Syllabus
Master of Public Health
GPH 746 Integrated Practicum: Capstone
Credits - 3
Description
Instructor: Nang H. Tin Maung, PhD, MPH
Email: ntinmaung@une.edu
Telephone: (207) 221-4952
Office Hours: The Course Instructor is available by making an appointment via email.
Course Goal: In this course, students will demonstrate the integration of their skills, knowledge, and values linked with public health core competencies learned throughout the entire MPH program. This will be reflected in the production of a comprehensive paper and presentation acceptable to professional public health standards.
Course Description: This is the synthesis course of the MPH program. It allows each student the opportunity to apply the theory, principles, and science of public health in a capstone. This course involves a comprehensive review of a public health issue and potential or real solutions in the form of an extensive term paper or “thesis”. The comprehensive nature also refers to the proposed public health approach to address the issue, taking into consideration possible policy interventions, health communications, public education, provider education, and/or patient education, as well as policy, environmental, and systems change strategies, among others.
Course Prerequisite Requirements: Successful completion of all MPH core and elective courses or an approved petition.
Course Format: This course will be facilitated through a webbased format. Individual meetings with the Course Instructor will be up to the student to schedule. Course assignments will be submitted via the Blackboard learning management system.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Course Competencies: This course will meet the following public health competencies based on the model developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice.
- 1A10. Uses quantitative and qualitative data.
- 1B4. Uses information technology in accessing, collecting, analyzing, using, maintaining, and disseminating data and information.
- 1C10. Integrates findings from quantitative and qualitative data into organizational plans and operations (e.g., strategic plan, quality improvement plan, professional development).
- 2A3. Describes organizational strategic plan (e.g., includes measurable objectives and targets; relationship to community health improvement plan, workforce development plan, quality improvement plan, and other plans). 2A6. Gathers information that can inform options for policies, programs, and services (e.g., secondhand smoking policies, data use policies, HR policies, immunization programs, food safety programs).
- 2A7. Describes implications of policies, programs, and services.
- 2B6. Develops options for policies, programs, and services (e.g., secondhand smoking policies, data use policies, HR policies, immunization programs, food safety programs).
Course Learning Objectives:
- Apply public health evidence, principles, theories, practices, and/or research methods to a specific public health problem.
- Describe the contributing factors and potential solutions to a public health problem.
- Describe how and where to gather information on a particular public health area of interest and develop a manuscript.
- Demonstrate formal presentation skills verbally and in writing.
Assignments
Capstone Description (5 points):
Submit a capstone description through the discussion forum on blackboard and respond to at least one of your classmate’s capstone project. The description should be <300 words and include a brief background on the public health issue of interest, a brief analysis of current programs and interventions, if any, and the research question(s) of your capstone project.
After all the capstone descriptions are completed, read through your classmate’s posts and provide feedback on at least one post.
Annotated Bibliography and List of References (10 points):
List of references: Provide a list of peer-reviewed journal articles or other resources (reports, guidelines, etc) that are relevant to the arguments and discussions in this paper. This list can be modified throughout the term. AMA style of reference should be used: http://www.une.edu/sites/default/files/citeama.pdf. Number of references will vary but a minimum of 15 is recommended.
Annotated Bibliography: Pick out 5 articles from your list and write up an annotated bibliography. A workshop on literature review and annotated bibliographies will be offered during the second week of class; you may attend the workshop live via blackboard collaborate or view the recording afterwards.
Introduction/Background and Rationale (10 points):
This should be a ~ 3-5 pages, double-spaced summary of the public health issue of interest including the magnitude of the problem, risk factors, populations affected and how addressing the issue would contribute to larger public health goals and services. Use relevant references from section 2 to support your arguments.
Current Efforts and Strengths/Limitations (10 points):
Discuss what research has been done on this topic and how others have addressed the issue. Describe any knowledge and regulatory gaps as well as strengths and limitations associated with current efforts. Use relevant references from section 2 to support your arguments. (~ 3-5 pages, double-spaced)
Proposed* Intervention(s) and Implementation/Evaluation Plan (10 points):
Describe in detail your proposed intervention(s) and program(s) and how they compare to existing programs. Be sure to discuss plans, resources needed and issues associated with implementation and evaluation of your proposed interventions. Use relevant articles from section 2 to support your arguments. (~ 3-5 pages, double-spaced)
*you may advocate for an existing intervention that is underutilized and discuss its potentials or propose a modification that can make existing programs more effective.
Final Paper Including Discussions, Conclusions, References and Appendices (25 points total): ~15-20 pages, double-spaced, not including references, figures and tables.
- Abstract (5 points): The abstract should be ~250 words and include a brief background of the public health issue of interest, description and purpose of your project as well as main conclusions and recommendations.
- Final paper: Combine your previous assignments and incorporate any feedbacks to produce a final paper that is coherent and thoroughly proofread. The paper should also contain discussion and conclusion sections, which summarize any unmet needs that the project is designed to address and the take-home message of your project. Discuss limitations, important considerations and recommendations for the future. References should be in AMA style and any tools or materials developed for the project should be included as appendices.
Final Presentation (30 points total):
- PowerPoint Presentation (20 points): During the last two weeks of class, each student will complete a 45-minute (35 minutes for presentation + 10 minutes for questions) oral presentation online or in person.
- PowerPoint Presentation Attendance and Feedback (10 points): In addition to one’s own presentation, each student must attend any two presentations by their classmates, contribute to the discussions and provide comments/suggestions via a feedback form.
Grading Policy
Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:
Grade Breakdown
| Capstone Description | 5 |
| Annotated Bibliography and List of References | 10 |
| Introduction/Background and Rationale | 10 |
| Current Efforts and Strengths/Limitations | 10 |
| Proposed Intervention(s) and Implementation/Evaluation Plan | 10 |
| Final Paper Including Discussions, Conclusions, References, and Appendices | 25 |
| Final Presentation | 30 |
| Total | 100 |
| Grade | Point Range |
| High Pass | 90-100 |
| Pass | 80-89 |
| Fail | 79 and below |
Schedule
Overview of Course Due Dates* (By 11:59pm Eastern Time):
- September 14th : Assignment #1 (Capstone Description)
- September 28th : Assignment #2 (Annotated Bibliography and List of References)
- October 12th : Assignment #3 (Introduction/Background and Rationale)
- October 26th : Assignment #4 (Current Efforts and Strengths/Limitations)
- November 9th: Assignment #5 (Proposed Intervention(s) and Implementation/ Evaluation Plan)
- November 15th: Complete the poll (details TBA) to schedule final presentations
- December 1st : Assignment #6 (Final Paper)
Oral presentations will take place between December 2nd and December 17th
- December 18th : Presentation feedback forms
*All assignments must be submitted by 11:59pm Eastern Time on the due date. Prior arrangements must be made if an extension is needed. Unless pre-approved by the instructor, there will be a 5% deduction for each day that an assignment is late and assignments more than 4 days late will not be accepted.
Student Resources
Online Student Support
Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.
Questions? Visit the Student Support Public Health page
UNE Libraries:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
- Public Health Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/public-health/
- Library Tutorial: Find an article
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
UNE Student Academic Success Center
UNE's Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of free online services to support your academic achievement. Writing support, ESOL support, study strategy and learning style consultations, as well as downloadable resources, are available to all matriculating students. The SASC also offers tutoring for GPH 712 Epidemiology, GPH 716 Biostatistics, GPH 717 Applied Epidemiology, GPH 718 Biostatistics II, and GPH 719 Research Methods. To make an appointment for any of these services, go to une.tutortrac.com. For more information and to view and download writing and studying resources, please visit:
Information Technology Services (ITS)
- ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Policies
AMA Writing Style Statement
The American Medical Association Manual (AMA) of Style, 11th edition is the required writing format for this course. Additional support for academic writing and AMA format is provided throughout the coursework as well as at the UNE Portal for Online Students.
Online resources: AMA Style Guide
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the Turnitin Student quick start guide.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools that University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Late Policy
Students are responsible for submitting work by the date indicated in Brightspace.
Quizzes and Tests: Quizzes and tests must be completed by the due date. They will not be accepted after the due date.
Assignments: Unless otherwise specified, assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit https://www.une.edu/studentlife/plagiarism.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.