Population and Health Sciences Capstone Projects

The Master of Public Health Applied Practice and Integrated Learning Experience (APEx & ILE)

You will apply your knowledge in real-world settings while implementing the field’s common communication methods. Your second year includes two courses (PUBHLTH 680/681) dedicated to synthesizing the skills and competencies learned throughout the program in an integrative learning and applied practice experience.

Your applied practice experience is a real-world writing project that is all about contributing to the world of public health. You’ll work with real community organizations to create documents or products that meet their needs. Each course assignment will take you one step closer to the final products.

Organization Examples Applied Practice Experience Project Examples
Public Health Departments Patient education materials
Community Health Organizations Infographics and visual aids
Charities and Nonprofits Brief Training Manuals
 Clinics or Labs Brochures

Your integrated learning experience involves addressing a real-world applied health problem and representing your work in a professional communication format such as a program plan or research paper, synthesizing competencies you achieved throughout the program. You can expect to focus on one of five aims:

  • analyzing population health of communities
  • integrating public health and health care efforts for population health improvement
  • recommending evidence-based interventions for population health improvement
  • designing multi-sector collaborations for population health improvement
  • evaluating changes in population health 

Your faculty will provide guidance as you research, analyze, evaluate and create your integrative project and its written deliverable, your capstone. Your capstone will be in the format of a technical report, research paper, policy analysis, community needs assessment, community health improvement plan, or other professional format.