Metodología para la compilación del corpus

demonstrates skills and integration of knowledge through a culminating experience.

Program’s professional degree Programs, it need be described only once If it varies by degree or specialty area, sufficient information must be

provided to assess compliance by each.

Overview: “MPH 660: Capstone” represents the culminating experience in the DMU MPH Program. The capstone provides an opportunity for students to work with a public health agency on a project that allows the student to integrate and demonstrate their public health competence in an applied setting. The guiding framework for the capstone is to provide the student an opportunity to complete a project of mutual benefit that addresses the public health needs of a community / population, and represents the turning point for the student from student to professional practice. The MPH capstone is a two credit hour experience that students take near the end of their curriculum. The MPH capstone syllabus is attached (e-resource 2.5.a).

Prerequisites: Students are eligible to enroll in the Capstone after they have completed all tier one and tier two courses, and a minimum of 24 credit hours including “MPH 671: Community Research Methods”. Similar to the internship, students may enroll in the MPH capstone at any time after they have met the minimum requirements. Once registered for the course, they have up to three full terms to complete their project.

Project Approval: Students may not register for the MPH capstone until they have obtained the approval of the capstone coordinator, Drs. Reimer or Downey. The project approval process requires that students first identify a preceptor, host organization, and potential project. The student must then have a face-to-face or telephone meeting with the capstone coordinator and provide an informal project proposal. The purpose of this meeting is to ensure that the scope of the project is feasible within the two credit hour timeframe. Following verbal approval to initiate the proposal process, students begin working on their capstone project proposal. The proposal is a written APA-style paper that includes a review of the literature, proposed methodology of the project, MPH competencies addressed in the

project, project outcomes, timeline of project completion, and a reference section. This proposal is reviewed and approved prior to students being registered for the capstone.

Site Selection: The process for approving host organizations, approving

preceptors, and methods of providing opportunities for preceptor orientation and support are the same for the MPH capstone as they are for the MPH internship. The MPH capstone coordinator communicates directly with all preceptors to provide the MPH Capstone preceptor manual (e-resource 2.5.b). The preceptor manual is modeled after the internship preceptor manual, and contains similar information to the internship preceptor manual.

Means of evaluating student performance. Students submit a number of materials that are used in final evaluation. While the student is making progress

on their capstone, they submit monthly reports to the capstone coordinator. These reports are reviewed to confirm that progress is being made, and to identify any difficulties or barriers early. The major submission in the capstone is the final report. The final report builds upon the literature review and methods proposal written as part of the registration process. A rubric is used to evaluate the final paper (e-resource 2.5.c). Additionally, students must complete a presentation of their capstone project. Students may present to their host organization, at a regional / national conference, or to DMU faculty if necessary (only under special circumstances). Students submit a copy or recording of their presentation to the capstone coordinator for review. Finally, preceptors are asked to submit student evaluations (found in syllabus). The preceptor is asked to evaluate the student on 1) overall performance, 2) skills in each competency domain area, 3) the written report, and 4) the oral presentation. In addition, any other attendees within the organization may provide a presentation evaluation for the student. These materials are used by the capstone coordinator to determine the students’ final grade. The MPH capstone is graded on the following scale: High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, and Failure.

Means of evaluating practice placement sites and preceptor

qualifications: Students provide feedback informally through their monthly reports to the capstone coordinator, and via end-course evaluations. Students are also able to provide an experience reflection in their final report. Similarly to the internship, there is currently not a formal mechanism for students to evaluate their preceptor.

2.5.b. Assessment of the extent to which this criterion is met, and an

analysis of the Program’s strengths, weaknesses, and plans relating to this criterion.

Criterion 2.5 is met.

Strengths: The Capstone is the culminating course for the MPH degree. It allows the student to utilize the knowledge and skills that have been learned to be involved in a project that ultimately can benefit the organization(s) they work with and help the student with the transition to professional practice. The Capstone is managed by two skilled Capstone coordinators who are able to ensure

consistency in the manner in which the Capstones are conducted and evaluated. Weaknesses: The process for students to initiate the registration process and secure a preceptor currently happens prior to the student being registered for the course. We have identified a need to create a prerequisite seminar so that

students may be systematically and adequately prepared for the capstone experience. Students often experience time pressure trying to complete

2.6. Required Competencies. For each degree Program and area of