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MPH Home » Academics » Capstone
Capstone Experience
The Capstone Experience is the centerpiece of the Case MPH Program. A Public Health field practicum required of all MPH students, this 9-credit course places students in health related settings to work on projects of mutual interest to the agency or organization and the student. The experience gives students the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired through their academic course work to a problem involving the health of the community. Students learn to communicate with target groups in an effective manner; to order priorities for major projects according to definable criteria; to use computers for specific applications relevant to public health; to identify ethical, social, and cultural issues relating to public health policies, research and interventions; to identify the process by which decisions are made within the organization or agency; and to identify and coordinate the use of resources at the site.
The nature of the project will be determined jointly by the student, the field site director and the student’s faculty advisor, and will be outlined in a Capstone project proposal to be approved by the advisory committee and submitted to the MPH Program Director. If the project as described is approved, all interested parties will sign their approval on a proposal cover sheet before the beginning of the project. (Students should obtain a “Capstone Kit” available in the MPH Office as a companion guide for the capstone experience.) During the field practicum, the student will complete a service-oriented project mutually beneficial to the student’s academic progress and the needs of the field placement site. The MPH student is required to take an organized, scholarly approach to the topic, and to produce a Master’s Degree Essay of publishable quality relating to the outcomes of the project. The student is supported by his/her Capstone Advisory Committee consisting of at least 3 members: an MPH faculty advisor, a primary preceptor at the Capstone Site, and a content expert relevant to the project topic. Students are graded on a pass/fail basis for the Capstone Experience. The grade consists of an assessment of their performance in the context of the field placement, as well as their preparation and presentation of the Master’s Essay. The Capstone Advisory Committee determines the grade collaboratively. In the event that a student’s capstone does not receive a satisfactory review, students can continue to register for and work on the project until its satisfactory completion. Students should have completed core required coursework in prior to their Capstone Experience.
The Capstone Experience is sometimes completed as a semester long (14 week) course with 10 “contact hours” per week expected between the Capstone Student and the site. Additional effort is expected outside of these hours as necessary for fulfillment of the Capstone plan. If the Capstone Project is more appropriately completed as a longitudinal project over several semesters, students may elect to seek approval to complete their project in a 3 credit/6 credit or a 3 credit/3 credit/3 credit pattern. Splitting Capstone credits over multiple semesters requires students to submit progress reports to the advisory committee so their work can be evaluated on a semester basis. Capstone credit is not intended for project planning. Projects must be planned and approved before students may register for Capstone credit. Projects are broadly oriented toward a problem involving the health of the community, but may differ substantially in format.
Projects should be relevant to the student’s chosen track. The Master’s Essay is presented to peers and advisors in a special capstone forum near the end of each semester. Samples of Capstone Essays are available in the MPH Office. Examples of available placement sites and types of projects are listed on the next page and students are encouraged to pursue other sites of their own choosing as well. The Capstone Experience is supported by the Public Health Capstone Seminar Series (see following pages) and the Capstone Kit publication.
Types of Approaches to Capstone Project
Program Design: Student designs a health related program that could be implemented at the Capstone Site, including instructions, procedures, manuals and materials. Or student could participate in design of a new program initially instigated by the Capstone Site.
Program Implementation: Student participates in a substantive way towards the implementation of a program already planned at the Capstone Site.
Data Analysis: Student completes a substantial analysis of data collected by the Capstone Site on a health related topic and report on the results.
Community Intervention: Student designs and implements a community intervention supported by the Capstone Site.
Program Evaluation: Student undertakes evaluation of an existing program to evaluate effectiveness and outcomes of this program.
Health Policy Statement/Advocacy: Student develops a health policy position paper to the mission of the Capstone Site, and advocate for its approval.
Epidemiological Research: Student would endeavor to research the origin of a health problem identified by the Capstone Site.
Community Assessment: Student undertakes in-depth analysis of the health characteristics of a defined population or community of interest to the Capstone Site.
Health Services Research: Student researches the nature or quality of health services offered by the Capstone Site.
Survey Research: Student surveys an identified population on a topic of mutual interest with the Capstone Site.
Case MPH Program Partner Sites
AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland
Care Alliance
Center for Community Solutions
Center for Families & Children
Center for Innovative Practices
Center on Urban Poverty & Social Change
Community Health Access Project, Inc.
Cleveland Department of Public Health
Cuyahoga County Board of Health
Case Department of Family Medicine
Case School of Medicine - Cont. Med. Ed.
Free Clinic of Greater Cleveland
Goodrich-Gannett Neighborhood Center
Healthy CMHA (Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority)
Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism & Drug Outreach Program
Inlet Dance Theater
Lesbian & Gay Community Service Center
MetroHealth Medical Center
Near West Theatre
Shaker Heights Department of Health
Substance Abuse Initiative of Greater Cleveland
United States Agency for International Development
Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation
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