Team’s DraftReport

Template

REVIEW FOR ACCREDITATION

OF THE

PUBLIC HEALTHPROGRAM

AT THE

______

COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

SITE VISIT DATES:

______

SITE VISIT TEAM:

______

______

SITE VISIT COORDINATOR:

______

1

Table of Contents

Introduction

Characteristics of a Public Health Program

1.0 THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM.

1.1 Mission.

1.2 Evaluation and Planning

1.3 Institutional Environment

1.4 Organization and Administration

1.5 Governance

1.6 Fiscal Resources

1.7 Faculty and Other Resources.

1.8 Diversity.

2.0 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS.

2.1 Degree Offerings

2.2 Program Length

2.3 Public Health Core Knowledge

2.4 Practical Skills

2.5 Culminating Experience

2.6 Required Competencies

2.7 Assessment Procedures.

2.8 Bachelor’s Degrees in Public Health.

2.9 Academic Degrees

2.10 Doctoral Degrees.

2.11 Joint Degrees

2.12 Distance Education or Executive Degree Programs

3.0 CREATION, APPLICATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE.

3.1 Research.

3.2 Service

3.3 Workforce Development

4.0 FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS.

4.1 Faculty Qualifications

4.2 Faculty Policies and Procedures

4.3 Student Recruitment and Admissions

4.4 Advising and Career Counseling

Agenda

1

Introduction

This report presents the findings of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) regarding the Public Health Program at ______.The report assesses the program’s compliance with the Accreditation Criteria for Public Health Programs, amended June 2011.This accreditation review included the conduct of a self-study process by program constituents, the preparation of a document describing the program and its features in relation to the criteria for accreditation, and a visit in Month Year by a team of external peer reviewers.During the visit, the team had an opportunity to interview program and university officials, administrators, teaching faculty, students, alumni and community representatives and to verify information in the self-study document by reviewing materials provided in a resource file.The team was afforded full cooperation in its efforts to assess the program and verify the self-study document.

HISTORY OF INSTITUTION (paragraph(s) describing)

HISTORY AND BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PROGRAM (paragraph(s) describing)

HISTORY OF ACCREDITATION (paragraph(s) describing)

Note: Visit coordinator drafts Introduction text and presents to team for review after site visit.

Characteristics of a Public Health Program

To be considered eligible for accreditation review by CEPH, a public health program shall demonstrate the following characteristics:

  1. The program shall be a part of an institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the US Department of Education or its equivalent in other countries.
  1. The program and its faculty and students shall have the same rights, privileges and status as other professional preparation programs that are components of its parent institution.
  1. The program shall function as a collaboration of disciplines, addressing the health of populations and the community through instruction, research and service.Using an ecological perspective, the public health program should provide a special learning environment that supports interdisciplinary communication, promotes a broad intellectual framework for problemsolving and fosters the development of professional public health values.
  1. The public health program shall maintain an organizational culture that embraces the vision, goals and values common to public health.The program shall maintain this organizational culture through leadership, institutional rewards and dedication of resources in order to infuse public health values and goals into all aspects of the program’s activities.
  1. The program shall have faculty and other human, physical, financial and learning resources to provide both breadth and depth of educational opportunity in the areas of knowledge basic to public health.At a minimum, the program shall offer the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree, or an equivalent professional degree.
  1. The program shall plan, develop and evaluate its instructional, research and service activities in ways that assure sensitivity to the perceptions and needs of its students and that combines educational excellence with applicability to the world of public health practice.

These characteristics are evident in the public health program at ______university/college.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ADDRESSING EACH POINT ABOVE (3 to 4 short paragraphs)

Note: Site visit coordinator drafts Characteristics section and presents to the team for review after the site visit.

1.0 THE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM.

1.1 Mission.

The program shall have a clearly formulated and publicly stated mission with supporting goals, objectives and values.

This criterion is ______.BRIEF SUMMARY OF HOW THE MISSION STATEMENT CAME TO ITS PRESENT POINT.DESCRIPTION, IF APPLICABLE, OF DISTINCTIVE OR INTERESTING ASPECTS OF MISSION.

The program’s mission is as follows: insert mission statement

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.DISCUSSION MUST INCLUDE STATEMENT(S) ABOUT MEASURABILITY OF OBJECTIVES.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING AND REVISING MGO.DISCUSSION OF METHODS OF PUBLICIZING MGO.

EVALUATION OF CONTENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF VALUES.

1.2 Evaluation and Planning.

The program shall have an explicit process for monitoring and evaluating its overall efforts against its mission, goals and objectives; for assessing the program’s effectiveness in serving its various constituencies; and for using evaluation results in ongoing planning and decision making to achieve its mission.As part of the evaluation process, the program must conduct an analytical self-study that analyzes performance against the accreditation criteria.

This criterion is ______.DESCRIPTION OF EVALUATION EFFORTS TARGETED TO MONITORING MGO.WHO LOOKS AT DATA ON THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OUTLINED IN 1.1, HOW REGULARLY AND WHAT DO THEY DO WITH IT?

DESCRIPTION OF USE OF EVAL DATA IN PLANNING. DESCRIPTION OF PROCESS FOR USING DATA TO MAKE PROGRAM CHANGES.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF INVOLVEMENT OF CONSTITUENTS IN EVALUATION/PLANNING.

DESCRIPTION OF SELF-STUDY PROCESS, INCLUDING INVOLVEMENT OF CONSTITUENTS.

1.3 Institutional Environment.

The program shall be an integral part of an accredited institution of higher education.

This criterion is ______. STATEMENT OF REGIONAL ACCREDITATION OF UNIVERSITY.REFERENCE TO OTHER ACCREDITING BODIES, IF APPLICABLE.BRIEF OVERVIEW OF UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE AND GENERAL UNIVERSITY FACTS

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM’S POSITION IN UNIVERSITY.

DESCRIPTION OF LINES OF AUTHORITY FOR EACH AREA LISTED, IE, WHO MAKES DECISIONS?DO NOT DISCUSS CONTENT OF HOW DECISIONS ARE MADE.

1.4 Organization and Administration.

The program shall provide an organizational setting conducive to public health learning, research and service.The organizational setting shall facilitate interdisciplinary communication, cooperation and collaboration that contribute to achieving the program’s public health mission.The organizational structure shall effectively support the work of the program’s constituents.

This criterion is ______.DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM’S INTERNAL ORGANIZATION.Figure 2 presents the school’s organization.

ANALYSIS OF ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING AND DESCRIPTION OF ANY DINSTINGUISHING OR UNIQUE ASPECTS, IF APPLICABLE.ANALYSIS MUST ADDRESS SETTING’S EFFECT ON INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION.

1.5 Governance.

The program administration and faculty shall have clearly defined rights and responsibilities concerning program governance and academic policies.Students shall, where appropriate, have participatory roles in the conduct of program evaluation procedures, policy setting and decisionmaking.

This criterion is ______.

DESCRIPTION OF GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE.LIST AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ALL PROGRAM-SPECIFIC COMMITTEES.INDICATE WHICH COMMITTEES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR DECISIONS IN EACH AREA OUTLINED IN THE DOCUMENTATION REQUEST.

BRIEF ANALYSIS OF OVERALL EFFECTIVENESS/STRUCTURE OF GOVERNANCE SYSTEM. ANALYSIS OF GOVERNANCE SYSTEM’S ABILITY TO FACILITATE FACULTY PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM.INCLUDE INFORMATION ON LEVEL OF FACULTY REPRESENTATION IN UNIVERSITY-WIDE GOVERNANCE.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF CONSTITUENT INVOLVEMENT IN GOVERNANCE.

DESCRIPTION OF STUDENT GOVERNANCE, INCLUDING BOTH STUDENT PARTICIPATION IN FACULTY COMMITTEES AND STUDENT-LED ORGANIZATIONS.

1.6 Fiscal Resources.

The program shall have financial resources adequate to fulfill its stated mission and goals, and its instructional, research and service objectives.

This criterion is ______.BRIEF ANALYSIS OF OVERALL FINANCIAL RESOURCE ADEQUACY.HIGHLIGHT SIGNIFICANT OR DISTINGUISHING RESOURCE ISSUES, PARTICULARLY AREAS OF MAJOR CHANGE SINCE LAST REVIEW.

DESCRIPTION OF BUDGET AND FUND ALLOCATION PROCESS.INCLUDE EXPLANATION OF HOW PROGRAM GENERATES REVENUE.INCLUDE DETAILS ON INDIRECT COST RECOVERY.INCLUDE EXPLANATION OF MAJOR EXPENDITURES, SUCH AS FACULTY SALARIES.EXPLAIN HOW FACULTY SALARIES ARE FUNDED.

ANALYSIS OF BUDGETARY ADEQUACY.HIGHLIGHT MAJOR TRENDS IN INCOME OR EXPENDITURES.Table 1 presents the program’s budget for ____ through ____.

Note: CEPH will insert budget table.

1.7 Faculty and Other Resources.

The program shall have personnel and other resources adequate to fulfill its stated mission and goals, and its instructional, research and service objectives.

This criterion is ____. DISCUSSION (WITH NUMBERS) OF FACULTY RESOURCES, BY CONCENTRATION (IF APPLICABLE).PRESENTATION OF STUDENT-FACULTY RATIOS.ANALYSIS OF FACULTY RESOURCE ADEQUACY. Note: Must explicitly statewhether program meets full-time quantitative faculty requirements here.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF STAFF RESOURCES.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL SPACE.DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF LAB SPACE.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF COMPUTER FACILITIES AND RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF LIBRARY ADEQUACY, SPECIFICALLY INCLUDING AVAILABILITY OF PUBLIC-HEALTH-SPECIFIC JOURNALS AND RELEVANT RESOURCES.

DESCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF AVAILABILITY OF COMMUNITY OR OTHER RESOURCES, IF APPLICABLE.

1.8 Diversity.

The program shall demonstrate a commitment to diversity and shall evidence an ongoing practice of cultural competence in learning, research and service practices.

This criterion is ______. OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM’S DEFINITION OF DIVERSITY AND RATIONALE FOR THAT DEFINITION.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF THE ADEQUACY AND APPROPRIATENESS OF WRITTEN PLANS AND POLICIES THAT DEMONSTRATE SYSTEMATIC INCORPORATION OF DIVERSITY WITHIN THE PROGRAM. EXAMPLES OF IMPLEMENTATION, IF APPLICABLE.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION EFFORTS.THIS DISCUSSION MAY INCLUDE DETAIL ON CURRICULUM AND ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORT OR DO NOT SUPPORT DIVERSITY. EXAMPLES OF IMPLEMENTATION, IF APPLICABLE.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF OTHER “ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS” OR SIGNIFICANT EFFORTS THAT SUPPORT DIVERSITY, IF APPLICABLE.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF THE MEASUREABLE OBJECTIVES SET BY THE PROGRAM AND CORRESPONDING DATA (PRESENT SIGNIFICANT NUMERICAL DATA POINTS IN REPORT—DO NOT SIMPLY REPRODUCE TEMPLATE).

2.0 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS.

2.1 Degree Offerings.

The program shall offer instructional programs reflecting its stated mission and goals, leading to the Master of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent professional master’s degree.The program may offer a generalist MPH degree and/or an MPH with areas of specialization.The program, depending on how it defines the unit of accreditation, may offer other degrees, if consistent with its mission and resources.

This criterion is ______.Table 2 presents the program’s degree offerings.OVERVIEW OF DEGREE OFFERINGS.SIGNIFICANT DETAILS, IF APPLICABLE, ABOUT CURRICLUM OR CURRICULAR CHANGES.ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURE OF DEGREES.Note: Explain what courses are required (no need to list) beyond the core, practice, culminating. HIGHLIGHT CONCERNS ABOUT REQUIRED COURSEWORK IN ACONCENTRATION AREA, IF APPLICABLE.

Note: CEPH will insert degree matrix after site visit.

2.2 Program Length.

An MPH degree program or equivalent professional public health master’s degree must be at least 42 semester-credit units in length.

This criterion is ______.STATEMENT OF NUMBER OF CREDITS REQUIRED FOR MPH DEGREE.STATEMENT OF NUMBER OF CREDITS REQUIRED FOR NON-MPH PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S DEGREES, IF APPLICABLE (very rare for programs).

DEFINE CREDITS HOURS IN TERMS OF CONTACT HOURS.

STATEMENT THAT ALL PROFESSIONAL DEGREE STUDENTS MUST FULFILL THESE MINIMUM CREDIT REQUIREMENTS, IF APPLICABLE.IF SOME STUDENTS HAVE GRADUATED OR ARE CURRENTLY PERMITTED TO GRADUATE WITH FEWER THAN 42 CREDITS, DETAIL HOW MANY AND EXPLAIN THE RATIONALE.

2.3 Public Health Core Knowledge.

All graduate professionalpublic health degree students must complete sufficient coursework to attain depth and breadth in the five core areas of public health knowledge.

This criterion is ______.STATEMENT OF MANNER IN WHICH MPH STUDENTS ADDRESS THE FIVE CORE AREAS (EG, THROUGH A SERIES OF FIVE REQUIRED CLASSES).Table 3 presents the required core courses for MPH students.Note: Staff will insert table listing courses in five core areas). BRIEF ANALYSIS OF ADEQUACY OF COVERAGE OF CORE AREAS (OFTEN MUST BE VERIFIED BY SYLLABUS REVIEW IN RESOURCE FILE.)

STATEMENT OF MANNER IN WHICH EACH DOCTORAL PROFESSIONAL DEGREE (EG, DrPH) IF APPLICABLE OR OTHERPUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALMASTER’S DEGREE (very rare), IF APPLICABLEADDRESSES THE FIVE CORE AREAS, IF APPLICABLE.ALL DEGREES MARKED AS PROFESSIONAL IN 2.1 MATRIX MUST BE ADDRESSED. DISCUSSION OF PROGRAM’S PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING/CHOOSNG THESE CORE COURSES, IF DIFFERENT FROM MPH CORE.LIST IN TABLE FORMAT ALSO.ANALYSIS OF ADEQUACY OF COVERAGE OF CORE AREAS FOR EACH DEGREE.

ADDRESS WAIVERS OF CORE COURSES OR STATE THAT THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED.

2.4 Practical Skills.

All graduate professional public health degree students must develop skills in basic public health concepts and demonstrate the application of these concepts through a practice experience that is relevant to students’ areas of specialization.

This criterion is ______. STATEMENT OF HOW MPH PRACTICE IS STRUCTURED.STATE REQUIRED CONTACT HOURS FOR MPH PRACTICE.PROVIDE SAME INFORMATION FOR EACH PROFESSIONAL DOCTORAL DEGREE (EG, DrPH) OR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S DEGREE(very rare), IF APPLICABLE.

PROVIDE DETAILS ON PRACTICE EXPERIENCE: AVAILABILITY OF WRITTEN POLICIES/HANDBOOK; PROCESS FOR SELECTING PRECEPTORS/DETERMINING THEY ARE QUALIFIED; PROCESS FOR STUDENTS’ SITE SELECTION; PROCESS FOR DEFINITION OF PRACTICE LEARNING OBJECTIVES; SUPERVISION WHILE ON-SITE; REQUIRED WORK PRODUCTS; ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

ANALYZE DEFINED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE(S) FOR ABILITY TO ALLOW STUDENTS TO DEMONSTRATE APPLICATION OF CLASSROOM PUBLIC HEALTH SKILLS AND TO GAIN EXPERIENCE IN PRACTICE-ORIENTED SKILLS.

ADDRESS PRACTICUM WAIVERS OR STATE THAT THEY ARE NOT PERMITTED.

2.5 Culminating Experience.

All graduate professional degree programsidentified in the instructional matrix shall assure that each student demonstrates skills and integration of knowledge through a culminating experience.

This criterion is ______.OVERVIEW OF CULMINATING EXPERIENCE OPTIONS FOR MPH.OVERVIEW OF CULMINATING EXPERIENCE OPTIONS FOR EACH PROFESSIONAL DEGREE: DOCTORAL (EG, DrPH) OR OTHER PUBLIC HEALTHMASTER’S(very rare), IF APPLICABLE.

PROVIDE DETAILS: AVAILABILITY OF WRITTEN POLICIES/HANDBOOK, SELECTION OF TOPIC, SUPERVISION, REQUIRED END PRODUCT; ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

ANALYZE EACH CULMINATING EXPERIENCE OPTION AS OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE INTEGRATION OF SKILLS FROM ACROSS THE CURRICULUM.

2.6 Required Competencies.

For each degree program and area of specialization within each program identified in the instructional matrix, there shall be clearly stated competencies that guide the development of degree programs.The program must identify competencies for graduate professional, academic and baccalaureate public health degree programs.Additionally, the program must identify competencies for specializations within the degree program at all levels (bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral).

This criterion is ______. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DEFINITION OF CORE COMPETENCIES FOR ALL GRADUATE PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL DEGREES (EG, MPH, DrPH) AND BACCALAUREATE PUBLIC HEALTH DEGREES, IF APPLICABLE. INDICATE AREAS LACKING DEFINED COMPETENCIES.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DEFINITION OF COMPETENCIES FOR ALL CONCENTRATIONS OF THE DEGREES LISTED ABOVE (EG, HEALTH EDUCATION, GLOBAL HEALTH). IF COMPETENCIES ARE NOT PROVIDED FOR ONE OR MORE SPECIALIZATIONS, OR IF A GENERALIST MPH DEFINES NO COMPETENCIES ABOVE THOSE THAT ADDRESS THE FIVE CORE KNOWLEDGE AREAS, INDICATE AREAS LACKING DEFINED COMPETENCIES.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DEFINITION OF COMPETENCIES FOR ALL ACADEMIC DEGREES (EG, MS, PhD), IF APPLICABLE. IF COMPETENCIES ARE NOT PROVIDED FOR ONE OR MORE OF THESE DEGREES, INDICATE AREAS LACKING DEFINED COMPETENCIES.

DESCRIBE COMPETENCIES (EG, THEY ARE DIVIDED INTO X DOMAINS; THEY ARE THE COMPETENCIES PROMULGATED BY ASPH, COL; ETC).ANALYZE APPROPRIATENESS OF COMPETENCIES.

DESCRIBE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING COMPETENCIES.INCLUDE INFORMATION ON CONSTITUENT INVOLVEMENT.

DESCRIBE PROCESS OF EVALUATING APPROPRIATENESS OF COMPETENCIES ON ONGOING BASIS AND ANALYZE ADEQUACY OF PROCESS.

DESCRIBE METHODS FOR MAKING STUDENTS AND OTHER CONSTITUENTS AWARE OF COMPETENCIES.

DESCRIBE LINKS TO LEARNING OBJECTIVES ON SYLLABI. Note: Must review syllabi in resource file for this verification.

2.7 Assessment Procedures.

There shall be procedures for assessing and documenting the extent to which each student has demonstrated achievement of the competencies defined for his or her degree program and area of concentration.

This criterion is ______.GENERAL DISCUSSION OF PROGRAM’S ASSESSMENT METHODS.OUTLINE ALL COMPONENTS, EG, GRADES IN REQUIRED COURSES, PRACTICUM, CULMINATING, ANY OTHERS.

DETAIL ON HOW EACH COMPONENT FUNCTIONS TO ASSESS ATTAINMENT OF COMPETENCIES.INCLUDE DETAIL ON COURSE-LEVEL ASSESSMENT.IF METHODS DIFFER ACROSS DEGREES OF STUDY, ADDRESS EACH.

DISCUSSION OF HOW EACH STUDENT IS ASSESSED ON EACH COMPTENCY BEYOND COURSE GRADES (EG, SELF-ASSESSMENT, PORTFOLIO, COMP EXAM, PRECEPTOR EVALUATION0.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF ANY OUTCOME MEASURES ASIDE FROM GRADUATION AND JOB PLACEMENT RATES, IF APPLICABLE.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF GRADUATION RATES.

DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF JOB PLACEMENT RATES.

2.8 Bachelor’s Degrees in Public Health.

If the program offers baccalaureate public health degrees, they shall include the following elements:

Required Coursework in Public Health Core Knowledge: students must complete courses that provide a basic understanding of the five core public health knowledge areas defined in Criterion 2.1, including one course that focuses on epidemiology. Collectively, this coursework should be at least the equivalent of 12 semester-credit hours.

Elective Public Health Coursework: in addition to the required public health core knowledge courses, students must complete additional public health-related courses.

Public health-related courses may include those addressing social, economic, quantitative, geographic, educational and other issues that impact the health of populations and health disparities within and across populations.

Capstone Experience: students must complete an experience that provides opportunities to apply public health principles outside of a typical classroom setting and builds on public health coursework.This experience should be at least equivalent to three semester-credit hours or sufficient to satisfy the typical capstone requirement for a bachelor’s degree at the parent university.The experience may be tailored to students’ expected post-baccalaureate goals (eg, graduate and/or professional school, entry-level employment), and a variety of experiences that meet university requirements may be appropriate.Acceptable capstone experiences might include one or more of the following: internship, service-learning project, senior seminar, portfolio project, research paper or honors thesis.