Foundational Competencies

The Graduate Certificate in Public Health focuses on the following key competencies:
Systems Thinking
- Apply systems thinking tools to a public health issue.
Evidence-Based Approaches to Public Health
- Apply epidemiological methods to the breadth of settings and situations in public health practice.
- Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.
- Analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming and software, as appropriate.
- Interpret results of data analysis for public health research, policy or practice.
Public Health & Health Care Systems
- Compare the organization, structure and function of health care, public health and regulatory systems across national and international settings.
- Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community and societal levels.
Leadership
- Apply principles of leadership, governance and management, which include creating a vision, empowering others, fostering collaboration and guiding decision making.
- Apply negotiation and mediation skills to address organizational or community challenges.
Policy in Public Health
- Discuss multiple dimensions of the policy-making process, including the roles of ethics and evidence.
- Propose strategies to identify stakeholders and build coalitions and partnerships for influencing public health outcomes.
- Advocate for political, social or economic policies and programs that will improve health in diverse populations.
- Evaluate policies for their impact on public health and health equity.
Cultural Competency
- Recognize the ways diversity influences public health education and training, policies, programs, services, and the health of the nearby community.