Guide to Undergraduate Practicum

Overview

The Public Health Practicum, or PUBHLTH 195W, is the required capstone course for both Public Health Policy and Public Health Science majors. It is an 8-unit course, double that of a typical class and in turn has two entwined purposes.

The first is to provide an opportunity to work in the community at agencies, non-profits, or laboratories dedicated to public health practice. Students gain practical work experience during the internship, and classwork helps them to analyze the relationships of coursework, discipline-specific paradigms, and the work environment.

This work also serves the second purpose of the class: to understand and practice public health communication strategies through the production of three different writing projects. This course fulfills UCI’s upper division writing requirement, which is focused on practicing, through drafting and revision, the writing of your discipline.

All students are required to spend a minimum of 100 hours during the practicum quarter working with one of the approved sites in our online catalog. Students will apply to and interview with one of these sites, which have all agreed to accept, train, and supervise UCI Public Health students in the ongoing activities of the organization. (Students must choose a placement site listed in the practicum catalog.) This work then becomes the basis for the assignments in the class, which include three papers and a video presentation.

If this sounds like a large time commitment and workload, it is! We encourage students to take care when planning their practicum quarters. It’s never too early to develop time management skills.

Prerequisites and Enrollment

  • Public Health 1 and 2
  • Completion of lower-division Writing
  • Attended at least one practicum workshop
  • Upper-division standing
  • Public Health majors only
  • Approved practicum internship

* Please note senior standing students who meet all prerequisites on time and have a graduation application on file will receive priority.

Steps and Timeline

Step 1. Research u0026 Prepare

u003cstrongu003eTwo quarters prior to enrolling in the practicum course:u003c/strongu003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eResearch potential internship sites by viewing the u003ca href=u0022#u0022u003ePracticum Sites u003c/au003e(UCInetID login required)u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eBegin selecting sites that are closely related to your academic and professional goals.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003ePrepare a resume and cover letter.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eu003ca href=u0022https://sites.uci.edu/publichealthmain/for-current-students/career-resources-2/u0022u003eCareer Resourcesu003c/au003eu003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eVisit the u003ca href=u0022https://career.uci.edu/u0022u003eDivision of Career Pathways (DCP)u003c/au003e for assistance on your resume u0026amp; interviewing skills.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e

Step 2. Apply to Sites

u003cstrongu003eSix to eight weeks before the Site Registration due date:u003c/strongu003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eContact at least 5-10 Practicum sites listed.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eApply to each site individually following the u0022How to Applyu0022 section of each individual listing.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eBegin interviewing with sites that have contacted you.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eMust receive offer of placement from site prior to registration.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e

Step 3. Finalize Your Site

u003cstrongu003eTwo weeks before the Site Registration due date:u003c/strongu003ernu003culu003ern tu003cliu003eAccept an offer from one site. Inform any other sites of your decision.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eConfirm the placement dates with the supervisor at the site.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eNotify supervisor of all course (lecture and discussion) times.u003c/liu003ern tu003cliu003eTalk with your supervisor and make sure you understand what you will be doing at the site.u003c/liu003ernu003c/ulu003e

Important Dates

ACTION ITEMFall 2023Winter 2024Spring 2024Summer 2024
Practicum Site Registration DueJun 30Nov 17Feb 19Apr 29
Practicum Placement PeriodSep 25-Dec 8Jan 3-Mar15Mar 27-Jun7Jun 24-Aug 29
Practicum Internship Hours Completed ByDec 8Mar 15Jun 7Aug 29
* All students are held to the enrollment deadline. Late submissions will be placed on a wait-list and are not guaranteed a spot in the class. 

Important Information

Please note: You will be dropped from PH 195W if you do not complete a Site Registration form on or before the specified deadline, if you have not been officially offered a position at an approved internship site, if you are not of upper division standing, and/or if the class is full since priority is given to graduating seniors with a graduation application on file.

If your first-choice sites are no longer accepting interns, it is still your responsibility to meet the Practicum Enrollment deadline specified on the website. Some sites may require a background check, so be prepared by applying early.

For all practicum related questions, please email phpracticum@uci.edu or schedule a meeting with the community engagement manager.