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Kansas State University

Field Experience in Public Health:

Guidelines for Students:

  1. Introduction & Policy
  2. Requirements
  3. Approval Procedures
  4. Agency Field Experience Sites

Agencies and Preceptors Hosting an MPH Student:

  1. Frequently asked questions

  2. 10 reasons to Host an MPH Student
  3. Portable Document Format Field Experience Student Request Form (PDF File)

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What makes an MPH field experience in public health unique?
2. What type of academic preparation and skills can I expect my student to have?
3. What are the student’s expectations of the field experience?
4. How many clock hours does the student spend in my agency?
5. When are students available?
6. Does the student expect to receive a salary or stipend? If so, how much?
7. What are my chances of getting a field experience student?
8. What is the role of the agency supervisor or preceptor?
9. Are students covered with health insurance or workman’s compensation?
10. How do I establish a field experience partnership with the MPH Program at KSU?
11. Are students available for short term or research projects?

Please contact Dr. Carol Ann Holcomb, MPH Program Director, at carolann@ksu.edu, for answers to questions not addressed in this document.

 

1. What makes an MPH field experience in public health unique?
A field experience in public health is an academic requirement for students who enrolled in the Master of Public Health (MPH) program and who are writing a master’s degree report in combination with field experience or who are not conducting research. Students work with a faculty advisor and an agency preceptor to prepare an agreement that matches their learning objectives with the needs of your organization. The student is required to produce a final product and present an oral summary of the experience before receiving the degree. Formal evaluation is conducted by the agency preceptor/mentor and the student’s supervisory committee.

A preceptor is expected to arrange a variety of experiences encompassing several public health disciplines, to provide opportunities for interaction with individuals and groups, to include the student in meetings and events for professional development, and to offer career advice and counsel as a mentor.

2. What type of academic preparation and skills can I expect my student to have?
At the time of the agency placement the student is formally enrolled in the MPH program at Kansas State University for 3, 4, or 6 credit hours. When possible the student is encouraged to complete all of the classroom courses before enrolling in the field experience. Thus, the field experience is considered the “culminating experience or requirement” for the degree. The student is knowledgeable about the core functions of public health and has advanced knowledge in an area of emphasis (food safety, or infectious disease/zoonosis, or nutrition, or physical activity). An individual student is likely to have skills in instructional media/technology, use of computer software programs for word processing, data entry, statistical analysis, and electronic presentations, or design of web pages, or development of survey instruments. As a minimum each student will be teachable and able to function as an entry level professional to further the mission of your organization.

3. What are the student’s expectations of the field experience?
As a graduate student, he/she is expected to be treated as an entry-level employee who is an integral part of the work team. The student should be given work space, access to a phone and other technology equivalent to that provided other employees with similar responsibilities.

4. How many clock hours does the student spend in my agency?
The student enrolls in 3, 4, or 6 credit hours depending on the specific program of study and the area of emphasis. Students who are not doing a master’s thesis or a master’s report are required to complete 6 credit hours which equals 480 clock hours.

It is preferable for the student to complete this requirement on a fulltime basis either during the summer session—12 weeks at 40 hours per week—OR during either fall or spring semester—16 weeks at 30 hours per week. If a student has to spread the experience out over two semesters, enrolling in 3 credit hours each semester, then the clock hours would be distributed across 16 weeks (fall or spring) or 12 weeks (summer session). For 3 credit hours during fall or spring semester the number of clock hours would be 15 hours per week (16 weeks). For 3 credit hours during the summer session the number of clock hours would be 20 hours per week (12 weeks).

A student who elects to write a master’s report (2 credit hours) is required to complete 4 credit hours of field experience. The total number of clock hours for 4 credit hours is 320. This could be accomplished during either fall or spring semester at 20 hours per week for 16 weeks OR during the summer session at 40 hours per week for 8 weeks.

5. When is the student available?
Student availability depends on the individual program of study and the area of emphasis requirements. The student who wants to do the complete field experience on a fulltime basis is encouraged to arrange a placement for the summer session from mid-May until mid-August (12 weeks). If a student needs to be in the field experience during the regular academic year the range of time for the fall semester is from mid-August to mid-December (16 weeks) and for the spring semester it is from mid-January to mid-May (16 weeks).

6. Does the student expect to receive a salary or stipend? If so, how much?
Yes, if an agency is able to budget for a salary or stipend, the KSU Financial Aid Office recommends base monthly living expenses around $1000. Student stipends awarded from training grants are usually $3000 for a summer session of three months; however, the range for stipends or salaries varies widely from agency to agency. If extensive travel and relocation are involved a student may incur additional expenses. Typically, many public health agencies are unable to provide a stipend, but they usually offer something unique and valuable to the student that cannot be found elsewhere. The student, however, has other financial aid options, such as scholarships, traineeships, fellowships, or other sources of support.

7. What are my chances of getting a field experience student?
It is not possible to predict the agency or organization a student will select as interests vary from student to student and from year to year. Some students will have to stay in the Manhattan area or within a reasonable commuting distance of KSU; others will seek experience in an international setting or in another part of Kansas or the United States.

Faculty encourage a student to seek individuals and agencies that can provide a broad range of public health experience, have recognized expertise in their area of emphasis, and demonstrate a willingness to provide leadership mentoring. The MPH Program Director will work with you to create a good fit between the student and your agency.

8. What is the role of the agency supervisor or preceptor?
The agency supervisor or preceptor should have expertise and experience in the student’s area of emphasis (food safety or infectious disease/zoonosis or nutrition or physical activity) as well as an interest and competence in supervising and mentoring students. As the student’s supervisor, you may not necessarily be the one to provide direct supervision on the project, but you will be asked to provide:
• An orientation to the agency or organization
• Access to the resources necessary to complete a project or projects
• Access to coworkers and meetings to assist in providing support for the work performed
• Opportunities to explore career options and other professional development through information-seeking interviews within and outside your workplace
• Regular profession evaluation and feedback on progress to include both constructive comments on strengths and weaknesses

9. Are students covered with health insurance or worker’s compensation?
Enrollment as a student at KSU during the period of the field experience qualifies for health insurance coverage either through an independent policy or through the parent’s policy. Since the status of liability and worker’s compensation coverage is determined according to policies within each individual agency, program faculty will work with the supervisor on a case by case basis.

10. How do I establish a field experience partnership with the MPH Program at KSU?
Please complete and submit the Field Experience Request Form, located under “Hosting an MPH Student” on the MPH Program website homepage. The form can be submitted electronically to Dr. Robert Larson, MPH Program Interim Director, at mphealth@ksu.eduor mailed to the Master of Public Health program, Kansas State University, 1 Trotter Hall, Manhattan, KS 66506.

11. Are students available for short term or research projects?
There are ample opportunities to work with MPH graduate students and faculty at KSU. If you have a part time position for work on a specific project, especially one that does not meet the timeline of a field experience, you may want to contact the faculty coordinator of the department which best suits your needs. Your agency may also be interested in working with doctoral level students whose research skills are at a higher level than the MPH students.