Competencies and Learning Objectives

Foundational Learning Objectives

Profession & Science of Public Health:
Explain history, philosophy & values
Identify the core functions & 10 essential services
Explain role of quantitative & qualitative methods & sciences to describe & assess a population’s health
List major causes & trends of morbidity & mortality in the US or other relevant community
Discuss the science of primary, secondary & tertiary prevention in population health
Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge

Factors Related to Human Health:
Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health
Explain biological & genetic factors that affect population health
Explain behavioral & psychological factors that affect population health
Explain the social, political & economic determinants of health & how they contribute to population health & health inequity
Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health & ecosystem health (One Health)

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

5. Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings
6. 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

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

Policy in Public Health

12. Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
13. Propose strategies to identify relevant communities and individuals and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
14. Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
15. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity

Leadership

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

Communication

18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
19. 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
20. Describe the importance of cultural humility in communicating public health content

Interprofessional and/or Intersectoral Practice

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

Systems Thinking

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

1. Translate mathematical and statistical foundations to biostatistics
2. Design and critically evaluate study protocols in the health sciences
3. Design and apply comprehensive data management strategies for health-related studies
4. Identify and apply suitable statistical methods for data analyses
5. Effectively communicate statistical information to health practitioners and professionals

1. Describe public health issues in terms of person, place, and time from social, environmental, population, and individual perspectives.
2. Identify and use sources of epidemiologic information and knowledge as a basis for sound research, decision-making, and data-driven public health practice.
3. Develop a study design and acknowledge the strengths and limitations for application..
4. Interpret and communicate the results of analysis to ensure the effective application of epidemiologic methods.
5. Always demonstrate strong ethics in the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of data used for public health practice.

1. Critique and integrate theories of leadership into personal philosophy of leadership.
2. Integrate principles of cultural awareness and operational consideration into organizational goals.
3.  Make policy recommendations at the organizational, local, state, or federal-level to improve population and community health.
4.  Demonstrate leadership’s role in identifying sources of risk and developing mitigation strategies in the implementation of a public health plan.
5.  Apply quality and leadership concepts to address organizational practices.

1. Identify the unique lifecourse, biological, sociocultural, and behavioral assets and challenges of public health practice with women, children and families.
2. Critique and evaluate existing public health interventions or policies for their appropriateness and implications for women, children and families.
3. Describe the historical landmark policies that have influenced public health practice in maternal and child health.
4. Develop an advocacy plan that engages a community in improving maternal and child health outcomes.
5. Describe a maternal and child issue in terms of time, magnitude/severity, scope, dispersion/location, and co-occurrence/co-morbidity.

The MHA Program uses a competency model inspired by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership. Throughout the program, students participate in applied learning experiences that develop essential skills and behaviors necessary for effective health management practice. By graduation, students are expected to demonstrate applied proficiency in each of the following competencies:

MHA.01 – Strategic Management
The ability to analyze complex environments, anticipate trends, and develop strategies that inform decision-making, planning, and implementation to enhance organizational sustainability, responsiveness, and long-term value.

MHA.02 – Accountable Leadership
The ability to take ownership of decisions and outcomes, lead individuals and teams with integrity, and foster a culture of responsibility across teams and organizations.

MHA.03 – Communication
The ability to convey ideas clearly and persuasively across diverse audiences using written, verbal, and digital formats; fostering shared understanding, facilitating collaboration, and advancing organizational goals.

MHA.04 – Relationship Management
The ability to navigate interpersonal and team dynamics, motivate others, and foster trust to support collaboration, performance outcomes, and a positive organizational culture.

MHA.05 – Performance Measurement
The ability to apply financial, operational, and clinical metrics to assess outcomes, set goals, and support evidence-informed decision-making.

MHA.06 – Technology and Innovation
The ability to leverage digital tools, data systems, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance decision-making, improve performance, and drive innovation in health care delivery and administration.

MHA.07 – Ethics and Integrity
The ability to make ethical decisions, demonstrate professionalism, and act consistently with legal, ethical, professional, and organizational standards and values in complex situations.

MHA.08 – Systems Thinking
The ability to understand the broader context of organizational and community systems by identifying patterns, interdependencies, and root causes, and applying this insight to anticipate impacts and inform strategic planning.

MHA.09 – Evidence-Based Decision-Making
The ability to gather, evaluate, and interpret information, assess alternatives, and make timely, well-reasoned decisions that align with organizational goals.

MHA.10 – Financial Management
The ability to interpret financial information, manage resources effectively, and make responsible decisions that support organizational sustainability and strategic priorities.

MHA.11 – Quality & Process Improvement
The ability to evaluate systems and redesign processes to improve safety, efficiency, and outcomes using principles of continuous quality improvement and stakeholder-centered design.

MHA.12 – Project Management
The ability to lead projects by defining scope, aligning resources, managing timelines, and coordinating stakeholders to achieve defined goals and outcomes.

HBR PhD1. Demonstrate ability to critically assess and apply rigorous research methods, including quantitative and qualitative methods, to address research hypotheses using a range of public health research designs

HBR PhD2. Synthesize knowledge to identify gaps in the literature about important public health issues.

HBR PhD3. Use research methods to develop, test, and implement interventions designed to achieve social and behavioral change.

EPID PhD1. Synthesize findings from epidemiologic studies in order to effectively communicate information that addresses public health issues.

EPID PhD2. Demonstrate an ability to design an appropriate study to address a given public health issue.

EPID PhD3. Formulate study hypotheses based on evidence to generate original research initiatives.

HBR MS1. Conduct a comprehensive literature review of the psychological, social, and cultural determinants of health behavior
HBR MS2. Apply and interpret data relevant to health behavior research
HBR MS3. Demonstrate a core set of research skills for conducting health behavior research

EPID MS1. Appropriately quantify risk and protective factors for various public health problems
EPID MS2. Identify categories of threats to validity and appropriate actions to minimize them
EPID MS3. Analyze the components and applications of causal inference adopted in the field of epidemiology