Interprofessional Education

All MPH and MHA students are required to participate in the campus-wide Interprofessional Education All Professions Days. The purpose of Interprofessional Education is to engage Public Health students with students from other Colleges in team building exercises and activities that lead to a greater understanding of the integration of disciplines necessary in the delivery of healthcare and the understanding of the social determinants of health. The OKC All Professions Days require participation in two events, one held in the Fall and one in the Spring term. Students must participate in the Fall All Professions Day first. All MPH and MHA students are required to participate in the first year of enrollment. Tulsa students may participate in the Summer Institute Program in Tulsa and complete a one-hour directed readings course in lieu of attending the two All Professions Day events in Oklahoma City. The Office of Student Services will provide a list to the All Professions Days Coordinator regarding who is required to participate. Failure to participate in the training requires prior approval from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

CPH Examination

MPH students are required to take the Certified in Public Health (CPH) Examination. This examination, offered by the National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE), provides public health professionals a credential which demonstrates mastery of core competencies. In addition, this examination provides a mechanism to assess the attainment of CEPH competencies.

Students who have completed 21 credit hours including the core courses may take the examination. The CPH exam is available year-round at the PSI Assessment Center. Permission to enroll in the exam will be coordinated by the Office of Student Services. The cost associated with a second attempt for MPH students admitted prior to Fall 2015 will also be paid by the college. Students are responsible for the cost of a second attempt, if needed. Resources are available to help all students with exam preparation.

Advisors will be notified of the exam results so that individual counseling can be provided for students who do not pass the exam after the first attempt.

Students not passing the examination are required to take the exam for a second time. Passing the examination is not a criterion for graduation. Once the student has passed the exam and graduated, the student will be Certified in Public Health, and can add the initials CPH to his/her name and degree.

Details about the exam can be found at the following web site: https://www.nbphe.org/.

MPH Culminating Experience

The MPH Culminating Experience is comprised of the following:

Completion of the CPH 7003 Integrated Public Health Practice and Preparedness course, which is designed to tie together concepts from the individual core courses (BSE 5113 Principles of Epidemiology, BSE 5163 Biostatistical Methods I, HAP 5453 U.S. Health Care Systems, HPS 5211 Qualitative Methods in Public Health, HPS 5213 Social and Behavioral Sciences in Public Health, and OEH 5013 Environmental Health) through case studies
Completion of CPH 7941 Practicum Preparation Seminar, which is designed to help the student identify a relevant practice experience opportunity, secure a Preceptor to guide them through the Practicum, and Complete the Practicum Agreement
Completion of the 240 contact hour practice experience (CPH 7950 Public Health Practicum-note contact hours do not include preparation and delivery of paper, work products, and examination) under the guidance of the Preceptor and faculty advisor
Completion of all required Practicum forms including the Midcourse Review of Student Progress, Time and Activities Log, Student Evaluation of Practicum and Host Site, and Preceptor Assessment of Student’s Performance in Practice
Preparation and completion of the Practicum ILE Paper.
At least two Applied Practice Experience work products, and
Completion of the oral presentation of the Practicum ILE Paper and accompanying comprehensive oral examination.

A student must be in good academic standing and have completed CPH 7941 Practicum Preparation Seminar prior to enrolling in CPH 7950 Public Health Practicum. Enrollment in CPH 7950 Public Health Practicum is required to begin logging practicum hours.

If the practicum experience is not finalized during the semester of initial enrollment, a grade of “I” may be awarded. The student must complete the Practicum including the Practicum ILE Paper and APE Work Products within one year from initial enrollment in CPH 7950 Public Health Practicum. If the practicum is completed before the student’s last semester of study, the Practicum ILE Paper is to be submitted to the committee; however, the oral presentation of the Practicum ILE Paper, associated comprehensive oral examination, and committee approval of the Practicum ILE Paper and APE Work Products will not occur until the student’s last term of enrollment. The MPH Practicum should be completed as near to the end of a student’s program as is possible.

Although the oral comprehensive examination component of the MPH Culminating Experience occurs in conjunction with the Practicum ILE Paper presentation, the examining committee’s questions will not be limited to the scope of the practice experience. The student should be prepared to respond to questions on any aspect of their MPH studies.

The Culminating Experience is guided by a committee developed by the student and the student’s faculty advisor. At the time the approved practicum agreement is submitted to the Office of Student Services, the committee membership must sign off on the form indicating their agreement to serve as a member of the Culminating Experience committee. The committee will be comprised of a minimum of three faculty, generally two faculty members from the degree department/program and a faculty member from outside the degree department. All members of the committee will have appropriate contributing knowledge of and experience in the student’s practicum. Members not holding a faculty appointment in the Hudson College of Public Health must be approved by the Dean or his designee. Practicum Preceptors not holding a faculty appointment may serve on the committee as a non-voting participant.

The committee will have the responsibility to assist and guide the student through the selection of the practicum and writing of the practicum paper and the oral presentation. The committee chair will review the completed ILE paper and determine if it is acceptable for oral presentation to the committee. The draft ILE paper and at least two APE work products must be submitted to the committee members a minimum of two weeks prior to the scheduled date of the oral presentation. The student, working with the chair of the committee and with concurrence of the committee members, will arrange a time for the presentation. Committee members may require changes to the draft ILE paper prior to or after the presentation. Should revisions to the Practicum ILE Paper be directed by the Culminating Experience Committee following the oral presentation and examination, the ILE Paper will be revised and resubmitted. The final Paper must be approved by the Committee before the student is certified for graduation.

The grade assigned in CPH 7950 Public Health Practicum is based on the preceptor’s evaluation, the final ILE paper and APE work products, and oral examination as assessed by the student’s committee and the receipt of all practicum forms.

Additional detailed information about the practicum and required forms are available at https://publichealth.ouhsc.edu/CurrentStudents/MPHPracticum.aspx.

Admission to Candidacy

Students who are doing satisfactory work may normally be admitted to candidacy for a degree as soon as they have enrolled in sufficient hours for the degree. The Admission to Candidacy form, https://publichealth.ouhsc.edu/Current-Students/Student-Forms should be filed with the Office of Student Services at the beginning of the semester in which the student expects to graduate.

The Academic Calendar https://admissions.ouhsc.edu//AcademicCalendar.aspx lists the specific deadline for each semester. Also, at the time the Admission to Candidacy is filed with the Office of Student Services, students should obtain instructions governing the completion of coursework and graduation from the Office of Student Services.

All degree requirements must be completed by the last day before the start of the next semester in order to graduate as of that semester. If everything has not been completed the student must enroll in a minimum of two credit hours the next semester.

If the student does not pass the Culminating Experience, a report must be submitted by the chair of the student’s committee to the Office of Student Services indicating what remedial steps the student may take to successfully complete the Culminating Experience. This report must also outline the student’s deficiencies. A student who fails a second time will no longer be eligible for a master’s degree in the academic program.