Dr.P.H. Global Advanced Field Experience

Catalog description

Provides Doctor of Public Health Students (Dr.P.H.) students with real-world experience in the practice of public health in international or local settings. The Doctor of Public Health Students (Dr.P.H.) Global Advanced Field Experience aims to provide Dr.P.H. students with hands-on experience in the practice of public health. The Global Advanced Field Experience builds and reinforces public health practice skills by enabling students to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real-world public health problems and settings. As the Dr.P.H. is a professional degree, gaining experience in a real-world public health setting through the Global Advanced Field Experience is critical to students' academic and professional development, and their ability to become competent in the practice of public health. Students may complete their Global Advanced Field Experience at public health agencies, organizations, and/or institutions, and work on substantive projects that contribute to the mission, goals, and objectives of the sites in which they are placed. Students are matched with sites based on their respective academic and professional interests and goals. Students may be matched with pre-approved sites, which have been identified by the Dr.P.H. program leadership. Students also may seek out Global Advanced Field Experience opportunities on their own. Global Advanced Field Experience sites that are not pre-approved must be reviewed and approved by the Dr.P.H. program leadership before students can begin. At each site, students report to an on-site Preceptor. Preceptors are identified by the Dr.P.H. student and approved by Dr.P.H. program leadership; they generally are key decision-makers at their respective agencies, organizations, or institutions. Prior to beginning the Global Advanced Field Experience, students will work with the course Director to develop individualized learning objectives linked with at least five Dr.P.H. competencies. These learning objectives will shape a student's experience at the internship site and the types of projects the student will complete. The learning objectives also will provide students with a measure against which they can evaluate their efforts and their ability to meet their competencies.