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Table V.C.1

Learning Objectives

MASTER OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM

Upon satisfactory completion of the MPH degree, all graduates will be able to demonstrate a broad knowledge and skills base in the core areas of public health, with particular emphasis in a selected field of public health, and will be able to:

▪ Apply epidemiologic methods to the measurement of disease rates, prevention of infectious diseases, and the development and evaluation of health programs and policies;

▪ Apply statistical methods of estimation and hypothesis testing and explain the basics of correlation and regression for the purpose of analyzing the health of populations;

▪ Analyze how environmental contaminants (chemical, physical and other exposures) interact with biological systems and their effect on human populations for the purpose of evaluating risk reduction strategies;

▪ Assess the impact on health policy options of social, political, technological, economic and cultural forces, and apply basic management techniques to address organizational challenges to providing health care;

▪ Examine public health issues and responses from a social and behavioral sciences perspective and explain social, cultural, political, economic, and behavioral determinants of disparities in health status among population sub-groups; and

▪ Demonstrate knowledge and skills for effective practice in their selected field of study.

Within the context of these overall learning objectives of the MPH program, the Departments of the School have identified additional objectives for their students.

DEPARTMENT OF BIOSTATISTICS

Master of Public (MPH)

The MPH degree in Biostatistics (BIO) is designed to enhance the quantitative skills of public health practitioners who use statistics frequently in their work. This degree is intended primarily for specialists in public health who wish to use and adapt statistical procedures for health and medical care programs, or wish to serve in a technical capacity as resource person and collaborators in field and programmatic studies. Successful completion of the MPH in Biostatistics indicates adequate preparation for the DrPH program. Graduates of the MPH degree in BIO complete 45 credit hours and a field practicum.

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

Data Analysis and Computing

▪ Formulate and produce graphical displays of quantitative information (e.g., scatter plots, box plots, line graphs) that effectively communicate analytic findings;

▪ Explain general principles of study design in attempting to identify risk factors for disease, isolate targets for prevention, and assess the effectiveness of one or more interventions;

▪ Select and perform appropriate hypothesis tests for comparing two or more independent exposure groups, or two or more groups of matched/clustered subjects, with respect to a discrete or continuous response measurement of interest;

▪ Interpret associations estimated via linear regression, logistic regression, and Cox models for survival data;

▪ Interpret quantitative findings in accurate, accessible language for colleagues outside of biostatistics, as well as for broader dissemination to the public and other public health professionals;

▪ Apply the basic tenets of research design and analysis for the purpose of critically reviewing research and programs in disciplines outside of biostatistics;

▪ Differentiate between quantitative problems that can be addressed with standard methods and those requiring input from a professional biostatistician;

Public Health and Collaborative Research

▪ Describe the foundations of public health, including the biological, environmental, behavioral, and policy factors that affect the health of populations;

▪ Translate research objectives into testable hypotheses;

▪ Compare and contrast different study designs and their implications for inference in medical/public health research;

▪ Describe basic principles and the practical importance of key concepts from probability and inference (including random variation, systematic error, sampling error, measurement error, hypothesis testing, type I and type II errors, confounding bias, and effect modification) to colleagues without extensive statistical training;

▪ Develop and execute power and sample size calculations for research studies utilizing simple random sampling;

▪ Formulate and prepare written plans for statistical analysis of research data from medicine and public health that clearly reflect the research hypotheses of the proposal in a manner that resonates with both co-investigators and grant reviewers;

Teaching Biostatistics

▪ Review and illustrate selected principles of study design, probability theory, estimation, hypothesis testing, and data analytic techniques to public health students enrolled in first and second level graduate public health courses; and

Biostatistical Research

▪ Apply probabilistic and statistical reasoning to structure thinking and solve a wide range of problems in public health.

Master of Science (MS)

Students in the MS degree in BIO degree program select one of three tracks of specialization: Theory and Methods, Clinical Research Methods, and Patient Oriented Research. The three specialty tracks include the core MS degree in BIO learning objectives plus additional objectives specific to each area of emphasis. The Theory and Methods track is designed for the student interested in a career as a biostatistician. It provides sufficient preparation for students who want to pursue doctoral degrees in biostatistics. The Clinical Research Methods track provides formal, rigorous training in the design and analysis of clinical research studies. It is designed for physicians, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, and other health care professionals with extensive clinical research experience who require superior skills in applied statistics in order to better pursue research in their own fields of expertise. The Patient Oriented Research track is a broadly based didactic training program that prepares young investigators for independent careers as clinical scientists. In contrast with the Clinical Research Methods track, all candidates in the Patient Oriented Research track must have completed a doctorate in a clinical discipline prior to enrollment. This program is further distinguished from the Clinical Research Methods track in that it is supported by a

K30 – Clinical Research Curriculum Development Award from the NIH. The Patient Oriented Research track offers 6 scholarships per year to exceptional applicants.

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

Data Analysis and Computing

▪ Formulate and produce graphical displays of quantitative information (e.g., scatter plots, box plots, line graphs) that effectively communicate analytic findings;

▪ Explain general principles of study design in attempting to identify risk factors for disease, isolate targets for prevention, and assess the effectiveness of one or more interventions;

▪ Select and perform appropriate hypothesis tests for comparing two or more independent exposure groups, or two or more groups of matched/clustered subjects, with respect to a discrete or continuous response measurement of interest;

▪ Interpret associations estimated via linear regression, logistic regression, and Cox models for survival data;

▪ Apply the basic tenets of research design and analysis for the purpose of critically reviewing research and programs in disciplines outside of biostatistics;

▪ Interpret quantitative findings in accurate, accessible language for colleagues outside of biostatistics, as well as for broader dissemination to the public and other public health professionals;

Public Health and Collaborative Research

▪ Translate research objectives into testable hypotheses;

▪ Compare and contrast different study designs and their implications for inference in medical/public health research;

▪ Describe basic principles and the practical importance of key concepts from probability and inference (including random variation, systematic error, sampling error, measurement error, hypothesis testing, type I and type II errors, confounding bias, and effect modification) to colleagues without extensive statistical training;

▪ Develop and execute power and sample size calculations for research studies utilizing simple random sampling; and

▪ Evaluate research reports and proposals for research funding on the basis of their scientific integrity, validity, and the strength of the quantitative analysis.

Theory and Methods - Track Specific Learning Objectives

Graduates of this track will be able to:

Public Health and Collaborative Research

▪ Develop and execute calculations for power and sample size when planning research studies with complex sampling schemes;

▪ Formulate and prepare a written statistical plan for analysis of public health research data that clearly reflects the research hypotheses of the proposal in a manner that resonates with both co-investigators and peer reviewers;

▪ Prepare written summaries of quantitative analyses for journal publication, presentations at scientific meetings, grant applications, and review by regulatory agencies;

Data Management

▪ Identify the uses to which data management can be put in practical statistical analysis, including the establishment of standards for documentation, archiving, auditing, and confidentiality; guidelines for accessibility; security; structural issues; and data cleaning;

▪ Differentiate between analytical and data management functions through knowledge of the role and functions of databases, different types of data storage, and the advantages and limitations of rigorous data base systems in conjunction with statistical tools;

▪ Describe the different types of database management systems, the ways these systems can provide data for analysis and interact with statistical software, and methods for evaluating technologies pertinent to both;

▪ Assess database tools and the database functions of statistical software, with a view to explaining the impact of data management processes and procedures on their own research;

Teaching Biostatistics

▪ Review and illustrate selected principles of study design, probability theory, estimation, hypothesis testing, and data analytic techniques to public health students enrolled in first and second level graduate public health courses; and

Biostatistical Research

▪ Apply probabilistic and statistical reasoning to structure thinking and solve a wide range of problems in public health.

Clinical Research Methods - Track Specific Learning Objectives

Graduates of this track will be able to:

Data Analysis and Computing

▪ Apply the basic tenets of research design and analysis for the purpose of critically reviewing research and programs in disciplines outside of biostatistics;

▪ Differentiate between quantitative problems that can be addressed with standard methods and those requiring input from a professional biostatistician.

Public Health and Collaborative Research

▪ Formulate and prepare a written statistical plan for analysis of public health research data that clearly reflects the research hypotheses of the proposal in a manner that resonates with both co-investigators and peer reviewers;

▪ Prepare written summaries of quantitative analyses for journal publication, presentations at scientific meetings, grant applications, and review by regulatory agencies;

Data Management

▪ Identify the uses to which data management can be put in practical statistical analysis, including the establishment of standards for documentation, archiving, auditing, and confidentiality; guidelines for accessibility; security; structural issues; and data cleaning;

▪ Differentiate between analytical and data management functions through knowledge of the role and functions of databases, different types of data storage, and the advantages and limitations of rigorous data base systems in conjunction with statistical tools;

▪ Describe the different types of database management systems, the ways these systems can provide data for analysis and interact with statistical software, and methods for evaluating technologies pertinent to both; and

▪ Assess database tools and the database functions of statistical software, with a view to explaining the impact of data management processes and procedures on their own research;

Patient Oriented Research - Track Specific Learning Objectives

Graduates of this track will be able to:

Data Analysis and Computing

▪ Apply the basic tenets of research design and analysis for the purpose of critically reviewing research and programs in disciplines outside of biostatistics;

▪ Differentiate between quantitative problems that can be addressed with standard methods and those requiring input from a professional biostatistician; and

Public Health and Collaborative Research

▪ Discuss basic laboratory methods commonly used in patient oriented research.

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

The DrPH degree in BIO is designed for persons who wish to apply state-of-the-art statistical methods to the solution of important public health problems.

In addition to meeting the learning objectives of the MPH in BIO, graduates of the DrPH degree in BIO will be able to:

Data Analysis and Computing

▪ Identify and implement advanced statistical models for the purposes of estimation, comparison, prediction, and adjustment in non-standard settings;

Public Health and Collaborative Research

▪ Describe the foundations of public health, including the biological, environmental, behavioral, and policy factors that affect the health of populations;

▪ Develop and execute calculations for power and sample size when planning research studies with complex sampling schemes;

▪ Formulate and prepare a written statistical plan for analysis of public health research data that clearly reflects the research hypotheses of the proposal in a manner that resonates with both co-investigators and peer reviewers;

▪ Evaluate research reports and proposals for research funding on the basis of their scientific integrity, validity, and the strength of the quantitative analysis;

▪ Prepare written summaries of quantitative analyses for journal publication, presentations at scientific meetings, grant applications, and review by regulatory agencies;

Data Management

▪ Identify the uses to which data management can be put in practical statistical analysis, including the establishment of standards for documentation, archiving, auditing, and confidentiality; guidelines for accessibility; security; structural issues; and data cleaning;

▪ Differentiate between analytical and data management functions through knowledge of the role and functions of databases, different types of data storage, and the advantages and limitations of rigorous data base systems in conjunction with statistical tools;

▪ Describe the different types of database management systems, the ways these systems can provide data for analysis and interact with statistical software, and methods for evaluating technologies pertinent to both;

▪ Assess database tools and the database functions of statistical software, with a view to explaining the impact of data management processes and procedures on their own research;

Teaching

▪ Review and illustrate selected principles of study design, probability theory, estimation, hypothesis testing, and data analytic techniques to public health students enrolled in first and second level graduate public health courses;

▪ Explain advanced concepts in the theory of statistical inference to graduate students in biostatistics and mathematical statistics;

Biostatistical Research

▪ Identify and integrate new developments in the statistical literature for challenging research problems in public health; and

▪ Generate original computer code for new statistical techniques.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The program requirements for the PhD degree in BIO differ from those for the DrPH in that the curriculum, examinations and dissertation involve more emphasis on statistical theory in the context of public health applications.

In addition to meeting the learning objectives of the MS Theory and Methods track, graduates of the PhD program in BIO will be able to:

Data Analysis and Computing

▪ Identify and implement advanced statistical models for the purposes of estimation, comparison, prediction, and adjustment in non-standard settings;

Public Health and Collaborative Research

▪ Develop and execute calculations for power and sample size when planning research studies with complex sampling schemes;

▪ Formulate and prepare a written statistical plan for analysis of public health research data that clearly reflects the research hypotheses of the proposal in a manner that resonates with both co-investigators and peer reviewers;

▪ Evaluate research reports and proposals for research funding on the basis of their scientific integrity, validity, and the strength of the quantitative analysis;

▪ Prepare written summaries of quantitative analyses for journal publication, presentations at scientific meetings, grant applications, and review by regulatory agencies;

Data Management

▪ Identify the uses to which data management can be put in practical statistical analysis, including the establishment of standards for documentation, archiving, auditing, and confidentiality; guidelines for accessibility; security; structural issues; and data cleaning;

▪ Differentiate between analytical and data management functions through knowledge of the role and functions of databases, different types of data storage, and the advantages and limitations of rigorous data base systems in conjunction with statistical tools;

▪ Describe the different types of database management systems, the ways these systems can provide data for analysis and interact with statistical software, and methods for evaluating technologies pertinent to both;

▪ Assess database tools and the database functions of statistical software, with a view to explaining the impact of data management processes and procedures on their own research;

Teaching

▪ Review and illustrate selected principles of study design, probability theory, estimation, hypothesis testing, and data analytic techniques to public health students enrolled in first and second level graduate public health courses;

▪ Explain advanced concepts in the theory of statistical inference to graduate students in biostatistics and mathematical statistics;

Biostatistical Research

▪ Identify and integrate new developments in the statistical literature for challenging research problems in public health;

▪ Generate original computer code for new statistical techniques;

▪ Recognize gaps in current inferential methods that limit further public health research and propose solutions based on rigorous theoretical justification; and

▪ Develop guidelines for practical implementation and evaluation of public health research and programs.

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

Master of Public (MPH)

The MPH degree in Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) is designed to prepare students for employment in organizations concerned with environmental and occupational exposures to chemical and physical agents. Graduates pursue careers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, federal or state or local environmental protection agencies, health departments, hospitals and public interest groups, among others. Because the field of environmental health sciences is so broad, students are encouraged to select one of two specialty tracks: Toxicology or Medical/Health Physics. The two specialty tracks include the MPH degree in EHS learning objectives plus additional objectives specific to their areas of emphasis. Graduates of the MPH in EHS complete 45 credit hours and a field practicum.

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

▪ Identify important chemical, physical and other exposures in the environment that can affect the health of human populations;

▪ Analyze how environmental contaminants (chemical, physical and other exposures) interact with biological systems, including mechanisms of their adverse effects on humans;

▪ Critically evaluate the current literature in environmental health sciences including identifying gaps and uncertainties in the knowledge base and in the methodologic approaches to solving environmental health problems;

▪ Evaluate the risk of environmental exposures to human populations through the incorporation of exposure, toxicologic and other relevant data into risk assessment methodology, including hazard identification, exposure assessment, dose-response evaluation and risk characterization;

▪ Communicate effectively in writing and orally knowledge of environmental hazards to other professionals and the public, including effective risk communication; and

▪ Recommend appropriate interventions to control environmental risks and evaluate environmental control programs.

Toxicology - Track Specific Learning Objectives

The Toxicology track is focused primarily on chemical hazards in the environment.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Apply methods of biochemistry, molecular biology and physiology to elucidate mechanisms of action of environmental chemicals in biologic systems;

▪ Analyze toxicologic interactions at the tissue, cellular and molecular levels on the basis of specific exposures and specific organ system effects;

▪ Quantitate toxicologic interactions through toxicokinetic analysis;

▪ Incorporate biologic markers into toxicologic evaluations of human populations; and

▪ Recognize, evaluate and control specific sources of toxic exposures, including air pollution, water pollution and hazardous waste.

Medical/Health Physics - Track Specific Learning Objectives

The Medical/Health Physics track is focused primarily on physical hazards in the environment particularly ionizing radiation.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Explain the nature, types and sources of ionizing radiation;

▪ Identify the health effects of ionizing radiation and the mechanisms by which these effects occur;

▪ Analyze radiation exposures through health physics instrumentation and radiation dosimetry;

▪ Recommend appropriate radiation protection measures and evaluate control programs; and

▪ Apply principles of radiation physics to medical applications including diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology and nuclear medicine.

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

The DrPH degree in EHS is designed to train professionals for advanced applied research, teaching and administrative positions in the area of environmental health sciences. The DrPH program shares the learning objectives of the MPH program, although the students would be expected to master the applied disciplinary specifics in much greater depth, and adds an intensive research dimension. Students in the DrPH program focus on applied, practical or real-world research problems in a subspecialty area within environmental health sciences.

Upon satisfactory completion of the DrPH degree in EHS, graduates will be able to:

▪ Conceive, develop and conduct original research leading to practical applications in environmental health sciences;

▪ Apply the latest applied science methodologies for testing research hypotheses and solving practical problems in environmental health sciences;

▪ Communicate effectively in writing and orally the results of research findings to the public and other professionals:

- Compose a research article for submission to a peer-reviewed, scientific journal

- Report research findings at professional meetings

- Summarize research findings for a non-technical audience;

▪ Identify significant gaps in the current applied knowledge in environmental health sciences and develop approaches for filling those gaps; and

▪ Establish, organize and operate an independent applied research program in environmental health sciences.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The PhD degree in EHS is designed to train professionals for advanced basic research, teaching and administrative positions in the area of environmental health sciences. The PhD shares the learning objectives of the MPH degree in EHS, although the students are expected to explore the basic disciplinary specifics in much greater depth, and adds an intensive research dimension. Students in the PhD program focus on basic, fundamental or theoretical research problems within a subspecialty area of environmental health sciences.

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

▪ Conceive, develop and conduct original research leading to advances in basic knowledge in environmental health sciences;

▪ Apply the latest basic science methodologies for testing research hypotheses and solving fundamental problems in environmental health sciences;

▪ Communicate effectively in writing and orally the results of research findings to the public and other professionals:

- Compose a research article for submission to a peer-reviewed, scientific journal

- Report research findings at professional meetings

- Summarize research findings for a non-technical audience;

▪ Identify significant gaps in the current basic knowledge in environmental health sciences and develop approaches for filling those gaps; and

▪ Establish, organize and operate an independent basic research program in environmental health sciences.

DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY

Master of Public (MPH)

The MPH program in Epidemiology (EPI) is designed to prepare students for careers in public health by providing them with the skills to conduct research in the cause, prevention, and amelioration of human disease. These goals are achieved via a curriculum which emphasizes mastery of methods of epidemiological research, and is enriched by “substantive” courses in contemporary issues in epidemiological research such as AIDS, tuberculosis, cancer research, and genetics. Graduates of the MPH in EPI complete 45 credit hours and a field practicum.

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

▪ Discuss the role of epidemiology within the broader field of public health, and identify its relationship to the fields of medicine, social and behavioral sciences, environmental science, and health policy;

▪ Explain and analyze the distribution and determinants of both chronic and infectious diseases in a wide variety of populations throughout the world;

▪ Apply principles of disease prevention within populations.

In addition to general knowledge and skills noted, graduates will be able to apply concepts, theories and quantitative methods to the following specific areas.

Problem Conceptualization and Critical Thinking

▪ Create and develop a conceptual framework for research in epidemiological problems;

▪ Apply principles of causal inference to epidemiologic data;

▪ Review epidemiological literature in a defined problem area using advanced bibliographic and informatics resources;

▪ Critique published epidemiological studies as to their strengths and weaknesses;

Study Design, Analysis, and Interpretation

▪ Apply fundamental epidemiologic study designs including ecologic, cross-sectional, cohort, and case-control, and explain their uses for solving epidemiological problems;

▪ Choose a study design appropriate for a particular epidemiological research question;

▪ Implement or observe closely the implementation of one or more epidemiological study designs in the field;

▪ Distinguish among basic measures of association, including rate ratio, risk ratio, incidence density ratio, odds ratio, attributable risk, and population attributable risk;

▪ Identify situations in research studies in which confounding and effect modification may be influential, and apply designs and statistical methods appropriate to quantitative assessment of confounding and effect modification;

▪ Use appropriate statistical methods for analysis of epidemiological data;

▪ Use standard statistical software packages for epidemiological research;

▪ Calculate and interpret basic population measures of health and disease occurrence including incidence, prevalence, and survival;

▪ Make appropriate comparisons of disease rates within and between populations;

Substantive Course Work

▪ Discuss contemporary issues in epidemiological research in at least three “substantive” areas such as AIDS, tuberculosis, cancer epidemiology, and genetic epidemiology;

Ethical treatment of human subjects

▪ Identify potential ethical problems in research studies

▪ Evaluate alternative approaches to solving ethical dilemmas

▪ Apply the principles underlying ethical treatment of human subjects in research; and

▪ Write protocols for submission to Institutional Review Boards

Master of Science (MS)

The MS in EPI is a research degree. The program is designed to offer students training in the concepts and research methods of epidemiology, and graduates of the program often go on to become independent researchers. The MS program enrolls students with advanced training in other fields, including medicine, nursing, dentistry, psychology and sociology. Students are required to have an advanced degree, such as the MD, DDS, DO, MSN, or PhD.

The learning objectives for students enrolled in the MS program are the same as those for students enrolled in the MPH program, except, MS students concentrate on research methodology specific to the discipline of Epidemiology and take at most two “substantive” courses.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The PhD program in EPI prepares individuals to be independent researchers in academia, government, industry, or other settings. Entrants to the program will already have met most or all of the requirements of the MPH degree in EPI. Graduates will demonstrate expertise in initiating and developing original research by preparing a dissertation based upon original research at a level consistent with professional practice. Graduates will also be capable of teaching epidemiology at the graduate level, both general methods as well as substantive courses in their own areas of expertise. The PhD program shares the learning objectives of the MPH program.

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

Identify important public health issues which merit epidemiological study and develop an appropriate study design:

- Formulate the study question or questions

- Critically review the relevant literature and identify key issues that need to be addressed

- Describe the public health significance of the problem

- Design an epidemiologic study appropriate to address the issue, with suitable attention to issues of population and subject selection, and recruitment

- Develop a cohesive research proposal in a standardized format (e.g., PHS 398) to address this issue, and which incorporates the foregoing elements, with an appropriate budget;

Carry out an epidemiological study in the field:

- Develop procedures for protection of the rights of human subjects, including application for approval by the relevant Institutional Review Board

- Design and implement protocols and procedures for data collection, quality control, and data management

- Train and supervise workers who will assist in the execution of the study;

Analyze and report the results of an epidemiological study:

- Identify and apply statistical methods appropriate to analysis of data in a specific epidemiological study (e.g., analysis of categorical data, linear and logistic regression, survival methods)

- Summarize in writing the research findings in a form suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal

- Make an oral presentation of the goals, design, results, and conclusions of an epidemiological study to other epidemiologists and researchers

- Communicate the results of an epidemiological study to non-epidemiologically trained health practitioners or to the general public fully and accurately, and in a style appropriate to their audience; and

Teach graduate students and health professionals in an academic setting.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT

Master of Public (MPH)

The MPH degree in Health Policy and Management (HPM) is designed to prepare students for either management or policy-related careers in health delivery organizations, managed care organizations, insurance firms, consulting firms, state and city health departments, the federal government and other health care and human service settings. Because the field of health policy and management is so broad, students are encouraged to select one of three specialty tracks: Health Policy, Management, or Effectiveness and Outcomes Research. Executive MPH students pursue an integrated program, as a cohort, with a focus on management. Graduates of the MPH in HPM complete 45 credit hours and a field practicum.

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

▪ Explain the concerns of quality, access, and cost of health care;

▪ Apply economic concepts and theories to the analysis of health care policy and management issues and to inform decision-making and policy development;

▪ Explain the workings of such policy mechanisms as insurance systems, quality monitoring, provider payment methods, definition of benefit packages, and methods of funding health services;

▪ Apply the principles and findings of organization theory to such health financing and delivery organizations as managed care plans, hospitals, clinics, health insurers, and home health agencies;

▪ Analyze the main options and methods for financing health care services in the United States;

▪ Apply critical thinking to published literature on health policy, health management and health services research;

▪ Write a coherent essay that applies theories of health policy and management to real world problems in the health care system;

▪ Analyze the history and structure of the United States health care system and specify how social, political, technological, economic, and cultural forces have shaped it;

▪ Apply fundamental principles of research methods including quantitative methods, data management, and analysis to problems in health policy and management;

▪ Develop research questions to address health care management and policy issues, while assuring the rights of human subjects;

▪ Apply principles of epidemiology and biostatistics to health policy and management problems on the population level;

▪ Approach health policy and management problems by integrating scholarship and work experience; and

▪ Present in an oral, written and visual format, clear and concise analysis of health care management and policy issues based on site observations and experiences.

Policy - Track Specific Learning Objectives

The policy track is designed to provide students with a background in how the political system and health economics affect health policy. Students learn to interpret the current status of health policy and to predict future trends. Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Describe and analyze how legislative initiatives make their way to the public agenda (or fail to), and into laws and regulations;

▪ Identify the primary program implementation challenges of legislative initiatives; and

▪ Demonstrate a systematic approach to analyzing the feasibility and possible unintended consequences of implementing and managing policy innovations in health care.

Management - Track Specific Learning Objectives

The management track is designed to meet the needs of students planning careers in management of health care organizations. The curriculum provides students with a background in organizational behavior and management skills needed in today's complex health environment. Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Relate organizational strategies to an organization's mission and goals;

▪ Explain the basic methods and processes used in strategic planning and marketing;

▪ Apply the principles of accounting, budgeting, personnel relations, forecasting, and marketing to health service organizations;

▪ Identify and evaluate changes in an organization's environment that require adaptation within the organization; and

▪ Describe and apply the fundamental concepts and analytical techniques of health care financial management to health care delivery problems.

Effectiveness and Outcomes Research - Track Specific Learning Objectives

The effectiveness and outcomes track is designed to provide students with skills in quantitative methods and research design, as well as knowledge of economics and policy that enter analyzing cost-effective health care services and products. Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Describe the fundamental analytical and evaluative methods of effectiveness research, including: cost-benefit analysis, outcomes research, medical practice protocols, and technology assessment;

▪ Explain the strengths and limitations of specific analytical and evaluative methods to particular problems;

▪ Choose an appropriate analytical or evaluative method of effectiveness research to answer a public health question; and

▪ Apply fundamental analytical and evaluation methods of effectiveness research.

Master of Public Health (MPH) - Executive Masters in Health Services Management

The Executive MPH degree is designed for experienced health professionals working in the public and private sectors who wish to remain employed while completing their degree. It focuses on the managerial side of medicine and the rapidly changing and complex policy environment in which the health care professional works. The goal of the Program is to develop skilled, knowledgeable managers who can effectively meet the multiple responsibilities of American health care institutions.

The curriculum is organized around a participatory, problem-based, and sequenced curriculum. Participation in a series of five capstone seminars, each seven hours long, and designed to integrate material learned throughout the Program, will serve as the culminating experience for each cohort of students.

Graduates of the Executive MPH program will be able to:

▪ Plan, manage and evaluate health service delivery programs to improve the health of defined populations;

▪ Practice interdisciplinary collaboration with individuals in complex health care settings for the purpose of developing strategies and solutions to a range of health care management and policy problems;

▪ Use structuring, posturing and marketing techniques to optimize the performance of health care organizations;

▪ Apply appropriate financial and management techniques to assure efficient delivery of cost effective health services;

▪ Employ health care management activities that reflect ethical standards and that comply with relevant legal and regulatory standards;

▪ Apply leadership, interpersonal and communication skills in managing human resources and health professionals in diverse organizational environments;

▪ Communicate effectively in a written, oral and visual manner on range of health care management and policy issues;

▪ Critique theories that seek to explain why certain policy proposals are added to legislative agenda, and how some of these proposals make their way into laws and regulations;

▪ Identify the primary program implementation challenges of legislative initiatives and assess systematically strategies to deal with unexpected and unintended program outcomes;

▪ Apply in an integrated manner knowledge and skills gained from the Executive Program curriculum for the purpose of informing health care management and policy;

Master of Public Health (MPH) – General Public Health

General Public Health is a program for individuals with health professional training and at least two years of public health experience. The career needs of MPH candidates in General Public Health require an individualized interdisciplinary approach that goes beyond the scope of any single department within the Mailman School of Public Health. In addition to the public health core related learning objectives, the Director of the General Public Health program meets with each entering student and develops learning objectives and a course of study which will assure sufficient competence in at least one disciplinary area of public health. General Public Health students are required to complete the Health Policy and Management Practicum Seminar, which provides a culminating experience.

Graduates of the General Public Health program will be able to:

▪ Demonstrate analytical insights into the organization and management of their work organization or practicum site;

▪ Demonstrate a high level of oral and written communication skills; and

▪ Apply core knowledge to at least one public health problem.

DEPARTMENT OF POPULATION AND FAMILY HEALTH

Master of Public (MPH)

The MPH degree in Population and Family Health (PFH) is designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills to develop, implement and evaluate programs and policies within the fields of reproductive, adolescent, child and refugee health. These areas are covered within a global context, combining strategies and experience from the United States and from developing world communities. The Department provides a service-based educational experience that is grounded in the context of public health practice, exposing students to the kinds of public health settings in which they will ultimately work. Graduates of PFH complete 45 credit hours, a field practicum and a capstone paper.

Graduates of PFH specialize in one of two tracks: Reproductive, Adolescent, and Child Health; and Forced Migration and Health. While the tracks are different in their focus, graduates of both tracks have an overlapping knowledge and skills base. The department’s learning objectives have been developed to encompass the shared and distinctive nature of the PFH track experience.

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

▪ Identify the major public health problems, and the major programmatic and policy responses in at least one of the following areas of focus: (1) reproductive health, (2) adolescent health, (3) child health or (4) populations affected by complex emergencies:

- Develop an evidence-based understanding of the key problems in the area of focus (i.e. incidence, prevalence, severity, etiology, sequelae)

- Identify the major sources of data on and indicators of health outcomes and program/policy effectiveness in the area of focus

- Describe the major interventions/programmatic and policy approaches that are currently being implemented, and assess their effectiveness

- Assess the implications of the findings from the epidemiological and programmatic literature for policy and programs in the area;

▪ Design viable and culturally appropriate programs using a causal pathway framework in at least one of the primary areas of focus:

- Analyze local needs and resources

- Articulate program hypotheses and objectives

- Design relevant program components

- Develop a system of monitoring and evaluation that is directly linked to the program hypotheses and objectives;

▪ Design and conduct rigorous needs assessments, evaluations, other service-based research in at least one of the primary areas of focus;

▪ Translate clinical/field observations/statements of need into a research question;

▪ Identify and implement an appropriate research design and fielding methodology for the study;

▪ Develop data collection instruments for use in the developing and the developed world. These include at least one of the following: survey questionnaires, rapid assessments, focus group guides, in-depth interviews;

▪ Develop and implement an appropriate analysis plan for the study that utilizes a computer-based package for data entry, management, analysis and presentation, such as SPSS, EPI INFO, Qualitative package); and

▪ Demonstrate skills in written and oral communication that is clear, concise and accessible to the audience being addressed.

DIVISION OF DIVISION OFDEPARTMENT OF SOCIOMEDICAL SCIENCES

Master of Public (MPH)

The MPH degree in Sociomedical Sciences (SMS) is designed to train health care professionals in the application of theories and methods of social and behavioral sciences to address public health issues. Students are provided with the knowledge to understand the importance of social and behavioral sciences for the health of individuals and communities and the skills to apply this knowledge in the analysis and formulation of public health programs and policies. Students in this program select one of six tracks: General Social Sciences; Aging and Public Health; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; History of Public Health and Medicine; Sexuality, Gender and Health; and Urbanism and Community Health. Graduates of SMS complete 45 credit hours, the Institutional Review Board (IRB) exam, a practicum, and a master’s integrated project.

M.P.H. DEGREE

The M.P.H program is designed to train health care professionals in the theories and methods of the social/behavioral sciences as applied to health and health care. Students are provided with the knowledge to understand the importance of social and behavioral sciences to the health of individuals and communities and the skills to apply this knowledge in the formulation of public health programs and policies. Students in this program must select one of three tracks: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention (with both a day and evening program), History of Public Health and Medicine, and the Standard/Research track.

Core Learning Objectives

Upon satisfactory completion of the M.P.H. program, all students, regardless of their specialty track, will be able to:

• Describe the core theoretical principles of two of the following four disciplines--Sociology, Anthropology, History and Health Psychology--as they have been applied to research problems in public health and medicine.

• Analyze health and health care issues in terms of social and behavioral factors.

• Apply social science and behavioral research methodology to public health problems.

• Critically synthesize social science and behavioral theory and research in the design of public health projects.

Upon satisfactory completion of the MPH program in SMS, graduates will be able to:

▪ Describe how major theories and methods from the fields of health psychology, medical sociology, medical anthropology, and history, and health psychology can be used to address a variety of public health issues;

▪ Examine public health issues from a social and behavioral sciences perspectiveAnalyze public health issues from the perspective of at least one of these fields of study: medical sociology, medical anthropology, history, and health psychologyhealth psychology, medical sociology, medical anthropology and history:

- Discuss the relationships of social, cultural, political, economic, and behavioral factors to health and disease outcomes

- Explain social, cultural, political, economic, and behavioral determinants of disparities in health status among population sub-groups of a population and and the related public health responses among sub-groups of a population.

- Distinguish a population-wide public health perspective from individual and clinical perspectives regarding determinants of on health status and related responses;

▪ Analyze public health issues from the perspective of at least one of the following fields of study:

- Explain how medical sociology examines the multiple paths by which social class (SES), ethnicity/race, gender, and organizational structure leads to states of good and poor health

- Explain how medical anthropology examines the relationship between culture and health as well as the cultural constructions of health and illness

- Explain how history examines the relationship among biological, social, political, and economic factors in the creation of health and the political response to health issues

- Explain how health psychology examines behavioral, cognitive and emotional factors and their relationship to health;

from the individual clinical perspective

▪ Analyze public health problems by selecting and employing appropriate research methodology from the social and behavioral sciences:

- Identify and collectCollect appropriate data to understand social and behavioral determinants of health and disease

- Identify and applyApply appropriate social indicators to describe measure population health

1. Identify appropriate analytic Distinguish models for analytical public health decision making, problem solving and program evaluation.

- - DiscussAssess strengths and limitations of various sources of data

- Discuss Assess strengths and limitations of various approaches to research and evaluationand evaluation designs;

▪ AssessDiscuss and address - through research, health policies, and interventions - public health research and practice issues from an ethical perspective:

- Identify Discuss historical and emerging ethical issues in public health ethics and place them in a medical, social, and political context.

- Identify appropriate stakeholders whose perspectives should be considered in public health endeavors

1. Describe the factors that shape the responses and interests of public health professionals and their responsibilities to the community, institutions, and society.

2. Analyze specific public health problems using ethical frameworks and evaluate their different implications for public health practice.

3. Articulate the importance of participation by diverse communities when developing public health programs while recognizing the sometimes divergent interests of communities and government.

4. Describe the inherent ethical tensions between civil liberties and public health necessity.

5. Describe the duties of government when compromising individual rights in the name of public health necessity.

- Distinguish between ethical principles of public health and those of clinical bioethics.Discuss principles and requirements for the protection of human subjects in public health research; and

▪ Demonstrate proficiency in written, oral and visual communication skills for the purpose of:

- Communicating research and program findings into action oriented recommendations

- Reporting findings in a manner useful for informing the public about health issues.

General Social Sciences - Track Specific Learning Objectives

The General Social Sciences track provides a strong foundation in the social sciences and trains students to use the theories and methods of these disciplines in the critical evaluation of public health issues. The program builds upon a strong departmental interest in the social, cultural, behavioral and ethical factors affecting health and health care. Students in the program are trained to treat these as important factors in the collection and evaluation of research data. Graduates of the program participate as members of research teams where they contribute to research review, design and analysis.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Review and critique social and behavioral science research literature in at least one substantive area of public health with respect to gender, ethnicity, life course, sexuality, social and economic inequality, violence, and prevention interventions;

▪ Discuss and explain public health phenomena using concepts and theories from the social and behavioral sciences;

▪ Compare and contrast social and behavioral science research methodologies relevant to the study of public health questions;

▪ Develop testable public health research hypotheses using concepts and theories from the social and behavioral sciences:

- Translate research hypotheses into statistically testable statements

- Choose study designs that can test the research hypotheses;

▪ Design data collection tools and materials to gather formative data relevant to public health problems using at least one of the following methodologies: survey research, qualitative interviews, focus groups or qualitative observations;

▪ Analyze data using appropriate statistical methods for the study of the impact of multiple variables on continuous and discreet outcomes:

- Select statistical tests appropriate for the study design and research hypotheses

- Test research hypotheses using basic statistical techniques

- Recognize and explain the effects of confounding and bias

- Demonstrate familiarity with at least one statistical software program for the analysis of data (e.g., SAS, STATA, SPSS); and

▪ Identify ethical principles in conducting and disseminating social and behavioral science research in public health.

Aging and Public Health - Track Specific Learning Objectives

This track provides public health students, who have an interest in aging, with a comprehensive understanding of the special public health challenges of an aging population. The program offers a public health perspective on aging that encompasses both applied and policy dimensions. This program is also relevant to a broad array of public health professionals including those who are providing clinical services, managers and administrators of aging-related institutions, community-based social service and health care agencies, geriatric clinicians, and health services researchers. Students take courses designed to address: aging-related quality of life issues, successful aging, life course transitions, elder-based health promotion and disease prevention efforts, chronic disease and disability, technology and health, bioethical issues related to healthcare and the elderly, and public health issues in special aging populations. Students in this program are expected to develop proficiency in public health-related aging concerns and issues.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Identify major public health issues relevant to aging;

▪ Define the major social, cultural, developmental and economic factors contributing to health and illness in aging populations;

▪ Discuss the major societal forces impacting health services and aging resources;

▪ Explain the social, cultural and economic consequences of an aging population;

▪ Apply relevant behavioral and social science research approaches to understanding major public health issues relevant to aging; and

▪ Design services and interventions to promote healthy aging using relevant behavioral and social science theoretical approaches.

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention - Track Specific Learning Objectives

This track is designed for students who are interested in concentrated study in health promotion, and disease prevention issues and who are interested in an applied rather than a research approach to public health issues. The track prepares students to plan, implement, and evaluate health promotion and disease prevention programs in government health agencies, community-based organizations and the private sector.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Assess individual and community needs and priorities for health promotion and disease prevention:

- Obtain health data about behavioral, social and cultural environments

- Identify behaviors that tend to promote or compromise health

- Infer needs for health promotion and disease prevention programs on the basis of obtained data;

▪ Explain leading theories of individual, interpersonal and community-wide health behavior change and discuss their relevance to health promotion and disease prevention;

▪ Plan an evidence-based health promotion intervention utilizing a social ecological framework:

- Identify community organizations, resource people, and potential participants for support and assistance in health promotion intervention planning

- Develop a logical scope and sequence plan for a health promotion intervention

- Formulate appropriate and measurable intervention objectives;

▪ Implement health promotion interventions employing appropriate methods and strategies:

- Identify evidence-based and theoretically grounded methods and strategies best suited to implement the intervention for a specific population

- Determine the availability of resources needed to implement the intervention for a given population

- Monitor intervention implementation; and

▪ Develop an evaluation plan to assess health promotion interventions:

- Describe methods for evaluating intervention effectiveness

- Identify potential performance standards

- Identify existing valid and reliable measures and instruments;

History of Public Health and Medicine- Track Specific Learning Objectives

The MPH offered in the Program in the History and Ethics of Public Health and Medicine track is the only one of its kind in the nation. It emphasizes training health professionals in historical methods and provides a unique opportunity to develop an understanding of the context in which ethical considerations have emerged in public health and medicine. The program provides opportunities to study with public health experts, ethicists, and historians from the Mailman School of Public Health, the History Department of Columbia University, and other experts in the field from affiliated centers. In addition to the required School and Department courses, students take a sequence of public health history, policy, and ethics courses to develop proficiency in different areas of social, political, and intellectual history, public health policy and law, or ethics.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Explain the general chronology of major events and innovations, significant individuals, significant documents, and significant institutions in the history of medicine and public health as well as general social history in the 19th and 20th centuries;

▪ Explain critical interpretive challenges that emerge at the intersection of history and policy:

- Explain terms and concepts including but not limited to: presentism, historicism, Whig history, counterfactual condition, positivism, historical determinism, usable past, teleology, revisionism, social constructionism, deconstructionism, and post-modernism

- Apply terms and concepts to the explanation of how the present may shape our understanding of the past and how the past may frame an understanding of the present;

▪ Explain the major theoretical shifts in the literature in the history of public health and medicine and their relation to the social and political context in which they emerged in the following areas: the social construction of race, urban and occupational history, social reform and social welfare policy, hospitals and institutions, epidemics and the social construction of disease, and medical or public health ethics;

▪ Analyze and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the different uses of history in the policy arena such as history as lessons from the past, history as advocacy, history as social criticism or social indictment, history as analogy or metaphor;

▪ Analyze historical and contemporary policy problems:

- Frame an analysis of historical or public health issues in terms of the major literature in the history of public health and medicine

- Apply appropriate concepts (e.g. social construction, representation, etc.)

- Identify, evaluate, collect, and interpret appropriate primary data (including archival data and manuscripts, oral histories, published records or sources, and legislative records or cases); and

▪ Analyze and evaluate public health issues from an ethical perspective:

- Describe the medical, social, economic, political, and cultural factors that shape the responses and interests of public health and medical professionals

- Describe the responsibilities of public health and medical professionals to the community, institutions, and society

- Apply key ethical concepts (e.g. justice, beneficence, nonmalficence, harm, wrong, respect for persons) to the analysis of specific public health problems or policy responses

- Describe the inherent ethical tension between civil liberties and public health necessity

- Describe the duties of the state when compromising individual rights in the name of public health necessity

- Distinguish between the ethical principles at issue in public health and those of clinical bioethics

- Recognize the similarities and differences between the ethics of public health research and the ethics of public health practice.

Sexuality, Gender and Health - Track Specific Learning Objectives

Students who have successfully completed this track will be able to identify and analyze issues related to sexuality and health, generally and with emphasis on specific communities and among sexual minorities, and to develop effective policies and interventions to address these issues.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

7 Apply appropriate social and behavioral science theories and research principles to the promotion of sexual health and the lessening of sexual discrimination:

- Explain how individual, social, cultural and historical factors affect sexuality, with an emphasis on gender, sexual orientation and ethnicity

- Identify major health issues in relation to sexuality and apply relevant theoretical perspectives to these issues

- Distinguish appropriate methodological approaches to research in the field of sexuality and health

- Explain social scientific theories about behavior and behavior change relevant to health promotion in the field of sexuality

- Design policies and interventions to promote sexual health and counter sexual discrimination via the application of relevant social scientific theories;

8 Apply ethical principles and communication skills as they relate to the study of sexuality, gender and health:

- Distinguish the ethical and human rights aspects of sexuality, sexual health and sexual health promotion

- Assess one’s own norms and values in the field of sexuality and how they affect thinking about sexuality and health

- Communicate in a non-judgmental manner about sexual health issues with diverse populations; and

9 Discuss the history and organization of the study of sexuality, gender and health:

- Describe the history of sexual health promotion

- Identify the major organizations and institutions involved in sexual health promotion and describe how sexual health related services are delivered.

Urbanism and Community Health - Track Specific Learning Objectives

The Mailman School of Public Health is geographically situated at a juncture among a variety of ethnic minority communities in New York City, and thus provides an ideal setting for understanding the relationship between the city and health. We define urbanism as “the ecology of cities” and place a particular emphasis on the nested relationships that embed minorities within the city and the city within the global network of cities. Students prepared in this track will bring an awareness of the dynamics of urbanism to positions of leadership as researchers, planners, administrators, or policy makers in public health in urban settings.

Graduates of this track will be able to:

▪ Assess the association between patterns of health and disease and the urban environment, in the United States and globally:

- Analyze the impact of market forces on urban development and the health of urban populations

- Analyze how population movements, both forced and voluntary, contribute to these patterns

- Analyze how transportation systems and transportation links affect population migration and patterns of morbidity and mortality

- Analyze the political and social organization of urban areas and their association with patterns of health and disease;

▪ Conduct needs assessments and asset mappings to:

- Determine the psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence community health in urban settings

- Identify and locate the members of cultural, social and political groups who function as stakeholders and gatekeepers in urban community settings and community social networks

- Identify behavioral, cultural, social, economic, and environmental factors that affect morbidity and mortality in urban communities;

▪ Use the tools of spatial analysis and spatial mapping [Geographic Information Systems (GIS)] to conduct studies linking health survey data and/or surveillance data to maps of neighborhoods, community settings, urban areas and districts;

▪ Participate with professionals from other disciplines in the development of policies that promote health and contribute to the elimination of disease in urban settings;

▪ Contribute to urban and environmental planning initiatives:

- Explain the range of methods used in urban and environmental planning

- Explain current and past theories and concepts of urban planning and design

- Assess and evaluate using current methods the appropriateness and effectiveness of urban planning and design initiatives for improving community health;

▪ Apply effective and efficient electronic search strategies to the collection and organizing of information relevant to past, current and future developments in urbanism and urban health:

- Identify appropriate electronic information retrieval sources

- Develop and refine electronic search strategies

- Identify changes in research and planning literature in urbanism and health; and

▪ Communicate effectively in Standard English and at least one non-English language for the purposes of discussing and presenting relevant research and policies affecting health and disease in urban settings with both professionals and members of the general public.

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

The DrPH is designed to train individuals who wish to pursue teaching and research careers in the social and behavioral sciences within the field of public health. Students enter the program with an MPH. Students organize a course of study that brings the theory and methods of multiple social science disciplines to bear on a public health topic of the student’s choosing. The selected topic falls within the research expertise of Mailman School of Public Health faculty. Faculty mentors are primarily drawn from the Department of Sociomedical Sciences (SMS), but other School of Public Health faculty with social science training may mentor DrPH students. Faculty outside of SMS who participate in the training of DrPH includes but are not limited to Health Policy and Management, Population and Family Health and Epidemiology. Upon satisfactory completion of the DrPH, students will be able to conduct independent research that will advance knowledge in public health or will apply social science research and methods to advance public health practice and policy. The successful DrPH graduate will be an independent scholar, who has acquired an expertise in a specific area of public health so that they can train the next generation of public health masters and doctoral students in current state of social science knowledge.

Upon satisfactory completion of the DrPH degree in SMS, graduates will be able to:

▪ Identify and explain the theory and empirical findings in more than one social or behavioral science as applied to research problems in public health and health care:

- Summarize and critically analyze theoretical principles and positions in three of the following five disciplines – anthropology, economics, health psychology, history and sociology – as they have been applied to research problems in public health and health care

- Restate, critique and synthesize key theoretical positions and empirical findings in more than one social science discipline as they apply to health, disease and health behaviors;

▪ Identify the major qualitative and quantitative methods in the social and behavioral sciences and assess their major strengths and limitations:

- Select the social science method or methods that are appropriate for addressing a research question specific to population, time and setting

- Demonstrate an in-depth proficiency in data collection, research design and data analysis for two narrowly defined areas of social science methodology;

▪ Undertake independent and original research:

- Conceive, formulate and conduct original empirical research that applies the current state of social science knowledge and methods to a public health problem

- Communicate in written and oral form the results of research findings to other scholars and to public health practitioners; and

▪ Apply current standards for conducting ethical research with human subjects:

- Identify principles and requirements for the protection of human subjects in public health research

- Write and implement a research protocol that follows guidelines of the Institutional Review Board, and which protects the confidentiality of study subjects, minimizes their exposure to physical, social and psychological harm and as appropriate compensates subjects for their participation in a research study.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The PhD is designed to train individuals who wish to combine training in a social or behavioral science discipline with a focus on research and teaching in public health and medicine. Students combine a year of course work in a social science discipline of their choice with similar length of training in public health. Faculty mentors are drawn from the Department of Sociomedical Sciences, as well as other Mailman School of Public Health faculty with social science training, and faculty from social science departments from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Upon satisfactory completion of the PhD, students will be able to conduct independent and scholarly research that advances knowledge in public health based upon the theory and methods of the social science discipline of their choice. The successful PhD graduate will be an independent scholar who will be able teach students in either a social science department or school of public health.

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

▪ Identify and explain problems in public health and health care from the perspective of both public health and the theory and empirical findings of a social or behavioral science discipline:

- Identify and explain core theoretical principles and methods in biostatistics and epidemiology

- Summarize and critically analyze theoretical principles and positions in three of the following five disciplines - anthropology, economics, psychology, history and sociology - as they have been applied to research problems in public health and medicine

- Restate, critique and synthesize the general theory and methods in one of the following disciplines: anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology, and sociology;

▪ Identify the major qualitative and quantitative methods in the social and behavioral sciences and assess their major strengths and limitations:

- Select the social science method or methods that are appropriate for addressing a research question specific to population, time and setting

- Demonstrate an in-depth proficiency in data collection, research design and data analysis for two narrowly defined areas of social science methodology, one of which should include the major methodological traditions of the student’s disciplinary concentration;

▪ Undertake independent and original research:

- Conceive, formulate and conduct original empirical research that applies or tests theory from a social science discipline to a research problem on health, illness, health behaviors among individuals and groups or the organization of public health and health care

- Communicate in written and oral form the results of research findings to other scholars in both the selected social science discipline and public health; and

▪ Apply current standards for conducting ethical research with human subjects:

- Identify principles and requirements for the protection of human subjects in public health research

- Write and implement a research protocol that follows guidelines of the Institutional Review Board, and which protects the confidentiality of study subjects, minimizes their exposure to physical, social and psychological harm and as appropriate compensates subjects for their participation in a research study.

Recognize the similarities and differences between the ethics of public health research and practice.

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