MPH Integrative Learning Experience project

The integrative learning experience project allows Master of Public Health students to immerse themselves in a public health project, demonstrating their understanding of foundational and specialization competencies gained during their program.

This culminating experience can take many forms, such as an applied research or practice-based project, and includes a high-quality written product that reflects a student’s educational and professional objectives.

Students complete the experience at or near the end of the program and it may be done individually or as a group project. In group experiences, the school or program documents that the experience provides opportunities for individualized assessment of outcomes.

Project types

Depending on the specialization or program, projects may include:

Research paper or report

Examples include hypothesis- and non-hypothesis-based research, investigative, exploratory, or program evaluation activities under the guidance of a faculty member that generate quantitative and/or qualitative data relevant to a current public health issue and need.

Training manual

Examples include researching literature and developing worker public health-related practices and procedures for incorporation into hardcopy or digital manuals for agencies or organizations and used for purposes such as infection prevention and control, conducting outbreak investigation, conducting inspections at food service establishments, etc.

Legislative Testimony, Advocacy or Policy Statements

Examples include researching literature and gathering other information from public documents, media, interviews, focus groups, and other applicable sources to develop testimony, advocacy, or policy statements regarding a current public health issue and need.

Students, in consultation with faculty, select foundational and specialization-specific competencies appropriate to the student’s educational and professional goals and the project. At least three competencies must be demonstrated and may include two foundational and one specialization competency, or two specialization and one foundational competency. 

Integrative learning experience projects should be developed and delivered in a manner that is useful to external stakeholders, such as non-profit or governmental organizations. Regardless of form, the student produces a high-quality written product that is appropriate for the student’s educational and professional objectives. A poster presentation is not an acceptable written product.

Projects involving human subjects must adhere to policies and procedures of the Ohio State’s Institutional Review Board. Projects involving infectious agents must adhere to the Institutional Biosafety Committee policies. Research involving animals must adhere to policies of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee.

Assessment

Assessment ensure a minimum of two faculty members reviews each student’s performance and the experience addresses the selected foundational and program/specialization specific competencies. Faculty assessment may be supplemented with assessments from other qualified individuals such as preceptors.

Combined (dual, joint, concurrent) degree students should have opportunities to incorporate their learning from both degree programs in a unique integrative experience. Documentation includes how the project ensures that the experience demonstrates synthesis of competencies.

Student Instructions

Master of Public Health Integrative Learning Experience timeline

Download timeline

Project Guidelines

Review the instructions and guidelines on how to develop a public health project specific to your specialization or program.

Guidelines for students admitted previous academic years

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