Master’s Students

OEL sends Field Notes, a weekly newsletter, to all SPH student email addresses every Monday. Review the Field Notes newsletter for announcements, enrollment deadlines, and fieldwork resources. If you are not receiving this weekly email, contact OEL@sph.cuny.edu immediately. 

Students who plan to register for PUBH 696 or EPID 700 must satisfy the Fieldwork Orientation Requirement, and submit all completed and signed materials to OEL@sph.cuny.edu for course registration approval. Materials can be found on SharePoint.   

4+1 students and Albert Einstein Scholars should contact OEL to receive access to fieldwork opportunities, enrollment materials, and instructions.

SharePoint Access

Do not attempt to complete the fieldwork materials until you have met the Fieldwork Orientation Requirement

You will need your SPH Domain Account (sph\) credentials to log into SharePoint and access some of the fieldwork materials. Your credentials are the first letter of your first name + last name + last two digits of your EMPL ID (ex. TJohn12). This is the same account used for WiFi, logging into lab computers, and remote access to Library resources. Use this link to reset your password. Please email the HelpDesk at helpdesk@sph.cuny.edu for additional support.

Academic Resources

CUNY SPH offers resources to current students that may be helpful during the fieldwork and capstone experience. Book an appointment for writing or quantitative tutoring and review the software titles (SAS, ArcGIS, etc.) available to SPH students here.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Email ISO@sph.cuny.edu to confirm if your fieldwork project meets the requirements of your F-1 Visa
  • Provide ISO with a copy of your fully executed and signed Learning Agreement and an offer letter, on letterhead, from your field site
  • Send ISO a completed and signed CPT Request Form (ask ISO for instructions if needed)
  • Complete a W-9 Form if compensation will be received

CPT positions must be fewer than 20 hours of work per week during the Fall and Spring terms. International students may work over 20 hours per week during the Summer term. Visit the Office of International Students webpage for additional information.

Prior to enrolling in PUBH 696 or EPID 700, students must have completed at least 18 credits toward their degrees, including: 

  • PUBH 613 (Designs, Concepts, and Methods in Public Health Research​) 
  • PUBH 614 (Quantitative and Qualitative Data Analysis Methods in Public Health Research​) 
  • Two courses in their area of concentration

For Einstein Scholars, the above prerequisites are waived.

Population Health Informatics students taking EPID 700 – PopHI Project, it is recommended that this course be completed in a student’s final semester.

Projects can be completed in-person, virtually, or hybrid and may involve program planning, implementation or operation, applied public health research, community health education and outreach, health advocacy, or other appropriate public health-related work. Projects should have clear goals, activities, and associated deliverables. By the end of the fieldwork experience, students will have completed at least two robust deliverables for the use and benefit of their host site.

Projects must align with three core competencies and two concentration competencies. These can be found under the SPH Degrees & Programs.

Students can view a table of past fieldwork project titles here.

First, review the Fieldwork Enrollment Checklist. It is important to note that students may not register for the Fieldwork course until the following steps have been completed and approval is given by OEL:

  1. Fulfill the Fieldwork Orientation Requirement 
  2. Complete the Spring 2025 Pre-Registration survey on Handshake (linked in the Field Notes weekly email)
  3. Secure a fieldwork project (receive approval from OEL if the project site is not approved or you want to conduct fieldwork at your job)
  4. Receive your HSR Determination Letter (the response to your completion of the Fieldwork HSR Decision Tool)
  5. Have your completed Learning Agreement signed by your site preceptor and faculty advisor
  6. Complete the In-Person Acknowledgement form if your project requires any in-person work
  7. Submit your signed Learning Agreement, HSR Determination Letter, In-Person Acknowledgement form, and chosen option to meet the Fieldwork Orientation Requirement to OEL@sph.cuny.edu by the deadline to receive approval for enrollment.   

Monitor the Field Notes newsletter (sent to your SPH student email every Monday) for important announcements and links to required materials. If you are not receiving this weekly email, contact OEL@sph.cuny.edu immediately. 

Students are responsible for finding, and securing, an appropriate fieldwork project. To aid the fieldwork site search, OEL recommends the following the strategies:

  • Use Handshake to search for relevant opportunities and review fieldwork projects from our partners here
  • Visit the OEL Approved Sites database and reach out to organizations of interest
  • Conduct your own search to explore potential projects relevant to your concentration and career goals. 

Learn more about the approval process for fieldwork projects by attending a Live Fieldwork Orientation or watching the recording.

Supervised Fieldwork (PUBH 696) is a prerequisite for Capstone Project (PUBH 698). The data or information produced in your fieldwork project should provide the basis for the research question, analysis, and findings reported in the capstone paper. For more details, please see the Capstone Handbook.

Students may choose from two options for their capstone paper – a Research Paper or a Practice Paper. 

Epi/Bios students are required to complete a capstone paper or master’s essay that involves hypothesis testing using quantitative data and statistical analysis. View the Epi/Bios Capstone Proposal Guidelines for more information. 

For Population Health Informatics students, there is no separate capstone course after completing EPID 700.

Since the fieldwork site search is student-led, students have the flexibility to find a project that works with their schedule. Students often modify their work schedules or use vacation time to complete their hours. Scheduling needs should be discussed with potential preceptors to see if the hours can be accommodated. 

Students who have recently accepted or plan to accept paid internships, fellowships, or part-time work may be eligible to apply such opportunities as fieldwork, provided that the role extends beyond the previous scope of the student’s experience in the public health field.

Students also have the option to request approval to conduct fieldwork at their place of employment. For the request to be considered, the following criteria must be met:

  • The site is an appropriate public health setting
  • The fieldwork project requires work outside of the student’s current scope of work and responsibilities 
  • The fieldwork project is within a different department 
  • The project preceptor is not the student’s current work supervisor
  • The fieldwork project hours are conducted outside of the student’s normal work hours

Students must speak with an OEL advisor to confirm if an opportunity at your workplace is eligible for fieldwork. OEL has the discretion to confirm or deny a student’s request, depending on the suitability of the worksite.

Important Dates

Spring 2025 Fieldwork

The Spring 2025 deadline to submit Learning Agreements and HSR Determination Letters (the response to your completion of the Fieldwork HSR Decision Tool) is Wednesday, January 8, 2025.

  • Review the weekly Field Notes newsletter – sent to all SPH student emails – for deadlines, fieldwork opportunities, and important links.
  • View the Fieldwork Enrollment Checklist for the complete steps to enrolling in PUBH 696 and EPID 700.

Fieldwork Orientation Requirement

Students who plan to register for PUBH 696 or EPID 700 must satisfy the Fieldwork Orientation Requirement to be approved to register. To do so, students may choose from the following options:

  • Attend a Live Fieldwork Orientation and complete the Orientation Attendance Survey
  • Watch the Fieldwork Orientation recording* AND attend an OEL Office Hour or 1:1 fieldwork advising appointment. Then, complete the Orientation Attendance Survey.

Event links and the orientation recording are shared in the weekly Field Notes email. The Orientation Attendance Survey is shared after attending a Live Fieldwork Orientation or meeting with an OEL advisor.

*Fieldwork orientations recorded before Fall 2024 cannot be used to satisfy the Orientation Requirement. 

Live Fieldwork Orientations

This OEL event will offer a live overview of the Fieldwork Orientation slide deck for students who plan to take PUBH 696 or EPID 700. Attending a Live Fieldwork Orientation will satisfy the Fieldwork Orientation Requirement necessary to register for PUBH 696 or EPID 700.

Spring 2025 Fieldwork

All Live Fieldwork Orientations for the Spring 2025 term have passed. Please view the orientation recording and slide deck linked in the weekly Field Notes newsletter.

OEL Office Hours

Students can register for virtual OEL Office Hours to address fieldwork related questions/topics. Students may join at any time within the hour and will be seen on a first come, first served basis. Attending an OEL Office Hour will satisfy the Fieldwork Orientation Requirement necessary to register for PUBH 696 of EPID 700.

    • Tuesday November 12 | 2 – 3pm ET | Register
    • Thursday November 14 | 12 – 1pm ET | Register
    • Thursday November 21 | 12 – 1pm ET | Register
    • Tuesday November 26 | 2 – 3pm ET | Register 
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