Using learning outcomes or competencies to develop integrative public health and social justice programs

The state of the world's health makes a sufficient case that all undergraduates need access to education in public health. To this end, the Educated Citizen and Public Health (ECPH) initiative, hosted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), has joined with the Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) to develop learning outcomes or competencies for all undergraduates. The ASPH project leadership has adopted as a framework the essential learning outcomes advocated by the AAC&U Liberal Education and America's Promise, or LEAP, campaign. LEAP provides an outcomes-directed model, based on defined principles of excellence and pedagogical emphasis on high-impact learning and assessment. The ASPH project outcome domains are being aligned with the LEAP outcomes. This session will illustrate and complement the presentation of the ASPH project by providing current examples of outcomes development from AAC&U member campuses. The presentation will focus on what the project has identified as domain three: personal and social responsibility. This is the domain of social justice. Examples from campuses will illustrate the intersection of programs in social justice and public health designed for all students through general education. It will present assessment rubrics for integrative learning and civic engagement aligned with ASPH domains along with a selection of campus examples. Examples are chosen to introduce faculty from public health and health professions graduate and professional programs to integrative work in social justice and public health for undergraduates. The outcomes and assessment model will be applicable at all levels of public health education.