As their culminating experience, all Health Systems and Population Health MPH students, regardless of their concentration, are required to write a thesis or complete a capstone project.
In 2024: 57% of our MPH students (across all three concentrations) completed a capstone and 43% completed a thesis.
- Generalist: 52% completed a capstone
- HSP: 78% completed a capstone
- SBS: 60% completed a thesis
Thesis
A master’s thesis is original research presented in a scholarly format that generates new knowledge carried out using rigorous methods appropriate to the research questions, while also applying concepts and methods from one or more branches of science relevant to public health.
The thesis demonstrates the student’s comprehensive knowledge of the substantive area of the study and their chosen research methods. The thesis is the culminating work of the master’s program, and an opportunity to integrate and apply content, concepts, methods, and analysis.
Previous Thesis Examples
HSPop MPH student thesis titles, along with Health Services Ph.D. student dissertation titles, are available in the UW Library Research Archives.
Capstone
A capstone project is a scholarly project usually conducted for, or on behalf of, an organization, constituency, or community.
The capstone project allows students to expand and apply their analytical, policy, and leadership skills by exploring a question of policy importance. The capstone might take the form of an evaluation of the implementation of a piece of legislation or public program, the synthesis of existing data to inform the development of a policy agenda, the collection of new information that changes our understanding of a policy problem, or an analysis of the options available to address a specific policy question.
Previous Capstone Project Examples
2021
Select capstone title examples. This does not include all Health Systems and Population Health MPH capstones from this year.
One Omada: Giving Voice to a Company’s Changing Product Offerings (capstone)
Student: Siobhan Kelly
Capstone Faculty Chair: Karasz
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Chan
The 2020 Washington State Health Equity for Immigrants Report
Student: Emily Gibson
Capstone Faculty Chair: Baquero
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Katz
The 2020 Washington State Health Equity for Immigrants Report
Student: Cassidy Farrow
Capstone Faculty Chair: Katz
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Hagopian
Washington Food System Policy Gap Analysis During COVID-19
Student: Lance Frankel
Capstone Faculty Chair: Baquero
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Krieger, Colman
Policy Influences on Racial Health Disparities in Washington State: Labor, Housing, Governance, and COVID-19
Student: Hana Hartman
Capstone Faculty Chair: Katz
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Ornelas
Provide HTIP with a database of all of their evaluation and registration data from the past 12 years. Analyze this database for common themes and provide a set of recommendations for future actions HTIP can take to increase their webinar effectiveness.
Student: Katherine Andersen
Capstone Faculty Chair: Bekemeier
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Rogers
Update and maintain a homeless deaths data set, incorporating meaningful information about homeless deaths in King County. Document the history of the Seattle Women in Black vigils and explore the role of public mourning in activism/organizing for public health issues.
Student: Colleen McCarty
Capstone Faculty Chair: Hagopian
Capstone Faculty Member(s): N/A
What can we learn from the COVID-19 experiences of Sequim Food Bank (SFB), its visitors and volunteers?
Student: Shafaq Babar
Capstone Faculty Chair: Sharkey
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Smith
Medical Provider Fluoride Prescribing Practices
Student: Tiffany Bass
Capstone Faculty Chair: Chi
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Reynolds
Behavioral Health Equity in King County’s Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) Sales Tax Fund
Student: Christina Caso
Capstone Faculty Chair: Chayet
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Pfohman
Evaluating Rates of Quantity Not Sufficient Sweat Testing at Seattle Children’s Hospital
Student: Marina Choi
Capstone Faculty Chair: Klein
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Rosenfeld
Using Texas Infertility Prevention Project (TIPP) data to inform sexual and reproductive health initiatives.
Student: Katherine Greenawalt
Capstone Faculty Chair: Harris
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Ambrose
A Virtual Workshop Training to Help Social Networks Engage with Older Adults to Move Safely
Student: Evelyn Le
Capstone Faculty Chair: Meischke
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Phelan
2020
Select capstone title examples. This does not include all Health Services MPH capstones from this year.
The Impact of Medicaid Work Requirements of Tribal Health Systems and American Indian/Alaska Native Medicaid Beneficiaries
Student: Daysha Gunther
Capstone Faculty Chair: Katz
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Duran
Fire Department – REACH Partnership
Student: Thomas McAuliffe
Capstone Faculty Chair: Meischke
Capstone Faculty Member(s): N/A
Implementation Plan of FINDconnect in School Based Health Centers
Student: Elizabeth Meiselman
Capstone Faculty Chair: Niessen
Capstone Faculty Member(s): N/A
Community Health Board Coalition
Student: Colin Rhodes
Capstone Faculty Chair: Krishnaswamy
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Ornelas
Developing an E-Learning Module on Mentoring
Student: Jacylyn Litzau
Capstone Faculty Chair: Bekemeier
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Baquero
Evaluation of medical dental integration strategy: A qualitative study
Student: Catherine Pawloski
Capstone Faculty Chair: Cunha-Cruz
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Senturia
Evaluating the emergency preparedness capabilities of CMS-participating hospice and home health organizations in western Washington
Student: Joshua Edrich
Capstone Faculty Chair: Errett
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Sconyers
County-based health coverage for undocumented adults; Recommendations on how to design health coverage that is accessible and trusted in King County, WA
Student: Hannah Rapp
Capstone Faculty Chair: Katz
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Ornelas
Policy assessment of global rotavirus vaccine
Student: Lauren MacHarg
Capstone Faculty Chair: Fishman
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Stergachis
Evaluating the quality of commentary and integrative health services
Student: Sarah McDonald
Capstone Faculty Chair: Petrescu-Prahova
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Baldwin
2019
Select capstone title examples. This does not include all Health Services MPH capstones from this year.
Through the Eyes of Community/Cultural Mediators: A Qualitative Evaluation of the Community House Calls Program After Twenty Years
Student: Janna Gross
Capstone Faculty Chair: Kwan-Gett
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Painter
Analysis of Death Records in Washington State Residents with Hepatitis C, Washington State, 2000-2016
Student: Kimberly Desmarais
Capstone Faculty Chair: Painter
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Jaenicke
In Quest of the Quadruple Aim – Development, Deployment and Assessment of a Team-Based Care Model in a Large Internal Medicine Primary Care Clinic
Student: Nathan Morrow
Capstone Faculty Chair: Painter
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Masuda
The Diamond Project: Cross Jurisdiction Quality Improvements in Immunization Work
Student: Kylerose Delaney
Capstone Faculty Chair: Bekemeier
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Cunha-Cruz
Department of Defense Transgender Policy: Exploring Barriers to Integration and Acceptance
Student: Jenny Paul
Capstone Faculty Chair: Spigner
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Greenwald, Castro
Exploring the feasibility of non-potable water reuse systems in Washington State: professional perspectives on need, safety, economic viability, and impact on existing water/sewer utilities
Student: Wesley Loven
Capstone Faculty Chair: Spigner
Capstone Faculty Member(s): Mazengia
Competencies, Trainings and Team Environment: A Qualitative Approach to Understanding the Needs of the CHW Workforce in a Primary Care Clinic
Student: Leah Wainman
Capstone Faculty Chair: Petrescu-Prahova
Capstone Faculty Member(s): N/A
Pilot Study for Longitudinal Tracking of Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics in the Gut and Immune System Development in an Infant Cohort
Student: Amanda Holmes
Capstone Faculty Chair: Painter
Capstone Faculty Member(s): N/A