Practicum Experience

As a capstone experience for the Master of Public Health degree, students complete a 200-contact-hour Practicum project in a public health setting. This project, including a final written report and a professional presentation, constitutes the final examination of the MPH degree. A site for each Practicum project will be selected by the student with guidance from the course faculty, which has developed working relationships with a variety of organizations that address public health issues.

The Practicum Syllabus and Resource Guide

The Practicum Course Syllabus and Resource Guide have been revised to help students successfully complete the Practicum. The sylllabus and resource guide contain requirements, guidelines, deadlines and additional information about the Practicum Experience. Students are encouraged to read them carefully.

• Course Syllabus
• Practicum Resource Guide

Other Requirements and Guidelines

Required webcasts

Students are required to attend the MPH Seminar, "Preparing for the Practicum," or to view the following web cast before beginning their Practicum project:

• Preparing for the Practicum

Students are required to view the following web cast before beginning their Practicum project:

• Professionalism in the Workplace

Forms

• Practicum Forms

Instructions and Guidelines

Please review each of these sections carefully for specifics instructions on the process of the Practicum Experience.

• Written Report
• Oral Presentation Option
• Poster Presentation Option (fall and spring semesters only)
• Course Evaluations

Additional Information

Practice Sites and Preceptors

The following list includes a sampling of former and potential practice sites and preceptors:

• Practice Sites and Preceptors

Practice Opportunites

The following sites provide additional information about internships and other practice opportunities:

• Institute for Public Health Practice (IPHP)
• Associated Schools of Public Health (ASPH)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Important Dates

Important dates for Fall Semester 2008

• Tuesday, November4 - MPH Seminar "Preparing for the Practicum"
• Wednesday, December 10 - Poster Session, EMRB Atrium, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
• Friday, December 19 - Last day for Oral Presentations

Important dates for Spring Semester 2009

• Tuesday, January 19 - Opening of Classes
• TBD - MPH Seminar "Preparing for the Practicum"
• Wednesday, May 6 - Poster Session, EMRB Atrium
• Friday, May 15 - Last day for Oral Presentations

Contact Information

Course Faculty

Contact information for practicum course faculty can be found in the Course Syllabus . 

Course Email

For the fastest response, please direct email correspondence to mph-practicum@uiowa.edu, which is monitored Monday through Friday. Course faculty may also be contacted individually.

site updated August 2007