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1. The doctoral project defense should be conducted at the latest by one month prior to the end of the semester in which the student would like to graduate. The final project must be submitted to the DrPH Director for review and approval at least 4 weeks prior to the proposed defense date.

2. The presentation and defense are open to the public and as such, must meet the requirements of the Sunshine Laws for the State of Florida. The doctoral committee deliberation is not public.

3. The room selected for the examination should have adequate seating with an alternate room selected in case of problems.

4. Participation of the student and/or external mentor is permissible via speakerphone or video conference.

5. Defense will be scheduled on Microsoft Teams by the Office of Doctoral Training.

6. The length of the examination period will generally not exceed three hours. Throughout this time the Faculty Chair is to be in charge of all proceedings.

7. The Faculty Chair, at any time during the course of the examination, may request all visitors to leave.

8. Presentation:

1. • The Faculty Chair should open the proceedings by introducing the candidate and the doctoral committee.

   • The examination should begin with a presentation by the candidate designed to summarize the doctoral project.

   Questions: Following the presentation the student will be questioned about the doctoral project. The order of the proceedings is described below:

   • The examination will consist of questions about the research by the doctoral committee.

   • It is suggested that questioning should be limited to about 15 minutes for each committee member with subsequent rounds of questioning as necessary.

   • Questions from the faculty‐at‐large and/or the public may be allowed following the presentation. It is suggested that questioning from the general audience be limited up to 5 minutes per person.

   Deliberations and Voting: Following the completion of these proceedings, the Faculty Chair:

   • will ask all visitors and the candidate to leave and will re‐convene the doctoral committee only.

   • will preside over the deliberations and voting of the doctoral committee.

   • is responsible for tallying the votes and informing the candidate of the final decision. The voting is to be limited to “pass” and “fail” votes. The vote of the doctoral committee must be unanimous. If unanimous agreement cannot be reached, the Faculty Chair notifies the DrPH Program Director, who will endeavor to resolve the dispute in an expedient fashion.

   • withholds his/her own signature on the DrPH Doctoral Defense From Final Defense Form (in Archivum) until all required revisions are satisfactory.

8. Doctoral Project Defense Form:

1. 1. Prior to the Doctoral Project defense,

      the student

      students must

      fill out the Doctoral Project

      complete the DrPH Final Defense Form in Archivum with the following information:

      • required student information
      • description of the doctoral project deliverables
      • list of the DrPH competencies that the project synthesizes (minimum five)

      After a successful defense, the

      student should obtain signatures from all committee members other than the

      Faculty Chair

      (s). The Faculty Chair

      will sign

      once all revisions are completed an accepted.
      The signed form must be submitted prior to the end of the semester to Academic and Student Affairs at cophdoctoral@health.usf.edu, and uploaded to the student's document folder in Box: https://usfhealth.account.box.com/login.

1. 1. the DrPH Final Defense Form once all revisions are completed an accepted.

1. 1.  The signed form must be submitted in Archivum prior to the end of the semester

1. 1. . After the Doctoral Committee has determined that the doctoral project is suitable for presentation, and a defense date has been established, students must submit

1. 1. the Doctoral Project Defense Announcement

1. 1. Form to

1. 1. cophdoctoral@usf.edu for distribution.