Graduate Program Field Experience

• Public Policy and Management
• Master of Public Health
• Community Planning and Development

All students complete a field experience if they have not had prior relevant work experience. For many students, this provides an invaluable opportunity for exploring employment opportunities and forging bonds with organizations that continue after graduation. Frequently, field experiences are paid positions and may lead directly to employment, so many students undertake them even if they have prior work experience and are not formally required to do so. A few students complete more than one field experience during their time in the program.

Please see each program for specialized information, the program coordinator and field experience contract form.

Recent field experiences include positions with:

• The State of Maine: The Legislative Office of Policy and Legal Analysis
• Portland Housing Authority
• Maine Association of Nonprofit Organizations
• Casco Bay Estuary Partnership
• Maine Science and Technology Council
• Office of the Governor, State of Maine
• Maine Public Broadcasting
• The Town of Wells, Maine
• The City of South Portland Planning Department
• The Maine Department of Environmental Protection
• The Maine Department of Human Services
• The Maine Legislature
• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield of Maine
• The Greater Portland Council of Government
• Refugee resettlement Program
• Cancer Society

Independent Study

Independent Study Approval Form

An independent study is a self-directed learning experience designed to develop a student's ability to plan, organize, research and report as well as develop specific skills beyond the classroom activity. An independent study must be related to the student's academic program and is approved and monitored by a program faculty member. Independent studies may take the form of either a readings or a special project.

Approval Form and Proposal

Once a faculty member has consented to work with the student on the independent project, the student must prepare a detailed and specific proposal following the outline of five topics to be addressed shown on the Independent Study Approval Form. Students often find that presenting their proposal in a format that uses questions (taken from the approval form) and answers facilitates completion.

When the proposal is completed, the Independent Study Approval Form should be filled out and attached to the proposal. These two items should be submitted to the instructor for approval.