Education Community Programs

ACCREDITATIONCRITERIA

COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATIONGRADUATE PROGRAMS

COUNCIL ON EDUCATION FOR PUBLIC HEALTHAMENDED JANUARY 2002

CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITATIONOF GRADUATE PROGRAMS

INCOMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION

Council on Education for Public Health800 Eye Street, NW, Suite 202Washington, DC 20001-3710

Amended January 2002

For additional information contact:

Patricia P. EvansExecutive Director

Alicia Davis CooperAccreditation Specialist

Phone: (202) 789-1050Fax: (202) 789-1895Web: www.ceph.org

Table of Contents

Page

CEPH PURPOSE AND PROCEDURES....................................................................... 1

BASES FOR ACCREDITATION CRITERIA ................................................................. 1

CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM ........... 2

CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTHEDUCATION PROGRAMS.................................................................................3

I. MISSION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ...............................................................3

II. ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING ..........................................................................4

III. GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................5

IV. RESOURCES.....................................................................................................6

V. INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS ........................................................................7

VI. RESEARCH .....................................................................................................14

VII. SERVICE .........................................................................................................15

VIII. FACULTY .......................................................................................................17

IX. STUDENTS .....................................................................................................19

X. EVALUATION AND PLANNING ......................................................................22

1CEPH PURPOSE AND PROCEDURES

The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) is the independent agency officially recognizedto accredit graduate schools of public health and certain graduate public health programs outsideschools of public health, including graduate programs in community health education andcommunity health/preventive medicine. CEPH assists schools and programs in evaluating contentand quality of their instructional, research, and service programs, and grants accreditation to thoseschools and programs that meet its published criteria.

CEPH accreditation procedures are detailed in a separate manual, which should be used inconjunction with these criteria. Separate criteria documents are published by CEPH for schools ofpublic health and for graduate community health/preventive medicine programs outside schools ofpublic health.

BASES FOR ACCREDITATION CRITERIA

Accreditation of graduate education for public health, as one area of specialized accreditation, isbased on the unique functions that graduate public health schools and programs perform in theirparent universities and health science centers. Their educational functions derive, in turn, from thevariety of functions performed by school and program graduates in the health and medical caresystem and in society. The goals of those working "to enhance health in human populations,through organized community effort,"1 are to identify the totality of health problems and needs ofdefined populations, to consider mechanisms by which the needs may be met, and to assureservices essential to the health of populations.

The missions and goals of public health schools and programs are focused on preparation ofindividuals who will serve as practitioners, researchers, and teachers competent to carry out broadpublic health missions and goals, within and outside schools' and programs' institutional settings.

For purposes of CEPH accreditation it is expected that excellence in education will relate toproficiency in practice. By defining educational quality in terms of competence of the graduates ofschools and programs reviewed for accreditation, CEPH criteria help to link learning withapplication. Graduates who prepare for practice in a defined professional specialty area should beready, when granted their degrees, to begin their professional careers with competenceappropriate to their level of education and the extent of their previous experience, and to continueto keep up with current developments in health and related fields.

CEPH criteria for accreditation, as set out on the following pages, deal with quality of both productand process -- the ends to be achieved through public health educational, research and serviceactivities, the means used to achieve the desired ends, and evaluation of the degree to which thedesired ends are attained.

1 Definition adopted by CEPH, 1978

2CHARACTERISTICS

Characteristics of a Graduate Programin Community Health Education

To be considered eligible for accreditation review by CEPH a graduate program in communityhealth education shall have the following characteristics:

1. The program and its faculty shall have the same rights, privileges and status as other programsthat are components of its parent institution.

2. The program shall be coordinated with other disciplines that address the health of thecommunity and focus on instruction, research, and community service. The special learningenvironment of a program shall provide for interdisciplinary communication, development ofprofessional public health concepts and values, and stress problem-solving.

3. The program shall provide access to a wide array of both academic and professional interestsand activities that relate to the health of the public. The program should be part of a richintellectual climate that stimulates and facilitates multidisciplinary exchanges of ideas betweenacademics and professionals. The program should facilitate an environment that stimulatesboth individual creativity and initiative and collaborative and cooperative activity among itsfaculty.

4. The program shall have faculty and other human, physical, financial and learning resources toprovide both breadth of educational opportunity in the basic public health knowledge areasnoted in Criterion V. and depth of educational opportunities in community health education.

5. The program shall plan, develop and evaluate its instructional, research and service programsin such a way as to assure sensitivity to the perceptions and needs of its students and tocombine educational excellence with applicability to the world of public health practice.

3CRITERIA FOR ACCREDITATION OF GRADUATE PROGRAMSIN COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION

MISSION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Criterion I.: The program shall have a clearly formulated and publicly stated missionwith supporting goals and objectives.

Interpretation

While each program must define its own mission, it is expected that all community healtheducation programs will be guided by the broad mission of public health, which was defined byCEPH in 1978 as "enhancing health in human populations, through organized community effort." All programs will contribute to the consortium of disciplines that together address the health of thecommunity through instruction, research and community service. It is further expected that allprograms, as a minimum, will prepare community health education practitioners who are able toidentify and assess needs of populations; plan, implement and evaluate programs to address thoseneeds; and otherwise assure conditions that protect and promote the health of populations.

Beyond that, a program may define its mission to include other roles and functions, that derivefrom the purposes of its parent institution, which reflect its own aspirations and which areresponsive to changing health needs and demands of populations in what it defines as its serviceregion. The mission, goals and objectives should identify in specific terms what this particularprogram has set out to accomplish through its instructional, research and service activities. Theprogram's view of the role of the community in program endeavors and the program's role inserving the community should be clearly reflected in the stated mission, goals and objectives.

The mission, goals and objectives of a program should prescribe and limit the activities of theprogram in ways that permit rational allocation of resources and evaluation of outcomes. Thereshould be clear relationships between the mission and the goals and between the goals and theobjectives. Each program will be evaluated based upon its own mission, goals and objectives.

Documentation Expected

1. A clear and concise mission statement for the program as a whole.

2. One or more goal statements for each major function by which the program intends to attainits mission, including instruction, research and service.

3. A set of measurable objectives relating to each major function through which the programintends to achieve its goals of instruction, research and service.

44. A description of the manner in which mission, goals and objectives are developed, monitoredand periodically revised and the manner in which they are made available to the public.

5. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met.

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING EXTERNAL

Criterion II.A.: The program shall be an integral part of an accredited institution ofhigher education.

Interpretation

An accredited institution of higher education is one that is accredited by a regional accreditingagency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.


1. A brief description of the institution in which the program is located, along with the names ofaccrediting bodies (other than CEPH) to which the institution responds.

2. An organizational chart of the university indicating the program's relationship to the othercomponents of the institution.

3. A description of the program's relationship to the university's system of governance, to amplifythe diagrammatic representation, including budgeting and resource allocation; personnelrecruitment, selection and advancement; and establishment of academic standards and policies.


ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING INTERNAL

Criterion II.B.: The program shall provide an organizational setting conducive toteaching and learning, research and service. The organizational setting shall facilitateinterdisciplinary communication, cooperation and collaboration and shall foster thedevelopment by the program of professional public health values, concepts andethics.

Interpretation

Organization of the program should enhance the potential for fulfillment of its stated mission andgoals, and should provide for effective participation of its faculty and students in all activities ofimport to them. The environment must be characterized by commitment to the integrity of theinstitution, including high ethical standards in the management of its affairs, fairness in its dealingswith all constituencies, support for the pursuit and dissemination of knowledge, and accountabilityto its constituencies.

5Documentation Expected

1. An organizational chart of the program, indicating relationships of its components with theadministration of the school or other unit in which the program is located.

2. Description of the relationships indicated in the diagrammatic representation.

3. Description of the manner in which interdisciplinary coordination, cooperation andcollaboration are supported.

4. Definition of the professional public health values, concepts and ethics to which the program iscommitted and a description of how these are operationalized.

5. Identification of written policies that are illustrative of the program's commitment to fair andethical dealings.


GOVERNANCE

Criterion III.: The program administration and faculty shall have clearly definedrights and responsibilities concerning program governance and academic policies. Where appropriate, students shall have participatory roles in program governance.

Interpretation

Within the framework of university rules and regulations, program administration and facultyshould have sufficient prerogatives to assure integrity of the program and to allow accomplishmentof the program's stated mission, goals and objectives. Program faculty should have formalopportunities for input in decisions affecting admissions and progress, resource allocation, facultyrecruitment and promotion, curriculum design and evaluation, research and service activities, anddegree requirements. Where degrees are awarded to program students through the universitygraduate school or other school or college, program faculty should represent program views andinterests in policy- and decision-making. Students should have formal methods to participate inpolicy-making and decision-making within the program. Details regarding the role of students ingovernance are covered in Criterion IX.D.

Expected Documentation

1. Description of the program's administrative, governance and committee structure andprocesses, particularly as they affect:

a. general program policy development;b. planning;c. budget and resource allocation;d. student recruitment, admission and award of degrees;

6e. faculty recruitment, retention, promotion and tenure;f. academic standards and policies;g. research and service expectations and policies.

2. A list of standing and important ad hoc committees, with a statement of charge andcomposition.

3. A list, including membership, of program, school and university committees through whichprogram faculty contribute to the activities of the program, school and university.


RESOURCES

Criterion IV.: The program shall have resources adequate to fulfill its stated missionand goals, and its instructional, research and service objectives.

Interpretation

Program resources shall be sufficient to achieve the program's mission, goals and objectives. These include financial resources, personnel (faculty, administration and staff), offices, classrooms,library facilities and holdings, laboratories, computer facilities, field experience sites and othercommunity resources that facilitate partnerships with communities to conduct instruction, researchand service.


1. A clearly formulated program budget statement, showing sources of all available funds andexpenditures by major categories, since the last accreditation visit or for the last five yearswhichever is longer. If the program does not have a separate budget, it must present anestimate of available funds and expenditures by major categories and explain the basis of theestimate.

2. A concise statement or chart concerning faculty resources, showing number and percent timeof faculty allocated to the program and computing a student/faculty ratio for the communityhealth education program. (FTE faculty and FTE student numbers should be used and theseshould be consistent with FTE faculty and student numbers presented in sections VIII and IX.)

3. A concise statement or chart concerning the availability of other personnel (administration andstaff).

4. A concise statement or chart concerning amount of space available to the program by purpose(offices, classrooms, common space for student use, etc.) and location.

5. A concise statement or floor plan concerning laboratory space, including kind, quantity andspecial features or special equipment.

76. A concise statement concerning the amount, location and types of computer facilities andresources for students, faculty, administration and staff.

7. A concise statement of library/information resources available for program use.

8. A concise statement identifying field sites used during the last three years for student practiceexperiences.

9. A concise statement describing other community resources used during the last three years forinstruction, research and service, indicating those where formal agreements exist.

10. Identification of outcome measures by which the program may judge the adequacy of itsresources, along with data regarding the program's performance against those measures overthe last three years. As a minimum, the program must provide data on student-to-faculty ratio,program expenditures per full-time-equivalent student, and research dollars per full-timeequivalent faculty.


INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS

Criterion V.A.: The program shall offer instructional programs reflecting its statedmission and goals, leading to the Master of Public Health (MPH) or equivalentprofessional masters degree in community health education. The program may offerother degrees, professional and academic, if consistent with its mission andresources.

The areas of knowledge basic to public health include:

1. Biostatistics collection, storage, retrieval, analysis and interpretation of healthdata; design and analysis of health-related surveys and experiments; and conceptsand practice of statistical data analysis.

2. Epidemiology distributions and determinants of disease, disabilities and death inhuman populations; the characteristics and dynamics of human populations; andthe natural history of disease and the biologic basis of health.

3. Environmental health sciences environmental factors including biological,physical and chemical factors which affect the health of a community;

4. Health services administration planning, organization, administration,management, evaluation and policy analysis of health programs; and

5. Social and behavioral sciences concepts and methods of social and behavioralsciences relevant to the identification and the solution of public health problems.

8Interpretation

A program, sometimes referred to as a program of study, course of study or curriculum, is a seriesof planned and evaluated learning experiences that constitute the total requirements for the awardof a degree. The program shall offer the Master of Public Health (MPH), the primary professionalpublic health degree, or other equivalent professional masters degrees.

A professional degree is one that, based on its learning objectives and types of positions itsgraduates pursue, prepares students with a broad mastery of the subject matter and methodsnecessary in a field of practice; it typically requires students to develop the capacity to organize,analyze, interpret and communicate knowledge in an applied manner. A research or academicdegree program is one that, based on its learning objectives and the paths its graduates follow,prepares students for scholarly careers, particularly in academia and other research settings; ittypically prepares students to investigate, acquire, organize, analyze and disseminate newknowledge in a discipline or field of study.


1. Identification in matrix form of the program's degree programs, showing the areas ofspecializations possible and distinguishing between those considered by the program to beprofessional degrees and those considered to be academic degrees. If the program offersdegrees in a nontraditional format, these must be included in the matrix and identified asnontraditional.

2. The school bulletin or other official publication which describes all curricula offered by theprogram.


Criterion V.B.: Each professional degree program identified in V.A., as a minimum,shall assure that each student a) develops an understanding of the areas ofknowledge that are basic to public health, b) acquires skills and experience in theapplication of basic community health education concepts and knowledge to thesolution of community health problems, and c) demonstrates integration ofknowledge through a culminating experience.

Basic community health education concepts and knowledge include the following:

1. Community health analysis with special reference to community description,analysis of communication pathways, influence and power, social norms,coordinating provision of health education services, and roles of institutions inrelation to learning and the behavioral change process;

2. Health-related behavior including knowledge of psychosocial, cultural andsituational factors in the voluntary behavior change process;

93. Educational processes with particular relevance to adult learning, theories ofhealth education including knowledge and skill in the use of group dynamics,leadership skills, mass media, community organization, training, consultation,communication, information retrieval systems, and planning as educationalmethods aimed at helping people to make voluntary, informed choices;

4. Educational program planning, implementation and evaluation including the useof community and behavioral analysis as a basis for establishing educationalobjectives, determining appropriate methods for educational intervention, carryingout panned educational programs and evaluating behavioral change outcomes,changes in community services and programs and community health status;

5. Research in terms of introduction to research design and methods applicable tocommunity health education and voluntary behavior change; and

6. Administration with emphasis on organization theory, administrativemanagement, supervisory and legislative processes, and conflict resolution.

Interpretation

The program must provide opportunities for professional degree students to apply the knowledgeand skills being acquired through their courses of study. A planned, supervised and evaluatedpractice experience is considered a very important component of a public health professionaldegree program. These opportunities should be arranged in cooperation with as wide a range ofcommunity agencies as possible, including especially local and state public health agencies in theprogram's geographic area. Individual waivers should be based on well-defined criteria; thepossession of a prior professional degree in another field or prior work experience that is notclosely related to the academic objectives of the student's degree program would not be sufficientreason for waiving the practice requirement. While there are advantages to a practice placementconducted full-time in a concentrated block of time, this is not always possible for students. Programs should be sensitive to the constraints of students and may develop alternative modes forproviding practice experiences.

A culminating experience is one that requires a student to synthesize and integrate knowledgeacquired in coursework and other learning experiences and to apply theory and principles in asituation that approximates some aspect of professional practice. It may be used as a means bywhich faculty judge whether the student has mastered the body of knowledge and can demonstrateproficiency in fulfillment of responsibilities and execution of the basic competencies identified bythe National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., and more advancedcompetencies expected of graduate-trained health education professionals. The culminatingexperience should assure that students are able to participate in policy formulation, use diagnosticand consultation skills to define the educational needs of target populations, and design, manageand evaluate health education programs. Many different models are possible, including written ororal comprehensive examinations, supervised practice placements, a major written paper such as a

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thesis or an applied research project, development of case studies, capstone seminars and others. Each professional degree program must require a culminating experience.


1. Identification of the means by which the program assures that all professional degree studentshave a broad understanding of the areas of knowledge basic to public health.

2. Identification of the means by which the program assures that all professional degree studentsacquire concepts, knowledge and skills basic to community health education.

3. Description of the program's policies and procedures regarding practice placements, includingcriteria for selection of sites, methods for approving preceptors, approaches for facultysupervision and methods of assessment of students.

4. Identification of agencies and preceptors used for formal practice placement experiences forstudents, over the last three years.

5. Identification of the culminating experience required for each degree program.


Criterion V.C.: For each program and area of specialization within each programidentified in Criterion V.A., there shall be clear learning objectives.

Interpretation

Learning objectives are statements that describe what a successful learner should know and be ableto do upon completion of a particular program or course of study. These statements should definethe competencies that a successful graduate will demonstrate at the conclusion of the program andshould be articulated in terms of measurable outcomes. It is expected that these competencies willmeet or exceed the basic competencies for health educators identified by the National Commissionfor Health Education Credentialing, Inc. Stated learning objectives should be demonstrably relatedto the program's mission, goals and objectives, and, in turn, course objectives and other plannedlearning experiences should be demonstrably related to the stated learning objectives.

The articulation of learning objectives is central to the educational process. Since these objectivesdefine the nature and content of a program and establish explicit student expectations, they shouldbe widely available to students and prospective students. Stated learning objectives should guidethe curriculum planning process and should be the primary measure against which studentachievement is measured.

If a program expects or allows students to develop highly individualized learning objectivesconsistent with the students' prior experiences and career goals, these learning objectives must becomparable in their level of specificity to learning objectives that would be appropriate to define adegree program as identified in V.A. and must be documented on an individual basis. Furthermore,

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specific documentation must accompany modification of the students' personalized learningobjectives.


1. Identification of a set of learning objectives for each program of study identified in the matrixfor V.A. If individualized learning objectives are used, identification of a sample set that istypical of each program of study and that can be verified through on-site inspection.

2. A description of the manner in which learning objectives are developed, used and madeavailable to students.

3. A description of the manner in which the program periodically assesses the changing needs ofpublic health practice and uses this information to establish the learning objectives for itseducational programs.


Criterion V.D.: There shall be procedures for assessing and documenting the extentto which each student has attained these specified learning objectives anddetermining readiness for a community health education career.

Interpretation

A program shall award or recommend the award of a degree only when the student hasdemonstrated mastery of necessary theories, concepts and content and competence in the skillsdefined in the learning objectives. Procedures for measuring attainment of stated objectives mayinclude course tests and examinations, evaluation of performance in practice placements, writtenproject reports or theses, comprehensive examinations, portfolio assessments, and professionalcredentialing examinations, such as that offered by the National Commission for Health EducationCredentialing, Inc. Successful completion of a set of required courses is not, in and of itself,sufficient evidence that a student has mastered the necessary content or demonstrated proficiencyin the application of skills. A graduate-level curriculum is more than a set of required courses andthe judgment about the success of an individual student in that curriculum should include anassessment about the student's ability to select theories, methods and techniques from across thecontent matter of a field, to integrate and synthesize knowledge, and to apply it to the solution ofpublic health problems. The manner in which this assessment is done may differ betweenprofessional and academic programs.


1. Description of the procedures used for monitoring and evaluating student progress in meetingstated learning objectives.

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2. Identification of outcomes which serve as measures by which the program will evaluate studentachievement, and presentation of data assessing the program's performance against thosemeasures over the last three years.

3. If the outcome measures selected by the program do not include degree completion rates andjob placement rates, then data for these two additional indicators must be provided, includingexperiential data over the last three years. If degree completion rates, in the normal timeperiod for degree completion, are less than 80 percent, an explanation must be provided. Ifjob placement rates, within 12 months following award of the degree, are less than 80 percent,an explanation must be provided.


Criterion V.E.: If the program also offers curricula for academic degrees, thenstudents pursuing them shall have the opportunity and be encouraged to acquire anunderstanding of public health problems and a generic public health education. These curricula shall cover as much basic public health knowledge as is essential formeeting their stated learning objectives.

Interpretation

Because public health is an interdisciplinary field, students pursuing academic public health degreesshould have an opportunity to acquire a broad, public health orientation, as well as depth ofeducation in a specific discipline. Since these degree programs are preparing students who willbecome the next generation of public health faculty and preparing researchers who will beexpected to work in multidisciplinary settings, learning objectives should reflect a commitment toacquiring a public health perspective. Students pursuing graduate academic degrees shall have theopportunity and be encouraged to acquire generic public health knowledge, which might be metthrough mechanisms such as symposia, working groups, collaborative working relationships,choice of thesis topic, and courses. If these experiences are waived for individual students, thereason for the waiver shall be documented.

While opportunities to engage in research activities are important for all students, they are essentialfor students in academic or research curricula. Such opportunities are possible only when facultythemselves are actively engaged in research. Research curricula should culminate in an integrativeactivity that permits the student to demonstrate the ability to successfully undertake research.


1. Identification of all academic degree programs. The matrix in V.A. may be referenced for thispurpose.

2. Identification of the means by which the program assures that students in research curriculahave the opportunities and are encouraged to acquire a public health orientation.

3. Identification of the culminating experience required for each academic degree program.

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Criterion V.F.: If the program offers joint degree programs, the required curriculumfor the professional public health degree shall be equivalent to that required for aseparate public health degree.

Interpretation

Programs, in cooperation with other degree-granting units in the institution, may offer joint,coordinated or dual degrees, such as the MD/MPH, MBA/MPH and MPH/MSW. The requiredcurriculum of the public health component of these joint degrees must be comparable to thecurriculum in the separate public health degree.


1. Identification of joint degree programs offered by the program and a description of therequirements for each.

2. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met. Criterion V.G.: If the program offers degree programs using nontraditional formatsor methods, these programs must a) be consistent with the mission of the programand within the program's established area of expertise; b) be guided by clearlyarticulated student learning outcomes that are rigorously evaluated; c) be subject tothe same quality control processes that other degree programs in the program anduniversity are, and d) provide planned and evaluated learning experiences that takeinto consideration and are responsive to the characteristics and needs of adultlearners. If the program offers nontraditional programs, it must provide neededsupport for these programs, including administrative, travel, communication andstudent services. The program must have an ongoing program to evaluate theacademic effectiveness of the format, to assess teaching and learning methodologiesand to systematically use this information to stimulate program improvements.

Interpretation

A program of study may be delivered through various models and may use a wide range ofteaching and learning technologies. Nontraditional programs, sometimes referred to as alternativeor extended degree programs, are those that are offered in a format or design that differssignificantly from the established approach of students attending regular on-site course sessionsspread over a quarter, semester or other standard term. Permitting students to extend theirprogram over a longer period of time than the norm, offering courses in the evening or offeringregular day and evening courses in an off-campus site but still spread over a standard term are nolonger considered nontraditional. Nor is the occasional use of sophisticated communicationstechnologies in a regular program format considered nontraditional.

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A nontraditional degree program is a curriculum or course of study that is flexibly structured tomeet the needs of a student population and that leads to the award of a degree. There is greatvariation in nontraditional models but generally they are designed to accommodate the needs ofemployed professionals (or part-time students) who cannot pursue a course of study in a traditionaltime frame or format. Most often accommodations are introduced in terms of time, location orformat. Nontraditional programs, for example, may be offered over an extended period, in timeslots outside the regular weekday work week, or in concentrated blocks of time during the summeror throughout the academic year. They may be offered in locations distant from the main campusof the institution that awards the degree. They may be offered in innovative formats, sometimestaking advantage of advanced technology such as interactive television, computer assisted learning,and other contemporary teaching/learning methods. Innovative means of offering public health degree programs and thereby upgrading thequalifications of the public health workforce are encouraged, particularly those models that respondto the needs of mid-career working professionals. Programs that do so, however, must plan,implement and evaluate these programs, consistent with principles of good practice regarding adultlearning. While format and structure of the learning experiences must be appropriate to the adultstudent, academic rigor must be comparable, regardless of the format and structure. Academicrigor takes into consideration such factors as the qualifications of the teacher, institutional approvaland review processes, and congruence between degree of complexity and the level of the degree.


1. Identification of all degree programs that are offered in a nontraditional format, including thoseoffered in full or in part through distance education in which the instructor and student areseparated in time or place or both. The matrix in V.A. may be referenced for this purpose.

2. Description of the nontraditional degree programs, including an explanation of the model ormethods used, the program's rationale for offering these programs, the manner in which itprovides necessary administrative and student support services, the manner in which itmonitors the academic rigor of the programs and their equivalence (or comparability) totraditional degree programs and the manner in which it evaluates the educational outcomes, aswell as the format and methodologies.


RESEARCH

Criterion VI.: The program shall pursue an active research program, consistent withits mission, through which its faculty and students contribute to the knowledge baseof the community health education discipline, including research directed atimproving the practice of public health.

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Interpretation

The research program shall be consistent with the program's stated mission and goals and shouldcomplement teaching and learning objectives stated for the instructional programs. The programshould provide an environment that is conducive to research and scholarly inquiry by all faculty. Such endeavors may involve basic and applied topics and appropriately include various forms ofscholarship aimed at improving the practice of health education. Opportunities should be availablefor students who would benefit from research experiences, whether or not such is required as apart of the curricula.


1. A description of the program's research activities, including policies, procedures and practicesthat support research and scholarly activities.

2. A description of current community-based research activities and/or those undertaken incollaboration with health agencies and community-based organizations. Formal researchagreements with such agencies should be identified.

3. A list of current research activity, including amount and source of funds, over the last threeyears.

4. Identification of measures by which the program may evaluate the success of its researchactivities, along with data regarding the program's performance against those measures overthe last three years.

5. A description of student involvement in research.


SERVICE

Criterion VII.: The program shall pursue an active service program, consistent withits mission, through which faculty and students contribute to the advancement ofhealth education practice, including continuing education.

Interpretation

The program's service program should contribute to the fulfillment of its stated mission and goalsand should complement teaching and learning objectives. Because the community is the sitewhere public health and health education are implemented, effective linkages with organizationsand agencies in the community are essential to the success of the program in meeting its overallobjectives. As a consequence, faculty should be actively involved with the community throughcommunication, collaboration, consultation, provision of technical assistance, and other means ofsharing the program's professional knowledge and competence. There should, as well, be effective

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ways for the community to participate in the work of the program, from assessing the relevance ofcurricula, to participating in teaching, to evaluating the effectiveness of the program. The serviceactivities may relate to existing local, regional, national and international opportunities and needs. Opportunities to engage in service should be available to all students, regardless of curricularrequirements.

Although the primary educational function of a community health education program is thepreparation of well qualified professionals, a program should also address the needs of the largenumbers of personnel engaged in health education practice without formal training and the needsof previously trained professionals who need to maintain and advance their knowledge and skills. Assessment of professional needs should be undertaken periodically in health education settingsand short-term programs should be developed in response to those needs and made available ineasily accessible locales and formats. Programs should collaborate with other institutions that trainpublic health personnel, including schools of public health, in order to extend continuing educationopportunities beyond the program's own market area.

Service is an explicit activity undertaken for the benefit of the greater society, over and beyondwhat is accomplished through teaching and research. The term service is often ill-defined andcovers a wide range of activities including contributions of professional expertise, professionalpractice, continuing or outreach education, and membership on university committees. Participation in internal university committees is not within the definition of this section. Service asdescribed herein refers to contributions of professional expertise to the public, includingprofessional practice. While these activities may generate revenue, the value of service is notmeasured in financial terms.


1. A description of the program's service activities, including policies, procedures and practicesthat support service. If the program has formal contracts or agreements with external agencies,these should be noted.

2. A list of the program's current service activities, including identification of the communitygroups and nature of the activity, over the last three years.

3. A description of the programs continuing education activities, including policies, proceduresand practices which support continuing education.

4. A list of the continuing education programs offered by the program, including number ofstudents served, over the last three years.

5. A list of other institutions with which the program collaborates to offer continuing education, ifany.

6. Identification of the measures by which the program may evaluate the success of its serviceprogram, along with data regarding the program's performance against those measures overthe last three years.

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7. A description of student involvement in service.


FACULTY

Criterion VIII.A.: The program shall have a clearly defined faculty which, by virtue ofits size, multidisciplinary nature, educational preparation, research and teachingcompetence, and practice experience, is able to fully support the program's mission,goals and objectives.

Interpretation

Faculty adequacy, quantitatively and qualitatively, relates to a number of factors, including thosestated above. The faculty of a program may draw broadly from the many disciplines thatcontribute substantially to health education and must, in particular, be able to support thecommunity health education concentration. While teaching resources may be drawn from otherparts of the university and from professionals in practice settings, as well as people from thecommunity, there must be a central core of regular faculty to sustain the curricular requirements forthe concentration.

Faculty should teach and supervise student research and practice experiences in areas ofknowledge with which they are thoroughly familiar and qualified by education and experience. Toassure a broad public health perspective, in spite of increasing specialization in the field of publichealth, there should be faculty who have professional experience outside the academic setting andhave demonstrated competence in health education practice. To assure the relevance of curriculaand individual learning experiences to current and future practice needs and opportunities,programs should regularly involve health education practitioners and other individuals involved inhealth education work through such arrangements as adjunct and part-time faculty appointmentsand use as preceptors. Programs should also encourage faculty to maintain ongoing practice linkswith health education agencies, especially state and local.


1. Identification in a table or chart of faculty who support the degree programs offered by theprogram, indicating at least professorial rank, tenure status, percent time devoted to theprogram, earned degrees, universities at which degrees were earned, disciplinary area ofdegree, area of teaching responsibility, area of research interest, and selected demographicdata (gender, ethnicity).

2. Description of the manner in which the faculty complement integrates perspectives from thefield of practice.

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3. Identification of outcome measures by which the program may judge the qualifications of itsfaculty complement, along with data regarding the performance of the program against thosemeasures over the last three years.


Criterion VIII.B.: The program shall have well defined policies and procedures torecruit, appoint and promote qualified faculty, to evaluate competence andperformance of faculty and to support the professional development andadvancement of faculty.

Interpretation

Policies, procedures and operational guidelines related to conditions of employment should beestablished and available to all faculty. Procedures should provide for fair and equitable treatmentof faculty and should be consistently applied. Criteria for advancement should reflect the program'smission and goals. The program should provide opportunities to enhance the teaching capabilitiesof faculty and otherwise support their professional growth and development. If the programmakes part-time, adjunct, clinical or other faculty appointments, the responsibilities and privilegesof these categories should be made explicit. Service to the community should be seen as asignificant contribution in promotion and tenure deliberations. Procedures for evaluating facultycompetence and performance, particularly in the area of teaching, should be in place andconsistently applied.


1. Inclusion of a faculty handbook or other written document that outlines faculty rules andregulations.

2. Description of provisions for faculty development, including identification of support for facultycategories other than regular full-time appointments.

3. Description of formal procedures for evaluating faculty competence and performance.

4. A description of student course evaluation process and/or evaluation of teaching effectiveness.

5. Description of the emphasis given to community service activities in the promotion and tenureprocess.


Criterion VIII.C.: The program shall recruit, retain and promote a diverse faculty,and shall offer equitable opportunities to qualified individuals regardless of age, sex,race, disability, religion or national origin.

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Interpretation

Given the mission of public health of enhancing health in human populations and the mission of acommunity health education program to prepare professionals who address health needs andproblems of populations, the inclusion of all segments of society is directly relevant to theachievement of the mission of a community health education program. A faculty that reflects thediverse demographic characteristics of the population can provide incentives for enrollment,matriculation and achievement of students from diverse demographic groups. Policies, proceduresand practices of a program should encourage the inclusion of faculty members who contribute tothe diversity of the faculty complement.


1. Demographic data on the program's faculty.

2. Description of policies and procedures regarding the program's commitment to providingequitable opportunities without regard to age, sex, race, disability, religion or national origin.

3. Identification of outcome measures by which the program may evaluate its success in achievinga demographically diverse faculty complement, along with data regarding the performance ofthe program against those measures over the last three years.


STUDENTS

Criterion IX.A.: The program shall have student recruitment and admissions policiesand procedures designed to locate and select qualified individuals capable of takingadvantage of the program's various learning activities, which will enable each of themto develop competence for a career in health education.

Interpretation

A community health education program should seek individuals who have the educationalprerequisites, interest and motivation for undertaking and advancing in health education careers,consonant with the program's stated mission, goals and objectives. Admission procedures andpolicies should emphasize experience as an important factor when considering applicants.

Catalogs and bulletins used by the program to describe its educational offerings must accuratelydescribe its academic calendar, admissions policies, grading policies, academic integrity standards,and degree completion requirements. Advertising, promotional materials, recruitment literatureand other supporting material, in what ever medium it is presented, must contain accurateinformation.

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1. Description of the program's recruitment policies and procedures.

2. Statement of admissions policies and procedures.

3. Examples of recruitment materials and other publications and advertising that describe, as aminimum, academic calendars, grading and the academic offerings of the program. The mostrecent catalog must be included. References to website addresses may be included.

4. Quantitative information on the number of applicants, acceptances and admissions, over thelast three years.

5. Quantitative information on the number of students enrolled in each degree program identifiedin Criterion V.A., including a headcount of full-time and part-time students and a full-timeequivalent conversion, over the last three years.

6. Identification of outcome measures by which the program may evaluate its success in enrollinga qualified student body, along with data regarding the performance of the program againstthose measures over the last three years.


Criterion IX.B.: Stated application, admission, and degree-granting requirements andregulations shall be applied equitably to individual applicants and students regardlessof age, sex, race, disability, religion or national origin.

Interpretation

A program should encourage the inclusion of students who reflect the diversity of the population. Programs should have affirmative action plans to recruit, admit and graduate students from groupsthat are disadvantaged or underrepresented in the public health professions. Approaches such asprovisional admissions and remedial coursework may be used to promote a diverse student body.


1. Description of policies, procedures and affirmative action plans to achieve a diverse studentpopulation.

2. Quantitative information on the demographic characteristics of the student body, including dataon applicants and admissions, over the last three years.

3. Identification of measures by which the program may evaluate its success in achieving ademographically diverse student body, along with data regarding the program's performanceagainst these measures over the last three or more years.

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Criterion IX.C.: There shall be available a clearly explained and accessible academicadvising system for students, as well as readily available career and placementadvice.

Interpretation

Each student enrolled in any program should have access, from time of enrollment, to advisorswho are knowledgeable about the program's curriculum overall and about specific courses andother programs of study. Orientation, including written documentation, should be provided for allentering students. Career and placement counseling should be available to students, includingstudents who may not be seeking employment. If the program has large numbers of mid-careerworking students or nontraditional students, advisors should be sensitive to the differing needs ofthese students in regard to career and placement counseling. Appropriate career and placementcounselors may include clinical faculty, community practitioners and alumni. The program may alsowish to consider the development of a mentorship program which could draw mentors from thesesame affiliated groups.


1. Description of the advising and counseling services, including sample orientation materials suchas student handbooks.

2. Information about student satisfaction with advising and counseling services.


Criterion IX.D.: Students shall, where appropriate, have participatory roles inconduct of program evaluation procedures, policy-setting and decision-making.

Interpretation

Students should participate in appropriate aspects of evaluation including assessment of teaching,of research and service opportunities, of field experiences, and of counseling and placementprocedures. Administrative mechanisms should permit appropriate student involvement inprogram policy formulation and review. Standing and ad hoc committees, with explainableexceptions, should include student members.


1. Description of student roles in evaluation of program functioning.

2. Description of student roles in governance, as well as in formal student organizations.


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EVALUATION AND PLANNING

Criterion X.A.: The program shall have an explicit process for evaluating andmonitoring its overall efforts against its mission, goals and objectives; for assessingthe program's effectiveness in serving its various constituencies; and for planning toachieve its mission in the future.

Interpretation

A community health education program must undertake systematic, broad-based and integratedevaluation of its activities, to determine its effectiveness in achieving its stated mission, goals andobjectives. The results of this process must be linked to and systematically utilized to inform theprogram's processes by which it plans for the future. Evaluation and planning are interrelatedfunctions which should be ongoing and explicit and contribute to making the program a learningorganization in all aspects.

The program should have regular data collection mechanisms to provide information needed for itsown evaluation, management and planning. Information should be obtained on a regular basisfrom alumni and from public health agencies concerning careers in public health, the value ofgraduates' educational experiences, and current and future needs for professional education. Planning should reflect the program's accommodation to changes in health needs of populationsand in society and institutional responses to such change.

Evaluation and planning processes should provide for participation of the program's majorconstituent groups, including administration, faculty, students, alumni and the community. A widevariety of methods for achieving their input is possible.


Description of evaluation procedures and planning process being used.

1. Identification of measures by which the program may evaluate the effectiveness of its evaluationand planning activities, along with data regarding the program's performance against thesemeasures over the last three years.


Criterion X.B.: For purposes of seeking accreditation by CEPH, the program shallconduct an analytical self-evaluation and prepare a self-study document that respondsto all criteria in this manual.

Interpretation

Accreditation is a form of external, peer-based evaluation that programs may elect to pursue and itcan be one, although not the only, method of evaluation used by a community health education

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program. A program that pursues accreditation must undertake a self-evaluation that includes aqualitative and quantitative assessment of its success in achieving its mission, goals and objectives. A self-study process should be reflective, thoughtful and analytical and should result in a candidassessment of strengths and weaknesses in terms of the program's performance against theaccreditation criteria. The self-study process should involve the program's administrative officersand staff, teaching faculty, student body, alumni and other significant constituencies, especiallyincluding representatives of the health education community.


1. Provision of all documentation specified as being expected.

2. Description of the process used for the self-study.

3. An analysis of the programs responses to recommendations in the last accreditation report, ifany.

4. Summary statement of the programs strengths and weaknesses in regard to each accreditationcriterion. (This statement may be organized as an executive summary, if the program sochooses.)


GRADUATE PROGRAMSOF GRADUATE PROGRAMSINCOMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATIONPatricia P. EvansWeb: www.ceph.orgCEPH PURPOSE AND PROCEDURESBASES FOR ACCREDITATION CRITERIACHARACTERISTICSCharacteristics of a Graduate ProgramIN COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATIONMISSION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVESORGANIZATIONAL SETTING EXTERNALORGANIZATIONAL SETTING INTERNALGOVERNANCE

Expected DocumentationRESOURCES

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMSRESEARCHSERVICEFACULTY

InterpretationSTUDENTSEVALUATION AND PLANNING


Education Community Programs

Documents

Transcript of Education Community Programs