MPH Practicum
Practicum Overview
All MPH students are required to complete 6 credit hours of practicum before graduation. The practicum experience is designed to provide students with direct, hands-on experience comparable to a career position suitable for someone with an MPH. In the practicum, students link the work that they do in applied settings to the foundational and concentration competencies. The student must (1) demonstrate mastery of the selected competencies (at least five in total, three of which must be MPH foundational competencies), and (2) have completed two (or more) work products that are professionally prepared and useful to the site where the practicum is completed. The work products may be included in the student’s portfolio to demonstrate their capabilities to a future employer or mentor. Typically, this work is completed over 1-2 semesters. A practicum is generally distinct from a research opportunity, although evaluation methods can be appropriate to achieve the objectives of the practicum project.
Practicum Goals
- To integrate foundational public health knowledge with a concrete experience of public health practice. In particular, to observe and report how the following concepts play out in real public health practice:
- the core functions of public health
- the core organizational practices necessary for governmental agencies to carry out the mission of public health, and
- the essential public health services, from a community-based perspective.
- To identify and report the issues in cultural competence relevant to a specific practicum site and how they play out in real public health practice.
- To identify emerging areas in the practice of public health.
- To broaden knowledge and skills in public health practice.
- To gain experience working with a mentor that has the academic credentials and experience to oversee and evaluate masters level student goals and activities.
Prerequisites Required
Students can begin practicum work after 4 of the 6 pre-requisites (6100, 6300, 6400, 6500, 6550, 6600, 6700) have been completed. One of the four courses must be 6550 and one must be 6100 (Biostatistics) or 6300 (Epidemiology).
Practicum Instructions and Forms