MPH Fieldwork

Master of Public Health (MPH) – Public Health Nutrition students are required to complete a 1-credit (40-hour) fieldwork project as part of the degree program. Fieldwork projects are intended to offer the opportunity to explore an area of public health nutrition practice, and take place over a single quarter (often during the summer after year 1 of the program). View past MPH Fieldwork projects.

Summary of Steps

• MPH – Public Health Nutrition students should arrange a meeting with the fieldwork faculty adviser at least 5 weeks before the intended fieldwork start date to discuss interest areas and plan for contacting potential preceptors.
• After the faculty adviser and preceptor have agreed to the placement, students will complete the MPH Nutrition Fieldwork Agreement, describing the project, setting the timeline, and outlining the final product(s)/deliverable(s).
  • Students will share a draft Agreement with the fieldwork adviser and preceptor, collecting signatures from both once any edits are made.
  • Students will then email the signed Agreement to FSNH Student and Academic Services (SAS) at gradnutr@uw.edu; upon receipt, SAS will register students for 1 credit of NUTR 532.
• Students will complete the fieldwork experience and deliverables as planned, and submit the final product(s)/deliverable(s) to their preceptor.
• Once the final product(s)/deliverable(s) have been submitted, students will provide their preceptor with the MPH Nutrition Fieldwork Evaluation and schedule a time to discuss the experience/evaluation. The signed Evaluation should then be emailed to the fieldwork faculty adviser.
• Before the end of the fieldwork quarter, students will complete and submit to the fieldwork faculty adviser a project summary report including:
  • A log of activities with dates, hours spent, and objectives completed.
  • An overview of agency information, addressing the following:
    • How does the organization fit within the overall mission of public health, and where does your project fit within it?
    • Describe the public health needs of the population served (Who is being served? What are the public health needs of this group?). If applicable, comment on the historical and contemporary inequities, such as those associated with race, ethnicity, class, sex and gender, sexual orientation, nationality, ability, religion, creed, age, or socioeconomic status. Comment on topics such as power, inequality, marginality, and social movements, if applicable.
  • Any product(s)/deliverable(s) developed, with a list of citations.
  • A reflection on the experience and its application to your future practice in public health nutrition. What are the agency’s challenges and successes? What might you have done differently if you were to complete this project again? What might you do if you had more time in this setting? Are there opportunities for other students to work with this organization? Would you recommend this experience to other students? How can you apply what you learned to your future practice of public health?
• Students should send the fieldwork title and a short description of the project to gradnutr@uw.edu for posting on the Student Projects page of the FSNH website.
• Students will present on their experience to fellow MPH – Public Health Nutrition students at the at the FSNH Fieldwork Session.

International Students

• Students with an F-1 visa must work with the University of Washington’s International Student Services (ISS) office to apply for Curricular Practical Training (CPT), which serves as authorization for activities related to their program of study, before starting fieldwork.
• Students with a J-1 or J-2 visa must meet with their program sponsor prior to starting academic training.

FSNH MPH Fieldwork Faculty Adviser

Anne Lund, MPH, RDN, FAND
FSNH MPH Program Director
Director, Graduate Coordinated Program in Dietetics