
Applied Practice Experience (APE)
The MPH Applied Practice Experience (APE) provides an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in a real-world public health setting. Students in internship work with preceptor supervision apply concepts, theories, and competencies acquired in the classroom to public health practice through experiential activities. Students are required to complete 100 practicum hours, with a minimum of 80 hours of on-site time.
Ensign Global University MPH students must complete an APE as a requirement for degree completion. The APE is an essential part of the Master of Public Health curriculum and provides professional training and research opportunities throughout the field of public health. The APE must be conducted in partnership with an agency or organization which functions to provide a public health service. The APE is overseen by course faculty, who ensure that all requirements of the APE are met. Students are expected to produce and present standard practicum deliverables in order to complete the APE.
Ensign Global University students can conduct their APE either domestically or internationally; however, a student’s previous or current professional activities do not suffice to fulfill the APE requirement.
Competency attainment is assessed, in part, through a portfolio approach in which students develop two practical, non-academic work deliverables that were produced for the specific APE field site’s use and benefit. Review of the work deliverables must validate that the products demonstrate student attainment of the designated competencies.

The University’s MPH degree program places significant emphasis on field experience as a vital component of professional development. We prioritize experiential learning, personalized and collaborative goal-setting, and the cultivation of effective leadership skills. Through our culminating APE requirement, students integrate field practice, coursework, and other experiential learning opportunities to demonstrate their professional growth and mastery of essential competencies. This comprehensive approach prepares Ensign Global University students for leadership positions and overall career success in their chosen fields.
From Classroom to Community: Student Perspectives on Public Health Practice

Patience Agbate
This project improved my skills in addressing site needs, collaborating with my preceptor, problem-solving, consulting IRBs, and seeking guidance.

Desmond Opare-Agyekum
This collaborative study analyzed dermatologic conditions and health-seeking behaviors of individuals with albinism in Ghana.

Dr. Frank Obeng
I discovered non-adherence to TB treatment and low COVID-19 vaccine uptake, and personally organized interventions to address them.