Practicum Experience Courses

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) Practicum Experience Courses

PRAC 0705 MPH Practicum I (1) As required component of the master of public health (M.P.H.) degree, the public health practicum is a carefully planned and supervised learning experience. The practicum experience connects the skills and knowledge acquired in the classroom with the pragmatic application of the practice of public health. The practicum can provide the student with the opportunity to acquire, develop, and improve communication skills, project management skills, and problem-solving skills using public health methods, principles, and techniques. Moreover, it promotes hands-on public health practice, the exploration of career options, and generates contacts with other public health professionals. M.P.H. Practicum I is an independent study format. There are four lectures and orientation activities that take place with the student and the graduate practicum director. Students are expected to start this process in the second semester of their first year or after the completion of 9 credits. This schedule gives students the ability to graduate in two years if enrolled full time.
This course is offered at all of the school's locations during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

PRAC 0706 MPH Practicum I Continuation (0) Students will register for M.P.H. Practicum I Continuation when they were registered for M.P.H. Practicum I during the previous semester and did not complete/submit all M.P.H. Practicum I deliverables. Students must register for this course every semester (including summer if they elect to work on practicum), until they have completed the M.P.H. Practicum I requirements and are eligible to register for M.P.H. Practicum IIA.
Prerequisite: M.P.H. Practicum I during the previous semester. This course is offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

PRAC 0707 MPH Practicum IIA (2) M.P.H. Practicum IIA is a hybrid course that includes in-person lectures and online activities every other week. This is the planning stage for the practicum project. Students will identify a project and obtain approval from their practicum faculty adviser, site preceptor, and practicum director. Students are required to attend seven lectures for M.P.H. Practicum IIA and complete certain requirements for 2 credits. Students cannot pass M.P.H. Practicum IIA without identifying a project site/data source, conducting a literature review, conducting organizational or data background search, obtaining approval for their of scope of work, writing a protocol, submitting an IRB application (if needed), writing biweekly journal entries, starting their portfolio, and completing the online self-assessment of competencies.
Prerequisite: PRAC 0705. Corequisites: Department's CORE and department's Research Methods course (concurrently). This course is offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

PRAC 0708 MPH Practicum IIA continuation (0) If a student has not finished the M.P.H. Practicum IIA deliverables, the student must register for M.P.H. Practicum IIA Continuation. M.P.H. Practicum IIA Continuation is a noncredit course and carries a modest fee. Students are permitted to register for M.P.H. Practicum IIA Continuation only once.
Prerequisite: PRAC 0707. This course is offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

PRAC 0709 MPH Practicum IIB (3) M.P.H. Practicum IIB is a hybrid course that includes in-person lectures and online activities. This is the implementation stage of the practicum project where students primarily spend time working on their practicum project at the site or with their dataset. Students are required to attend six lectures for M.P.H. Practicum IIB and complete certain other requirements. Students cannot pass M.P.H. Practicum IIB without obtaining IRB approval (if needed), writing an abstract, finalizing a résumé, writing journal entries, closing the IRB study (if needed), creating PowerPoint slides, compiling a final portfolio, creating a final poster, writing a final report, and writing a reflective paper on the practicum experience.
Prerequisite: PRAC 0707. This course is offered during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

PRAC 0710 MPH Practicum IIB Continuation (0) If a student has not completed the requirements for M.P.H. Practicum IIB the student must register for M.P.H. Practicum IIB Continuation. M.P.H. Practicum IIB is a noncredit course billable for 1 credit at the usual rate and fees. Every student who has an In-Progress (IP) grade for M.P.H. Practicum IIB Continuation from the previous semester must register for M.P.H. Practicum IIB Continuation in the next semester.
Prerequisite: PRAC 0709. This course is offered at all of the school's locations during the fall, spring, and summer semesters.

PRAC 0715 MPH Applied Practice Experience (0) A required component of the master of public health (M.P.H.) degree, the M.P.H. Applied Practice Experience is a carefully planned and supervised learning experience. The Applied Practice Experience connects the skills and knowledge acquired in the classroom with the pragmatic application of the practice of public health. The Applied Practice Experience should provide the student with the opportunity to acquire, develop, and improve communication skills, project management skills, and problem-solving skills using public health methods, principles, and techniques. Moreover, it promotes hands-on public health practice, the exploration of career options, and generates contacts with other public health professionals. Students are encouraged to complete PRAC 0715 and PRAC 0716 during the same semester, thus having the ability to link their projects. Students enrolled in Applied Practice Experience will be responsible for a learning contract, two Applied Practice Experience-related deliverables, and seminar-related assignments. Prerequisite: PHCO 0502, PHCO 0504, concentration identified core course. This course is offered at all of the school's locations during the fall and spring semesters and during the summer semester with special permission.

PRAC 0716 MPH Practicum Capstone (3) A required component of the master of public health (M.P.H.) degree, the M.P.H. Practicum Capstone (Integrative Learning Experience) is a carefully planned and supervised learning experience. The capstone is meant to be the culminating product of a student's M.P.H. coursework in which they produce a written product that demonstrates mastery of foundational and concentration-specific competencies and is appropriate to the student's professional goals. Students will work with a School of Public Health faculty mentor who will review and assess the student's final products. Students are encouraged to complete PRAC 0715 and PRAC 0716 during the same semester, thus having the ability to link their projects. Students enrolled in the Practicum Capstone will be responsible for producing a high-quality written report and a poster presentation. Prerequisite: PRAC 0715 or permission of a graduate practicum director. Offered at all of the school's locations during the fall and spring semesters, and during the summer semester with special permission.

Doctor of Public Health (Dr. P.H.) Practicum Experiences

DrPH 0705 DrPH Practicum Experience (3) The Dr.P.H. practicum/practice experience allows Dr.P.H. students to further develop core Dr.P.H. competencies in advocacy, communication, and interaction with people across diverse communities; critical analysis; management; leadership; professionalism; and ethics.
Prerequisites: Completion of core courses and required electives.