Program and CEPH Competencies

Students at UIS Public Health are expected to demonstrate specific skills and knowledge based on their discipline by the end of their degree. Click below to identify the competencies for your degree and concentration.

All MPH students are trained in 22 CEPH foundational competencies and 12 CEPH foundational public health knowledge through the core curriculum. MPH students then learn an additional set of 5 concentration competencies. At the end of the program, MPH students complete applied practice experiences (APEs) through the MPH 581 Internship course, and an Integrative Learning Experience (i.e., MPH Comprehensive Exam) that demonstrates syntheses of foundational and concentration competencies.

CEPH Foundational Public Health Knowledge for All MPH Degrees

  • CEPH F1. Explain public health history, philosophy, and values
  • CEPH F2. Identify the core functions of public health and the 10 Essential Services
  • CEPH F3. Explain the role of quantitative and qualitative methods and sciences in describing and assessing a population’s health
  • CEPH F4. List major causes and trends of morbidity and mortality in the U.S. or other community relevant to the program
  • CEPH F5. Discuss the science of primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention in population health, including health promotion, screening, etc.
  • CEPH F6. Explain the critical importance of evidence in advancing public health knowledge
  • CEPH F7. Explain effects of environmental factors on a population’s health
  • CEPH F8. Explain biological and genetic factors that affect a population’s health
  • CEPH F9. Explain behavioral and psychological factors that affect a population’s health
  • CEPH F10. Explain the social, political, and economic determinants of health and how they contribute to population health and health inequities
  • CEPH F11. Explain how globalization affects global burdens of disease
  • CEPH F12. Explain an ecological perspective on the connections among human health, animal health, and ecosystem health (e.g., One Health)

CEPH Foundational Competencies for All MPH Degrees

  • CEPH C1. Apply epidemiological methods to settings and situations in public health practice
  • CEPH C2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context
  • CEPH C3. Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software, as appropriate
  • CEPH C4. Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice
  • CEPH C5. Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings
  • CEPH C6. 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
  • CEPH C7. Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health
  • CEPH C8. Apply awareness of cultural values and practices to the design, implementation, or critique of public health policies or programs
  • CEPH C9. Design a population-based policy, program, project, or intervention
  • CEPH C10. Explain basic principles and tools of budget and resource management
  • CEPH C11. Select methods to evaluate public health programs
  • CEPH C12. Discuss the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence
  • CEPH C13. Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes
  • CEPH C14. Advocate for political, social, or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations
  • CEPH C15. Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity
  • CEPH C16. Apply leadership and/or management principles to address a relevant issue
  • CEPH C17. Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges
  • CEPH C18. Select communication strategies for different audiences and sectors
  • CEPH C19. Communicate audience-appropriate (i.e., non-academic, non-peer audience) public health content, both in writing and through oral presentation
  • CEPH C20. Describe the importance of cultural competence in communicating public health content
  • CEPH C21. Integrate perspectives from other sectors and/or professions to promote and advance population health
  • CEPH C22. Apply a systems thinking tool to visually represent a public health issue in a format other than standard narrative

Concentration Competencies of MPH-General

  • MPH-G1. Analyze data to prioritize public health and social issues and make decisions through social determinants of health
  • MPH-G2. Create a multilevel framework to generate social determinants of health intervention strategies for targeted populations
  • MPH-G3. Integrate concepts and methods in social epidemiology to assess differences between population and individual health
  • MPH-G4. Propose an epidemiologic study design to address a public health research question and critique the strengths and limitations
  • MPH-G5. Design an impact evaluation plan on a health policy related to a public health program or practice

Concentration Competencies of MPH-Environmental Health

  • MPH-EH#1. Evaluate chemical, biological, and radiological sources of concern to human health and identify methods to reduce exposure
  • MPH-EH#2. Integrate the principles of risk analysis and risk communication into communication strategies for diverse target audiences
  • MPH-EH#3. Develop information materials (e.g., brochure of fact sheets, technical report) for risk communication based on a risk analysis
  • MPH-EH#4. Construct components of an environmental risk assessment that meets established federal guidelines
  • MPH-EH#5. Assess an environmental risk through the lens of environmental justice and social determinants of health