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  Competencies

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Doctoral students successfully completing the Biostatistics PhD program in the Department will possess a defined set of competencies. These competencies should be used to guide the student and the students Doctoral Program committee in planning a program of study. Competencies can be met through previous academic or work experience or through a combination of planned course work and other scholarly experiences. Download the College PhD Student Competency Form at: http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/academicaffairs/For%20Faculty/COPH%20College-wide%20PhD%20competencies.pdf.

Degree Details

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title Doctoral Plan of Study
Major Focus Areas of the PhD Program in Public Health with a Concentration in Biostatistics Students can choose to focus their dissertation research in a specific focus area. Students identify and develop their focused research under the supervision of their major professor and the Doctoral Program Committee. Methodology focus areas include Bayesian statistics, environmental and spatial statistics, semi-parametric statistics, longitudinal and clustered data analysis, mixed effects and multilevel modeling, missing data analysis, survival data analysis, survey methodology, and causal inference. The methodology foci may transcend application focus areas such as modeling of HIV/AIDS clinical trials and management, HIV dynamic modeling, health risk assessment, quality of life and well-being, miss-classification in quality control charts and clinical diagnosis, social behaviors and mental health, clinical trials, evaluation of clinical and health outcomes, and modeling of biological systems. Examples of possible plans of study for each focus area are available on the Department website and the Department Doctoral Student Handbook.  Overview of Requirements for Doctoral Program in Public Health with a Concentration in Biostatistics The Doctoral Program in Public Health with a Concentration in Biostatistics usually involves two years of course work or more depending upon student’s previous Biostatistical training, followed by a doctoral dissertation.  Time required for completing a dissertation is commonly between two to four years. The following is an overview of the requirements for the PhD program in Public Health with a Concentration in Biostatistics: Topic Areas for Doctoral Coursework Other Requirements o   Theory and Method Courses o   Department/College Seminars o   Special topics in Biostatistics o   Teaching Requirements o   Data Management & Programming Skills o   Annual Doctoral Student Progress Report o   Proposal Development o   Qualifying Examination o   Knowledge in substantive application area o   Public Health course requirement o   Dissertation Proposal Defense o   Elective/Support Courses o   Final Dissertation Document o   Ethical Issues o   Final Dissertation Oral Defense o   Professional Development   o   Adv. Doctoral Interdisciplinary Seminars   Coursework The USF Graduate School requires a minimum of 90 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree for the doctoral degree. For students with a prior master’s degree, a total of 50-57 credit hours beyond the master’s degree are required, including 18 hours of required coursework in Biostatistics and a minimum of 18 credits of dissertation. The remaining credits are made up of course electives, which may or may not be within the department and shall be determined jointly by the student and the major professor/doctoral committee. Coursework in other departments or colleges may be required as determined by the Study Plan and approved by the student's doctoral committee. In addition, the overall coursework must include a minimum of 13 hours at the 7000 level and three Advanced Interdisciplinary Doctoral Seminars. For a listing of the courses offered by the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, see the COPH website.  The Department Doctoral Student Handbook provides more information about doctoral program coursework.  The following is a summary of program requirements for the Doctoral Program in Public Health with a Concentration in Biostatistics. Students are required to complete and submit the Department Doctoral Plan of Study Form by the end of the second semester after enrollment into the program.  The student should meet with their Major Professor and Doctoral Program Committee to select courses and complete the Plan of Study form.  The Department Plan of Study outlines the Department and College requirements for successful completion of the doctoral program including required coursework and other requirements. A signed copy of the Department Plan of Study Form should be submitted to the COPH Office of Academic and Student Affairs and the Department Academic Coordinator by the last day of classes in the Spring semester.  The student should retain a copy for his/her records.  After initially completing the Department Doctoral Plan of Study Form, the student should meet with his/her Major Professor at least annually to review the Plan of Study and update it as needed.  Each time the Plan of Study is revised, a copy of the revised Form should be submitted the COPH Office of Academic & Student Affairs as well as the Department.  At the conclusion of the student’s doctoral program, a final version of the completed Department Plan of Study Form should be submitted to the COPH Office of Academic & Student Affairs and the Department.  More information about doctoral program coursework is provided in the Department Doctoral Student Handbook. Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminars in Public Health The College requires that each doctoral student successfully complete three Advanced Interdisciplinary Seminars during their plan of study.  These seminars are offered at various times throughout the academic year.  Students should consult the COPH Course Schedule and their Major Professor each semester to determine which seminars will fulfill this requirement.  Teaching In addition to coursework, each doctoral student is required to demonstrate proficiency in teaching by serving as TAs for graduate and/or undergraduate level courses and/or other relevant teaching experiences and coursework. The purpose of the teaching requirement is to equip students with experience and proficiency in effective communication in a classroom setting as well opportunities to develop skills necessary for effective classroom management and student mentoring.  TA’s should maintain responsible and professional conduct during all interactions with faculty and students.  The TA should not meet with students in their homes, isolated locations, or late nights for their own personal safety.  The TA should promptly report any suspicious or dangerous student behavior to the course instructor and campus police, if necessary.  More information about the teaching requirement for the doctoral program is provided in the Department Doctoral Student Handbook. Other Departmental Requirements Public Health Seminars Departmental, College and USF Health seminars, guest lectures (e.g., Dean’s Lecture Series) are held throughout the academic year and these seminars are an important part of a student's academic training and professional development.  Each doctoral student is expected to attend all seminars but is required to attend at least two seminars per semester.  Students should include documentation of attendance at the seminars with the Department Annual Student Progress Report. Other Department Activities Doctoral students are also expected to attend Dissertation Concept Presentations, Proposal Defenses, and Dissertation Defenses of other doctoral students in the Department to provide encouragement and support.  Students should also attend other Department and College events and activities as their work schedules permit. Annual Student Progress Report All doctoral students will submit an annual progress report to the Department Doctoral Program Director(s) that will be reviewed by the Department faculty. The report will be used to assess the student’s progress through the program.  The report should be submitted to the Department by June 30th of each year.  An overall assessment and recommendations for modifications to the student’s plan of study from the Department faculty may be given to the student’s Major Professor and the student.  The Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics Annual Student Progress Report and more information about the Annual Student Progress Report can be obtained from the Department Doctoral Student Handbook and the Department website.  Time Limits for Completion of Doctoral Program On average, the doctoral program requires four to five years for completion following the Master’s or other advanced degree.  The USF Graduate School requires completion of all requirements for the doctoral degree within a specified period of time from the date of enrollment into the program.  Students should consult the USF Graduate School catalog for the specific time limits which apply to them.  In addition, the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics reserves the right to dismiss a student at any time because of failure to make satisfactory, continuous progress toward completion of the degree.

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