PBHL 6365 Integrative Learning Experience II (ILE II) Capstone Project
The ILE II is the culminating experience for MPH students and is a requirement for graduation in the MPH program. The capstone is typically completed in the last term of the program.
The ILE II Capstone Project course is an opportunity for students to develop and implement a public health-focused real-life PROJECT of particular interest to them. The goal is for students to synthesize, integrate and apply the skills and competencies they have acquired to a public health problem through a professional practice experience. Completion of the ILE II/capstone project requires both written and oral components and delivery of a high-quality written product. The project is done under the direction of a faculty member (course instructor) and a community-based mentor.
This ILE II Capstone Project course is designed for completion of an individual project identified, designed, and implemented by the student, in consultation with and under the supervision of a faculty mentor and a community-based mentor. It is taken instead of the ILE I Simulation course if a student prefers to complete an actual real-life community-based project, rather than health issue-focused or case-based simulations undertaken in the ILE (PBHL 6355) course.
Completion of the final project will reflect integration and synthesis of foundational and program-specific competencies in the disciplines of public health. The capstone project course requires production of a high-quality written product appropriate to the student’s educational and professional goals (in line with CEPH Criteria D7), which is developed in a manner that is useful to external stakeholders.
This project-based course requires a student to pre-plan a project with their capstone mentor and capstone instructor at least 1 semester prior to taking this ILEII Capstone Project class. A student will not be allowed to register for ILE II Capstone Project course until a complete project description of need, methods, and implementation plan for the proposed project, which have been reviewed and approved by the intended ILE II faculty instructor, are on file with the MPH Program. This is done to ensure the background, need, description, and methods of the proposed project are sound and relevant, have already been identified and described appropriately, IRB approval is obtained (if necessary), and the project and high-quality written product(s) can be completed within the time restriction of the one-semester ILE II Capstone Project course.
Projects may include such things as a research project answering a specific question using public health methods; a policy analysis that involves the review and synthesis of data relevant to a defined public health policy or practice issue; or a quality improvement project…… These would lead to high-quality written product(s) which might include a program evaluation report, training manual, policy statement, legislative testimony with accompanying supporting research, etc. which is useful to external stakeholders
Credits
3
Prerequisite
All core MPH courses & permission of the instructor of record and program director. Provision of a complete project proposal for the ILE II capstone project to be implemented in this course. This project proposal/description must be in final form and approved by the capstone project instructor & community mentor. IRB approval documentation as/if required.
Corequisite
ILE II capstone project Faculty Instructor and a community Mentor