Core Competencies

MPH Foundational Competencies

All MPH graduates must demonstrate the following competencies. These competencies are informed by the traditional public health core knowledge areas, (biostatistics, epidemiology, social and behavioral sciences, health services administration and environmental health sciences), as well as cross-cutting and emerging public health areas.

Evidence-based Approaches to Public Health
1. Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice.
2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.

Public Health & Health Care Systems
5. Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
6. Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and systemic levels.

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

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

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

Communication
18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors.
19. Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation.
20. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content.

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

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

About MPH Core Competencies

The NYU MPH program uses an adaption of the MPH Core Competency model developed by the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health (ASPPH). Our curriculum uses this model as a foundation for ensuring that our graduates are well-prepared to enter rewarding careers in public health. Read More.

Biostatistics Concentration

• Translate hypotheses and associated outcome measures into appropriate study designs
• Implement statistical analysis plans based on the hypotheses, study design, and data features
• Use statistical software proficiently for data management, manipulation, storage, resource sharing, and analysis
• Communicate study results clearly and accurately in written responses and with effective data visualization methods
• Understand and address the implications of structural racism and discrimination on study results and their potential to subvert the interpretation of data and have detrimental societal impact

Community Health Science and Practice Concentration

• Gather and analyze community health data to identify and prioritize issues for program planning that promotes community health
• Apply a social ecological framework to the assessment of behavioral, social, cultural, economic, environmental and institutional factors that contribute to health among diverse populations
• Apply a social ecological framework to identify evidence-based interventions that promote population and community health
• Apply a social ecological framework to the planning and evaluation of population-based intervention strategies to improve health and reduce inequities.
• Adapt and implement evidence-based strategies to promote healthy communities and health equity
• Design strategies to engage community stakeholders and to develop community partnerships for population-based health programs

Environmental Public Health Sciences Concentration

• Describe the origin and pathways of contaminants in the environment and the mechanisms through which they are introduced
• Specify approaches for assessing, preventing, and controlling environmental hazards that pose risk to human health and safety
• Identify the direct and indirect effects of environmental hazards on humans and ecological systems
• Critically evaluate, synthesize, and interpret scientific findings in the environmental health literature, including relevant topics in epidemiology, toxicology, engineering, and medicine
• Define the role and impact of national and international environmental health regulatory programs, agencies, and organizations

Epidemiology Concentration

• Identify methods for measuring the distribution of determinants of health outcomes and well-being within and across populations
• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of epidemiologic study designs in order to be able to identify an appropriate study design for a given research question
• Identify data sources, manage large datasets, and conduct analyses using appropriate statistical software
• Synthesize the extant epidemiologic literature and identify its limitations and gaps
• Effectively communicate epidemiologic findings both orally and in writing

Global Health Concentration

• Describe the major players in global health governance and institutions that conduct health/public health policy research and analysis
• Perform strategic assessment and evaluation to analyze factors shaping individual and institutional behaviors and measure their impact
• Identify relevant sources for quantitative and qualitative data to analyze the global burden of disease
• Identify cost-effective interventions, strategies, and platforms to accelerate context specific progress towards the health related SDGs. 
• Advocate for cost-effective policies and strategies to accelerate progress towards the health related SDGs.

Public Health Nutrition Concentration

• Identify and assess nutrition-related health problems among diverse populations
• Describe key factors that contribute to malnutrition risk among populations
• Communicate nutrition-related information both orally and in writing
• Analyze programs or policies aimed at improving food security health status among diverse populations
• Critically evaluate and interpret nutrition research findings and their implications for the development of nutrition policies

Public Health Policy Concentration

• Analyze the main components and challenges in the organization, financing and delivery of health care and public health services
• Describe the legal basis for public health and health services
• Analyze public health data to evaluate policy impacts on the target population
• Discuss policy options to improve the health status of populations, especially vulnerable groups
• Describe the utility of evidence-based theories or frameworks, such as logic models, in the design and implementation of public health programs.

Public Health Management Concentration

• Analyze the main components and challenges in the organization, financing and delivery of health care and public health services
• Describe the legal basis for public health and health services
• Assess an organizational initiative and recommend steps to address the strengths and weaknesses of the initiative
• Apply the principles and tools of budgeting and resource management to improve the performance of public health and health care delivery organizations
• Apply principles of strategic management to public health

Social and Behavioral Sciences Concentration

• Critically assess the literature related to social and behavioral aspects of health
• Explain major theories, trends, and debates in the social and behavioral sciences literature regarding health
• Critically review and contrast two theories or theoretical frameworks in social and behavioral sciences to assess the overall utility of each theory or framework
• Conduct pilot testing to evaluate the quality of a research survey or assessment
• Apply ethical principles to public health research and evaluation