UM SPH Home > Academic Departments & Programs > Learning Objectives

Academic Departments & Programs

Supplemental Programs

Certificate in the Foundations of Public Health

Degrees Offered

Academic Courses

SPH Registrar

Academic Support Offices and Services

Public Health Symposium

Site Menu

Learning Objectives

Biostatistics
Environmental Health Sciences
Epidemiology
Health Behavior and Health Education
Health Management and Policy

Department of Biostatistics Learning Objectives

Master of Public Health

The Master of Public Health Degree in Biostatistics is a professional degree that prepares students for careers in the application of statistical methods to the design and analysis of studies in Public Health. The statistics portion of this program includes courses on both the theory and applications of biostatistics. The biological portion consists of the core curriculum for the Master of Public Health Degree and includes broad exposure to health topics.

All MPH students in the School of Public Health are required to take coursework for the breadth and integration of knowledge, and a capstone activity. One of the Core Biostatistics courses, BIOSTAT699, serves for integration of knowledge and as the capstone activity in Biostatistics. To satisfy the Breadth requirement, MPH students in Biostatistics are required to take at least 12 credit hours outside of biostatistics. Within these 12 credit hours, students must take at least one course from each of the designated topic areas of Public Health. The Epidemiology requirement is satisfied by either passing the Epidemiology exemption exam or completing one of the following courses: EPID503 or EPID601. Each student’s program is developed with an academic advisor to assure that coursework requirements will be satisfied.

Upon satisfactory completion of the MPH degree in Biostatistics, graduates will be able to:

  • Develop careers as collaborators and leaders on public health and medical research team; effectively communicate statistical results to persons without specialized statistical training
  • Describe the foundations of public health (including physical, biological, and social or behavioral factors affecting the health of communities) and systems for health services delivery
  • Explain and apply basic biostatistical techniques to a variety of estimation and hypothesis testing situations
  • Use a variety of statistical computing programs to analyze data from studies on health
  • Appreciate problems involved in data collection and management
  • Participate in drawing conclusions from data and in the presentation and writing of reports and papers

Master of Science

The Master of Science Degree is an academic/research degree that prepares students for research careers in the application of statistical methods to the design and analysis of biomedical and health services research projects. This program is administered through the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. The statistics portion of this program includes courses on both the theory and applications of biostatistics. The biological portion consists of at least 9 credit hours of a cognate study in a particular area where biostatistics is applied. Usually, this is in a field of health sciences such as epidemiology or human genetics, but might also be in biology or public policy, for example. Through this requirement, students have the opportunity to study an area of application of Biostatistics in depth. Each MS student must satisfy an Epidemiology requirement either by passing the Epidemiology exemption exam or by completing one of the following courses: EPID503, EPID516, or EPID601. The credits used for the Epidemiology requirement may also be used toward the student’s cognate requirement.

Upon satisfactory completion of the MS degree in Biostatistics, graduates will be able to:

  • Develop careers as research collaborators and team leaders in areas of health or biological sciences
  • Apply basic biostatistical techniques to a variety of estimation and hypothesis testing situations
  • Explain and apply basic biostatistical techniques
  • Use a variety of statistical computing programs to analyze research data
  • Function as collaborators on research teams, particularly in a cognate area of study, and effectively communicate (both orally and in writing) statistical results
  • Appreciate problems involved in data collection and management
  • Participate in drawing conclusions from data and in the presentation and writing of research reports and papers

Master of Science in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis

The Master of Science Degree in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis is a research degree that provides the opportunity for physicians, dentists, pharmacologists, and others involved in clinical research to develop expertise in research design and statistical analysis while remaining in a clinical setting. Students in this On Job/On Campus program come to the School of Public Health for one four-day weekend per month for eighteen months.

This program is an interdepartmental program of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. It is a joint program between the Departments of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Health Behavior and Health Education. It is administered within the Department of Biostatistics. In addition to a comprehensive curriculum in research design and statistical analysis, other content includes epidemiology, ethical and legal issues in clinical research, technical writing, and the preparation of research reports and grant proposals.

Upon satisfactory completion of the MS degree in Clinical Research Design and Statistical Analysis, graduates will be able to:

  • Enhance their careers in clinical research
  • Incorporate research design concepts such as validity, reliability, randomization, and control in the design of clinical research studies
  • Lead in the formulation and preparation of protocols and proposal for clinical research studies
  • Apply basic biostatistical techniques to clinical research studies
  • Interpret statistical analyses in medical literature
  • Use a variety of statistical computing programs to analyze data from health studies
  • Develop data collection instruments and procedures
  • Appreciate problems involved in data management
  • Apply the methods of decision analysis and cost-benefit analysis
  • Draw conclusions from data; write and present research reports and papers

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biostatistics is an academic/research degree that prepares students for careers in research and teaching of statistical methods for the design and analysis of biomedical and health services research projects. This program is administered through the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies. The statistics portion of this program incorporates courses from the Departments of Biostatistics and Statistics. The biological portion consists of at least 9 credit hours of a cognate study in a particular area of application in biostatistics. Usually, this is in a field of health sciences such as epidemiology or human genetics, but might also be in biology or public policy, for example. Through this requirement, students have the opportunity to study an area of the application of Biostatistics in depth. In addition, other elective courses can include study in this or other areas of public health. Many PhD students choose one of the four remaining School of Public Health areas for their cognate. In addition, each PhD student must satisfy an Epidemiology requirement by either passing the Epidemiology exemption exam or completing one of the following courses: EPID503, EPID516, or EPID601. The credits used by the Epidemiology requirement may also be used toward the student’s cognate requirement. A qualifying examination on biostatistical theory and methods and an advanced examination in a specialized area of biostatistics must be passed. Finally, a dissertation in which new methodology in biostatistics is developed must be written and defended.

Upon satisfactory completion of the PhD degree in Biostatistics, graduates will be able to:

  • Develop careers as faculty and team leaders in industrial, governmental, and university research organizations such as the National Institutes of Health or the Centers for Disease Control
  • Explain, apply, and extend basic biostatistical techniques
  • Teach statistical theory and methodology and advise doctoral students
  • Apply advanced biostatistical methods in a cognate area
  • Develop new biostatistics methodologies
  • Serve as research collaborators, consultants and team leaders
  • Demonstrate proficiency in study design, data management, statistical analysis, and the interpretation of statistical findings
  • Demonstrate awareness of the problems involved in data collection and management
  • Use appropriate statistical computing programs to analyze health research data
  • Demonstrate proficiency in presentation and publication of research findings

Top of page

Department of Environmental Health Sciences Learning Objectives

The Master of Public Health Degree in Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) is a professional degree that prepares students for careers in broad spectrum of venues, including federal, state or local health departments, private industry and non profit organizations.

All MPH students in the School of Public Health are required to take coursework for the breadth and integration of knowledge, and a capstone activity. To satisfy the breadth requirement, MPH students least 12 credit hours outside of EHS. Within these 12 credit hours, students must take at least one course from each of the other departments in the School of Public Health (biostatistics, epidemiology, health behavior/health education, health management and policy). Each student’s program is developed with an academic advisor to assure coursework requirements will be satisfied. The Master of Public Health degree in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences also requires preparation in common knowledge aspects of environmental health as well as specific concentrations or subplans.

Master of Public Health (MPH)

Upon successful completion of the MPH degree in Environmental Health Sciences, all graduates will be able to:

  • Demonstrate broad knowledge in the core areas of public health;
  • Describe and assess environmental exposures, including those from food, air, water
  • Describe and assess risks from environmental agents, including those in food, air and water
  • Demonstrate knowledge of interactions between environmental agents and human metabolism
  • Understand ethical perspectives and practice in all areas of environmental health
  • Demonstrate appropriate written and oral communication skills

Subplan Specific Objectives

Subplan 1. Environmental Health

  • Identify sources of toxic chemicals
  • Describe processes involved in the transport, behavior and fate of toxic chemicals in air, water and soils and their transfer to the human food chain
  • Demonstrate knowledge of interactions of environmental chemicals and infectious agents with biological systems, including routes of entry, patterns of distribution, metabolism, elimination and adverse effects in humans and other exposed organisms
  • Assess exposures and abatement methods for air pollution and water pollution;
  • Assess and accurately describe risks from toxic pollutants in the environmental media
  • Understand relevant environmental regulations and policy-making processes; assess compliance with regulations in specific instances.

Subplan 2. Human Nutrition

  • Demonstrate integrated knowledge of nutrient functions, utilization, metabolism, and interaction
  • Recognize relationships between food intake, nutrition, contaminant exposure and biological and chemical hazards
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basis, interpretation and application of nutrient requirements and dietary recommendations
  • Demonstrate changes in nutrient needs throughout the life cycle
  • Know factors that affect accessibility, adequacy and safety of the food supply system and the relationship to community food systems assessment and analysis
  • Demonstrate selection and use of appropriate nutritional assessment methods; use assessment results to prioritize nutrition problems among target populations
  • Demonstrate skills for assessing communities through collection of quantitative and qualitative community data
  • Demonstrate skills to interact sensitively, effectively and professionally with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational and professional backgrounds, varying ages, and varied lifestyle preferences
  • Demonstrate skills to develop, select, disseminate and evaluate appropriate food and nutrition education approaches and materials for health promotion/disease prevention and intervention for target populations
  • Know processes for interviewing, counseling, collaboration, coalition building and effective participation with different groups (individuals, committees, community groups, health professionals, media, policy and decision makers)
  • Know federal, regional, state and local governmental structures and processes involved in development of public policy, legislation, regulations and delivery of services that influence food intake, nutritional status and health of populations
  • Demonstrate skills in assessing, planing implementing and evaluating food and nutrition programs
  • Effectively express information in verbal and written presentations appropriate for lay and professional audiences

Subplan 3. Industrial Hygiene

  • Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of chemical, physical, ergonomic, radiological, and biological hazards that can exist in workplaces
  • Understand fundamental methods of biostatistics and epidemiology and the application to evaluation of industrial hygiene issues
  • Utilize knowledge from environmental science, health behavior and education, and health management and policy in assessing industrial hygiene problems
  • Integrate general background in public health with additional knowledge from specialty areas of industrial hygiene practice
  • Demonstrate abilities in the science and practice of industrial hygiene -- anticipate, recognize, evaluate, control, and communicate workplace hazards
  • Demonstrate knowledge of national and international workplace health and safety legislation and regulations

Subplan 4. Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology

  • Identify environmental/occupational agents and their effects on health
  • Describe exposure measurements, including interpretation of sampling results and the strengths and limitations of different sampling strategies
  • Design a small epidemiologic study of an environmental or occupational factor and a health outcome; collect and analyze original data for this study; or use an existing data set and complete original analyses of the data
  • Deliver a manuscript and oral presentation describing the epidemiologic study, including its design, results, and interpretation of results

Subplan 5. Toxicology

  • Recognize adverse health consequences of common or well-known environmental exposures
  • Identify symptoms and mechanisms of intoxication in the major organ systems
  • Apply knowledge of chemical and biological properties to explain and predict responses to environmental exposures
  • Identify the principles and practices of exposure assessment
  • Interpret and apply statistical and epidemiological methods toxicologic problems
  • Identify the policies, laws, regulations and agencies governing environmental and occupational exposure and safety

Master of Science (MS)

The Master of Science degree prepares graduates for research-related positions in academia or industry or for further academic pursuit of a doctoral degree.

Upon successful completion of the MS degree in Environmental Health Sciences, graduates within the different subplans will have met specific learning objectives.

Subplan 1. Environmental Health

  • Identify sources of toxic chemicals;
  • Describe processes involved in the transport, behavior and fate of toxic chemicals in air, water, and soils and their transfer to the human food chain
  • Assess exposures and abatement methods for air pollution and water pollution
  • Demonstrate knowledge of interactions of environmental chemicals and infectious agents with biological systems, including their routes of entry, patterns of distribution, metabolism, elimination and adverse effects in humans and other exposed organisms
  • Demonstrate the knowledge and professional skills necessary for independent investigation of processes, pathways and/or effects of chemical and biological agents in natural and stressed environments
  • Conceptualize a research problem of relevance in environmental health; design and conduct a study to address the problem/issue using appropriate research and analytical methods
  • Present project/study results of an investigation in environmental health sciences in both oral and written forms

Subplan 2. Human Nutrition

Upon successful completion of the MS degree in Human Nutrition, graduates will be able to

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of human physiology, biochemistry and nutrition science
  • Demonstrate integrated understanding of nutrition function and metabolism, and the interactions among nutrients and other dietary constituents (such as dietary fibers and phytochemicals)
  • Effectively express nutrition information in written and verbal presentations for lay and professional audiences
  • Gather, evaluate, interpret and summarize nutrition information from the scientific literature
  • Design and conduct nutrition research with limited guidance and supervision
  • Apply statistical methods to analysis of nutrition research results
  • Present research results in a written thesis or manuscript; prepare report(s) for publication in scientific journals

Subplan 3. Industrial Hygiene

  • Establish a background in basic and industrial hygiene sciences
  • Understand fundamental methods of biostatistics and epidemiology for evaluation of issues affecting industrial hygiene research and practice
  • Demonstrate abilities in the science and practice of industrial hygiene -- anticipate, recognize, evaluate, control, and communicate workplace hazards
  • Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of chemical, physical, ergonomic, radiological, and biological hazards that can exist in workplaces
  • Demonstrate knowledge of workplace health and safety legislation and regulations, on both national and international bases
  • Identify a research problem in industrial hygiene; design and conduct a study to address the problem/issue using appropriate research and analytical methods
  • Present project/study results of the investigation in both oral and written forms, identifying possible further research in industrial hygiene, whether as professional practice or in the pursuit of a doctoral degree

Subplan 4. Toxicology

  • Understand the fundamental principles of toxicology, including the dose response, exposure, metabolism, toxicokinetics and mechanisms of organ systems and molecular toxicology
  • Understand basic functions of major organ systems and project the mechanisms of how chemicals produce symptoms and cause intoxication
  • Explain and predict responses and outcomes to chemical exposures from environmental or therapeutic origin
  • Develop hypotheses and experimental plans to lead to the conduct of research to elucidate specific mechanisms of toxicity
  • Identify analytical research methods and their application to toxicological research
  • Interpret data and results and apply appropriate statistical and deductive methods
  • Communicate results and interpretations in oral and written formats

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)
Environmental Health and Industrial Hygiene

The DrPH degree emphasizes environmental health practice and is designed to develop the skills needed to function in leadership positions in major public health programs and organizations. Students enrolled in the program should already have acquired most of the basic knowledge and competencies required for the MPH degree in environmental health sciences. While students may have professional expertise in other areas, the DrPH program is intended for those whose professional identity and primary areas of expertise will be the practice of environmental health in terms of environmental management and intervention, health promotion, disease prevention and practice-oriented research.

Upon satisfactory completion of the DrPH degree, the student will be able to

  • Identify researchable questions that will advance knowledge of a topic of significance in environmental health sciences or industrial hygiene through critical analysis of previously published studies from the literature, including appropriateness of research design, methodologies, results and conclusions
  • Translate/operationalize a conceptual framework into researchable components and measurable variables
  • Understand a range of methodologies; select and apply the most appropriate ones to address specific research questions
  • Understand fundamental and more advanced methods of biostatistics and epidemiology for evaluation of issues affecting public health
  • Design and carry out a study to address a selected topic using appropriate research and analytical methods
  • Identify the principles of ethics in research and the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects
  • Present the results and conclusions of a study in a clear and concise manner in both orally written forms
  • Demonstrate the ability to function effectively, both independently and as part of a team in an academic and/or professional position as a scholar, research investigator, communicator, peer reviewer and practitioner
  • Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of chemical, physical, ergonomic, radiological, and biological hazards

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The PhD program prepares students for positions of leadership in research or in research and teaching in the field of environmental health sciences. The primary distinction between the two doctoral programs is that DrPH program places greater emphasis on environmental practice whereas the PhD program is reflective of theory-informed or hypothesis-driven research. Both programs share similar objectives; many of the differences between the programs relate to the depth of coverage of a particular objective. The PhD program presupposes a foundation of basic knowledge in sciences relevant to environmental health. Some students, however, may need additional work in one or more of the relevant areas depending on their background before entering the program. The student, in consultation with his or her academic advisor is required to make specific course selections with the requirements of the program based on the student's professional goals.

Upon completion of the PhD program the student will be able to:

  • Critically review and analyze relevant scientific literature for appropriateness of research design, methodologies, results and conclusions;
  • Synthesize information, develop hypotheses and conduct original research
  • Identify ethical and responsible behavior in research and learn guidelines for the ethical conduct of research involving human subjects;
  • Demonstrate capability to learn and master necessary analytical tools and research techniques
  • Analyze and interpret data and results applying appropriate statistical methods and deductive reasoning
  • Present the results and conclusions of dissertation research in a clear and concise manner in both oral and written forms.
  • Communicate effectively with colleagues and peers
  • Prepare research reports and papers that qualify for publication in leading scientific journals

Top of page

Department of Epidemiology Learning Objectives

Master of Public Health (MPH)

All MPH graduates in General Epidemiology are expected to demonstrate competency in core areas of public health (biostatistics; epidemiology; health administration, planning, and policy analysis; physical, chemical and biological aspects of health; social and behavioral sciences). The general epidemiology MPH program is designed to prepare individuals for broad classes of actions that make them productive in local, state, national and international service epidemiology positions or in academia or industry.

Upon successful completion of the MPH degree in General Epidemiology, graduates will be able to

  • Identify historical trends in the most common causes of death from both infections and chronic diseases in the United States
  • Use vital health statistics to assess patterns and determinants of overall and cause-specific mortality
  • Identify the nature and complexity of inter-individual variability (biological, biochemical, and physiological) as it affects the study of a disease process
  • Identify the concept of exposure as it refers to a potential causal factor that may be associated with states of health and disease
  • Critically analyze literature; identify and formulate reasonable hypotheses to resolve research questions
  • Identify the natural history of disease and the influence on research questions and choice of study design
  • Identify the biochemical, cellular and molecular basis for normal and pathological functioning, and the interaction among anatomical systems and organs in health and disease
  • Identify the most important chronic, infectious, and degenerative diseases of humans in terms of the public’s health
  • Identify behavioral, social, and socioeconomic factors, as well as race/ethnicity and gender, that are major determinants of the incidence, prevalence, progression, and distribution of common diseases
  • Identify multiple physical (ionizing and non-ionizing radiations) and biological (microbial agents) factors in the natural history of acute and chronic illnesses
  • Understand accuracy and reproducibility of measures and classifications of physical and biological risk factors
  • Interpret studies that deal with simple relationships among genetic factors and variation in disease risk
  • Identify the basic strategies for observational and experimental studies
  • Identify relationships among study design, sampling strategies, and analysis methods for studying infectious diseases, chronic diseases and reproductive outcomes
  • Identify the basic required components of ethical research including informed consent, and protection of the rights of human subjects
  • Identify data needs and analytic methods for calculating standard epidemiological measures (e.g., prevalence, incidence, risk ratios, cumulative risk)
  • Define appropriate sampling methods for surveys and research projects
  • Understand collection of original data, managment of a dataset (standard practices for data coding, data entry, generating codebooks, data verification, cleaning, and editing), appropriate analysis, results interpretation, and analysis presentation Utilize appropriate computer packages for data entry and data analysis
  • Identify existing sources of data which can be used in epidemiological research, and understand the strengths and limitations the databases
  • Identify legal responsibilities, minimum public health program requirements, and accreditation standards for communicable disease surveillance and outbreak investigation

Concentration Specific Objectives

Concentration 1. Dental Public Health

Studies within the program in Dental Public Health are designed to prepare dentists and dental hygienists for a wide range of administrative, supervisory, academic, and research careers. Admission to the Dental Public Health program is usually given only to dentists and dental hygienists, though licensure in Michigan is not required.

Upon successful completion of the MPH degree in Dental Public Health, graduates will be able to

  • Identify the historical development of dental public health as a specialty, its core functions, the dental care delivery system in the United States and elsewhere, and the educational and licensing requirements for dental practitioners
  • Identify trends in distribution of oral diseases and conditions, and the scientific basis for identifying risk factors for oral diseases
  • Identify specific methods used in dental epidemiologic studies, including clinical trials and surveys. This includes hypothesis formulation, study design, measurement, sampling, examiner standardization, and data processing, analysis, and interpretation
  • Identify the basic data required for program planning (treatment needs, resources, social and demographic profiles), and the sources of such information, define program objectives, activities, and approaches to program evaluation
  • Identify surveillance systems in dental public health
  • Identify environmental concerns in dentistry, such as those related to dental fluorosis, the use of mercury, ionizing radiation, and occupational hazards such as transmission of HBV and HIV
  • Identify currently accepted preventive procedures in dentistry and the advantages, disadvantages, appropriateness, and costs of the procedures

Concentration 2. International Health

International health is defined here as "health conditions and health services in developing countries". This definition and others close to it are widely used today. "Developing countries" are usually defined as those classified as "low-income" or "medium-income". Using the World Bank's dividing-lines for 1992, this means a per capita GDP of less than $7,500.

Two features of the definition may be noted. First, it relates to a group of countries with epidemiological characteristics generally different from those in the rest of the world (i.e., in high-income countries). Conspicuous among these characteristics are the relatively high incidence of infectious diseases, the rapidly rising number of chronic disease cases, and the severe limitations imposed by poverty on the type and scale of disease control programs which can be undertaken.

Second, the definition of the field implies that the study of international health must be based on both health sciences and social sciences. Defining international health in this eclectic manner has an important practical payoff. The public health practitioner in a developing country operates typically in a resource-poor environment, and does not have the luxury of having several different specialists on the team. No academic program at the master's level could offer in-depth training in all the health sciences and social sciences relevant for international health. The Michigan program gives primary emphasis to epidemiology, so that its graduates can function professionally as epidemiologists, and provides a grounding in relevant social sciences sufficient to give the epidemiologist the versatility necessary for work in a developing country.

International Health students are expected to meet the same set of competencies as those outline for the General Epidemiology program with an emphasis on the application to the developing country setting. In addition, students will be able to:

  • Perceive patterns of disease and health that indicate potential for preventive actions and/or potential for investigations to uncover controllable causes of disease.
  • Show competence in the ability to review, synthesize and critique scientific literature in the field
  • Show competence in the ability to carry out statistical analyses of relations between socioeconomic and health variables in the field
  • Design, execute, and analyze studies that define causes of disease and indicate appropriate preventive and control actions
  • Show competence in the ability to estimate costs and outcomes of specific health services, and to use this information to compute cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit ratios

Concentration 3. Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology

The Masters of Public Health (MPH) in hospital and molecular epidemiology (HME) is intended to prepare graduates for a variety of careers where laboratory methods are applied to public health problems. Students with an MPH in HME pursue careers in hospitals, health departments, government, industry, and academia. They are prepared to either be public health practitioners, or to conduct laboratory based health research projects or molecular epidemiologic investigations. The HME MPH also provides a strong foundation for students wishing to obtain a more advanced professional or academic degree.

All MPH graduates in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology (HME) are expected to demonstrate competency in core areas of public health (biostatistics; epidemiology; health administration, planning, and policy analysis; physical, chemical and biological aspects of health; social and behavioral sciences).

Students have the opportunity to learn a variety of molecular and analytic techniques in the study of both infectious disease agents and physiological processes important in either infectious or chronic diseases. Students learn how to design and develop new intervention programs (including vaccines) for the control and prevention of disease. Students become familiar with the basic principles of biostatistics, epidemiology, genetics, immunology, microbiology and pathology. Research skills are honed through independent laboratory-based research projects.

Upon completion of the MPH degree in Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology, students will be able to:

  • Identify basic bacteriology, virology, parasitology and mycology with emphasis on human pathogens, including knowledge of biology of pathogenic organisms, methods of identification of pathogens, and modes of transmission
  • Identify disease distribution, frequency and determinants of human pathogens
  • Identify immune responses to pathogens, manipulation of immune response for vaccines or immunotherapy, and failure or aberrant immune responses
  • Identify the pathology of human diseases including genetic diseases, cancer and chronic diseases (i.e. cardiovascular, diabetes, etc.)
  • Identify etiologies and risk factors for nosocomial infections
  • Define surveillance, outbreak investigation, benchmarking, and infection control interventions in health care facilities
  • Identify techniques used in medical and public health research laboratories and the use of these techniques in the study of human disease
  • Show competence with methods including tissue culture, viral plaque assays, ELISAs, flow cytometry, Western blots, DNA sequencing, PCR, Southern blots, ribonuclease protection assays, and molecular fingerprinting techniques (PFGE, RFLP, etc.)
  • Show competence in access and utilization of genetic databases and comparison tools

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

The DrPH degree is granted to individuals with either a Dental Public Health or a General Epidemiology orientation. The DrPH degree prepares individuals with an MPH degree or a professional degree for careers in government or private administrative agencies rather than in research and academic careers. This program places considerable emphasis on research training, in addition to requiring a programmatic experience, and exit research competencies are identical to those in the PhD program. The DrPH dissertation is comparable to the PhD dissertation in quality and innovation but may emphasize more the use of epidemiology for making public health decisions, including program evaluations, while the PhD thesis is expected more to advance the science of epidemiology. The DrPH dissertation is evaluated using the same criteria used to evaluate a PhD dissertation.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD)

The PhD degree prepares individuals with an MPH degree or the equivalent to be scientists investigating the determinants of health and disease in populations. Degree recipients must demonstrate ability to:

  • Synthesize the current state of knowledge and outline the challenges for making new discoveries in a particular area of epidemiology
  • Identify diverse approaches to developing and evaluating theories about the determinants of health and disease patterns in populations
  • Generate original ideas, data, and analyses of a quality that will influence public health practice or epidemiological science
  • Choose among the various study design alternatives used in the evaluation of causal theories or public health programs in epidemiology
  • Choose among various data analysis methods in epidemiology
  • Communicate original ideas and findings orally and in writing

Top of page

Department of Health Behavior and Health Education Learning Objectives

Master of Public Health (MPH)

The MPH degree in HBHE prepares individuals to design, implement, and evaluate education programs and other initiatives that enable people to promote health, prevent illness, and manage disease. The instructional program offered by the Department of HBHE is designed to prepare individuals to function in leadership positions in the development and full utilization of educational and behavioral science content and research methods in the analysis and solution of health problems, as they affect individuals and communities. Emphasis in the program is on preparing individuals for careers in the application of behavioral science and education principles to health problems, including administrative and consultant positions in agencies, health care settings, and institutions on the local, regional, state, national, and international levels.

All MPH students, including dual-degree students, must complete the same program requirements. These include three HBHE core courses required in the first year; a series of methodological core courses, including one taken within HBHE; required courses for the school-wide Breadth, Integration, and Capstone (BIC) requirements; a field placement experience of 318 hours minimum (usually completed in the summer between the first and second year); and a final capstone paper due at the end of the student’s final semester in the program.

The MPH program in HBHE uses a competency-based format for instruction. Each course in the Department is designed to meet various learning objectives, based on a detailed set of competencies developed by the Department. Each graduate is expected to meet minimum requirements for a basic set of competencies, based on their ability to:

  • Analyze a health-related problem for the factors amenable to planned change.
  • Plan and implement health education programs for specific populations and in a variety of organizations.
  • Collaborate with lay people and health workers.
  • Provide consultation, training, direction, and technical assistance in development, expansion, and improvement of health education programs and services.
  • Assist in obtaining and managing resources needed to implement and evaluation programs of health education and planned change.
  • Identify factors in the policy-making arena that affect the development, improvement, and expansion of health education.
  • Identify and apply basic principles and techniques of research and evaluation concerning health education.
  • Relate ethical considerations and values to one’s professional practice.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The doctoral program in Health Behavior and Health Education prepares professionals for research, teaching, and other leadership positions related to health and social behavior. We emphasize the development of skills involving the application of social and behavioral science theories, principles and methods in conducting independent research, designing health intervention programs, developing rational policy ideas, and evaluating strategies for health behavior or social change at the individual, community, organizational, or structural levels. Strong emphasis is placed on conducting theory-informed or hypothesis–testing research. The majority of students who graduate from the program go on to careers in universities and other organizations engaged in research.

Ph.D. graduates should be able to:

  • Conduct basic research that addresses social, psychological, cultural and economic aspects of health behavior and health status at, for example, the individual, family, community and policy levels
  • Design, conduct, and evaluate theory-driven interventions aimed at promoting health and preventing disease;
  • Utilize research methods (e.g., quasi-experimental design, community-based research) and data collection and analytic techniques (e.g., qualitative and quantitative) that are appropriate for the problem under study; and
  • Contribute to the theoretical models concerning the complex array of factors that are related to health status and health behavior

Specific learning objectives include:

Theory

  • Analyze health- related problems using theories, models and/or concepts from the social and behavioral sciences to better understand the social, cultural, economic, political, interpersonal, and intrapersonal determinants of health
  • Identify the evolution and development of health behavior and health education theories, models and concepts
  • Articulate the assumptions, either explicit or implicit, that underlie selected theories, models and/or concepts
  • Evaluate the advantages and limitations of health education strategies such as policy-making, organization development, community organizing, self-help support groups, interpersonal counseling, mass media health education campaigns, and social marketing
  • Analyze a health-related problem for the factors amenable to planned change
  • Plan and implement health education programs for specific populations and in a variety of organizations
  • Collaborate with lay people and health workers
  • Provide consultation, training, direction, and technical assistance in development, expansion, and improvement of health education programs and services
  • Assist in obtaining and managing resources needed to implement and evaluation programs of health education and planned change
  • Identify factors in the policy-making arena that affect the development, improvement, and expansion of health education
  • Identify and apply basic principles and techniques of research and evaluation concerning health education
  • Relate ethical considerations and values to one’s professional practice
  • Select appropriate theory-based strategies to inform the development and application of frameworks for planning, implementing and evaluating health-related programs and policies
  • Conduct original research that draws on a theoretical/conceptual framework to articulate and organize hypothesized relationships among factors that (1) contribute to a public health problem or phenomenon and/or (2) contribute to the solution to that problem

Research

  • Critically analyze research and evaluation studies from the literature in terms of the appropriateness of their research questions, designs, methodologies, results and conclusions
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the strengths and limitations of qualitative and quantitative strategies in research and evaluation designs and analyses
  • Develop a comprehensive evaluation plan for an intervention or program
  • Understand a range of analytic methods and select and apply the most appropriate ones to address specific research questions
  • Translate/operationalize components of a conceptual framework into variables that the student has developed and/or that has emerged from a critical evaluation of existing measures and instruments
  • Conceptualize a research problem or an evaluation issue and design and carry out a study to address that problem/issue using appropriate research and analytic methods
  • Present study/project findings and conclusions in a clear and concise manner in both oral and written forms

Cognate

  • Acquire more in-depth training in a specific cognate field, such as social psychology, sociology, anthropology, women's studies, Native American studies, population studies, public policy or business administration

Professional Socialization

  • Identify and apply key aspects of "good" scientific writing for peer-reviewed manuscripts, oral presentations and in research grants
  • Demonstrate an ability to engage in critical thinking and discussion about the historical and conceptual roots of public health and health education
  • Analyze specific public health problems/issues in terms of their ethical and ideological underpinnings
  • Understand the effect and manifestations of institutionalized oppression (racism, sexism, and classism) and how these forces impact the health of populations
  • Interact sensitively, effectively, and professionally with persons from diverse cultural, socioeconomic, educational, and professional backgrounds, and with persons of all ages and lifestyle preferences

Top of page

Department of Health Management and Policy Learning Objectives

Masters’ Degrees (MPH, MHSA, MS)

The department’s educational philosophy is that all master’s students will receive training in the broad range of disciplines and problem-solving techniques that will enable them to function effectively in roles related to both the management of health services organizations and to develop and analyze of health policy. The curriculum will expose students to important public health and health services problems and will encourage them to draw upon this wide range of disciplines and problem-solving techniques in resolving both health management and health policy challenges. Graduates of our program will, therefore, demonstrate the ability to identify, analyze, and solve a wide-range of public health and/or health services issues and problems.

The following learning objectives, in which students will be expected to demonstrate competence, are common to all of our masters programs (MPH, MHSA [both on campus and OJ/OC], and the new MS). The objectives are organized around five broad themes:

  1. The determinants of health
  2. Analytical skills
  3. The political environment of health
  4. Health care organization, and
  5. A capstone that integrates all of the student’s previous learning.

To understand the determinants of health, students will master the following four areas:

  • The Health Care System: Students will understand, be able to analyze effectively, and assess the management and/or policy implications of the following major issues related to the organization of the health services system (of the US and other nations): social values; assessment of health status; analysis of need, access and use of services; current supply and distribution of health resources; current health care costs and expenditures and reasons for their rapid increase; private and public financing of health services; quality of care assessment; control of quality and costs of care through market-oriented strategies, professional self-regulation, managerial approaches, and government regulations; and health system reform.
  • Epidemiology: Students will understand methods employed in the study of the distribution of diseases in human populations and be able to assess the underlying factors that contribute to incidence and prevalence of disease. They will understand methods for managing health risks and behaviors in diverse communities.
  • Environmental health sciences: Students will understand the way in which the environment (biological, physical, and chemical) affects the health of human populations. Students will understand the policy process for a variety of environmental issues, the scientific basis of environmental policy and the relationship between environmental policy and other public health disciplines.
  • Community factors: Students will understand and be able to assess the ways in which community factors, such as social capital, community cohesiveness, life stressors, racial composition and socio-economic characteristics, influence the health of community residents.

To develop essential analytical skills, students will understand and be able to use effectively:

  • Biostatistics: Students will demonstrate command of basic statistical techniques for analyzing and interpreting a wide range of data, up to and including regression analysis. Students will be able to apply these principles to health data and issues.
  • Economics: Students will understand and be able to apply the principles of microeconomic theory, including: analysis of cost functions; supply; demand; market equilibrium in perfect competition and in markets with imperfect competition; the basic principles of risk and uncertainty; and public goods and externalities.

To develop an understanding of the political environment, students will master the following three areas:

  • Politics: Students will comprehend and be able to assess the role that political factors play in shaping health policies and health programs. They will demonstrate an understanding of the functions of, and the distribution of power between, the federal, state, and local governments, and how each of these political levels influences health.
  • Ethics: Students will explore and appreciate the importance of a variety of ethical issues in the health sector related both to managerial practice and clinical care. They will be able to apply principles of ethical analysis to managerial and clinical decisions.
  • Health Law: Students will understand how the legal system in the US operates and how the fundamental principles of law are applied to either the public health or health services sectors. Students will gain an appreciation for legal issues pertaining to their professional careers and will learn effective ways of communicating with attorneys.

To understand the organizational context in which health care and public health services are delivered,students will understand:

  • Complex social-psychological processes that characterize the operation of human organizations and that relate organizations to their external environments. Such processes would include human resources management and environmental analysis.
  • Application of organizational tools such as organizational design, strategic planning, conflict resolution, etc.
  • Effective analysis of organizational problems and selection of appropriate interventions for their solution

As a mechanism for synthesizing the material the students has learned in the program, students will take a capstone course to demonstrate:

  • Integration of materials from all previous courses to identify the nature of problems and apply the appropriate solution.
  • Identification of how the tools and models they have learned can be applied, in combination if necessary, to solve a given problem.

Degree-Specific Learning Objectives

Master of Public Health (MPH)

In addition to the common exit competencies described above, we expect our MPH students to master skills in the following areas.

Policy Analysis Skills

  • Understand analytical techniques, beyond basic statistics, that are critical for conducting policy analysis and public health program analysis.
  • Understand how and when to apply the range of policy analysis methods, including cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA).
  • Learn the fundamental methods of regression analysis.

Law and Public Health

  • Understand basic constitutional provisions related to public health policy making.
  • Learn the legal context of the relationship between the individual and the community
  • Understand public health regulation in the context of a market-driven system
  • Become familiar with the basic legal principles underlying governmental regulation, how legal rules and doctrine are developed, and how to interact effectively with attorneys.

Policy Capstone

  • Build upon the knowledge and skills gained in other courses in analyzing a number of current policy issues.
  • Refine and sharpen a number of policy-relevant skills, including:
    • Write clear policy position statements in a variety of formats
    • Identify and analyze policy-relevant research literature
    • Critique policy analyses/policy research
    • Strengthen oral presentation skills
    • Design and carrying out a policy analysis.

Master of Health Service Administration (MHSA)

To improve the health of individuals, communities, and populations by ensuring quality in health services administration graduate education, students will, in addition to fulfilling the learning objectives noted above, demonstrate competency in managerial accounting, health care finance and health economics:

Managerial Accounting

  • Understand the language, uses, and methods of managerial accounting
  • Implement and interpret models for cost classification, full and differential cost measurement and analysis, and product and patient costing.
  • Identify ethical issues that arise in cost control efforts.

Corporate finance

  • Demonstrate ability to apply corporate finance theory and methods to health care organizations.
  • Perform analyses for decisions related to capital expenditures, capital financing, financial planning, cash management and the financial aspects of alternative reimbursement programs.

Health Economics

  • Understand the basics of health economics, including how insurance markets affect the markets for health care services.
  • Understand the topics of moral hazard and adverse selection
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the basics of health care production functions

Management Capstone

  • Learn to analyze and make presentations on course material organized using the case study method
  • Build upon the knowledge and skills gained in other courses in analyzing organizational and managerial problems
  • Refine and sharpen a number of management-related skills, including:
    • Perform managerial and financial accounting analyses of an organization’s financial position
    • Identify and analyze appropriate management frameworks, taken from a number of other courses, for solving specific organizational problems
    • Perform strategic analyses of an organization’s environment and determine an appropriate future course to be taken by the organization
    • Develop skills necessary to write short, incisive analytic case reports
    • Strengthen oral skills needed to make case presentation

Master of Science in Health Services Research (MS-HSR)

The objective of the MS Degree Program in Health Services Research is to provide state-of-the-art research training to academically excellent students who are committed to research careers in the fields of Public Health and/or Personal Health Services. There are several notable differences between the MS-HSR and a PhD. In a PhD program, the student is expected to generate his or her own research questions and act with considerable independence. The MS-HSR program will involve closer supervision and training. For the MS-HSR degree, students will work on topics generated by a senior researcher in the Department and will be less independent. That is, the nature of the research issue and the analytical model will largely be determined by the faculty. Students will be expected to implement the research design, but will not be expected to conduct original and independent research as traditionally expected in the PhD program. While MS-HSR students will be encouraged to develop a larger project based on their assigned work, the student will do so under the guidance of his or her faculty mentor. Also, the coursework and course-load expectations will be appropriate for the masters level and less intense than the PhD level courses.

Among the degree-specific goals of the proposed program are:

  1. To enable students to identify and conduct health services research concerning current and future health policy issues in a variety of public and private sector research settings.
  2. To provide students with hands-on experience working with Health Management and Policy and other School of Public Health faculty on current health services research that deals with both policy and management issues in today’s society.
  3. To introduce students to the broad array of research designs and methods that characterize modern health services research.
  4. To provide students with deep and broad knowledge and understanding of the US health care and public health systems and, thus enable students to frame and conduct a policy-relevant, effective health services research agenda.

Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Health Services Organization and Policy (HSOP)

Overall Curricular Philosophy

The department’s educational philosophy is that all doctoral students will develop a broad background in health services and public health issues, a solid set of methodologic research skills, a theoretical grounding in one or more social science disciplines along with some integration between the disciplines, and a strong mentoring relationship with faculty researchers. Such a background will prepare graduates to take their place at the forefront of independent research in health policy, public health and health services.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the Ph.D. degree, the graduate will :

  • Have acquired a broad base of knowledge about health services and public health issues

To acquire this broad knowledge base, students begin by taking a 12-credit course sequence that surveys health and health services issues. This core sequence is required of all first year students and culminates in the health services preliminary exam. Epidemiology is another key course contributing to this learning objective.

  • Demonstrate a thorough understanding and solid ability to apply research methodology

In order to make contributions to health services research and policy, doctoral-level researchers must be equipped with appropriate, sophisticated, methodological tools. The tools are developed in courses offered within the department and in various departments throughout the School and University. The courses focus on statistical techniques for the social sciences as well as survey design and qualitative research methods.

  • Demonstrate a strong theoretical grounding in one or more social science disciplines

HSOP students specialize in a cognate area (e.g., economics, sociology/organizational studies, finance, political science), taking coursework equivalent to a master’s degree in the cognate field. Specialized work applying the cognate area to health and health services is undertaken within the Department. When deemed appropriate by the HSOP program committee and the student’s advisor, students may pursue interdisciplinary cognates (e.g., child and maternal health, health policy) provided that the overall depth of the curriculum is comparable to that of a traditional cognate.

  • Demonstrate the ability to integrate theoretical material on health services and epidemiology with theoretical frameworks from other one or more social science disciplines.

It is our belief that much high quality research in health and health services comes from a disciplinary perspective. However, interdisciplinary work and understanding the perspectives of other disciplines is equally crucial. The coursework common to all HSOP students (i.e., the coursework that is not cognate-specific) is designed to help students integrate across disciplines. One course, in particular, is focused on this objective by discussing papers presented in an interdisciplinary research seminar.

  • Acquire research skills and knowledge relevant to the research methods of their chosen cognate discipline and will also receive professional socialization and mentoring from a faculty member with whom they will work on various research projects, including the dissertation.

Ultimately, many relevant research skills can only be learned in the actual process of performing research. Because of this, we try to match incoming students to faculty advisors who share their interests. Mentoring continues through the dissertation committee, research assistantships that often result in students co-authoring papers with faculty. Professional socialization occurs through student participation in seminar series, both as participants and as presenters, and through encouragement to submit student work for presentation at professional conferences. Students are also required to complete an on-line research responsibility program to ensure that they understand professional norms in research ethics.