University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciencesmay 10, 2012

University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information SciencesMay 10, 2012

Response to Criterion Two

2.0 INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS.

2.1 Degree Offerings. The school shall offer instructional programs reflecting its stated mission and goals, leading to the Master of Public Health (MPH) or equivalent professional masters degree in at least the five areas of knowledge basic to public health. The school may offer other degrees, professional and academic, and other areas of specialization, if consistent with its mission and resources.

The areas of knowledge basic to public health include the following:

Biostatistics – collection, storage, retrieval, analysis and interpretation of health data; design and analysis of health-related surveys and experiments; and concepts and practice of statistical data analysis;

Epidemiology – distributions and determinants of disease, disabilities and death in human populations; the characteristics and dynamics of human populations; and the natural history of disease and the biologic basis of health;

Environmental health sciences – environmental factors including biological, physical,andchemical,and social factors that affect the health of a community;

Health services administration – planning, organization, administration, management, evaluation and policy analysis of health and public health programs; and

Social and behavioral sciences – concepts and methods of social and behavioral sciences relevant to the identification and solution of public health problems.

The vision and mission of SPHIS expand the traditional concept of public health and point to similarly expanded concepts of the traditional academic departments in a school of public health and how they represent the five areas of public health knowledge. Table 2.1.1 illustrates the mapping between the traditional areas, the areas of concentration in the MPH degree program and the school’s departments.

Table 2.1.1: Mapping Between Areas of Knowledge, Areas of Concentration and Departments

Area of Knowledge / Area of MPH Concentration / SPHIS Department
biostatistics / biostatistics / Bioinformatics and Biostatistics
epidemiology / epidemiology / Epidemiology and Population Health
environmental health sciences / environmental and occupational health / Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences
health services administration / health management / Health Management and Systems Sciences
social and behavioral sciences / health promotion, behavior and cognition / Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences

The expansions of the department names reflect the recognition of the expanded idea of public health under which the school was founded, especially the recognition of the important role that health information sciences have in the public’s health[TA1].

• Bioinformatics includes activities in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, computational biology and health research informatics, all of which are taking more prominent roles in public health.
• Epidemiology addresses the population studies needed to provide a scientific basis for both clinical and public health interventions and a framework for efforts such as community-based participatory research.
• Health management in today’s social, political and economic environment requires even more powerful tools and approaches for dealing with planning, policy and administration. Systems sciences provide these needs with network science (especially social network theory) and complexity science (in particular, systems thinking and dynamic modeling), where the interdependent structure of an ecosystem drives its behavior over time.
• Health promotion and education are essential interventions in public health. The traditional emphasis is on influencing health-related behavior as well as the economic, environmental, organizational and policy supports necessary for long-term health improvement. In addition, there is increasing interest in new concepts of cognitive science, informatics and decision analysis[TA2][rrj3].

a. An instructional matrix presenting all of the school’s degree programs and areas of specialization. If multiple areas of specialization are available within departments or academic units shown on the matrix, these should be included. The matrix should distinguish between public health professional degrees, other professional degrees and academic degrees at the graduate level, and should distinguish baccalaureate public health degrees from other baccalaureate degrees. The matrix must identify any programs that are offered in distance learning or other formats. Non-degree programs, such as certificates or continuing education, should not be included in the matrix. See CEPH Data Template 2.1.1.

The School of Public Health and Information Sciences (SPHIS) has five departments that offer eleven professional and academic degree programs, three of which also offer joint degrees (See Table 2.1.2. CEPH Instructional Matrix).[EN4]Degrees include the undergraduate baccalaureate degree in public health (target Spring 2013), four master’s degrees (including the professional MPH degree and three academic degrees), and two Ph.D. degrees, one in Biostatistics and Decision sciences and the PhD in Public Health Sciences with concentrations in Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Health Management, and Health Behavior[TA5][rrj6].

Table 2.1.2:. Instructional Matrix – Degrees & Specializations[TA7]
Academic / PH Professional
Bachelors Degrees
BA in Public Health / Target Date Spring 2013
BS in Public Health / Target Date Spring 2013
Masters Degrees
MPH with a concentration in Biostatistics / X
MPH with a concentration in Epidemiology / X
MPH with a concentration in Environmental and occupational health / X
MPH with a concentration in Health management / X
MPH with a concentration in Health promotion and behavior / X
MPH – Individual track / X
MS in Biostatistics-Decision Science / X
MS in Epidemiology / X
MSc in Clinical Investigation Sciences / X
Doctoral Degrees
PhD in Biostatistics with concentrations in Biostatistics and Decision Science / X
PhD in Public Health Sciences, Concentration in Environmental Health / X
PhD in Public Health Sciences, Concentration in Epidemiology / X
PhD in Public Health Sciences, Concentration in Health Management / X
PhD in Public Health Sciences, Concentration in Health Promotion / X
Joint Degrees
MD-MPH / X
MD-MSc / X
BS-MPH five year degree / X
MPH-MUP (Masters in Urban Planning[rrj8]) / X
PhD-MS in Biostatistics-Decision Science / X

b. The school bulletin or other official publication, which describes all degree programs identified in the instructional matrix, including a list of required courses and their course descriptions. The school bulletin or other official publication may be online, with appropriate links noted.

The official school catalog for 2011-12 and a listing of the required courses and descriptions can be found at The catalogcontains descriptions about each degree program outlined in Table 2.1.1, as well as additional information for students, such as important contact information, university schedules and general graduate student information. The current catalog does not include new programs that were approved in 2012; these programs will be included in the 2013-14 catalog.The SPHIS website describes the curriculum (including required courses and their descriptions) for each degree program and areas concentration identified in the instructional matrix.(These publications arein the resource file).

c. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the school’s strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion.

This criterion is met. The degrees offered by the school are presented in matrix form and the school catalog is provided as a website and in the resource file.

Strengths

• Detailed descriptions for each degree are available on the SPHIS website and in the school catalog.
• Detailed department descriptions are available on the SPHIS website.
• Course syllabi are available electronically on Sharepointand are available to students upon request.

Challenges

• Getting students (and faculty) to use Sharepoint to electronically access degree information, course syllabi, and Departmental and SPHIS information.
• Comparing information across departments or degrees[rrj9]

Future Directions

• Work more closely with students, Departmental Chairs, Program Directors, and Student Services to enhance accessibility of electronic curricula and course information, and assure that students have the information they need to make informed curricular decisions
• Reconcile the desire to use print media with goal of utilizing digital media to assure that information provided about courses and policies is accurate, accessible, and easy to use

2.2 Program Length. An MPH degree program or equivalent professional public health masters degree must be at least 42 semester-credit units in length.

a. Definition of a credit with regard to classroom/contact hours.

Based on the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools requirements, the UofL and SPHIS definition of a credit hour is a unit of measure representing an hour (50 minutes) of instruction over a 15-week period in a semester.This definition applies to each credit hour of the total number of credit hours needed to complete the requirements of all professional and academic degrees offered by the SPHIS.

b. Information about the minimum degree requirements for all professional public health masters degree curricula shown in the instructional matrix. If the school or university uses a unit of academic credit or an academic term different from the standard semester or quarter, this difference should be explained and an equivalency presented in a table or narrative.

The MPH program uses the above definition of a credit hour and requires 478 total credit hours (the number of credit hours was increased from 47 to 48 in 2012) to complete the MPH degree[rrj10].The MPH curriculum consists of coursework in four areas: 15 credit hourscovering the five core areas of knowledge basic to public health (biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental/occupational health, health policy/administration and social/behavioral health), 15 credit hours of concentration courses in one of the five core areas of public health or individual track coursework[rrj11], 6 credit hours of practicum experience, and 112 credit hours of additional course work including: a 1 credit hour Survey Research for Public Health course, a 2 credit hour Issues in Public Health course (PHPH 696), and the following three credit hour courses:Statistics and Data Management for Public Health Using SPSS (PHPH 610), Critical Thinking and Program Evaluation (PHPH 614), and Integrated Learning and Experience in Public Health (PHPH 697).

[rrj12]

.The credit hour requirements for the MPH for part-time students, student in the joint MD-/MPH, MPH-MUP programs,and students in the five year baccalaureate-MPH degree are the same (47 credit hours) as the full-time MPH program.As with the full-time MPH degree, part-time students or students in the MD-MPH and the 5 yearbaccalaureate-MPH may concentrate in one of the five core areas emphasis or if eligible select the individual track to complete their degree[rrj13].

c. Information about the number of professional public health masters degrees awarded for fewer than 42 semester credit units, or equivalent, over each of the last three years. A summary of the reasons should be included.

All MPH degrees awarded to date have exceeded 42 credit hours.In 2007 the MPH degree credit hour requirement was increased from 45[rrj14]to 47 credit hours all subsequent graduates have completed 47 credit hours for the MPH degree.In 2012, the MPH curriculum was increased to 48 credit hours to include a 1 credit hour survey research methods course[rrj15].

d. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the school’s strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion.

This criterion is met.

Strengths

• The MPH program meets the CEPH standards for program length.
• No students have graduated with less than 45 credits since the inception of the program
• All active MPH degree programs meet the credit hour criteria.
• The minimum requirements for the MPH degree are set forth and well publicized in university and SPHIS printed and electronic materials.

Challenges

• To provide adequate training in emerging areas of public health within the current curriculum
• To provide flexibility in the timing of the curriculum offerings for part-time MPH students and Joint degree MPH students
• Lack of summer courses for the traditional MPH program

Future Plans

• To continually review and update the curriculum to meet the emergingtraining needs of MPH students
• To develop and implement a summer curriculum for the MPH Program
• Enable completion of the MPH Program in 18 months with year round classes.
• Continue development of on-line courses to meet student’s desires for flexibility.

2.3 Public Health Core Knowledge. All graduate professional degree public health students must complete sufficient coursework to attain depth and breadth in the five core areas of public health knowledge.

a. Identification of the means by which the school assures that all graduate professional degree students have fundamental competence in the areas of knowledge basic to public health. If this means is common across the school, it need be described only once. If it varies by degree or program area, sufficient information must be provided to assess compliance by each program. See CEPH Data Template 2.3.1.

The SPHIS requires that all MPH students develop a broad understanding of the theories and techniques that underlie public health through the satisfactory completion of core courses in the five specialty areas of knowledge basic to public health (biostatistics, epidemiology, environmental/occupational health, health policy/administration and social/behavioral health). Table 2.3.1 identifies the course numbers and titles for the core courses. A complete listing of MPH courses can be found in Appendix X[TA16] or the resource file.

Table 2.3.1Required Courses Addressing Public Health Core Knowledge Areas for MPH Degree
Core Knowledge Area / Course Number & Title / Credits
Biostatistics / PHST-500 Introduction to Biostatistics / 3
Epidemiology / PHEP-501 Introduction to Epidemiology / 3
Environmental Health Sciences / PHEH-500 Introduction to Environmental Health Sciences / 3
Social & Behavioral Sciences / PHPB-501 Introduction to Health Behavior / 3
Health Services Administration / PHMS-501 Introduction to Public Health Practice and Administration / 3

All MPH students are required to take threeadditional courses.A description of these courses follows:

Issues in Public Health (PHPH 696, 2 Credit Hours) is a seminar-styled, team learning course designed to allow students to critically consider issues in public health that are not fully covered in other core courses. For example, the The Issues course also introduces students to cultural competency and public health ethics. These topics are covered through theoretical presentation and practical application. This course’s syllabus, as well as all others, can be found in the which can be found in Appendix X or in the resource file..

Statistics and Data Management for Public Health using SPSS (PHPH 610, 3 Credit Hours)In keeping with the School’s focus ‘information sciences’ this course is designed to introduce MPH students to data processing, data management and the statistical computing tools utilized most often in the field of public health. Students gain skill in preparing and analyzing public health research data through the use of software packages with a specific emphasis on SPSS.

Critical Thinking and Program Evaluation (PHPH 614; 3 credit hours)This course is designed to give students basic skills in the evaluation of health and human service programs in community settings. Students focus on the purpose, procedures and findings of evaluations, evaluation terminology, ways to conceptualize evaluation tasks, specific evaluation techniques, and guidelines regarding the application and dissemination of evaluation results. Students also participate with selected team projects at the Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness and community-based organizations.

Each of these courses are designed to provide skills the faculty have identified as critical to public health practice.They also serve to reinforce the areas of core knowledge fundamental to public health that are introduced through the core curriculum.

An additional course that is available to all MPH student (beginning Fall 2012) is Survey Methods Research.This course is not a require part of the MPH curricula but is offered to all MPH students at no tuition.A course description follows:

Survey Methods Research (PHPH 501, 1 Credit hour) This course is designed to introduce student to public health survey methodology, from planning, sampling design, and data collection through analysis and interpretation of data. Special consideration is given to the sources of bias in alternative data collection strategies and to the reliability and validity of the data.

The MPH program has adopted the ASPH MPH core and cross-cutting competencies as areas of knowledge which all MPH students must master through the MPH curriculum before graduating. The SPHIS faculty have incorporated the ASPH competencies into the courses described in this section by mapping the learning objectives for each course to specific ASPH competencies (Note: the individual learning objectives for all courses offered for the MPH degree have been mapped to the ASPH core and cross cutting competencies[TA17]).These are described in Section 2.6 and available in Appendix XX)

The above core and required courses provide the breadth and depth to provide competence in the areas of knowledge basic to public health.

b. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met and an analysis of the school’s strengths, weaknesses and plans relating to this criterion.

This criterion is met.

Strengths

• Required competency in five core public health areas (biostatistics, environmental health, epidemiology, health policy and management, and social and behavioral science)for all MPH professional degree programs
• Addition of threecourses designed to provide students with skills that reinforce the core knowledge from the core curriculum.
• An elective course in Survey Methods Research is available for all MPH students.
• Incorporation of ASPH competencies into MPH degree core curricula[TA18]

Challenges

• Balancing core course requirements with students’ desires for flexibility (e.g., finding time to take desired discipline electives)
• To provide adequate training in new areas of public health within the current curriculum(such as international health)

Future Directions

• Continue to refine the competency-based curricula
• Continue development of measures to assess students’ mastery of competencies

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.