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The educational mission of the Department of Community & Family Health is to prepare public health professionals who can meet the challenge of improving the health status of the family and the overall community. Programs offered focus on: (1) the analysis of the health status and needs of a population including social, behavioral and demographic factors and characteristics; (2) health promotion and education; (3) client and community-based intervention strategies; (4) development and evaluation of community and family health programs. This program and its faculty provide students with excellent research opportunities in domestic or international arenas through basic and applied research; conducting innovative community-based demonstration programs; providing consultation and technical assistance to agencies and communities; and providing continuing education programs.
The curriculum is a cooperative, learning, research, problem-solving endeavor in which students and faculty contribute interdependently to pursuits essential to the health of human society. The educational process requires active participation and self-direction by the student in pursuit of a type of scholarship and intellectual discipline that remains for life. Scholarship implies the application of a body of knowledge, intellectual curiosity, vision, insight, critical thinking, imagination, analysis and synthesis for the advancement of society.
A graduate from the PhD program will be able to:
- Contribute to the improvement of the health and well being of individuals, families, and communities through intra- and interdisciplinary effort;
- Implement change within the community and public health;
- Conduct basic and applied research in identification, prevention and evaluation of public health problems;
- Teach in University settings; and
- Assume leadership roles at the local, state, national and international levels.
Responsibilities of Doctoral Students: Entering a doctoral degree program is a serious endeavor for both students and faculty. Since students bring a broad spectrum of academic and professional experiences and interests, they are encouraged to shape their doctoral program to meet their individual needs, goals and desires. At the same time the faculty views doctoral study as an endeavor that must meet strict standards to achieve ideals for scholarship and intellectual discipline. It is expected that doctoral students will devote at least two consecutive semesters, preferably in the first year, to full time study.
The degree offered is the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). With the underpinnings of philosophy, the doctoral degree spans the academic spectrum from strong theoretical bases to practical, experiential methods.
By working in cooperation with faculty and members of the doctoral committee, the student has the responsibility to:
- Take the lead in designing the course of study;
- Devote at least two consecutive semesters, preferably during the first year following admission, to full time study;
- Develop and maintain the understanding that the doctoral program is a serious commitment of time and dedication;
- Participate in intellectual and scholarly activities of the Department;
- Work independently as much as possible;
- Demonstrate continuous progress through the doctoral program from start to finish;
- Respect the many demands that are placed on faculty;
- Be responsible for knowing and adhering to mandatory deadlines, forms, and signature requirements set forth by the department, college, and university;
- Arrange and schedule committee meetings as deemed necessary;
- Be open and receptive to challenges set forth by the doctoral committee; and
- Assume a place in a community of scholars and family of learners.
Responsibilities of the Major Professor: Doctoral studies are a joint effort of the faculty and students. In a very real way, we all learn together. We try to follow the department motto of "A Community of Scholars; A Family of Learners." The faculty tries to create the atmosphere and opportunity for each student to learn and explore new areas of knowledge. However, students must chart their own course, take responsibility for their own learning program, and use the faculty for guidance and support. In the Department of Community and Family Health, the faculty are committed to the serious obligation of mentoring and guiding doctoral students through the PhD process. Thus, major professors:
- Advise on curriculum and course selection;
- Assist in selection of committee members;
- Direct the preparation and grading of the qualifying examination;
- Guide and direct the dissertation research;
- Read and edit all drafts of the dissertation in a timely manner;
- Act as a liaison between the student and other committee members as needed;
- Determine when the student is prepared to present the research proposal and dissertation;
- Prepare the student for the format and rigor of the dissertation;
- Introduce students into the community of scholars and family of learners; and
- Mentor students in professional development and pursuit of career goals.
Guidelines for Acceptance to the Doctoral Program
- Students seeking entrance to the doctoral program must have a career direction in focus. Applicants should have both work experience and educational training of sufficient length and breadth to permit the focus of research efforts in the area of public health from a background of appropriate knowledge. This background may include the following academic preparation and prior experience.
- Education
- Prior master's or doctoral degree in a health-related discipline such as: public health, health sciences, behavioral sciences, social sciences, administration, nutrition, health education, nursing, or medicine; or
- Another post-baccalaureate degree, such as medicine.
- Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable.
- Clinical practice in a setting appropriate to community and family health interests;
- Research such as health statistics, legislative research, program evaluation, private agencies, or as a research associate in an academic setting;
- Administration or management in the organization and delivery of public health services; or
- Teaching a public health discipline in an academic setting.
- While no one set of criteria is an absolute prerequisite, the student must come with a background of sufficient depth to enable him or her to function as a mature and self-directed professional in the area of public health. The student should have a clear sense of goals and directions for both the doctoral program of study and future professional endeavors.
Admission Requirements and Criteria:
Follow this link to the College Admission Requirements http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/degreereqs.html . Applicants to the doctoral program in the Department of Community & Family Health should meet the following minimum criteria for admission. However, meeting these criteria shall not be the sole basis for admission.
- Verbal GRE Score: minimum 480 or an equivalent measure approved by the Department within the last five years preceding application.
- Quantitative GRE score: minimum 620 or an equivalent measure approved by the Department within the last five years preceding application.
- Applicants must have achieved a graduate grade point average of 3.0 or better on a four-point scale or its equivalent.
- Each applicant must submit evidence of written/analytic skills to the College of Public Health. This evidence shall take the form of a recent graduate level term paper, research paper of which the student is sole author, a publication on which the student is first author, or a thesis from a previous graduate degree.
- Each applicant must submit a statement detailing the reasons for obtaining a PhD degree in Community and Family Health. The statement must be less than 1000 typed words in length.
- Each applicant must submit at least three letters of support. These letters must be obtained from individuals who are qualified to judge the academic and professional qualifications of the applicant.
Summary of Steps in the Application Process
- Complete the USF application which can be downloaded from http://admissions.grad.usf.edu/prospective/Graduate_Application.html and submit as directed. Submit the COPH Supplementary Information Form for Application to the PhD Program and submit as directed at the bottom of the form. This form may be downloaded from the list of forms available at http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/forms.html. The deadline for submission is December 15. This deadline applies to the submission of the supplementary data form, evidence of writing/analytic skills, three letters of recommendation as identified above, and any other information to be reviewed by the Student Affairs Committee of the Department. The Department Student Affairs Committee review process includes the following steps:
- Review of the completed application to determine if basic qualifications are met
- Interview with a minimum of three Department faculty members, and usually with the Department Chairperson
- Determination of faculty advisor match and availability of a suitable advisor
- Determination of acceptance based on the following considerations:
- Qualifications and experience
- Direction and areas of interest
- Availability of faculty and resources
- Applicants will be notified of admission status by about April 1. Each applicant must have a member of the graduate faculty of the Department of Community and Family Health agree to serve as advisor before a final admission decision is made.
Admission Schedule: In the Department of Community & Family Health, doctoral students are admitted once per annual cycle with the expectation of beginning course work during the Fall semester. An accepted student may defer admission until the beginning of the next cycle, by written request, with the approval of the Department Chairperson.
Applicants denied admission are given timely notice in writing. Denied applicants who meet the minimum system-wide standards may write to the Chairperson of the Department within 30 days of the date of denial to request reconsideration. The request should explain why reconsideration is warranted, and the student should present additional evidence of potential for academic success at USF.
Upon acceptance to the doctoral program in the Department of Community and Family Health, each student should have an understanding of the criteria required to graduate with the doctoral degree. These criteria include:
- Full participation in the intellectual life of the Department;
- Successful completion of prescribed course work;
- Successful performance on the qualifying examination for doctoral candidacy;
- Preparation, presentation, and formal approval of a dissertation proposal;
- Completion of dissertation research activities;
- Completion of formal and successful oral presentation of the dissertation; and
- At least two semesters of teaching experience (exceptions to this requirement may be considered based on past experience).
Time Limits for Completion of Doctoral Program: The USF Graduate School requires that all course work taken after admission to the PhD program, and before admission to candidacy, must be completed within 4 academic years. Similarly, once a student is admitted to candidacy, the USF Graduate School requires completion of all other requirements for the doctoral degree within a period of 4 academic years. However, the Department of Community and Family Health reserves the right to dismiss a student at any time because of failure to make satisfactory, continuous progress toward completion of the degree. Such action typically follows a review performed by the Department’s Student Affairs Committee, and subsequent referral to the Doctoral Committee and the Chair of the Department. Any dismissal action has to be approved by the Chair of the Department, the Dean of the College of Public Health, and the Dean of the Graduate School.
Major Focus Areas of the PhD Program: The Department of Community and Family Health offers a Doctor of Philosophy degree to qualified candidates. Students complete required doctoral level courses, as well as additional courses in the major focus area. The major focus area is identified and developed jointly by the student and the student's program planning committee. The major must be related to one of the academic program areas within the Department of Community and Family Health, although it may involve an interdisciplinary linkage to disciplines outside of the Department.
Doctoral Competencies: Doctoral students successfully completing a program of study in the Department of Community and Family Health (CFH) will possess a defined set of competencies in four areas. These competencies should be used as a guidepost for the student and academic advisory committee in planning a program of study. Competencies can be met through previous academic or work experience, or they can be fulfilled through a combination of planned course work and other scholarly experience. Download the PhD Student Competency Form at: http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/forms.html.
- Knowledge and Theory
- Describe theory development and analysis
- Contribute knowledge to the theoretical foundations of the CFH disciplines
- Critically evaluate theories and frameworks relevant to public health
- Apply theories in public health to research designs
- Synthesize knowledge from a broad range of disciplines in public health
- Research Methods
- Formulation of Research Design
- Critically analyze theoretical and research literature
- Develop conceptual frameworks or models for guiding independent research
- Develop research questions and formulate hypotheses
- Identify and operationally define study variables
- Select appropriate research designs
- Investigate possible funding sources
- Data Collection Methods
- Select appropriate methods, including quantitative and qualitative methods
- Determine the appropriate kinds of sources of data
- Develop, test, and validate data collection instruments/protocols
- Utilize appropriate communications skills
- Analysis and Interpretation
- Assess appropriateness of existing data sets to answer research questions
- Analyze and interpret original quantitative and qualitative data
- Analyze and interpret existing quantitative and qualitative data sets
- Utilize a variety of computer applications when analyzing data
- Utilize innovative applications of data analysis techniques
- Utilize various validity and reliability measures
- Report Results
- Summarize and report findings in a scholarly manner using written and graphic formats
- Actively seek out a variety of audiences to disseminate (written and oral) findings
- Demonstrate the ability to prepare and submit manuscripts for publication
- Application of Research to Public Health
- Determine the benefits of research findings for public health practice
- Value scholarly productivity in public health
- Work effectively as a team member on multidisciplinary research projects
- Analyze the roles and contributions of various disciplines in collaborative research
- Assess the fiscal and administrative issues of implementing research in public health settings
- Philosophical and Ethical Considerations
- Analyze philosophical and ethical issues in research
- Demonstrate ability to protect the privacy and rights of research subjects
- Analyze the philosophical aspects of the scientific process as it applies to public health
- Develop a personal philosophy related to the scientific process
- Application and Practice
- Compare and contrast organizational structure of national, state, and local public health systems
- Critically propose and analyze practical solutions to public health problems
- Critically evaluate alternative solutions to public health problems
- Have practical experience with public health settings
- Identify current and future public health policy issues and trends
- Analyze ethical issues in public health practice
- Develop a set of ethical standards for CFH practice
- Teaching
- Demonstrate college level teaching skills in terms of course design, delivery, and evaluation
- Utilize principles of adult learning in teaching situations
- Assess the role of faculty in academic settings
Teaching Activities: All doctoral students typically make a two-semester commitment to teaching an undergraduate course, or a one-semester commitment to teaching a graduate course. This teaching requirement may only be waived if the student has documented evidence of prior and in-depth teaching experience at the post-secondary level. The student will be asked to submit the course syllabus and teaching evaluations as documentation. Undergraduate teaching should include having primary responsibility for all phases of course development, implementation, and evaluation. Graduate teaching should include having at least partial but significant responsibility for course planning and delivery. Guest lecturing, serving as a teaching assistant, and performing clerical or other course-related work for a faculty member does not meet this requirement.
Upon completion of the teaching assignment, the student will have:
- Demonstrated college level teaching skills in terms of course design, delivery and evaluation;
- Utilized principles of adult learning in teaching situations;
- Assessed the role of faculty in academic settings; and
- Gained competency in technology enhanced instruction.
The student, with concurrence of the doctoral committee, must identify the nature and timing of the teaching requirement in the student’s plan of study. Once this schedule has been completed, it is up to the student to submit it to the Department Chair. The schedule must be submitted a minimum of one semester prior to when the student plans to teach to allow the Department Chair to make the necessary arrangements for the scheduling.
During the semester in which the student is teaching, a tuition waiver for 9 credit hours and a stipend are awarded. Any student who is teaching is assigned work space in which to meet with students and secure course materials.
Participation in Departmental Activities: All doctoral students (full-time or part-time) are expected to participate in various Department-organized activities. These activities may include:
- Retreats,
- Seminars and guest lectures,
- Meetings to which doctoral students have been invited,
- Selected off-campus activities, and
- Presentation of proposals and dissertation findings of other doctoral students.
Course Requirements
Prerequisites: These are identified by the major advisor upon admission and include at least Introduction to Public Health, Survey of Human Disease, and the five public health core courses if the student does not possess a previous MPH or MSPH degree. An exception to these prerequisites requires approval of the doctoral program committee and the Chair of the Department.
Plan of Study:
Please see description of courses in this catalog under the main section: Course Listing
Required Department Courses of which at least 15 hours must be at the 7000 level |
21 |
PHC 7405 Theoretical Foundations of Community and Family Health |
3 |
PHC 7152 Policy and Practice in Community and Family Health |
3 |
Selected topics relating to Community Health |
3 |
Selected topics relating to Family Health |
3 |
PHC 7708 Applied Research Methods in Community and Family Health |
3 |
PHC 7709 Case Studies in the Quantitative Analysis of Public Health Data |
3 |
Professionals Skills: At least one of the following courses: |
3 |
PHC 7934 Writing for Scholarly Publication in Health Sciences |
|
Grant Preparation |
|
Teaching Methods |
|
Research Methods |
3 |
A course in Qualitative Research Methods is required |
|
Focus Area Courses |
18 |
Dissertation |
18 |
Tools of Research: Courses taken to meet the minimal tools of research requirements are not counted toward the degree program. Computer competence and data analysis skills refer to the ability to use the computer to analyze data(e.g. SAS, SPSS, or other sophisticated analytical software.) Minimal statistical competence is Biostatistics II or its equivalent. The program committee evaluates computer competence; specific courses are not required necessarily. The program committee decides if previous work experience fulfills this requirement. Computer-based qualitative analysis can count as applied research, but it does not replace the need for quantitative data analysis. For students who enter the program with one of the above minimum competencies, additional, more advanced course work may be permitted as electives that count towards the 60 program hours. |
|
Foreign Language: May be required of individual doctoral students whose work necessitates it. Courses taken to meet minimum competency do not count toward the required 60 program hours. |
|
Minimum Credits: |
90 |
Recommended / Required Course Sequence: Unless one is entering the program with public health course deficiencies, all students are expected to take Theoretical Foundations of Community and Family Health and Applied Research Methods in Community and Family Health during the first semester in the program. The second semester will include Writing for Scholarly Publication in the Health Science The second semester of every other year will offer Qualitative Research Methods, Policy and Practice and Selected Topics in CFH (Family) (to begin meeting the “family” requirement). Coursework during the summer term of the student’s first year should include Advanced Seminar in Grant Writing and the College-wide interdisciplinary seminar. Community Based Health Promotion will be offered every other year (to begin meeting the “community” requirement). There may be variations to this plan, but departures should be the exception rather than the rule. The Plan of Study should be approved by the doctoral committee.
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Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
2008 |
|
|
|
2009 |
|
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How and When to Select your Doctoral Program Committee
Doctoral Program Committee: An advisor (major professor) is appointed by the Department for each student upon admission. Upon review of the student’s background and educational objectives, the advisor assists in identifying any specific deficiencies and guides the choice of a program committee, the program of study, and the area of research.
Normally, by the end of the first semester of course work, in collaboration with the major professor, the student will identify and formalize a doctoral program committee to plan the course requirements.
The Department requires that the doctoral committee be comprised of at least four credentialed members of the graduate faculty. More specifically,
- The Chair must be fully credentialed by the College of Public Health and a faculty member of the Department of Community and Family Health,
- A minimum of three committee members (including the Chair) must come from the Department of Community and Family Health and all members must be credentialed by the College of Public Health,
- Other members of the committee should be from outside of the Department,
- Exceptions to committee membership or changes in membership must be approved by the Department Chair, and
- Conflicts that arise with your committee that are unresolved may be brought to the Student Affairs Committee.
The student should complete the PhD Committee Form at http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/forms through the signature of the Department Chairperson. Then turn in this form to the Academic and Student Affairs Office room 1150 in the COPH. The Academic and Student Affairs Office will obtain the signature of the Associate Dean and notify you of the status of your form by email.
The Doctoral Committee recommends and ultimately approves the student's course of study and plan for research, grades the written qualifying examination, reads and approves the dissertation proposal, and supervises the dissertation proposal and dissertation presentation meetings.
After the qualifying examination but before the student reaches the dissertation stage, the need for modification in committee membership may be assessed. The membership of the dissertation committee may be the same as that of the doctoral program committee, unless the PhD candidate or major professor recommends a change, and the Department Chair approves it. The form is called the PhD Change of Committee Form and is availableat http://www.publichealth.usf.edu/forms
The doctoral committee may meet at any time to discuss or evaluate the student's progress or to suggest changes in the plan of study. The student also may request a committee meeting. The major professor (doctoral committee chair) may be asked to provide the Department Chair, the Department faculty, or the student with an evaluation of the student's progress toward the degree. On at least an annual basis, all doctoral students will submit an annual progress report to the Department Chair that will be reviewed by the Student Affairs Committee. The format for this report will be provided by the Student Affairs Committee.
How to make changes in your doctoral committee: Occasionally due to changes in the focus of your research or through irresolvable conflicts, it becomes necessary to change the composition of your doctoral committee. Also, one of your committee members may ask to step down from serving on your committee due to a variety of reasons. In either case, the following steps should serve as a guide to facilitate the change process:
- Obtain Changes to the Graduate Student Supervisory Committee Form. http://www.publichealth.usf.edu/forms
- Make an appointment to inform the committee member that you wish to make changes on your committee. At the meeting, the committee member should sign the form referenced in #1 above, indicating agreement to no longer serve on the committee.
- Make an appointment to meet with the faculty member who is being adding to the committee. The same form is signed by the new committee member.
- Upon completion of obtaining the two faculty signatures, the student is responsible for obtaining the signature of the Department Chairperson and turning the form in to the Academic and Student Affairs Office. That office will obtain the signature of the Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs and notify you of the status by email. The student should make two copies (one to keep and one for the major professor).
- If it is not possible to resolve the differences during the private meeting, schedule a committee meeting with members of the Department’s Student Affairs Committee to resolve the grievance.
- At the committee meeting, the student presents the issues surrounding the disagreement. Then, the faculty member has the opportunity to respond to the stated issues. Discussion involving the entire committee will determine recommendations for an equitable resolution. The form is signed at the conclusion of the meeting.
- If the conflict is not resolved at the committee meeting, the Department Chairperson or designated faculty member will be contacted for mediation between the two individuals. The Dean would be the next level of grievance resolution.
Qualifying Examination
Purpose of the qualifying examination: The purpose of the qualifying examination is to move the students into formal candidacy through written demonstration of the knowledge and skills related to his or her specific field, the overall scope of community and family health, and the ability to synthesize and use the professional literature in problem-solving situations.
Timing of the Examination: The qualifying examination is administered when there is consensus between the doctoral program committee and the student regarding the student's preparation and readiness for the examination. A student is eligible to sit for the qualifying examination when the following minimum criteria have been met.
- The student has successfully completed all or most course work including tools of research;
- There is an agreement between the student and all members of the doctoral committee that the student is prepared to take the qualifying examination; and
- The student must be registered for a minimum of 2 credit hours for the semester in which the qualifying examination is taken.
Candidacy: If passing, the student receives an official Letter of Candidacy from Graduate Studies upon approval of written notification of qualifying examination results. Doctoral students who have completed all degree requirements, and have been admitted to candidacy, are required to register for a minimum of 2 credit hours every semester following admission to candidacy, until the degree is granted.
Dissertation
Committee: The student is ready for the dissertation process after the successful completion of the qualifying examination. The membership of the dissertation committee may be the same as that of the doctoral program committee, unless the PhD candidate or major professor recommends a change, and it is approved by the Department Chair.
- Graduate Studies requires a minimum of four members; however, the Department of Community and Family Health requires the more conventional five-member committee, where three members are in the Department, and two are outside of the Department.
- Members of the doctoral committee must be credentialed by the College of Public Health, and the Chair must be of full graduate faculty status. It is the student's responsibility to verify that each committee member is credentialed. (Note: Even though a faculty member may have “Professor” rank this does not ensure credentialing for doctoral committees.)
Research Proposal: The proposal is presented in a formal meeting to the doctoral committee. This meeting is open to other faculty, other Ph.D. students and other students. At the discretion of the student and the Committee, guests of the student and the general public may be invited. The proposal date is scheduled by common agreement of the student and the doctoral committee members. This date is made known to and approved by the Department Chair. All doctoral students at USF are responsible for making the initial determination as to whether their research will involve human subjects, http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/officeresearch/humansubjects.html, and following all guidelines of the Graduate School.
The purpose of the dissertation proposal presentation is to provide students with the opportunity to present their research, and if appropriate, refine the methods, gather further information and suggestions from the audience at-large. Following the proposal presentation, the committee members convene to make final determination of the appropriateness of the research being proposed and to deliberate recommendations for change in the proposal. This acceptance does not preclude the committee from making modifications in the data analysis plan or review of literature at a later date.
Oral Defense: The student's doctoral committee helps guide the student’s research and has final approval of the oral examination and the written product. Dissertation Guidelines http://www.grad.usf.ede/newsite/thesis.asp appear on the Graduate School website. The student will schedule an oral presentation and provide copies of the dissertation to the Committee and Department Chair within time limits required prior to the presentation. Successful completion of the oral examination is the culminating step of the doctoral program.