MPH Thesis and Practicum Requirements
The two-year MPH degree is composed of three elements:
- Didactic courses
- Public health practicum
- Thesis
Practicum
The public health practicum is a supervised practical field experience designed to provide students the opportunity to develop and apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the classroom in a public health setting.
The practicum is typically completed during the summer between year 1 and year 2. Students in the Epidemiology and Health Policy tracks are required to spend 240 hours at their practicum site. Students in the Global Health track spend at least 400 hours at their site.
Click here for additional information, including photos and examples of practicum sites and projects.
Practicum Timeline:
| Year 1, Fall | Student meets with practicum director and does independent research to identify their goals for the practicum |
| Year 1, Spring | Student finalizes practicum site and project, makes arrangements for travel or other logistics |
| Year 1, Summer | Student completes required time at his or her practicum site |
| Year 2, Fall | Student returns to campus to take courses, compiles practicum deliverables including a poster abstract and their final practicum document or write-up. Practicum deliverables are due December 1. |
| Year 2, Spring | Student prepares poster and presents to MPH students, faculty, and public health partners at Practicum Colloquium (typically held at the end of January). |
Thesis
A thesis is a substantive and original body of work that allows students to synthesize and integrate knowledge from their public health course work and practicum experiences, apply it to a particular topic area, and communicate their ideas and findings through a scholarly written product. The thesis represents the culmination of the student’s educational experience in the Vanderbilt MPH Program.