Graduate Study

MPH Practicum

Master of Public Health (MPH) – Public Health Nutrition students are required to complete a 6-credit (240 hour) practicum project as part of the degree program. The practicum is a planned, supervised, and evaluated field-based experience under the guidance of a site supervisor within a public health organization. View past MPH-Nutrition practicum project posters.

Timeline

  • MPH – Public Health Nutrition students attend the annual Food Systems, Nutrition, and Health (FSNH) Practicum Session; they do not need to attend the SPH practicum orientation held by Janice North.
  • Students may begin their practicum after completing the first year of coursework.
  • A practicum can be completed during a single quarter or spread over multiple quarters; GCPD students complete the practicum during their practice experience (year 2 internship).
  • The FSNH practicum adviser will meet with each MPH – Public Health Nutrition student to identify potential practicum sites the quarter before they plan to begin the practicum.
    • Students planning to start their practicum during the summer between years 1 and 2 should arrange this meeting during spring quarter, year 1.
    • MPH + GCPD student meetings will be held early in autumn quarter of year 2.
  • Students must submit a signed Practicum Learning Contract and ensure an educational Affiliation Agreement is in place between SPH and their assigned site prior to starting their practicum.
  • Ask your preceptor to complete the mid-point evaluation about half way through the project. Upload the signed form to the SPH dropbox. If the scope or timeline of the project has changed, modify and upload a revised version of your Learning Contract.
  • Complete your practicum project including two deliverables for the site, SPH Written Assignment, and your practicum project poster.
  • Ask your preceptor to complete the final evaluation
  • Upload your deliverables and evaluation to the SPH dropbox. GCPD students also submit deliverables via Canvas.
  • Students who have completed their practicum during the previous academic year will present their project at the FSNH Practicum Session.
  • FSNH students are encouraged, but not required, to participate in the spring quarter SPH MPH Practicum Symposium and Reception.

Project Guidelines and Requirements

  • The FSNH practicum adviser will assist MPH – Public Health Nutrition students in identifying potential practicum sites.
  • To streamline conversations with community partners, students are asked not to contact sites before meeting with the practicum adviser.
  • The practicum provides students an opportunity to see how nutrition concepts are applied in a public health setting and/or via public health policy.
  • Students are encouraged to select an assessment, policy development, or assurance project (10 essential public health services). Appropriate projects aim to affect the outer rings of the social ecological model. Direct patient care is not allowed.
  • Per accreditation requirements, a practicum project must be designed to meet five of the 22 CEPH foundational competencies.
  • Students must outline their project and deliverables on the Practicum Learning Contract, which will be reviewed by their site supervisor and practicum adviser prior to collecting signatures.
  • The School of Public Health has additional practicum resources and documentation requirements, including the Practicum Prerequisite Form, Midpoint Review, and Site Supervisor Evaluation.
  • FSNH students must submit a written assignment (practicum report), a visual assignment (poster), and at least two student-generated products for the site (report, dataset, executive summary, etc.).
  • Practicum materials must be submitted to the SPH – MPH Practicum Dropbox.

MPH – Public Health Nutrition Students (Degree-Only)

  • MPH – Public Health Nutrition (degree-only) students may begin the practicum at any point after completing their first year of coursework.
  • The practicum may be completed during a single quarter or spread over multiple quarters.
  • Students register for practicum credits via NUTR 595.
  • Deliverables are submitted to the SPH – MPH Practicum Dropbox.

MPH – Public Health Nutrition + GCPD Students

  • MPH – Public Health Nutrition + GCPD students complete the practicum during their 8-month practice experience/internship (winter-summer quarters of year 2).
  • The practicum rotation meets the requirements of the GCPD Public Health Concentration rotation (MPH practicum = PH Concentration).
  • Students complete practicum credits by registering for NUTR 561, not NUTR 595.
  • Deliverables are submitted to both the GCPD Canvas site and the SPH – MPH Practicum Dropbox.
  • Students completing winter quarter practicum projects will submit their practicum posters for display at WSAND, the Washington state dietetic conference.

International Students

  • Students with an F-1 visa must work with the University of Washington’s International Student Services (ISS) office to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which serves as authorization for activities related to their program of study, before starting the practicum.
  • Students with a J-1 or J-2 visa must meet with their program sponsor prior to starting academic training.

Contacts

FSNH MPH Practicum Faculty Adviser

Anne Lund, MPH, RDN, FAND
FSNH MPH Program Director
Director, Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics

FSNH Student and Academic Services

305 Raitt Hall
gradnutr@uw.edu

School of Public Health MPH Practicum Program

Janice North
Manager of Experiential Learning
jlnorth@uw.edu
sphpractice@uw.edu
206-685-9975