Evaluation Science - Health Policy Concentration (MS)

Program Educational Goals – MS in Evaluation Science

Overall Program Goals

The MS in Evaluation Science has the following program educational goals (based on the American Evaluation Association’s Guiding Principles for Evaluators and Evaluator Competencies). By the end of the program, graduates will have met the following goals:

• Professional Practice: Conduct data-based inquiries that are thorough, methodical, and contextually relevant, while upholding the values of honesty and transparency (integrity);
• Methodology: Provide skilled professional evaluation services to stakeholders, that include quantitative, qualitative, and mixed designs for learning, understanding, decision-making, and judging (systematic inquiry and competence);
• Context: Understand, respect, and honor the unique circumstances, multiple perspectives, and changing the setting of evaluation and their stakeholders (respect for people);
• Planning and Management: Develop and monitor work plans, timelines, resources, and other components needed to complete and deliver an evaluation study (competence).
• Interpersonal: Interact professionally throughout the evaluation, especially in areas of cultural competence, communication, facilitation, and conflict resolution competence and respect for people); and
• Common Good and Equity: Strive to contribute to the common good and advancement of an equitable and just society.

Health Policy Concentration

The online concentration in Health Policy will provide students with a range of knowledge and skills. By the end of the program, students should be able to:

• Understand policy development in healthcare, as well as healthcare financing;
• Identify current policies and programs to improve population health;
• Integrate information technology and public health data to facilitate individual and population health improvement; and
• Conduct and critique policy analyses.