Planning your applied practice experience
Registering for the AP experience Heading link
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Registration requirements
It is SPH policy that students need to complete the integrated core curriculum and have a GPA of 3.0 or better to register for the applied practice (AP) experience. Students are required to register for their AP experience (IPHS 650) for a minimum of 3 credit hours but students can register for up to 5 credit hours (between 192 and 320 hours in the field, where 1 credit hour is equal to 64 contact hours). The applied practice experience can be completed in a single semester or over several semesters. Students may choose a cost saving option by requesting to register for 0 credit hours in the summer semester but, they must get approval from the applied practice experience advisor, the experience must overlap at least 4 weeks into the fall or spring semester, and the student has to be registered for 3-5 semester hours during that semester. Please note, during the summer semester, students will still be charged a graduate base fee, tuition differentials, fees and assessments even though they are registered for 0 credit hours.
Registration deadlines
Semester Meet with advisor Ideal submissions of learning agreement to advisor Register (by 4:00 p.m. CT) Spring 2021 Beginning of October December/January January 22 Summer 2021 Beginning of February April/May May 19 Fall 2021 Beginning of May July/August September 3 Registration details
- Ideally you should meet with your AP Experience advisor at least 3-4 months before you want to register for the course.
- Typically, the advisor will have comments and edits that will need to be incorporated into the learning agreement you originally submit to them. You will also need your preceptor to review the document and sign it. We suggest you allow at least 2 weeks for this process. Please note that standard business/professional etiquette is to allow 3 business days for a response, this applies to both your AP advisor and your preceptor so you should plan accordingly.
- Once you complete your learning agreement your advisor will submit it to the UIC SPH Office of Student Affairs (OSA). After they process your paperwork, you will receive an email from OSA stating that you have access to register for the course. Then you will have to go into the system and register for the course. In order to meet the deadline, you must go into the system and register for the course before the end of day (4:30pm) on the date indicated above.
- If an IPHS 650 Registration Request form is submitted after the tenth day of term, you will no longer be able to electronically enroll or drop a class. The following will take place:
- Your request will be forwarded to the office of the registrar for processing.
- You will not receive an “access to register” for class email.
- You must log onto my.UIC within 24 hours of submission to ensure that your scheduleof classes reflect the additional course and hours.
- A $50.00 Late registration fee will be applied to your account if you are not alreadyenrolled in at least one other course for the term.
Step 1: Self-reflection and career preparation tools Heading link
Students should consider their strengths, values, interests, and personal/career goals as they think about what they would like to do for their applied practice experience. Students are also encouraged to attend a workshop on the Applied Practice Experience that are offered throughout the school year on site or via webinar. For those in need of more assistance in deciding what type of placement to pursue, they can always schedule a meeting with the Asst. Dir. of Internship Programs and Employer Outreach.
Additional resources for exploring and preparing for AP experience opportunities are linked below.
Self-exploration and resource links Heading link
Step 2: Meet with your division's applied practice experience advisor Heading link
Each division has an applied practice advisor who can meet with students to discuss their interests, brainstorm possible projects, and provide guidance on selecting appropriate activities. However, before you meet with your AP Experience Advisor or begin searching for an AP Experience placement, you must meet with your divisional staff/advisor to confirm that you have met the prerequisites to register for IPHS 650 (AP Experience) for the term you wish to complete the AP Experience.
Once confirmation is received that you are eligible to register for the AP Experience, you can begin searching for a site. Once a site is selected, you will complete the Registration Form/Learning agreement with your preceptor and then submit it to your APE Advisor for approval.
Divisional staff can also facilitate completion of Human Subjects Research Training, required before you begin your AP experience.
Division contacts Heading link
Step 3: Finding a placement Heading link
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Opportunities in class at SPH
For example, during a class a faculty member might mention a colleague working on childhood obesity at a local nonprofit who needs help with a research project. You could approach the faculty member after class and tell them you are interested in helping. This could lead to a project that might meet the AP experience requirement.
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Identify a connected organization
A student could identify an organization they would like to work with and reach out to UIC faculty/staff to see if they have a contact at the organization. Alumni at organizations are often quite willing to serve as preceptors for students’ AP experiences.
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Identify a new organization
A student could identify an organization they would like to work with but neither the student nor staff/faculty have a contact there. In those cases, students are encouraged to reach out to the organizations and inquire if they have opportunities. This is a good opportunity to practice your informational interview skills!
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Review prior site placements for ideas
Explore a sample of previous sites where MPH students have completed their applied practice experiences in the past.
Step 4: Complete registration for your AP experience Heading link
In order to register for this course (IPHS 650), students need to submit the IPHS 650 Registration Form/Learning Agreement and submit it to their AP Experience Advisor using the following naming convention: “LastName_IPHS 650 Registration Form_DATE”. Please use the following competency lists by division/program when completing the registration form.
Step 5: Complete the AP experience Heading link
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About the tips
- Students are expected to perform duties & activities outlined in the learning agreement.
- Students must complete any additional division-level requirements or assignments (journal entries).** Contact your AP Experience Advisor for more information.
- AP Experience deliverables should be tangible products created by the student to support the learning activity and reflect proficiency in the competencies identified. Deliverables should be beneficial to the student and the AP site. At the end of the AP experience, students will be asked to upload deliverables for the AP Advisor to review and use to evaluate competency attainment. Learn more about deliverables.
- Please note that competencies and deliverables should be reviewed on an on-going basis as projects and priorities may change once on site. If revisions are required, students must notify their APE Advisor informing them of these changes and update the Registration Form/Learning Agreement as needed.
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Requirements steps
Once registered, the following items need to be submitted to fulfill IPHS 650 requirements:
- Students submit a journal entry after every 40 hours at their placement. Students should consult with their APE Advisors regarding journal entry length, prompts, and format.
- Upon completion of hours, the student submits a summary report of their AP experience mapping their deliverables to the competencies identified on their Registration Form. Students should reflect on how the experiences & skills that they have learned or enhanced can be used to meet their career goals, and how these experiences can inform and help guide their future career decisions. Students are encouraged to submit their summary report to their APE Advisor at least two weeks prior to the end of the semester if they want feedback before final submission.
- Students submit the deliverables identified on their registration form. The deliverables must demonstrate attainment in at least five (5) competencies. The minimum number of deliverables students are required to turn in is two. However, two deliverables is a floor rather than a ceiling, as additional deliverables may need to be submitted to show attainment in all five competencies- 3 must be foundational competencies and one from your concentration(s).
- Students (evaluation form) and preceptors (evaluation form) must submit evaluations.
- The above summary report, deliverables, and evaluation form should be submitted together to your AP Advisor.
Students are encouraged to attend UIC SPH Career Events and schedule an appointment with UIC SPH Career Services Office staff to help them explore and reflect on how their experiences relate to their overall career goals and life/career satisfaction.