MPH Practicum: Student Information

As a cost savings to students, there are no credits tied to the practicum hours. To provide support for the practicum process and award credit to practicum assignments, two practicum 0.5 credit courses bookend the practicum hours. Students must enroll in SPHG 703 (MPH Pre-Practicum Assignments) in the term before they plan to begin their practicum hours and SPHG 707 (MPH Post-Practicum Assignments) in the term concurrent to or directly after their practicum completion date. With the exception of Population Health for Clinicians students (see Population Health for Clinicians Concentration webpage for more information), residential students take SPHG 703 in the Spring of their first year and SPHG 707 in the Fall of their second year. MPH@UNC students’ practicum course timelines vary based on the pace at which they are progressing through the MPH program (see MPH@UNC Practicum Course Registration Guide for more information).

The timeline for progressing through the practicum process varies by practicum goal and the type of opportunity the student desires. International practica, practica that require going through the IRB, and practica with organizations that have extensive onboarding requirements (e.g., academic institutions; hospitals and other medical facilities; health departments; military institutions; government agencies) may take longer to plan than other types of practica, and students should plan accordingly. Students are encouraged to begin their practicum search at least six months prior to their desired start date for their practicum.

Residential (Chapel Hill-based) and distance (Asheville-based) students complete their practica over the summer between the first and second year of the MPH program. MPH@UNC (online) students, many of whom are taking courses on a part-time basis, complete their practica on a rolling basis after they have completed all practicum prerequisites.
Residential Practicum Roadmap and Guide (PDF)

The search for a practicum opportunity parallels the process of a public health job search. Like a job, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to secure a practicum; however, there are several supports available to help students with the process.

Students identify practicum opportunities through those that are vetted and disseminated by Gillings through the practicum opportunities newsletter, past practicum placements, personal and/or professional contacts, faculty recommendations, internet searches and/or direct contact with organizations of interest. Practicum search supports include:

• MPH Weekly Practicum Opportunities Newsletter: An electronic newsletter that includes vetted practicum opportunities from our community partners; unvetted opportunities that may satisfy Gillings MPH practicum requirements; practicum funding resources; events related to the practicum search, selection, and onboarding process; and additional practicum supports.
• Opportunity databases: The School maintains databases of current opportunities and past practicum placements.
• SPHG 703: MPH Pre-Practicum Assignments: This course provides supports for the practicum search, selection and planning process.
• Gillings Career Services: Provides support with the career services aspects (e.g., resume and cover letter critiques, networking, interviewing preparation) of the practicum search process.
• Practicum Team: Provides programmatic support for the practicum search process through information sessions, practicum courses and office hours. The practicum team can be contacted at mphpracticum@unc.edu.
• Practicum Advisers: Provide concentration-specific support throughout the planning, implementation and evaluation processes of the practicum.

UNC Gillings Resources for Finding Practicum Opportunities

• Current MPH Practicum Opportunities Database
• Past Practicum Dashboard
• Global Health Internships and Funding

Practicum Opportunity Search Engines

• Internships.com
• GlobalExperiences.com
• InternJobs.com
• Idealist.com
• USAJobs.gov

Practicum Opportunity Databases

• Indeed
• Advocates for Public Health Education
• American Public Health Association
• U.S Department of Health and Human Services
• Health Resources & Services Administration
• Johns Hopkins University Internship & Fellowship Database
• Northwestern University Global Health Internship Database
• University of Miami Graduate Public Health Internship Database
• HOSA Future Health Professionals
• North Carolina Public Health Association

Practicum Compensation

Practica can be paid or unpaid. Compensation for the practicum varies significantly by the type of practicum organization, project and location. The proportion of students who secure paid practica varies by concentration.

Practicum-Related Costs

Students are responsible for the cost of their own travel, housing and meals associated with completing their practicum hours.

Gillings does not guarantee that MPH students will find a practicum within commuting distance of their current place of residence. Moving to another location to complete a practicum can create additional expenses for the student. The costs associated with this are borne by the student. If the practicum placement is in North Carolina, students can apply for housing sponsored by our Area Health Education Centers. Gillings does not offer housing support for practicum students.

Funding Support

Most students who receive compensation for their practicum receive it from their practicum organization. Gillings offers Schoolwide self-nominated travel awards and a global practice award for students completing a global practicum (i.e., a practicum through an international or domestic placement with an organization that either works with populations outside the U.S. or with global populations, e.g. immigrants, refugees, foreign-born, within the U.S.). Some awards are only available to residential MPH students whereas others are open to all graduate students. Some departments/programs have additional funds to support unmet need for the practicum.

Funding Opportunities

• Gillings School Global Internships and Fellowships
• University Career Services Funding Opportunities