Core Public Health Competencies

Twelve key competencies that all MPH students are expected to achieve as a result of foundation and professional skill building (field practice) components of the curriculum are listed by skill domain below:

Analytic Assessment Skills

• Defines a health problem in a population
• Makes relevant inferences about patterns of health and potential causes from quantitative and qualitative data

Policy Development/Program Planning Skills

• Collects, summarizes, and interprets information relevant to an issue
• Utilizes current techniques in decision analysis and health planning

Communication Skills

• Leads and participates in groups to address specific issues

Cultural Competency Skills

• Appraises the role of cultural, economic, social and behavioral factors in determining the delivery of public health services

Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

• Collaborates with community partners to promote the health of the population
• Identifies community assets and available resources

Basic Public Health Sciences Skills

• Identifies and applies basic research methods used in public health

Financial Planning and Management Skills

• Manages programs within budget constraints

Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills

• Evaluates internal and external issues that may impact delivery of essential public health services     
• Facilitates collaboration with internal and external groups to ensure participation of key stakeholders

These indicator competencies are based on the Public Health Faculty/Agency Forum Final Report, and the work of the Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice, which defined competencies in terms of the widely-accepted Ten Essential Public Health Services.

 

Contact the Department of Nutrition

1215 W. Cumberland Ave.
229 Jessie Harris Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-1920

Brenda Hart
bhart57@utk.edu

Phone: (865) 974-5445
Fax: (865) 974-3491