and/or legal dimensions of a policy, program , or public health action, choosing or creating appropriate frameworks.
6. Incorporate equity and ethical principles and best practices in the development and evaluation of health policies.

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Core Courses

The M.P.H. degree program requires students to complete 42 credits of course work:

• at least 20 credits of required core courses;
• 16 credits of course work in a track or concentration;
• and the remaining credits in electives.

Each student accepted into the M.P.H. program will identify a concentration and develop an individualized course of study with their advisor (and approved by an M.P.H. faculty steering committee) that addresses the student’s professional interests, needs, and goals.

Students also must complete a minimum of 5 credits to satisfy the applied practice, practicum and integrative learning experience.

The following core courses, as well as other concentration-specific elective courses and program experiences, provide students with the opportunity to acquire the foundational public health knowledge and foundational competencies required of all accredited MPH programs.

PHS 7000 | Introduction to Biostatistics I

PHS 7010 | Fundamentals of Epidemiology

PHS 7050 | Public Health Law and Ethics

PHS 7060 | Program Planning & Evaluation

PHS 7100 | Intro to U.S. Health Care Policy

PHS 7170 | SAS & Data Management in Population Health

PHS 7180 | The Practice of Public Health

PHS 7470 | Management and Quality in Health Care Organizations

PHS 7840 | Human Subjects Research: Methodology, Ethics & Regulation