The Master of Public Health (MPH) is the primary professional degree in public health.  The program provides a set of skills and principles essential for students who intend to apply their training in a professional setting, provide leadership in a specific health specialty, and improve and protect the health and well being of populations.  All MPH students complete coursework designed to prepare public health professionals to actively and effectively contribute to population-based, culturally appropriate, and innovative approaches concerning current and emerging public health problems. 

The MPH core involves course work in biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, environmental and occupational health, and social and behavioral sciences.  In addition to the public health core, students further focus their skills by completing course work in one of several concentration areas: biostatistics; epidemiology; health care organizations and management, policy and programs; environmental health; toxicology and risk assessment; safety management; occupational health; global communicable disease; maternal and child health; health education; behavioral health; public health practice; global health; socio-health sciences. The MSPH in Industrial Hygiene is a professional degree program instead of a research degree program and thus is listed here.

The MPH degree is a minimum of 39 semester credit hours (plus field experience) with some concentrations requiring additional credit hours. Dual degree programs are available and may have different credit hours required.

All MPH students are required to successfully complete:

• Five college core courses (15 credits)
  • Biostatistics I
  • Epidemiology
  • Principles of Health Policy and Management
  • Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences Applied to Health
• Concentration courses in specialty areas (12 credits minimum)
• Comprehensive exam and/or capstone course
• Field experience (1-12 credits)
• Special project (3 credits)
• Electives (variable)

Concentration specific objectives are in addition to the following college wide objectives.
Within the context of a specific professional public health career, the graduate will be able to:

• Provide leadership in a specific health specialty that is ethical, population focused, culturally
  appropriate and uses innovative approaches to pressing public health problems;
• Demonstrate the application of public health skills and knowledge by completing a
  comprehensive special project;
• Apply knowledge, practices
  and programs to improve the health and well being of all populations; and
• Demonstrate a commitment to improve the health of communities by working with others to
  solve pressing public health problems.

The MSPH involves course work in biostatistics and epidemiology and one of the other three core courses. In addition to the core courses, students further focus their skills by completing course work in one of several concentration areas: socio-health sciences, health education, maternal and child health, behavioral health,, health care organizations and management, health policies and programs, environmental health, toxicology/risk assessment, global communicable disease, epidemiology, or biostatistics.

The MSPH degree is a minimum of 40 semester credit hours, plus thesis.

All MSPH students are required to successfully complete:

• 9 credits of college core courses including Biostatistics I and Epidemiology, plus one other core course approved by the academic advisor (select from Principles of Health Policy and Management, Environmental and Occupational Health, or Social and Behavioral Sciences Applied to Health).
• Biostatistics II
• Courses in specialty areas as designated by advisory committee ( 12 credits     minimum)
• Research methods as determined by advisory committee.
• Comprehensive exam while enrolled for a minimum of 2 credits.
• Thesis for a minimum of 6 credits
• Electives (variable)

Concentration specific objectives are in addition to the following college wide objectives. Within the context of a specific public health career that emphasizes research activities, the MSPH graduate will be able to:

• Use epidemiological principles and biostatistical methods to address public health issues;
• Participate in research activities that are ethical, culturally sensitive and innovative in solving pressing public health problems;
• Integrate research skills with public health knowledge in a thesis;
• Apply specialized public health research techniques to improve the health and well being of all populations; and
• As by working with others to solve pressing public health problems.

The MSPH in Industrial Hygiene is a professional degree program instead of a research degree program and is covered in the MPH description.

The Master of Health Administration (MHA) prepares students for private and public sector leadership positions. In addition to the five core areas of public health, the curriculum helps students develop skills and knowledge in basic business disciplines with application to health services; a clinical and community perspective and professional skills. Students develop an understanding of organizational models and management principles applied to health settings; health care financial management and economics; quality and performance improvement; health policy and policy analysis; strategic planning and marketing; and health law and ethics.

The MHA requires a minimum of 54 semester credit hours plus field experience.

All MHA students are required to successfully complete:

• Five college core courses (15 credits)
  • Biostatistics I
  • Epidemiology
  • Principles of Health Policy and Management
  • Environmental and Occupational Health,
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences Applied to Health
• Management and Policy Courses (21credits)
  • Health Services Management
  • Organizational Behavior in Health Management
  • Strategic Planning and Healthcare Marketing
  • Health Policy and Politics
  • Information Systems in Health Management
  • Health Care Law and Regulations
• Finance, Economic and Quantitative Courses (13 credits)
  • Financial Accounting for Managers
  • Management Accounting and Control
  • Health Care Financial Applications
  • Health Economics 1
  • Quantitative Analysis in Health Care Management
• Capstone Course (2)-(substitutes for comprehensive exam)
  • Advanced Seminar in Health Care Management
• Field experience (1-12 credits)
• Special project (3 credits)

The Master of Health Administration has the following objectives in which the graduate will be able to:

• Assess the health care system in the United States, including the role of the public health disciplines; Demonstrate ability to use analytic and decision-making skills in accounting, finance, health economics, quantitative methods, and policy analysis;
• Apply management, leadership and performance improvement theories and principles in solving related health services problems;
• Analyze ethical issues and implications of cultural diversity in health policy and management;
• Demonstrate ability to utilize knowledge of information systems, health law, strategic planning, and marketing to advance health services delivery and outcomes;
• Develop interpersonal and communication skills; and
• Apply critical thinking skills and knowledge to health management cases and to a health care or related organization.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is granted in recognition of high attainment in a specified field of knowledge. It is a research degree and is not conferred solely upon the earning of credit or the completion of courses. It is granted after the student has shown proficiency and distinctive achievement in a specific field, has demonstrated the ability to do original, independent investigation, and has presented these findings with a high degree of literary skill in a dissertation. This degree requires a minimum of 90 credits beyond the baccalaureate degree.

Mission

The mission of the program of studies for the Doctor of Philosophy degree is to prepare public
health professionals to make substantive contributions to public health inquiry and practice.

Philosophy

Students should acquire the skills to create and disseminate knowledge, and also to lead, collaborate with and teach others in various public health academic, research and field settings. Therefore, the foundation of a strong PhD program in public health includes:

• Capable, ethical and scholarly faculty to mentor students in their area of interest,
• The potential for financial assistance/funding of doctoral student research and teaching,
• Availability of courses in student's area of interest,
• Students who have the academic and professional potential to achieve the doctoral
  competencies,Students who are ethical, scholarly representatives of the profession and the school,
• The availability of meaningful professional development activities, and
• Opportunities for students to participate in departmental activities.
• Competencies are met by successfully completing a doctoral committee approved plan of
  academic study and research, and documented professional and other scholarly experiences.
  Competencies for all doctoral students include:

1.                  Scientific Knowledge and Theory

A.   Critically evaluate and use scientific theories and frameworks relevant to public health.
B.    Synthesize knowledge from a broad range of disciplines in public health.

2.                  Research

A.  Critically analyze research literature.
B.  Develop models for guiding independent research.
C.  Design and carry out original research that contributes to knowledge base in public health.
D.  Demonstrate innovative methods of data collection and analysis.
E.   Apply a set of ethical standards in the conduct and disseminate
F.   Work as an effective research team member.
G.  Prepare scholarly publications and make oral presentations.
H.   Investigate funding sources.
I.      Develop grant-writing skills.

3.                  Teaching

A.  Demonstrate ability to teach a university level course using current pedagogical techniques.
B.   Demonstrate communication skills that facilitate learning by others in formal and informal settings.

Areas of Study

Doctoral programs leading to a PhD are offered in all five departments and the five core areas of public health. Students have an opportunity to specialize within their department.

Students and their major advisor jointly create a written plan to meet these competencies via the plan of study, research experiences, departmental and professional activities, and other appropriate methods. Students work with their major advisor and a committee throughout the course of study.

Advisor

Upon admission the department chairperson appoints a faculty advisor. Typically the advisor is the major professor of the dissertation committee. The advisor serves as a mentor and facilitates the student's doctoral studies by:

1. Meeting with the student to develop a plan of study for doctoral committee approval by the
   end of the second semester.
2. Monitoring and keeping the doctoral committee informed of the student's progress.
3. Meeting with the student on a regular basis about academic and research progress.
4. Complete, with the student, the PhD student competencies tool located on the forms page.
5. Coordinating the development, administration, and grading of the qualifying exam.
6. Guiding the student in development and implementation of a quality dissertation
   (including proposal, implementation of the research, and the written document).
7. Recommending an appropriate chair for the dissertation defense.

Doctoral committee

By the end of the second semester the faculty advisor and student shall form a doctoral committee, the committee will meet with the student and approve the student's plan of study.
The plan of study shall include all required departmental courses, prerequisites, research tools,
courses required outside of department, and teaching activities. The plan should include proposed time schedule to complete each course, and copies shall be given to each committee member and to the Office of Academic and Student Affairs. The doctoral committee members, major advisor, or student have the privilege of calling additional meetings to discuss student's progress, research ideas, plan for qualifying exam, or a significant change in plan of study. It is the student's responsibility to set up each meeting. 

The doctoral committee is responsible for the following:

1. Meet with the student to discuss plan of study, research proposal, qualifying exam, or academic progress.
2. Facilitate opportunities for research and scholarly growth.
3. Approve and monitor a plan of study that prepares the student to sit for qualifying exams and conduct dissertation research.
4. Develop and grade qualifying exam.
5. Guide student throughout dissertation.
   A.                 Approve written dissertation proposal through a formal oral presentation process.
   B.                 Provide guidance and support during dissertation.
   C.                Evaluate dissertation through dissertation defense process.

Students are encouraged to select a major advisor that will serve as the major professor of the dissertation. Occasionally, a student desires to change major advisor or committee members. Some examples when this may occur are when research interests are more closely matched with another faculty member, the student and faculty member mutually agree that another person is more appropriate, or a faculty member is leaving the university. This action is to be approved by the department chair, Academic and Student Affairs, and Graduate School.

Course of Study

The student's course of study will include the following:

A.  Prerequisites: A minimum of Biostatistics I, Epidemiology, and one other selected college core course are required by all students who do not have a master's degree in public health. The doctoral committee or the department may require other prerequisites. These courses are not included in the minimum number of hours a student needs to complete the PhD and are expected to be completed early in the course of study.

B.  Required Course Work: The courses and number of credit hours required are defined by the department and the doctoral committee and include course work from another department or college. There must be a minimum of 13 credits at the 7000 level. Generally, the doctoral degree requires a minimum of 90 credits beyond the bachelor's degree. Departments determine the number of credits accepted from previous master(s) degree. All doctoral students take a minimum of three semesters (one credit each semester) of a college wide Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminar in Public Health (PHC 7931).

C.  Tools of Research may be required by the department. Departmental Guidelines will address whether they are required for doctoral students within that department (consistency within the department required).  If required, the student must complete a minimum of two of the "Tools of Research" options designated by the department, and approved by the doctoral committee before the student is eligible to take the doctoral qualifying examination. The Tools of Research may include a wide range of skills or competencies relevant to research in the discipline not ordinarily part of the program of study, such as programming languages and application packages or other skills relevant to the area of study. The department will determine if credit hours taken to fulfill the Tools of Research will be credited toward the program of study.

D.  Teaching: All doctoral students will demonstrate or document proficiency in teaching academic courses at the university level. The doctoral committee will determine the required teaching activities or if previous university teaching is sufficient to exempt the student from further teaching experience.

E.  Qualifying Exam: When all required coursework is satisfactorily completed (including tools of research and prerequisites), the student must pass a written comprehensive qualifying examination covering the subject matter in the major and related fields. The department sets the specific criteria. This exam may be supplemented by an oral exam as determined by the department. Results of the written exam will be communicated in writing to the student within 15 working days of the examination.  If all or part of the exam is failed, the student has one more opportunity to retake the exam. Each department has specific guidelines for retakes. After successful completion of the qualifying exam and appropriate
paperwork is submitted to Graduate School, the student is admitted to candidacy and may register for dissertation hours.

F.  Dissertation: All students must follow the University's "Guidelines for Dissertations and Theses."   

Note: In order to be considered for admission to the Ph.D. Program in Public Health, applicants must be fully prepared to register as full-time students for at least one full academic year (consecutive Fall and Spring semesters).

                            http://www.grad.usf.edu/thesis_dissertation.asp

The doctoral committee may continue to serve as the dissertation committee, although this is not necessary.  The dissertation committee will formally approve the student's written research proposal after an oral presentation given by the student, supervise the research, read and approve the dissertation for defense, and conduct the dissertation defense. The committee will include at least three credentialed faculty from the department and one faculty from outside of the department. According to Graduate School guidelines, a faculty member outside of the department is specially appointed to chair the dissertation defense. Each department will have additional guidelines. A minimum of 18 dissertation credits are required.

Use of “c” in Degree Acronyms for Degree Candidates

 The College of Public Health does not permit students who are pursuing their masters or doctoral degrees to use the degree acronym after their names and a small “c” for candidate.  In other words students are not permitted to use MPHc, MSPHc, MHAc or PhDc.  If students, after successfully completing all comprehensive exams (core and concentration) for the master degrees or the qualifying exam for the doctoral degree wish to put their name followed by the words—master degree candidate or doctoral degree candidate-- this is allowed. 

 The reason for this is that the use of the degree acronym and small “c” causes confusion for faculty, employers, and other individuals who are reviewing students’ CVs and other materials.  It creates the situation whereby a student appears to already have the degree when this is not the case.  As a degree-granting College, this cannot be allowed.