Environmental health programs and strategic management.

Successful completion of this project is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to effectively “synthesize and integrate knowledge acquired in coursework” (CE Handbook, rev. Aug 2016), as well as demonstrate application of theory and theoretical principles in discussion of a public health topic of choice.

Online program students are asked to complete a Public Health Analysis (PHA) for the ILE requirement. The resulting PHA is expected to be a “high quality written document that demonstrates achievement of the core and program competencies” (CE Handbook, rev. Aug 2016) associated with the student’s program of focus – for CAEPH students: OHSM

Upon completion of the MPH degree in occupational health and safety management, graduates will have the following competencies:

• Integrate the fundamentals of project management into occupational and/or environmental health and safety programs.
• Implement financial management within an occupational health and safety programs.
• Analyze safety and health investment strategies and cost/benefits of health and safety.
• Apply systems thinking to occupational/ environmental health programs and strategic management.
• Evaluate the program performance for ongoing improvement.

Students should work to identify a topic of interest for their PHA, while considering the program competencies that they’re interested in addressing. The successful PHA may take several forms – applied research, literature review, critical review of PH issue with recommendations, evaluation of PH project/program, policy analysis, etc. – but, in all cases, the final product must be a high quality written document.

The student and advisor will work to identify (at least) three program competencies to be successfully demonstrated in the PHA and will coordinate any timelines and deadlines for timely project progress and completion directly.

Successful completion of an ILE/PHA will be based on the development of an agreed upon assessment rubric between the student and the mentor. After report completion, the mentor will work with the student to review the strengths and any areas of improvement needed to the report, in regards to the rubric.

Some examples include:

• Investigating and proposing solutions to a public health or workplace problem
• Evaluation of a workplace program or project
• Developing a training manual with materials and learner evaluations
• Critical review of a public health or workplace issue with analysis and recommendations
• Policy statement based on a critical analysis with supporting research

NOTE: Please ensure that you’ve thoroughly reviewed the current SPHTM Integrated Learning Experience Handbook for detailed information regarding registration requirements and limitations for ILEs, as well as comprehensive material on assessment and evaluation of your PHA.