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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 Ph.D. 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.

Note: You may choose a plan of study that corresponds to the academic year of your admission or any year thereafter.  Please see the guidelines below.

The PhD Plan of study form is to be completed before the end of the THIRD SEMESTER after admission. Only typed forms are accepted. The committee shall meet and approve the plan of study. Each member of the committee and major advisor, chair of the department, Academic Affairs Office, and students shall be given a signed copy of the approved plan of study. It is the responsibility of the student to submit the plan to Academic Affairs and to assure all other copies are appropriately distributed. Any changes must be approved by your committee and the amended plan submitted to Academic Affairs.

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 ranked faculty member of the Department of Community and Family Health,

• A minimum of three committee members (including the Chair) must come from the academic discipline and be credentialed by the College of Public Health,

• Other members of the committee should be from outside of the Department,

• At least one other committee member not including the Chair must be a ranked faculty member of the Department,

• Faculty holding joint or adjunct appointments in the degree-granting academic unit (i.e. Department or equivalent) cannot be external members on a student's committee,

• 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 Department Chair.

The student should complete the Ph.D. 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 1006 in the WELL. 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 Ph.D. PhD candidate or major professor recommends a change, and the Department Chair approves it. The form is called thePh.D. PhD Change of Committee Form and is available at 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 Chair or designee who will also send to the major professor. 

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 at 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, 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.

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 Ph.D. PhD candidate or major professor recommends a change, and it is approved by the Department Chair. 

The Office ofGraduate Studies requires a minimum of four members; however, the major professor and the committee may decide that a five member committee is advantageous for the student.  In the four member committee, three members are from the academic discipline and there is at least one external member from outside the Department, School, or equivalent, hosting the doctoral program, but may be within the academic discipline.  Also the Chair and at least one other committee member must be ranked faculty members with an appointment in the Department.  Faculty holding joint or adjunct appointments in the degree-granting academic unit (i.e. Department or equivalent) cannot be external members on a student's.  For a five member committee the same rules apply however three members are from the academic discipline and two members are external as described above.

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. PhD 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 appear on the Graduate School website. the vote of the Doctoral Dissertation Committee must be unanimous.  If unanimous agreement cannot be reached, the Doctoral Dissertation Defense Chair notifies the Department Chair (or appropriate equivalent) who will endeavor to resolve the dispute in an expedient fashion. 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.