Archived MPH Professional (Pro) Paper
The information listed below is for students who are following the Graduate Catalog for Academic Year (AY) 2024-2025 or earlier. Information for students in AY 2025-2026 and later can be found on the ILE page.
A high-quality written product is required of all MPH students and serves as a capstone and professional paper in which students demonstrate synthesis of CEPH foundational and CEPH-approved concentration. For the Pro Paper, a student will typically propose a research project, implement it, report findings in a high-quality written paper, and then present their Pro Paper research in poster format. Students should develop their Pro Paper projects and final written product in a way that is useful to external stakeholders, such as non-profit or governmental organizations.
The Pro Paper consists of two linked, consecutive courses: MPH 6991 and MPH 6992, which are usually taken during a student’s final two semesters in the program. Students typically complete most of the core courses prior to enrolling in MPH 6991 and all the core courses before enrolling in MPH 6992.
Pro Paper Guidelines
MPH Professional Paper Guidelines (PDF)
Orientation for MPH 6991
Orientation for MPH 6991 is available online and consists of three recorded lectures. All MPH 6991 students are required to view all of these within the first three weeks of the semester.
Audio Lectures
Resources for Students and Faculty
Library Resources
Forms
- Pro Paper Agreement and Concept Form – Part I (PDF) **
- Pro Paper Agreement and Concept Form – Part II (PDF) **
- Professional Paper Submission Form (PDF) **
** To sign a document using Adobe Reader, first open the PDF document in the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC application (download to your harddrive). Click the “Fill & Sign” button in the right pane. Click the “Sign” button on the toolbar and select “Add Signature” to add your signature to Adobe Acrobat Reader DC to your harddrive.
Pro Paper Rubric
Students, in collaboration with their primary advisor, choose a total of five CEPH foundational AND CEPH-approved concentration competencies to demonstrate and integrate in the Pro Paper. 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. After, the plan will be converted into a tailored rubric for the student, which the primary professor will complete upon completion of MPH 6992.