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Career Guide: Public Health

Core Competencies

The Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice has developed the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, which are used by hundreds of health departments across the U.S.  The core competencies are organized into 8 domains representing skill areas within public health:

  1. Data Analytics & Assessment Skills
  2. Policy Development & Program Planning Skills
  3. Communication Skills
  4. Health Equity Skills
  5. Community Partnership Skills
  6. Public Health Sciences Skills
  7. Management & Finance Skills
  8. Leadership & Systems Thinking Skills

Many jobs and careers related to public health will involve using some combination of these skill domains. The MPH Career Services Program recommends students explore and identify the skill domains they are most interested in further developing and utilizing in their careers.  In addition, it can also be helpful to use the skill domains as an organizing principle for one's job search and as a marketing tool.

The resources below provide a starting point for exploring opportunities within the skill domains. If you have a recommended resource to add, please contact Career Services Manager, Chandlee Bryan.

Data Analytics

Training

Python, R, and Stata are three common programming languages used in data analytics. Here are library guides to provide you with resources for learning each of them

Policy Development & Program Planning Skills

Communications

Health Equity

Management & Finance

Public Health Leadership & Systems Thinking