Public Health Practice is “the strategic, organized, and interdisciplinary application of knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary to perform essential public health services and other activities to improve the population’s health, …including the applied, interdisciplinary pursuit of scholarship — research, teaching, and service to the community and academic institution."
The NYU Master of Public Health program requires all students to complete the Applied Practice Experience Program (APE) which includes a 180-hour internship with hands-on public health experience and two seminars taken after completing two semesters of coursework. The APE provides students the opportunity to become familiar with the kinds of organizations that put into practice the theory, concepts, and methods taught in the MPH program. Students will be able to choose their own internships with NGOs, governmental agencies, multilateral institutions, community-based organizations, or private sector companies based within the US and overseas.
The course you will complete depends on which concentration you choose:
- CHSP, EPHS, GH, PHN, PHPM, and SDG students complete GPH-GU 2359/5359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar in the Fall and GPH-GU 2360/5360 Integrative Learning Experience Seminar in the Spring.
- BIOS, EPI, and SBS students complete GPH-GU 2686 Thesis I in the Fall and GPH-GU 2687 Thesis II in the Spring.
Students in the Biostatistics MS program are highly recommended to complete an internship during the summer and possibly through the fall semester. This experience will best prepare students for their Thesis, a required component of the MS program.
Students in the Epidemiology MS program must complete an Applied Research Experience (ARE), which is an internship with a strong research focus. This includes projects focusing on analyzing, interpreting, and modeling data from public health, health care, biomedical, clinical, and population-based studies. The experience can be completed during the summer and possibly through the fall semester. This experience will best prepare students for their Thesis, a required component of the MS program.
Students enrolled in a dual degree program (DDS, MSW, MD, JD, MSN) must work closely with their academic advisors to determine their course sequencing so hours can be completed in the appropriate summer term. MPA/MPH students are not required to complete the Applied Practice Experience - the MPA Capstone at NYU Wagner fulfills this requirement.
Students enrolled in the 4+1 program through NYU Gallatin or Steinhardt will complete their Applied Practice Experience hours in the summer leading into their final year of the program.
Students enrolled in the MPH concentration "Public Health Nutrition" with the intention of obtaining their RDN license through the Didactic Program in Dietetics at NYU Steinhardt must complete their internship before the final year of DPD-related coursework.
Quick Links
Internship Search Resources
When can I complete the APE?
Students begin working towards the 180-hour practice/internship requirement after completing the first two semesters of coursework, which is a minimum of 21-23 credits towards the MPH degree.
If you are a full-time student, and:
- Began your program in the Fall semester, you are highly encouraged to complete all 180-internship hours in the summer between your first and second year. You may enroll in the APE or Thesis I course concurrently (if offered), or you must enroll in the Fall semester of your second year.
- Began your program in the Spring semester, you are highly encouraged to start your 180 internship hours in the winter/January session between your first and second year. You must enroll in the APE or Thesis I course offered during the same semester.
If you are a part-time student, you may start the 180-hour requirement after you have completed a minimum of 21-23 credits of the program. Consult with your academic advisor to determine when you should take the APE or Thesis I course.
Visit the Completing the APE page for next steps.
How do I find an Internship?
The process of finding the right internship takes time, so it is important to begin your search early. Start looking at least one semester in advance!
Some questions to ask yourself as you begin your search:
- What are my goals for the experience? What skills do I want to gain?
- Where would I like to work and with what type of organization?
- Will I be exposed to a wide range of interesting activities?
- What level of mentorship/guidance would I like from my preceptor?
We recommend that students identify at least two potential internship sites/projects in the event that your first choice falls through.
Use the many resources available to you:
- NYU Handshake is a great search engine for finding APEs and the Wasserman Career Center staff is available to help prepare you for your applications and interviews
- NYU GPH Career Development
- NYU GPH Centers, Labs, and Initiatives
- Faculty often have a wide network of colleagues and may be able to point you in the direction of a strong APEs
- The Applied Practice Office's database of previously completed APEs. To request it, please email gph.practice@nyu.edu.
Online resources such as LinkedIn, Indeed, Idealist, and more.
How do I obtain approval for my Internship?
To obtain approval, students must secure an internship, and complete and submit a Practice Learning Contract (PLC) via the online portal. See deadlines section.
Before any hours are counted toward the 180-hour requirement, a completed PLC must be signed by the internship preceptor and your GPH Faculty Advisor. Once signed, your document must be submitted, reviewed, and approved by the Office of Public Health Practice Office. PLC reviews typically take 4 to 5 business days, so please manage your time wisely! Upon approval of your PLC, you will receive the permission code required to register for the APE or Thesis I course.
Please find below an example of a completed learning contract and along with the competency guidelines for each concentration
Deadlines for Submitting the Practice Learning Contract (PLC)
All students are strongly encouraged to complete internship hours in the Summer before their final year in the MPH or MS Program. Therefore, the deadline to submit a PLC is June 1st.
CHSP, EPHS, GH, PHN, PHPM, and SDG students have the option to complete internship hours in the Fall of their final year while enrolled in GPH-GU 2359/5359 Applied Practice Experience Seminar. In this case, they should submit a PLC by August 15th.
Enrolling in Courses
An access code is required to enroll in the APE/ILE and Thesis I/Thesis II seminars. Students will not receive an access code for the courses until a learning contract has been submitted, reviewed, and approved by the Office of Public Health Practice.
If you have any questions, please contact gph.practice@nyu.edu.
GPH Office of Public Health Practice Mission Statement:
We are faculty and staff working towards the application of public health scholarship by supporting and guiding our students as they conceive of their impact in the field, their commitments to communities, their engagement in activities, initiatives, organizations, and agencies fostering population health, and their articulation and manifestation of their professional identities.
Meet the Team:
| Karyn Faber Director, Public Health Practice Phone: 212-992-5627 Email: kef7@nyu.edu Schedule an office hours appointment here. Advises BIOS, EPI, and SBS MPH students; BIOS and EPI MS students Reviews and certifies CPT applications for international students |
| Adebukola Oluyole Program Administrator, Public Health Practice Phone: 212-992-5578 Email: ao2533@nyu.edu Schedule an office hours appointment here. Advises CHSP, PHN, and PHPM students |
| Jerome Serrado Viloria Program Administrator, Public Health Practice Phone: 212-992-3716 Email: jv1443@nyu.edu Schedule an office hours appointment here. Advises GH, EPHS, SDG, and dual-degree students |