Page Comparison

Advising and mentorship of doctoral students is a comprehensive process that evolves throughout the Doctoral Program. Upon admission, an initial advisor is appointed for each student. The student then selects a Major Professor and assembles a Doctoral Program Committee which will provide guidance  and oversight for the coursework phase of the Doctoral Program. After successfully passing the Qualifying Examination, the student will have a Doctoral Dissertation Committee which will provide expertise and guidance for the dissertation. More information about each aspect of the advising process is provided in the sections below.

The Advisor

Upon admission an advisor of full-time Biostatistics faculty from the Department is appointed by the Department for each doctoral student. The Advisor will provide general orientation to the doctoral program and guidance in the initial selection of classes. Each Program Advisor will serve in this capacity for a maximum of two semesters from the time of entry into the doctoral program. By that time (i.e., by the end of the second semester in the program), doctoral students are expected to select a Major Professor and form a Doctoral Program Committee.

The Major Professor

As the student's research interest develops, usually by the end of the second academic semester, the student will select a Major Professor. If the Program Advisor is in agreement, she/he may become the Major Professor if appropriate, or the student may ask another full-time, departmental Biostatistics faculty member to serve as the Major Professor. Students must have a Major Professor in order to maintain satisfactory academic progress in the doctoral program. If a student is unable to have a full-time Biostatistics faculty member from the Department to serve as his or her Major Professor by the end of one year from the date in which they entered the doctoral program or at any time point thereafter in the program, the student may not be permitted to continue in the doctoral program.

The Major Professor must be fully credentialed by the College of Public Health. The Major Professor will assist in identifying any specific deficiencies and provide guidance for completing the Plan of Study. Students should consult the USF Graduate School Catalog for more information. In special circumstances a Co-Major Professor may be assigned upon approval by the Major Professor and Departmental Chair.

The Doctoral Program Committee

By the end of the second academic semester, in collaboration with the Program Advisor (or Major Professor if selected), the student will assemble a Doctoral Program Committee. Students should follow the steps for forming a committee as outlined in the Department Doctoral Student Handbook and by the COPH. In addition to the requirements of the USF Graduate School the specific Department requirements for the composition of the Doctoral Program Committee are as follows:

• The committee must consist of at least four graduate faculty,
• The Chair of the committee must be fully credentialed by the College of Public Health and be a full-time member of the Biostatistics faculty in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics. The Major Professor serves as the Chair,
• A minimum of three committee members (including the Chair) must be from the Biostatistics faculty from the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics. All members must be credentialed by the College of Public Health,
• A minimum of one committee member should be a researcher with relevant scientific expertise who should be a full-time member of the Department faculty, COPH, USF faculty or another institute,
• The committee can include additional members as needed, who can be from outside the Department.

The Doctoral Program Committee will approve the student's Plan of Study and provide guidance for the student regarding class selection and preparation for the qualifying examination. The signed Department Plan of Study Form should be submitted to the Department Academic Coordinator and the COPH Office of Academic and Student Affairs.

The Doctoral Program Committee may meet at any time, but should ideally meet once per semester but at least once per academic year to review the student's progress, or to suggest changes in the plan of study. The student also may request a committee meeting at any time. The Doctoral Committee Chair may be asked to provide the department as requested by the Department Chair or the PhD program Director, or the student with an evaluation of the student's progress toward the degree. More detailed information about the advising process for doctoral students is provided in the Department Doctoral Student Handbook.

The Doctoral Dissertation Committee

After the successful completion of the Doctoral Qualifying Examination but before the student reaches the dissertation stage, the membership of the student's Doctoral Program Committee should be assessed for suitability for the Doctoral Dissertation Committee. The membership of the Dissertation Committee may be the same as that of the Doctoral Program Committee if the student and/or Major Professor so desires. Students must have a Doctoral Dissertation Committee in order to maintain satisfactory academic progress in the doctoral program. If a student is unable to assemble a Doctoral Dissertation Committee within one year of successfully passing the Qualifying Exam, the student may not be permitted to continue in the doctoral program.

Requirements for Composition of Doctoral Dissertation Committee

In addition to the requirements of the USF Graduate School, the specific Department requirements for the composition of the Doctoral Dissertation Committee are as follows:

• The committee must consist of at least four graduate faculty,
• The Chair of the committee must be fully credentialed by the College of Public Health and be a full-time member of the Biostatistics faculty in the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics,
• A minimum of three committee members (including the Chair) must be from the full-time Biostatistics faculty from the Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics. All members must be credentialed by the College of Public Health,
• A minimum of one committee member should be a researcher with expertise in the area relevant to the student's doctoral research, who should be a full-time member of the Department or College faculty or another institute,
• The committee may include additional members from outside the Department.

Changes in Doctoral Committee Membership

There may be a variety of reasons, including better suiting the needs of the student's dissertation research, to change the membership of the Doctoral Program or Dissertation Committees. Members of the Doctoral Program Committee may decide not to serve, or choose to remain on the Dissertation Committee. In the event a Major Professor is unable or unwilling to continue serving on the student's committee, the student is responsible for finding another Major Professor. Students who are unable to find a replacement of Major Professor who meets the Department requirements should confer with the Department Chairperson for available options. If no other options exist, the student may be requested to voluntarily withdraw from the program or may be honorably withdrawn in good academic standing.

The PhD candidate or Major Professor can also recommend changes. However the Major Professor and the Department Chair must approve all changes in committee membership.

In order to change the membership of a Doctoral Committee, students are required to submit the PhD Change of Committee Form which is available at http://www.publichealth.usf.edu/forms.html to the Department Academic Coordinator and the COPH Office of Academic and Student Affairs. Students should consult the Department Doctoral Student Handbook, the College of Public Health Office of Academic and Student Affairs, and the USF Graduate School Catalog and website for specific information about the process to change Doctoral Committee membership.