Field Experiences

150 hours of practical experience are built into the Community Health curriculum.  The purpose of the Community Health Internship requirement is to ensure that each graduate student has practical experience both observing and engaging in planning, implementation and evaluation of health education, health promotion and/or disease prevention activities.  Students will apply the skills learned in the classroom to real-world situations to enhance their understanding of the roles and responsibilities of community health professionals.  A monthly seminar is required as part of the internship course enabling students to learn from each other’s experiences and work through challenges together with peers and faculty. 

At its core, the internship is an educational experience that will contribute to the students’ intellectual and ethical growth. The Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) accreditation criteria mandates practical experience in a variety of settings (e.g., state and local health departments) with qualified public health professionals.   Community Health students will be better prepared to sit for the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) exam after completing the internship.

Community Health students at Hofstra have engaged in field experiences in a variety of settings, including:  Nassau County Department of Health; New York City Department of Health; Nassau University Medical Center’s Community Health Clinics; Cohen’s Children’s Hospital of the North Shore Long Island Health System; Health and Welfare Council of Long Island; Mid-Island Y JCC; and, Planned Parenthood of Nassau County.