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MPH Field Education

Field education is an integral part of your education at The Brown School. It is designed to provide experiences where theoretical knowledge and concepts from the classroom and literature can be applied in a real-world setting. These experiences allow you to practice professional behavior—ethics, comportment, policy compliance—in preparation for continuing your career.

At the Brown School, we do not assign students to specific practica. You are responsible for selecting your own field experience. This approach allows you to build on knowledge and skills closely related to your personal career objectives. You must select practicum experiences from agencies affiliated with the School. The Office of Field Education maintains updated lists of affiliated sites and an online database (Handshake) for students.

All of the forms you will need to document your practicum can be found below.

Student Field Education Resources

MPH Practicum Overview

360 hours in the public health field.
Students will develop specific competencies through their practicum experience.
Practicum may be completed locally, out-of-state, or internationally (must be in Global Health concentration).

MPH Practicum Forms

Practicum Registration

For the last six years, the Brown School has used the software, Symplicity, to house the student and organization database for field education practicum and career services. Recently, the university made the decision to transition to a new software system, Handshake, to better serve the students, faculty, staff, and organizations. As a result, all new students matriculating in Fall 2022, along with active dual and joint degree students, will utilize Handshake for field education searches, registration, and other functions.

Student Self Evaluation and Student Assessment of the Practicum Experience

  • MPH Self-Evaluation of Competencies and Performance
    As part of your practicum requirements, you must complete this self-evaluation two weeks prior to the end of your practicum experience. Once you have submitted the self-evaluation, an email with a link to complete the final evaluation will be sent to your field instructor.
  • Student Assessment of Practicum Experience
    All students are encouraged to complete the Student Assessment of Practicum Experience (SAPE) at the conclusion of your practicum experience.

Educational Learning Agreements (ELAs)

Site Visits

All students will receive a mid-point site visit from an OFE field faculty member. Students must complete a pre-site visit form and submit a Portfolio Product (see section titled “Portfolio Products” below) prior to the site visit. Your responses must be uploaded to Canvas prior to the site visit.

Portfolio Products

Students starting the dual degree or MPH program must complete two Portfolio Products, approved by their field instructor. Portfolio products consist of any item produced in the course of practicum that is ideally beneficial both to the student and field instructor/organization, and demonstrates attainment of the MPH concentration competencies selected to be addressed in practicum (same competencies reflected on the student ELA).

These products can include, but are not limited to: Data sets (with explanation of analyses and outcomes measured), presentations (slide deck with notes, or video/audio recording), policy briefs, educational materials, webinars, fact sheets, letters to the editor, implementation plans, logic models, etc.

Each portfolio product must be submitted with a cover page, which can be found below.

  1. Portfolio product 1 is due by the site visit date
  2. Portfolio product 2 is due by the last day of practicum.

Portfolio Product Cover Sheet

International and Out-of-State Practicum

Forms for International Students in Practicum

Students with an international visa completing practicum in the United States must complete a CPT Form or J-1 Form for every semester in practicum. Please follow the directions on the form.

MPH concentration Practicum Proposal Form

All MPH students must submit the MPH Concentration Practicum Proposal Form for approval by the concentration chairs. The form is hosted on Brown Hub. Please click this link and go to the OFE Program Forms to find the form that corresponds with your concentration.

Timesheets

Timesheets should be submitted to your field advisor at the completion of your practicum experience.

New Practicum Site Affiliation Request

Important: A request for affiliation does not guarantee a site will be affiliated and it is recommended that students have a secondary plan.

Key Contacts

Key Contacts
Jewel

  • Jewel Stafford, MSW

  • Assistant Dean, Office of Field Education, Teaching Professor, Director, Racial Equity Fellows Concentrations: Individualized, American Indian/Alaska Native
  • staffordjd@wustl.edu
  • 314-935-2785
Kate Barbier
Sunghei Han