Students need to follow the six stages listed below to complete their Applied Practice requirements. In addition, students must also review their program’s Guidebook because some programs have specific procedures, requirements and terminology within each stage.

• Stage 1: Initial Assessment Phase
• Stage 2: Preliminary Phase
• Stage 3: Registration Phase
• Stage 4: Practicum Phase
• Stage 5: Evaluation Phase
• Stage 6: Grading Phase

Download the Timeline & Process as a printable PDF

STAGE 1: Initial Assessment Phase | 6 to 4 months prior to Practicum Phase

1. Students read the Applied Practice section of their Student Guidebook, to understand the requirement from their program’s perspective, course prerequisites, what credit load options are available, etc.
2. Students attend an Applied Practice Info Session for their program or Division. 
3. Students review the list of CEPH Foundational Competencies (n: 22) and their Program-Specific competencies.
4. Students could meet with their advisor and use the Applied Practice Preliminary Phase Checklist Academic Advisor (PDF) form for their discussion.

STAGE 2: Preliminary Phase | 5 to 3 months prior to Practicum Phase

1. Once students have a clear understanding of the requirement, students are to find an Applied Practice opportunity. Students identify them through their current employment (if in Public Health settings), through an internship in Public Health settings, or by reaching out to potential preceptors to establish their own practice. 
   1. Browse Past Experiences: When students log in into the Applied Practice module, they can click on the link “Browse Past Experiences” and use the search box and/or additional filters to identify entries related to their search criteria. Each entry comes from a student’s completed Applied Practice experience and it provides the name of the organization, preceptor’s contact information, dates of practice and other relevant information that provides context about each particular practice experience. The purpose of this resource is for students to learn where other students have completed their practice and to potentially identify their preceptor.  
2. When is clear who the potential preceptor can be, students need to have a discussion with them about the projects, involvement, timeframe (start and end date), which competencies can be matched and aligned to the project, identify products, goals, weekly time commitment and responsibilities that will be addressed at the site. 
3. It needs to be determined if the practice will be in-person, hybrid or completely remotely. In addition, if the student needs a background check or if any particular vaccines need to be administered prior to the start of the practice. Be sure to allow approximately four weeks for a background check to be completed.   
   1. Students can use the following resources when meeting with their potential preceptor:  
      1. Applied Practice Preliminary Phase Checklist Preceptor (PDF) 
      2. Applied Practice module Learning Agreement (PDF)
      3. Applied Practice Learning Agreement Field (DOCX) form. 
4. All students: Document the upcoming practice in a Applied Practice module Learning Agreement: 
   1. Students log into the Applied Practice Module (UMN x500 required) to fill out the Competency Assessment Tool (CAT). After completing the assessment, students receive a summary of their results and are able to select the 5 competencies previously discussed with their preceptor. 
   2. When the competencies have been selected, students can begin to fill out a Learning Agreement and complete each section, based on the discussion with the preceptor. Students have to select (again) the competencies that are intended to be practiced at this site and indicate what kind of activities will be conducted that will reflect the application and practice of the competency. 
   3. The Learning Agreement can be Saved as a Draft multiple times, until it is ready to be submitted. 
   4. Students submit the Learning Agreement by marking the student checkbox and then click on “Submit”. It is recommended that students keep a saved PDF copy of the form for future reference, and in case of any Learning Agreement modifications.
      1. Once the Learning Agreement has been submitted by the students, students cannot make modifications. However, they can send an email to Mercedes Taneja ( estra021@umn.edu ) and request the change. This mechanism will prevent the loss of electronic signatures from the student, preceptor and academic adviser. 

STAGE 3: Registration Phase |  3 to 1 months prior to Practicum Phase

1. Once the Learning Agreement is submitted, preceptors receive an email notification asking them to review and approve it by signing electronically.
2. After preceptors have approved the Learning Agreement, academic advisors receive an email notification asking them to also review and approve it by signing electronically.
3. After academic advisors approve the Learning Agreement, program coordinators receive a copy of the agreement, sign it electronically and provide a course permission number to the student, for them to be able to register for the course. 
   • Applied Practice Course Registration Deadlines: based on the nature of the course, students can register for Applied Practice well into the Academic Terms. This course does not follow the same deadlines or penalties that regular courses have (tuition applies regardless of when in the semester students register). For example, students can register for Applied Practice well into the month of July, for the Summer Term, or well into the month of October, for Fall Term, or well into the month of April, for Spring Term.   
4. At this point the student can register for the appropriate course number of credits.. Notes:
   • A hold on registration might be in place until proof of immunizations has been provided.
   • Students may only commence the Applied Practice after they are registered for the credit(s) and the transcript shows registration for Applied Practice credit(s). This protects students from liability from third parties during their practice.

STAGE 4: Practicum Phase:

1. Start Applied Practice experience.

STAGE 5: Evaluation Phase:

1. After the Applied Practice end date, the student submits the product(s) through the Applied Practice module. 
2. The Applied Practice module has a section in which students upload their products. Students give the product a name, provide a short description, indicate if they are files (e.g., Word Documents, PDF, PowerPoint Presentations) or indicate if the product is the link to websites. Then, the information is saved. Students can upload many products, they just have to do it one at a time. 
3. On the day after the end-date (e.g. if the practice end-date was August 4th, on August 5th), the student will be asked to upload the products and to complete the Student Evaluation. 
4. The Student evaluation is a form of 12 questions related to the practice afterwards. Once the student completes the Student Evaluation, the preceptor is asked to complete a Preceptor Evaluation. 
5. Preceptors will evaluate the products and provide feedback on whether the products meet or do not meet the expectations/needs for the site. 
6. Students are encouraged to write a formal thank you letter to the preceptor(s), and keep a copy of the Learning Agreement and submitted products for future reference.

STAGE 6: Grading Phase:

1. Once the Preceptor Evaluation is completed, the advisors will be asked to review the products, Student Evaluation and Preceptor’s Evaluation for grading purposes. 
2. Academic advisor submits final grade after all Applied Practice requirements have been met.
   • If a student needs to fulfill Applied Practice requirements past the term of registration, they  receive a temporary grade (K), which means they are continuing to work on Applied Practice requirements.
3. If the grade is not yet reflected on the transcripts, please contact program coordinator and/or academic advisor.

For any questions, please contact program coordinator.