The MPH Practicum is an integrated application of the MPH curriculum. It is a 200-hour field experience that allows students to demonstrate professional competency in public health in a practice setting.

The practicum enables students to bridge the gap between the classroom and public health practice. It is an exciting opportunity to gain “real world” experience. Additionally alumni commonly identify the MPH Practicum as “one of the best parts of the MPH Program.”

As it is an application of a student’s MPH coursework, the practicum is one of the final courses in the MPH plan of study. The course functions as a practice-based culminating experience for the MPH degree. It requires students to demonstrate synthesis of foundational and concentration specific MPH program competencies. The project is supervised by an experienced field supervisor (preceptor) and the MPH Practicum Director. Each project also requires the strategic oversight and evaluation of a faculty mentor in the College of Public Health.

How you can be involved

• Advise students to begin thinking about the practicum early. Students must be registered for the course with an approved proposal before beginning their work. Some projects require substantial time to plan.
• Advise students to attend practicum seminars. An MPH Practicum planning seminar is scheduled each fall and spring. There is also a seminar showcasing student practicums that have been completed or are in progress.
• Direct students to the ICON course site. “CPH:7800 MPH Practicum” is located in the Ongoing Courses section of a student’s ICON dashboard. The site provides examples of practicum proposals and a wealth of other materials. All admitted MPH students have access to the site.
• Direct students to the MPH Practicum Director. Jeanie Kimbel supports students through all phases of practicum planning and completion. Feel free to contact her at jeanine-kimbel@uiowa.edu.
• Provide networking assistance. CPH faculty cannot function as field supervisors (preceptors). However, your colleagues in the practice sector may be positioned perfectly to host an MPH student for their practicum.
• Serve as Faculty Mentor for your MPH advisees. If you are an MPH student’s assigned departmental academic advisor, you will be called upon to review and evaluate the application of concentration-specific competencies in the student’s practicum. See the Handbook for Faculty Mentors for further information.