Community Health Sciences Area of Dual Concentration:

Community Health Management (CHM)

Mission Statement

The purpose of the Community Health Management dual degree program is to prepare men and women for leadership roles as directors, coordinators, consultants, and supervisors who are capable of managing, organizing, administering and evaluating community-based, health-related organizations.

Program Description

The purpose of the community health management program is to prepare and train students for leadership roles as directors, coordinators, consultants, and supervisors who are capable of managing, organizing, administering and evaluating community-based, health-related organizations. The student will receive training in the planning, delivery and evaluation of community-based programs from the Department of Community Health Sciences, and training in organizational leadership, management practices, and financial planning from the Department of Health Systems Management.

Program Competencies

It is expected that students will acquire the core public health competencies through successful completion of the school core courses. The expected terminal knowledge and skills provided by the program and expected of the student in Community Health Sciences will vary by student because of the self-direction inherent in this program.  It is expected, however, with the guidance by an advisor, that students will be well-versed in planning and evaluating community programs (CHSC 611 and CHSC 612), have the knowledge and skills required for community-based work, and obtain hands-on experience in community-based work by completing a community-based practicum.

Upon completion of the program, the graduate should be able to:

1. Critically review Public health research literature and evaluate the findings relative to incorporation into programs addressing public health problems;
   Courses -- CHSC Courses: 6110,6130
   
2. Describe public health problems in terms of populations affected, the magnitude, and the severity;
   Courses -- CHSC Courses: 6100,6220; ENHS Courses: 6030
   
3. Present morbidity and mortality data in defining Public Health problems;
   Courses -- BIOS 6030; EPID6030; CHSC 6140
   
4. Identify the special needs of populations and apply accepted standard for safe practice in the interventions designed to meet the needs;
   Courses -- CHSC Courses: 6100,6110,6120,6130,6220
   
5. Relate the social, cultural, and familial determinants of health status to the perception of need in relation to the utilization of health services;
   Courses -- CHSC Courses: 6030, 6100; 6220
   
6. Assess communities and identify and rank in priority order health care needs of the community, design a health care program to meet the needs, and develop measurable goals and objectives in planning for the implementation of community based public health programs;
   Courses -- CHSC Courses: 6110,6120,6130,6140,6220,
   
7. Assess and evaluate Community services and their operational components and apply the knowledge of management theories and practices to the administration of community based public health programs;
   Courses -- HSMG6030, CHSC 6120
   
8. Form community groups to participate in the planning and development of programs within the community and function in a leadership role in the implementation of community advisory
   Courses -- CHSC Courses: 6110,6120,6140,6220
   

HEALTH SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES

1. Foster creation and communication of core purpose, core values, goals, and envisioned future, and use these principles to guide group or organizational activities
   Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370,6500
   
2. Demonstrate the fundamental leadership skills of team learning, systems thinking, dialogue and network development, and articulate a personal philosophy of authentic leadership
   Courses -- BIOS6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370,6500
   
3. Inspire commitment, involvement, and empowerment in others to act toward achievement of group or organizational goals, including the creation of organizational framework for change
   Courses -- ENHS6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370,6500
   
4. Promote organizational learning and foster development, implementation, and monitoring of methods to improve work processes and organizational outcomes
   Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030;EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6370, 6500, 6750,
   
5. Formulate a personal and professional ethical code and promote an organizational culture that fosters high ethical standards
   Courses -- BIOS6030;EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370,6500
6. Recognize and demonstrate the importance of diversity, humility, resolve, and cultural sensitivity as essential to organizational success and sustainability
   Courses -- ENHS6030; HSMG6320; HSMG6370
   
7. Design effective business plans, including researching each component, comparing potential outcomes, and developing realistic timelines
   Courses -- EPID6030; HSMG6500
   
8. Evaluate and apply tools of human resource management, including change management and organizational development, to increase organizational effectiveness and workforce productivity
   Courses -- HSMG Courses: 6320,6370,6750
   
9. Negotiate and apply consensus and conflict resolution methods to effectively achieve organizational and group goals
   Courses -- ENHS6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370
   
10. Use and apply administrative and clinical information systems and decision-support tools
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6500,6750
11. Develop, organize, and present information clearly and succinctly for informal discussions, formal presentations, electronic communications, written communications and multimedia technology
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370
12. Actively listen to, interpret and respond appropriately to what is being said and not said, including the information contained in non-verbal communication cues
    Courses -- BIOS6030; HSMG6320
    
13. Identify, describe, and employ appropriate strategies to communicate with different constituencies, including the media, general public, health care professionals, donors/developers, audit and review teams, employees, peers, governing boards, and policy makers
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; SPHL6010; HSMG Courses: 6320,6450,6500
    
14. Communicate clearly and effectively during times of change, challenge, or crisis
    Courses -- ENHS6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370
    
15. Communicate sensitive information with discretion and confidentiality
    Courses -- HSMG Courses: 6320,6370,6500
16. Use ethical principles and empathy to facilitate the development of inter-personal relationships
    Courses -- EPID6030; HSMG6320
    
17. Describe the use of power in policy making, both from an organizational and community
    Courses -- ENHS6030; EPID6030; HSMG6370
    
18. Apply major policy documents such as Healthy People 2010 to public health problems in the community, region, and nation
    Courses -- HSMG Courses: 6370; 6500
    
19. Relate and connect  visible issues or problems in health care to the underlying organizational, political, social, and economic issues that drive them
    Courses -- BIOS6030; EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6450,6500
    
20. Break down complex situations or problems into smaller pieces or trace the implications or impacts using a step-by-step approach
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6370,6450,6500
    
21. Recognize patterns of behavior and causal relationships and identify appropriate approaches or solutions
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; EPID6030; SPHL6010; HSMG Courses: 6370,6450,6500,6750
    
22. Anticipate or think through the implications of system changes to meet organizational
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; EPID6030; SPHL6010; HSMG Courses: 6370,6450
23. Define and use relevant information needed from an organization’s information system in order to support the planning, decision making and control processes
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6320,6500,6750
24. Demonstrate use of economic models to describe health care sector market structure and market dynamics, and analyze how those dynamics and structure will respond to external changes
    Courses -- EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6450,6500
    
25. Identify, estimate, and evaluate economic costs and benefits of proposed actions and alternatives to those actions
    Courses -- ENHS6030; EPID6030; SPHL6010; HSMG Courses: 6450,6500
    
26. Recognize the potential effects of financial and economic incentives on the behavior of providers, patients, and payers
    Courses -- HSMG Courses:6370,6450,6500
    
27. Explain and use accounting and financial information to establish organizational operational priorities, create and manage budgets.
    Courses -- HSMG Courses:6370,6450,6500
    
28. Interpret and use relevant economic, managerial accounting, and financial data for operational and strategic management and policy decisions.
    Courses -- BIOS6030; ENHS6030; EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6450,6500,6750
    
29. Employ appropriate fiscal and economic tools for rational resource allocation, sound long-term investment decisions, and improvement of health care delivery systems’ efficiency.
    Courses -- ENHS6030; EPID6030; HSMG Courses: 6450,6500
    

Admissions Requirements

In addition to the general admission requirements of the School, the applicant’s career goals must be consonant with the educational objectives of the program, namely public health work centered in community programs.

Program Requirements

To meet the graduation requirements, the student will complete no less than 47 academic credits. The program requires the satisfactory completion of the school's core courses and the courses required by the Department of Community Health Sciences and by the Department of Health Systems Management.

SPHTM Core Requirements (18 credits)

CHS Department Requirements (12 credits)

Choose any three of the following four courses:

Each Student is required to take ONE of the following courses

HSM Requirements (11 credits)* plus one elective from list below

HSM Elective (Each student must choose 1 of the following course electives)

Sample Course Schedule

View a sample course schedule

Practicum

A 300-hour advanced field experience (practicum) that allows students to develop competencies in advanced practice skills, under the direction of a qualified preceptor in the practice setting, is required. This practicum should focus on developing advanced leadership skills in public health disciplines. The advisor works with each student to develop measurable learning objectives prior to their practicum experience. Self assessment and reflection as well as assessment of teams, peers and supervisors are important skills in future public health leaders.

Culminating Experience

Students in the Department of Community Health Sciences can choose one of two options for their culminating experience:

1. Public Health Analysis
2. Comprehensive Examination

Public Health Analysis

The Public Health Analysis is an in-depth written report that considers a topic of relevance to public health practice. It involves a thorough review of the literature, discussion, and recommendations for public health policy and practice. The content and format of the report are described in school and departmental guideline documents.

Comprehensive Examination

The Comprehensive Examination consists of two parts: Part A – a school-wide examination based on core competencies, as well as cross-cutting competencies, established by the American Schools of Public Health; and Part B – a departmental-specific examination based on principles and concepts of Community Health Sciences, as covered in the required departmental core courses.

Additional Information

Graduation will also be contingent upon successfully completing a two-part comprehensive exam:  Part I to be administered by SPHTM and based on competencies acquired through the school core; Part II to be administered by CHS and based on competencies acquired through the required departmental core.

School of Public Health Handbooks and Guides

Additional Information for all CHS MPH degrees

For more information, contact: Zarie Riley, 504-988-6596, lhodges@tulane.edu.