Western Governors University

D622: Public Health Assessment, Program Planning, Intervention, and Evaluation

A guide to WGU's D622, where you assess a community's needs, design a program and plan its implementation and evaluation.

Updated October 2026 · 5 min read

D622 explores the public health assessment and planning process in WGU's Master of Public Health. Students apply evidence-based practice to conduct a community needs assessment, design a health promotion program and develop implementation and evaluation plans.

The course is large in scope. The difficulty is coherence: the need you identify must drive the program, which must match the implementation plan, which must be measurable through the evaluation plan.

Course at a Glance

ItemDetails
UniversityWestern Governors University
Course codeD622
LevelGraduate, competency-based
ProgramMaster of Public Health (MPH)
Credit3 competency units
PrerequisiteNone, per WGU's program guide

What D622 Covers

Competency (summarized)In practice
Analyze data to identify a public health program needNeeds assessment from community data
Develop an evidence-based program for a communityGoals, activities and rationale from the literature
Develop an implementation planResources, timeline, roles and risks
Develop a program evaluation planIndicators, data sources and methods

Key Concepts Explained

Needs Assessment

Combine quantitative data, such as rates and demographics, with community input to find the priority problem and the groups most affected.

Example: County data shows a high rate of hypertension among adults over 50 in one area, with few clinics and limited transport. The priority need is accessible blood pressure screening and follow-up, not generic health education.

Goals, Objectives and Logic Models

Goals state the broad aim. Objectives are specific and measurable. A logic model links inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes, showing why the program should work.

Process and Outcome Evaluation

Process evaluation asks whether the program was delivered as planned. Outcome evaluation asks whether health or behavior changed. A good plan covers both.

Keeping the Plan Consistent

ElementCheck
NeedSupported by data and a named population
ObjectivesSpecific, measurable, time-bound
ActivitiesEach linked to an objective and to evidence
ImplementationStaff, budget, timeline, partners
EvaluationAn indicator for every objective

Example: Objective: raise the share of screened adults over 50 from 30 to 50 percent within a year. Indicator: screening records at partner clinics. Process measure: number of outreach events held. Outcome measure: share of screened people with controlled blood pressure at follow-up.

Evidence-Based Practice and Implementation

Evidence-based practice means using the best available research, local data and community preferences together. Cite interventions with published effects, then explain any adaptation for your population.

Implementation Planning

An implementation plan translates the design into action. It states who does what, by when, with what resources, and what could go wrong.

ComponentContent
TimelinePhases with start and end dates
RolesStaff, partners and community members
ResourcesBudget, space, materials and training
RisksLow turnout, staffing gaps, funding changes, with responses

Choosing Evaluation Methods

Match method to question. Surveys can capture knowledge or behavior, records can capture service use, and interviews can explain why people did or did not take part. Mixed methods often give the fullest answer.

Example: To evaluate a screening program, count outreach events and attendance (process), compare screening rates before and after (outcome), and interview a sample of non-attenders to learn what stopped them, which feeds improvements in the next cycle.

Organizing a Four-Part Task

With four competencies, a clear document structure matters. Use one running example from the needs assessment through to the evaluation plan, so a reader can trace a single thread.

PartQuestion answered
AssessmentWhat is the problem and who is affected?
Program designWhat will we do, and why should it work?
ImplementationHow, when and with whom will it happen?
EvaluationHow will we know it worked?

Review the finished document by reading only the objectives. If each one has an activity and an indicator somewhere in the plan, the structure holds together.

Where Students Get Stuck

Study Tips for D622

How We Help with D622

Send your community data, task, rubric and draft. We can explain the planning process, review the plan for consistency, or prepare a model example. The final work must be your own.

GradeEssays is independent of Western Governors University. Orders include free revisions within the scope of your original request and a full refund if late. We never take assessments on your behalf.

Make Your Program Plan Coherent

Send the task, data and rubric. A writer prepares a worked example showing how the parts connect.

Start My D622 Help

Free revisions · Full refund if late · Written from scratch for your order

Frequently Asked Questions

Does D622 have prerequisites?

WGU's program guide says there are none.

What are the main parts of the course?

Needs assessment, program design, implementation planning and evaluation planning.

What is a logic model?

A diagram linking inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes to show how a program should achieve change.

How is it different from undergraduate planning and evaluation courses?

It integrates all four stages at graduate depth in one cycle.

What data can I use?

Follow your task instructions; credible public or provided datasets are typical.

Can you write the plan for me?

No. We offer tutoring and model examples only.