MPH Integrated Learning Experience (ILE)
Information for students who are following the Graduate Catalog for Academic Year (AY) 2024-2025 or earlier can be found on the Archived Professional (Pro) Paper page.
The MPH program is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). CEPH requires all students to complete an Integrative Learning Experience (ILE) that demonstrates their ability to synthesize and apply (1) CEPH foundational and (2) faculty-developed, CEPH-approved, concentration competencies. Students typically complete the ILE, considered the culminating experience of the MPH degree, near the end of the MPH program of study (e.g., in student’s final year or term). To complete the ILE, students develop a high-quality written product and present a summary of their ILE project in an oral or poster presentation, delivered to department faculty, students, and administrators.
The ILE is taught by instructors from each concentration. Below is a summary of the ILE by Concentration.
Concentration-Specific Integrated Learning Experience Courses
| Concentration | Course Number | Course Name | SH |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHHB | MPH 6991 | Integrated Learning Experience Proposal | 2 |
| CHHB | MPH 6992 | Integrated Learning Experience Implementation | 1 |
| EPI | MPH 6993 | Combined Integrative Learning Experience | 2 |
| HPAL | MPH 6991 | Integrated Learning Experience Proposal | 2 |
| HPAL | MPH 6992 | Integrated Learning Experience Implementation | 1 |
SH = semester hours
For both CHHB and HPAL concentrations, MPH 6991: Integrated Learning Experience Proposal is a 2-credit hour course where students develop a written plan that, when implemented, will generate a high-quality written product by synthesizing foundational and concentration-specific competencies. During the planning course, students will be paired with an instructor and collaboratively choose the type of written product the student will develop for the ILE and choose which competencies the student will demonstrate. After the competencies are selected, the student will specify how they will demonstrate and integrate competencies and verify that they have successfully demonstrated these competencies in previous coursework by completing the Competency Demonstration Plan (accessible on the ILE instructor’s Canvas site once the course begins).
Next, CHHB and HPAL students will complete MPH 6992: Integrated Learning Experience Implementation – a 1-credit hour course where students implement their MPH 6991 proposal into a high-quality written product that demonstrates synthesis of MPH foundational and concentration competencies that is appropriate for the student’s educational and professional objectives. At the beginning of the course, students will convert the Competency Demonstration Plan into a tailored rubric, finalized at the beginning of MPH 6992 through instructor collaboration.
For the EPI concentration, MPH 6993: Combined Integrative Learning Experience is a 2-credit hour course where students will prepare dataset and implement analysis combined with synthesis of foundational and concentration competencies culminating in a high-quality quantitative research paper that is appropriate for the student’s educational and professional objectives.
MPH 6991 Orientation
Concentration faculty require students to read the ILE Handbook before scheduling faculty meetings to discuss their proposed ILE topic and instructor. After meeting with potential ILE instructors, students send a formal request to their instructor of choice via email. If the faculty accepts, they work with the student to submit the ILE Registration Form..
MPH 6993 Orientation
Starting in Spring 2027, EPI students will enroll in the revised MPH curriculum’s single EPI ILE course that requires several pre-enrollment activities, starting with orientation in April 2026 via Microsoft Teams. Students enrolled in (1) MPH 7100: Methods in Analytic Epidemiology and (2) MPH 7201: Introduction to Survey Methodology are required to attend the meeting or watch the recording.