Fieldwork

Summer 2024 Fieldwork

Wednesday, May 8, 2024 is the deadline to submit all required materials to OEL for approval to enroll in Summer 2024 Fieldwork (PUBH 696) and PopHI Project (EPID 700).

Fieldwork Orientation Recording

View the most recent Fieldwork Orientation Recording here. View the deck version of the Fieldwork Orientation here

What is Fieldwork?

Fieldwork is an applied learning experience (a minimum 180 hours of service) that is planned, supervised, evaluated, and graded. Fieldwork experiences allow students to develop, manage, evaluate, or lead evidence-based public health projects. Each experience varies according to the student’s degree program, professional development goals, and the needs of the fieldwork site.

The Fieldwork site search is student-led, and it can be time-intensive. It is recommended that students prepare for the fieldwork search four months before the semester in which they plan to enroll.

Note that Community Health MPH students who matriculated in Fall 2019 or later take the required CHSS 696: Community Health Practice Collaborative I and CHSS 698: Community Health Practice Collaborative II to fulfill Fieldwork and Capstone requirements. These students do NOT need to secure their own fieldwork placement—they will be matched with a placement shortly after CHSS 696 begins. More info on these courses can be found here.

What is the purpose of Fieldwork?

The goal is for students to integrate and apply public health knowledge and skills gained in the classroom to a real-world public health problem. Master’s students produce at least two deliverables during fieldwork that act as stepping stones to their Capstone papers. When developing a fieldwork project, students must strongly consider how they will produce data or information that can be used for the Capstone paper.

Who supports students through the Fieldwork process?

The Office of Experiential Learning (OEL) supports the fieldwork process and responds to the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requirements for applied and experiential learning. OEL works with students and organizations to establish fieldwork opportunities and ensures that fieldwork projects meet CEPH criteria. SPH faculty advisors and site preceptors are essential to this process.

The SPH HRPP Office supports students in determining if their fieldwork projects are considered Human Subjects Research. All students must complete the Fieldwork HSR Decision Tool before they can enroll in the course or begin any work. Read more here about HSR requirements for fieldwork.

Who is required to do Fieldwork?

See our Program of Study Worksheets for fieldwork requirements.

Community Health MPH students who matriculated in Fall 2019 or later take the required CHSS 696: Community Health Practice Collaborative I and CHSS 698: Community Health Practice Collaborative II to fulfill Fieldwork and Capstone requirements. More info on these courses can be found here.

Note: Students with disabilities or disabling medical conditions should request workplace reasonable accommodations to be provided by the preceptor site. While CUNY SPH cannot enforce workplace accommodations because we are not your employer as part of Fieldwork, we encourage you to contact your preceptor supervisor and/or your site’s Human Resources departments or equivalents on workplace accommodations. For accommodations related to coursework, students should contact the Office of Accessibility Services.

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