The professional field experience in the Department of Health Promotion and Behavior is one phase of the total pre-service training program. The two parts, the course of study and the field experience, are designed to contribute to the basic objective of providing opportunities for the student to develop the competencies necessary to assume professional responsibilities in the fields of Community or Worksite Health Promotion.
Although academic study and field work are often thought of as two distinctive types of experience, they have much in common: theoretical insight and the development of sound concepts are important parts of both academic course work and the field experience. Thus, the professional field experience provides an opportunity for the application and/or testing of hypotheses and of the classroom experience. Both experiences are learning experiences and the same educational principles must apply to both situations.
The professional field experience must contribute to the student's goals for professional growth. These goals must be clearly perceived and consciously striven for by both student and supervisor.
Effective field training principles must be followed to insure sound educational experiences. The following principles are starting points for planning sound field training:
- Field training for an individual student must be planned in terms of his/her abilities, and needs and interests as an integral part of the total training experiences in which he/she is participating;
- The student must be an active participant in planning his/her field training experience;
- The experiences offered the student should meet real needs of the agency in program development, implementation, and evaluation. If at all possible, the student should be given the opportunity to function as a full-fledged staff member;
- The training experience should be so designed that the student has an opportunity for responsible participation in a wide variety of tasks and relationships common to the activities of professionals in health promotion and education. The resources available must be adequate for this purpose;
- Field training must be under the guidance and supervision of an individual who is able to make a learning experience out of a work situation and who is professionally competent in the student's area of specialization;
- The agency provides experiential learning to improve student competencies;
- Evaluation of the field training experience must be in terms of:
- The student's growth in understandings and abilities needed in situations faced by health promotion professionals;
- The student's contributions to the agency's program;
- Some type of community work involvement should be obtained prior to the field experience.
- The field experience is a requirement for all Community and Worksite Health Promotion (Bachelors and Masters – M.A. and M.Ed.) majors who have not had equivalent experience prior to the start of their program of study.
- In general, the student will arrange for the field experience to be completed during one semester for twelve (12) credit hours for undergraduate students and six (6) credit hours for graduate students, although in selected graduate student cases the field experience may be completed during two semesters with the credit hours split each semester.
- The field experience will be completed no earlier than the student's final two semesters of study for the degree.
- The field experience may be taken any semester including Summer Session.
- The student is allowed to take independent study of up to three (3) hours or one non-essential course (3 hours) along with the field experience in order to allow for a special study project and also as a means of facilitating keeping a schedule for the degree.
General
goals of the undergraduate field experience
The student should be able to:
- Develop an understanding of the structure and functions of the participating agency;
- Learn to function effectively in an agency environment with existing staff members and administrators;
- Apply the elements of basic program planning, implementation, and evaluation while developing and/or participating in a project that is consistent with the goals and functions of the host agency; and
- Develop and refine communication skills through direct participation and contact with agency clients.
General
goals of the graduate field experience
The student should be able to:
- Develop an understanding of the structure and functions of the participating agency;
- Learn to function effectively in a work environment with existing staff members and administrators;
- Develop a field experience project which is consistent with the goals and objectives of the host agency. The project will include direct participation in program planning, implementation, and evaluation;
- Gain an understanding of the process of multi-program coordination;
- Improve skills in long-range planning including the areas of needs assessment and funding;
- Develop an understanding of the multi-agency coordination process;
- Utilize basic related applied research and data gathering techniques;
- Learn about the agency administrative processes including internal and external funding sources and issues; and
- Develop and refine communication skills through direct participation and contact with agency staff and clients.
Overview of time spent during field experience
- Practical experience at the participating site as a functioning health promotion specialist at the planning/administrative/evaluation level 400 hours
- Development of a professional portfolio 15 hours
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Review and analysis of the field work experience and performance evaluation (includes seminars) 5 hours
Note: These hours are minimally expected. Often field experience students will exceed these hours and are encouraged to do so. Field sites may require more than 400 hours.
Criteria for evaluating the field experience
A. Successfully completing all on-site practical experience hours and responsibilities
B. Completion of the professional portfolio (see portfolio development materials)
C. Attendance and participation at periodic seminars with the HPRB Field Experience Coordinator at the Ramsey Center, UGA
D. Satisfactory communication with the HPRB Field Experience Coordinator throughout the duration of the field experience.
E. Satisfactory mid-term and final evaluations by the site supervisor.
The field experience is graded Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory (S-U). Students should be aware that written evaluations and reviews of competencies have more impact on employability than the S/U grade on the academic transcript.
Pre-field experience requirements at the undergraduate level- Both Practicum A (40 hours) and Practicum B (60 hours) [HPRB 3460] successfully completed and reports submitted.
- Completion of all major required courses with a “C”or better.
- A minimum overall GPA of 2.5
- All required paperwork for the field experience process must be complete and approved by the HPRB Field Experience Coordinator.
- First Aid and CPR certification cards must be submitted to advisor for check off
Site supervisor responsibilities
A. Meet and interview students as potential field experience interns and discuss specific possibilities for their field experience (and related on-site project if graduate-level students). Students are to meet competency areas for health promotion and education professionals within the field experience.
B. If the student is selected as an intern, negotiate with the student a proposal for an acceptable field experience. This proposal form is to be completed by the student and signed by the site supervisor. The student will submit the proposal to the Field Experience Coordinator for final approval. The proposal should be as specific as possible as to the nature of the interns' expected work, weekly hours, etc. This proposal form must be submitted to the Field Experience Coordinator by the midpoint of the previous semester and approved by the Field Experience Coordinator before the student may begin the field experience. Students are required to spend minimally about 27 hours per week for 15 weeks (400 hours total) at the field experience site.
C. Arrange for office or work space for the student.
D. Provide a structured orientation period at the beginning of the field experience.
E. Be available, on an appointment basis if necessary, to provide guidance to the student on specific issues. Meeting with the student regularly to discuss progress, problems, and insights will benefit the student in his/her practical learning process.
F. Contact the Field Experience Coordinator if, for some reason that cannot be resolved, it is felt the student should not continue the field experience.
G. Complete all evaluations for the student’s record including:
1. the midterm evaluation narrative form (student will provide)
2. the final evaluation form (student will provide)
3. comments on the competency sheets found in the student’s portfolio (student will provide)
4. the final signature page for the portfolio at the end of the experience (student will provide)