Online Applied Practice Experience

All students who receive a MPH or MSPH degree are required to complete an Applied Practice Experience (APE), also called a practicum. Since many online students are mid-career professionals with work experience, the practicum for online students is designed to build upon prior experiences and focus on advancing professionalism, leadership, and ongoing quality improvement skills. Those seeking to change directions in their careers may select a traditional practicum/internship in a work setting in a new area different from their current professional setting.

Practicum options available to online Environmental Health Sciences students are outlined as follows:

• Workplace Practicum: this practicum may be structured in a workplace that builds upon prior or current experiences. If the practicum is done in a place of employment, it must extend beyond the regular work duties and allow for the application of knowledge and skills obtained in the student’s degree program. 
• Leadership Practicum: a leadership practicum may be done with online faculty Dr. James Leemann or under the guidance of a leader in your organization. The aim of this practicum option is to move your career to the next level.
• Quality Improvement Practicum: a quality improvement practicum may be done in collaboration with the online practicum coordinator, Charles Shorter, MPH. This practicum applies quality improvement principles to a problem or issue in your workplace. The aim of the QI practicum is to apply skills learned in your program of study to a practical issue and to develop solutions and experience in addressing workplace issues.

For each option detailed, the practicum is expected to be:

• A carefully planned practical experience equivalent to 200 hours
• Conducted toward the end of a student's studies
• Well-defined with objectives that align with program competencies
• Supervised by a preceptor with public health practice experience
• Evaluated by the advisor and preceptor

The practicum is evaluated using the four rubrics in the Practicum Handbook, which include a student self-evaluation, a preceptor evaluation, an advisor evaluation, and a practicum final report.

The practicum requirement cannot be waived.

Learn more about the practicum and the system Tulane uses for tracking student progress, called Terra Dotta.

Online ENHS Programs Practicum Handbook