Unit: Public Health Studies
Program: Public Health (BA)
Degree: Bachelor's
Date: Fri Nov 13, 2020 - 3:33:37 pm

1) Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Institutional Learning Objectives (ILOs)

1. Overview of Public Health: Address the history and philosophy of public health as well as its core values, concepts, and functions across the globe and in society

(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)

2. Role and Importance of Data in Public Health: Address the basic concepts, methods, and tools of public health data collection, use, and analysis and why evidence-based approaches are an essential part of public health practice

(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2b. Conduct research)

3. Identifying and Addressing Population Health Challenges: Address the concepts of population health, and the basic processes, approaches, and interventions that identify and address the major health-related needs and concerns of populations

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 1c. Understand Hawaiian culture and history, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)

4. Human Health: Address the underlying science of human health and disease including opportunities for promoting and protecting health across the life course

(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field)

5. Determinants of Health: Address the socio-economic, behavioral, biological, environmental, and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 1c. Understand Hawaiian culture and history, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)

6. Project Implementation: Address the fundamental concepts and features of project implementation, including planning, assessment, and evaluation

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)

7. Overview of the Health System: Address the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system as well as to the differences in systems in other countries

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2a. Think critically and creatively)

8. Health Policy, Law, Ethics, and Economics: Address the basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy, and the roles, influences and responsibilities of the different agencies and branches of government

(1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 1c. Understand Hawaiian culture and history, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 3b. Respect for people and cultures, in particular Hawaiian culture, 3c. Stewardship of the natural environment)

9. Health Communications: Address the basic concepts of public health-specific communication, including technical and professional writing and the use of mass media and electronic technology

(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2c. Communicate and report)

10. Public Health Communication: Students should be able to communicate public health information, in both oral and written forms and through a variety of media, to diverse audiences

(1a. General education, 1b. Specialized study in an academic field, 2c. Communicate and report)

11. Information Literacy: Students should be able to locate, use, evaluate, and synthesize information

(1a. General education, 2a. Think critically and creatively, 2b. Conduct research, 2c. Communicate and report, 3a. Continuous learning and personal growth)

12. START OF OLD SLO'S.... UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Show proficiency in sub-disciplines including biological aspects of public health; epidemiology, genetics, and health informatics; environmental and global health sciences; and infectious and chronic diseases

13. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Identify the impact of the environment, social disparities, and both communicable and non-communicable diseases on health

14. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Explore the fundamental concepts and features of a public health-related project

15. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Use information literacy skills such as locating and evaluating pertinent public health information

16. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Generate research questions, analyze and present data, and interpret and discuss findings

17. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Exhibit critical thinking and analytical abilities, including the capacities to engage in inductive and deductive thinking, quantitative reason, and to construct sound arguments

18. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Distinguish the fundamental characteristics and organizational structures of the U.S. health system, as well as to the differences in systems abroad

19. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Explain the role that public health plays in disaster prevention and management and evaluate public policy issues with respect to access, quality and cost, when understanding health disparities within vulnerable populations

20. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Discuss basic concepts of legal, ethical, economic, and regulatory dimensions of health care and public health policy

21. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Articulate the impact of public health policies on vulnerable populations, including Indigenous Peoples

22. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Apply abstract reasoning and critical thinking skills to communicate public health research and practice to public and professional audiences

23. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Demonstrate effective written communication skills

24. UNABLE TO DELETE THIS AND SUBSEQUENT SLO'S Demonstrate effective public speaking skills during classroom discussions and presentations

2) Your program's SLOs are published as follows. Please update as needed.

Department Website URL: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/publichealth/undergraduate-competencies
Student Handbook. URL, if available online:
Information Sheet, Flyer, or Brochure URL, if available online:
UHM Catalog. Page Number:
Course Syllabi. URL, if available online: http://manoa.hawaii.edu/publichealth/courses (Effective Summer 2020)
Other:

3) Please review, add, replace, or delete the existing curriculum map.

Curriculum Map File(s) from 2020:

4) For your program, the percentage of courses that have course SLOs explicitly stated on the syllabus, a website, or other publicly available document is as follows. Please update as needed.

0%
1-50%
51-80%
81-99%
100%

5) Does the program have learning achievement results for its program SLOs? (Example of achievement results: "80% of students met expectations on SLO 1.")(check one):

No
Yes, on some(1-50%) of the program SLOs
Yes, on most(51-99%) of the program SLOs
Yes, on all(100%) of the program SLOs

6) Did your program engage in any program learning assessment activities between November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020?

Yes
No (skip to question 17)

7) What best describes the program-level learning assessment activities that took place for the period November 1, 2018 and October 31, 2020? (Check all that apply.)

Create/modify/discuss program learning assessment procedures (e.g., SLOs, curriculum map, mechanism to collect student work, rubric, survey)
Collect/evaluate student work/performance to determine SLO achievement
Collect/analyze student self-reports of SLO achievement via surveys, interviews, or focus groups
Use assessment results to make programmatic decisions (e.g., change course content or pedagogy, design new course, hiring)
Investigate other pressing issue related to student learning achievement for the program (explain in question 8)
Other:

8) Briefly explain the assessment activities that took place since November 2018.

The Office of Public Health Studies (OPHS), including the BA Public Health (BAPH) degree program, is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Assessment is required and reported to CEPH on an annual basis. OPHS underwent a full re-accreditation in 2014-2015, which required a full self study and site visit. In addition to this, CEPH requires interim, annual assessment reports, the last of which was submitted satisfactorily in 2019. CEPH has additionally modied their accredidation criteria in 2018 and again this past year, which has required additional reporting.

Prior to 2019, Student Learning Objectives had been developed by degree program faculty and reported to CEPH. In 2019, CEPH mandated all accredited bachelor's degrees in public health address a set standard set of competencies and skills. These newly mandated criteria were applied and reflected in program reporting and evaluation throughout 2020.

The BAPH degree has always been governed by a program chair and an Undergraduate Education Committee (committee members include the program chair, 3 additional faculty representatives, the BAPH academic advisor, and a student representative), under the supervision of the OPHS director. 

Since 2017, BAPH program chair and all 3 BAPH faculty members have a formal retreat at the conclusion of each academic year, with informal meetings at the conclusion of each semester, to discuss student performance, SLO achievement, evaluate exit survey/focus group data, and use assessment data to implement changes for the following semester. The BAPH program chair and an additional BAPH faculty member also meet weekly with the academic advisor to discuss student progress and address any concerns with student performance.

Assessment data are collected by instructors of all required BAPH courses and reported by to the BAPH chair. Student performance is closely monitored during the three-course capstone series (PH 480, 485, and 489). Written student work (a structured literature review and later a formal capstone paper) from the first (PH 480) and last (PH 489) courses of the series are evaluated and used to assess SLO achievement. Students are also required to develop a formal academic poster of their capstone project literature reviews (PH 480), and later their completed capstone projects (PH 489). These posters are then presented and defended during a public forum held each semester by the department. At the conclusion of the middle course of the series (PH 485), a practicum mentor/preceptor, (usually a facutly member or PH community member), completes a formal, structured evaluation of student work completed during the practicum field experience.

Self-assessment of student SLO achievement is collected through a survey instrument during the beginning of both PH 480 and PH 489. Students evaluate their performance and develop a plan to address any deciencies. This self-assessment data is then shared with the BAPH chair, additional BAPH faculty member, and academic advisor. Any consistent deciencies are reported to the Undergraduate Education Committee.

At the conclusion of the BAPH program, just prior to graduation, students are sent a exit survey and are invited to participate in an exit focus group. Exit data are collected from both sources and compiled into an exit report written at the conclusion of each academic year and reported to the BAPH chair, Undergraduate Education Committee, and the OPHS director. Any deciencies or concerns are addressed by the Undergraduate Education Committee.

Assessment data has been used as evidence to justify the hire of two tenure-track faculty members (one beginning in August 2017 and another beginning January 2019), one temporary faculty specialist advisor, as well as to support three teaching assistants (one dedicated to writing skill development and support, one dedicated to quantiative skill development and support, and one dedicated to support of a large public health introductory course). Assessment data have also been used to identify gaps in SLO achievement, which has lead to content shifts in 5 courses (PH 202, PH 203, PH 480, PH 420, and PH 489). During AY 2019-2020 assessment data was also used for a Program Review Self-Study as required by the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents as the BAPH program successfully transitioned from "provisional" to "established" status. Prior to 2018, it has also lead to a shift in PH 420 from being an elective course to being a required course for all BAPH students and development of PH 210 (Quantitative Reasoning in PH).

 

9) What types of evidence did the program use as part of the assessment activities checked in question 7? (Check all that apply.)

Artistic exhibition/performance
Assignment/exam/paper completed as part of regular coursework and used for program-level assessment
Capstone work product (e.g., written project or non-thesis paper)
Exam created by an external organization (e.g., professional association for licensure)
Exit exam created by the program
IRB approval of research
Oral performance (oral defense, oral presentation, conference presentation)
Portfolio of student work
Publication or grant proposal
Qualifying exam or comprehensive exam for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation (graduate level only)
Supervisor or employer evaluation of student performance outside the classroom (internship, clinical, practicum)
Thesis or dissertation used for program-level assessment in addition to individual student evaluation
Alumni survey that contains self-reports of SLO achievement
Employer meetings/discussions/survey/interview of student SLO achievement
Interviews or focus groups that contain self-reports of SLO achievement
Student reflective writing assignment (essay, journal entry, self-assessment) on their SLO achievement.
Student surveys that contain self-reports of SLO achievement
Assessment-related such as assessment plan, SLOs, curriculum map, etc.
Program or course materials (syllabi, assignments, requirements, etc.)
Other 1:
Other 2:

10) State the number of students (or persons) who submitted evidence that was evaluated. If applicable, please include the sampling technique used.

All BA Public Health students are required to submit evidence for evaluation.

Assessment evidence is required course assignments, which accounts for substantial portions of course grades. Students are not allowed to progress through certain critical time points in the BA curriculum without completing major course assignments. These time points are integrated into PH 201 (Introduction to PH), PH 310 (Introduction to Epidemiology), as well as through each individual course of the capstone series (PH 480, 485, and 489).

 

11) Who interpreted or analyzed the evidence that was collected? (Check all that apply.)

Course instructor(s)
Faculty committee
Ad hoc faculty group
Department chairperson
Persons or organization outside the university
Faculty advisor
Advisors (in student support services)
Students (graduate or undergraduate)
Dean/Director
Other:

12) How did they evaluate, analyze, or interpret the evidence? (Check all that apply.)

Used a rubric or scoring guide
Scored exams/tests/quizzes
Used professional judgment (no rubric or scoring guide used)
Compiled survey results
Used qualitative methods on interview, focus group, open-ended response data
External organization/person analyzed data (e.g., external organization administered and scored the nursing licensing exam)
Other:

13) Summarize the results from the evaluation, analysis, interpretation of evidence (checked in question 12). For example, report the percentage of students who achieved each SLO.

All BA public health students are required to demonstrate sucient competence in each SLO prior to graduation.

Assessment procedures have assisted in identifying areas where students struggle to meet requirements for demonstration of sucient competence. Procedures have also identifed areas where students are performing at "sucient," rather than "excellent" competence levels. Program-level adjustments have been made to address these challenges.

 

14) What best describes how the program used the results? (Check all that apply.)

Assessment procedure changes (SLOs, curriculum map, rubrics, evidence collected, sampling, communications with faculty, etc.)
Course changes (course content, pedagogy, courses offered, new course, pre-requisites, requirements)
Personnel or resource allocation changes
Program policy changes (e.g., admissions requirements, student probation policies, common course evaluation form)
Students' out-of-course experience changes (advising, co-curricular experiences, program website, program handbook, brown-bag lunches, workshops)
Celebration of student success!
Results indicated no action needed because students met expectations
Use is pending (typical reasons: insufficient number of students in population, evidence not evaluated or interpreted yet, faculty discussions continue)
Other:

15) Please briefly describe how the program used its findings/results.

Assessment data has been used as evidence to justify the hire of two tenure-track faculty members (one beginning in August 2017 and another beginning January 2019), one temporary faculty specialist advisor, as well as to support three teaching assistants (one dedicated to writing skill development and support, one dedicated to quantiative skill development and support, and one dedicated to support of a large public health introductory course). Assessment data have also been used to identify gaps in SLO achievement, which has lead to content shifts in 5 courses (PH 202, PH 203, PH 480, PH 420, and PH 489). During AY 2019-2020 assessment data was also used for a Program Review Self-Study as required by the University of Hawai'i Board of Regents as the BAPH program successfully transitioned from "provisional" to "established" status. Prior to 2018, it has also lead to a shift in PH 420 from being an elective course to being a required course for all BAPH students and development of PH 210 (Quantitative Reasoning in PH).

16) Beyond the results, were there additional conclusions or discoveries? This can include insights about assessment procedures, teaching and learning, and great achievements regarding program assessment in this reporting period.

No additional conclusions or discoveries.

 

17) If the program did not engage in assessment activities, please justify.

The program did engage in assessment activities.