MPH Service-learning and Capstone Experience: A Model for Academic-Practice Partnerships in Health Administration

Graduates of Public Health Administration programs are generally expected by their prospective employers to be prepared to function in their working environments upon hiring. Meeting this expectation can be difficult for academic programs focused on the rigors of administrative curricula. Internships and assistantships can help fill the needs for practical experience, but a program requirement can be more valuable if it is well-designed and structured. The service-learning /capstone experience required in the University of Nebraska MPH program provides the student with a formal approach to learning and service in a community-based organization. This two-semester course (for most students) integrates classroom learning leading to attainment of necessary competencies with community-based projects (i.e., research, program evaluation, project management, and other administrative initiatives). It has resulted in greater faculty involvement in the MPH program and its students, increased knowledge of community-based organizations and their environments by students and faculty, and increased visibility of the MPH program. Although each project/experience is unique, the service-learning/capstone experience serves as a model for academic-practice partnerships.