Students in the Worcester Campus MPH Program have three options for meeting the requirements for the 3-credit PUBHLTH 696 D Culminating Experience. Students may not register for the culminating experience until they have completed 33 credits, and received written approval on the topic from the faculty director in charge of the chosen option.   Dr. Coghlin-Strom will be the faculty advisor for Options 1 and 2; Dr. Bigelow will be the faculty advisor for Option 3.

Option 1 is the completion of a comprehensive literature review and analysis of a public health or health care topic. Topics may include policy analysis, reimbursement analysis, political analysis, an historical investigation, an exploration of an emerging technology, an ethical issue, a health care management issue, etc.  After having the topic approved, students conduct an extensive literature search, including 15-20 articles or book chapters and write a 15-20 page review and analysis of the topic. The paper must follow the format of published review articles in the field chosen by the student. Prerequisites: PUBHLTH 540, 565, 601, 620, 630 and completion of a total of 33 credits

 Option 2 is the completion of a consulting-type project based in a public health or health care institution or agency. Topics may include program development, program assessment, quality improvement, strategic planning, policy development and/or implementation, etc. The student is expected to gather information from either primary or secondary sources, assess the data, and present the analysis and recommendations. Students choosing this option are required to identify a company, clinic, agency, or other healthcare entity with which they are familiar. Students conduct the project using data sources, interviews, surveys or focus groups. Publicly available data may used, including data that is available through government and non-profit websites. The finished project should include a literature review of 5-10 papers and a 10-15 page formal report or a comprehensive power point slide presentation that includes recommendations and a conclusion. Prerequisites: PUBHLTH 540, 565, 601, 620, 630 and completion of a total of 33 credits

Option 3 is the completion of a 3-credit epidemiology research project that demonstrates the student’s ability to apply public health theories and principles to investigate a current public health issue. The student is expected to engage in all phases of research including: formulation of the research questions, study design, data collection, data entry, statistical analysis, results interpretation, and report writing. Types of acceptable projects include secondary analysis of an existing data set, primary data collection and analysis, or development and pilot testing of a public health or health care intervention. Students are required to identify a research advisor who is an MPH faculty member, UMMS faculty member or other professional approved by the Worcester Campus Co-Directors. The finished product is a fully-referenced 5-10 page report that includes a literature review, study methodology, project limitations, results and discussion. Prerequisites: PUBHLTH 540, 565, 601, 620, 630, 632, 640, 691 and completion of a total of 33 credits

Please contact the appropriate Worcester Campus MPH Program Co-Director if you have questions regarding the options for the culminating experience requirement:

cbigelow@schoolph.umass.edu - Option 3
Jackie.Coghlin-Strom@umassmed.edu . Options 1 and 2