MPH Practicum

The Practicum is an essential part of the Master of Public Health curriculum and is intended to provide hands-on experience in the field of public health. The Practicum is an opportunity to apply and test public health concepts and theories in practical settings and improve your learning related to the MPH program's public health competencies. 

The Practicum will account for 3 academic credits and must be conducted in partnership with an agency or organization (hereafter ‘the Practicum Organization’) that is providing a public health service, in the broad sense of public health. The Practicum Organization may be a public health department or a non-governmental agency.

The Practicum requires that you develop a supervisory team, which will help you define, plan, and implement the Practicum. The team consists of:

  1. Faculty Supervisor - a core faculty member from the Program in Public Health
  2. Preceptor - an employee from the Practicum Organization
  3. MPH Practicum Coordinator and Practicum Placement and Community Engagement Coordinator - oversee the Practicum process to ensure that all requirements are met

Competency Note: Please be advised that at least five competencies must be addressed during the Practicum experience: three Foundational and two Concentration-specific competencies. To identify the competencies that will be strengthened through your chosen Practicum and concentration, please click here.

Practicum Timing & Planning

  1. Full-time students (including international students) start the Practicum no later than the summer after the first year in the Program and after completing most core courses.
  2. Part-time students (including MD/MPH students) start the Practicum after completing most of the core courses.
  3. Ideas for Practicum projects may come from student interests, faculty suggestions, community agencies, coursework.
  4. You must complete a Practicum Proposal before beginning work on the Practicum.

Note: Students with placements within Stony Brook University Hospital will be required to set-up a Castlebranch account for background checks and compliance requirements. Students will be responsible for any associated fees.

Practicum Documents & Resources

Practicum Manual (2023-2024 Academic Year)

To view past practicum experiences, please direct questions to the Practicum Placement & Community Engagement Coordinator, Paige Corwin.