2013-2014 Annual Public Health Program Assessment Report
College: Health and Human Development
Department: Health Sciences
Program: Public Health
Assessment liaison: Stephanie Benjamin
1. Overview of Annual Assessment Project(s).
Assessment activities were planned and coordinated with the input and consensus of the program faculty and under the
assistance of the assessment liaison with oversight and guidance from the program director. Assessment has been a
standing agenda item at monthly program meetings.
Objectives 2013-2014
1) Review and revise student learning outcomes. (Completed. See Table 1)
2) Develop/Identify and pilot test self-assessment tools to measure Public Health competencies. (Completed)
Two assessment tools were identified/developed.
i)
Developed Health Education; Seven Areas of Responsibility Self-Assessment tool (Appendix 1) to measure student
learning outcomes for the program. This assessment tool will be pilot tested in Spring 2015.
ii) Self-Competency Assessment Public Health Professional. The purpose of this competency assessment is to help
students discover student individual level of competence on key dimensions of public health practice. The
assessment tool was pilot tested in Spring 2014 with students (n=20) in HSCI 441 (capstone course) and graduating
seniors in HSCI 437 (n=29) (See Table 2)
3) Assess the effectiveness of iPad course. (Completed. See attached iPad assessment document)
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2. Assessment Buy-In. Describe how your chair and faculty were involved in assessment related activities. Did department
meetings include discussion of student learning assessment in a manner that included the department faculty as a whole?

The Department Chair provided oversight and consultation for the assessment process. The Department Chair included
reminders for assessment to the department liaisons, in department and program meetings, and provided examples of
assessment reports previously conducted by various programs.
3. Student Learning Outcome Assessment Project. Answer items a-f for each SLO assessed this year. If you assessed an
additional SLO, copy and paste items a-f below, BEFORE you answer them here, to provide additional reporting space.
3a. Which Student Learning Outcome (SLO) was measured this year?
See Table 1
3b. Does this learning outcome align with one or more of the university’s Big 5 Competencies? (Delete any which do not apply)
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Critical Thinking
Oral Communication
Written Communication
Quantitative Literacy
Information Literacy
3c. Does this learning outcome align with University’s commitment to supporting diversity through the cultivation
and exchange of a wide variety of ideas and points of view? In what ways did the assessed SLO incorporate diverse
perspectives related to race, ethnic/cultural identity/cultural orientations, religion, sexual orientation, gender/gender
identity, disability, socio-economic status, veteran status, national origin, age, language, and employment rank?
o
2
Students in both the senior seminar (HSCI 441, 445) and internship required courses (HSCI 494) through their
community projects and internship positions work with a variety of diverse populations. Cultural competency is
addressed in the HSCI 441 or 445 senior seminar courses. In addition – the department now offers a Health, Culture,
and Diversity elective courses (HSCI 442: Cultural Health and HSCI 438: International Health). Culture and diversity
is also addressed in our core course, HSCI 437: Strategies for Making Health Decisions.
3d. What direct and/or indirect instrument(s) were used to measure this SLO?
o
HSCI 441 and 445 - Senior Seminar (10 sections total). More than 250 students total successfully completed all
course and program SLO’s as evidenced by passing grades on both the final project (as evidenced by the final project
rubrics used in these courses) and final course grades.
o
Health Sciences 494 – Internship Experience (for graduating seniors; this course is typically taken in the final
semester before graduation). Offered both Fall and Spring semesters. Approximately 80 students.
3e. Describe the assessment design methodology: For example, was this SLO assessed longitudinally (same students at
different points) or was a cross-sectional comparison used (Comparing freshmen with seniors)? If so, describe the
assessment points used.

Self-Assessment competency surveys were implemented within the two senior seminar classes (HSCI 441 and
HSCI 437).
o
o
Students (n=20) in HSCI 441 (Capstone course) completed a self-competency assessment survey to
measure their level of competence on key dimensions of public health practice in Spring 2014.
Graduating seniors (n=29) in HSCI 437 (Senior core course) completed self-competency assessment
survey to measure their level of competence on key dimensions of public health practice in Spring 2014.
3f. Assessment Results & Analysis of this SLO: Provide a summary of how the results were analyzed and highlight
findings from the collected evidence.

Self-Assessment competency surveys were implemented within the two senior seminar classes (HSCI 441 and
HSCI 437). Table 2 provides a detailed analysis of the results and findings the assessment measures and
instruments.
3g. Use of Assessment Results of this SLO: Describe how assessment results were used to improve student learning.
Were assessment results from previous years or from this year used to make program changes in this reporting year?
(Possible changes include: changes to course content/topics covered, changes to course sequence, additions/deletions of
courses in program, changes in pedagogy, changes to student advisement, changes to student support services, revisions to
program SLOs, new or revised assessment instruments, other academic programmatic changes, and changes to the
assessment plan.)
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Program changes from previous year’s assessment results included:


Inclusion of greater opportunities for evaluative data
Further integration of technology has been implemented in the HSCI 237 (Introduction to Public Health) course which
launched our participation in the University’s iPad initiative. During 2013-2014, ipads were used in the following courses:
HSCI 237, HSCI 390, HSCI 431
Future program changes from this year’s assessment results will include:




Continuous emphasis of ethics, professionalism, and cultural competencies through the entire sequence of Public Health
Education courses.
Additional implementation of surveys at a midpoint (HSCI 441) between the gateway (HSCI 237) and capstone (HSCI 445
and 494) courses.
Implementation and outcomes of formal evaluation for the iPad initiative to include the following courses (HSCI 237, 390,
431, 439, 441, and 445)
Full 100% survey participation of students registered in these courses.
4. Assessment of Previous Changes: Present documentation that demonstrates how the previous changes in the program
resulted in improved student learning.

The senior seminar course (HSCI 441 and 445) course content is now implemented in a more standardized, consistent
fashion with the addition of two new faculty teaching this course. Grades and final projects in these two courses show
students demonstrating strong competencies in the program SLOs. In addition, iPad sections of these courses were
added for the 2014/2015 academic year.
5. Changes to SLOs? YES
Please attach an updated course alignment matrix if any changes were made. (Refer to the
Curriculum Alignment Matrix Template, http://www.csun.edu/assessment/forms_guides.html.


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SLOs were revised in Spring 2014.
Curriculum Alignment Matrix will be updated during 2014-2015
6. Assessment Plan: Evaluate the effectiveness of your 5 year assessment plan. How well did it inform and guide your assessment
work this academic year? What process is used to develop/update the 5 year assessment plan? Please attach an updated 5 year
assessment plan for 2013-2018. (Refer to Five Year Planning Template, plan B or C,
http://www.csun.edu/assessment/forms_guides.html.)

The Public Health (PH) program has included core competencies from the National Commission for Health Education
Credentialing (NCHEC) in all course syllabi in the course sequence, and it is anticipated that the increased response rate,
establishment of a midpoint survey, and longitudinal analysis of the assessment will help to improve the student learning
experience in Public Health. The PH program is currently undergoing unprecedented growth in both the student and faculty
populations (close to 1600 undergraduates, approximately 100 MPH graduate students), hiring of 2 new faculty (Fall, 2014), 1
full time internship supervisor (for Spring, 2014), and expansion to different disciplines of Public Health will likely occur in the
near future. This development has compelled the program to align itself closely with core competencies for the CSU
approved Bachelor of Science in Public Health, making assessment activities critical in seeking future accreditation from the
Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) to go along with our accredited Masters of Public Health (MPH) Program.

5-Year (2014-2019) Assessment Plan for the Public Health Program is attached (Table 3)
7. Has someone in your program completed, submitted or published a manuscript which uses or describes assessment
activities in your program? No.
NA
8. Other information, assessment or reflective activities or processes not captured above.

Our assessment survey, which was conducted in Spring 2014 (results attached), showed public health students felt least
competent in the area of financial planning and management skills. As a result of this information, the Public Health Program
voted in Fall, 2014 to include HSCI 314 – Organization and Delivery of Health Services as a required course for students.
Previously, this was an elective course within the major.
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Table 1. Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)
Revised SLO*
Current SLO
1. Demonstrate knowledge of public health and
health education program planning; theories of
health behavior; change assessment and
intervention and multicultural influences
impacting the delivery of public health
interventions.
2. Apply knowledge and skills necessary of
program planning, implementation and
evaluation of health education programs in a
variety of practice settings.
3. Demonstrate a mastery of biostatistical and
epidemiological methods appropriate to the
health education practice.
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(Approved by Faculty 4/2014. Effective 8/2014)
Demonstrate knowledge and skills necessary to:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Assess needs, assets, and capacity for health education
Plan health education
Implement health education
Conduct evaluation and research related to health education
Administer and manage health education
Serve as a health education resource person
Communicate and advocate for health and health education
*From NCHEC.org
Table 2
Analytical/Assessment Skills
HSCI 441
Sp14
N=20
Average Score
2.9
HSCI 437
Graduating seniors
N=29
Average Score
3.2
Policy Development/Program Planning Skills
2.6
2.7
Communication Skills
2.9
3.3
Cultural Competency Skills
2.7
3.3
Community Dimensions of Practice Skills
2.6
2.9
Public Health Science Skills
3.0
2.9
Financial Planning and Management Skills
2.1
2.5
Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills
2.7
3.1
1=None I am unaware, or have very little knowledge of the item
2=Aware I have heard of it; limited knowledge and/or ability to apply the skill
3=Knowledgeable I am comfortable with knowledge or ability to apply the skill
4=Proficient I am very comfortable, an expert; could teach this to others
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Table 3. Program Assessment Plan, 2014-2015
Department/Program: Public Health
The purpose of this plan is to assess students at three different points (HSCI 237, HSCI 441, and HSCI 445) to track progress in
meeting Public Health practice standards
Time Period
Assessment Activity
Responsible
Relevant Planning Information
Status
Individual or
Organization
2014-2015



2015-2016



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2016-2017


2017-2018

Update curriculum alignment matrix
Update student assessment survey with
measures provided by the Council on
Linkages Between Academia and Public
Health Practice
Implement student assessment survey in
HSCI 237 (Gateway course), HSCI 441
(Midpoint course), and HSCI 445 (Capstone
course)
Develop alumni survey
Implement student assessment survey in
HSCI 237 (Gateway course), HSCI 441
(Midpoint course), and HSCI 445 (Capstone
course)
Develop student assessment survey for HSCI
494 (Internship)
Implement alumni survey
Implement student assessment survey in
HSCI 237 (Gateway course), HSCI 441
(Midpoint course), HSCI 445 (Capstone
course), and HSCI 494 (Internship)
Implement student assessment survey in
HSCI 237 (Gateway course), HSCI 441
(Midpoint course), HSCI 445 (Capstone
course), and HSCI 494
HSCI
Assessment
Liaison
Faculty from the program will be asked to assist
in updating the curriculum alignment matrix
Student assessment survey will be developed
using measures recommended by the Council on
Linkages Between Academia and Public Health
Practice Assessment
Monitor on-going progress with the assessment
data collection (e.g., response rate, technical
issues, etc.)
Analyze and prepare report
Monitor on-going progress with the assessment
data collection (e.g., response rate, technical
issues, etc.)
Analyze and prepare report
Monitor on-going progress with the assessment
data collection (e.g., response rate, technical
issues, etc.)
Analyze and prepare report
Monitor on-going progress with the assessment
data collection (e.g., response rate, technical
issues, etc.)
Analyze assessment data and prepare report
2018-2019
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
Implement student assessment survey in
HSCI 237 (Gateway course), HSCI 441
(Midpoint course), and HSCI 445 (Capstone
course), and HSCI 494
Monitor on-going progress with the assessment
data collection (e.g., response rate, technical
issues, etc.)
Analyze assessment data and prepare report