The thesis is a culminating experience in the graduate student's MSPH program. The purpose of the thesis is to give students an opportunity to synthesize and apply the knowledge and skills gained in the MSPH course work and demonstrate the ability to produce a scholarly product. This thesis also allows students the opportunity to develop research skills, as they conduct an individual project on a specific public health related topic. The thesis will demonstrate the critical thinking, research, and writing skills of students as they prepare to enter their career in public health. A student's thesis should be relevant to their field of study and their long term goals in public health.
USF Requirements
For information on USF requirements for the thesis, the major professor, and thesis committed, refer to the USF Catalog at http://www.grad.usf.edu/policies_Sect8_full.php#thesiscomm.
A thesis must be submitted electronically and must conform to the guidelines of the University. Refer to the Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines, available on the web at http://www.grad.usf.edu/ETD-res-main.php for complete information about requirements, procedures, and deadlines. For enrollment requirements regarding thesis hours, refer to the Academic Policies section in the Catalog.
COPH Requirements
For specific details regarding thesis requirements and processes for your department, refer to your Department's Special Project Guide:
- Community and Family Health
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Epidemiology and Biostatistics
- Global Health
Human Subjects Approval
All proposed dissertation research which involves human subjects, even if it involves secondary data,must be approved by the USF Institution Review Board. Information can be obtained at http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/officeresearch/humansubjects.html. This applies to all proposals whether the research is funded or unfunded. All doctoral students at USF are responsible for following all guidelines of the USF Graduate School, Human Subjects Regulations, Data Use Agreements and HIPAA regulations, when applicable. Students who fail to comply with these requirements may be subject to disciplinary action or dismissed from the program. Students should consult the USF Office of Research, Division of Integrity and Compliance website to obtain guidance about research involving human subjects as defined in the USF Human Research Protection Program Investigator Guide, available online at http://www3.research.usf.edu/dric/hrpp/resources.asp. Aspects of the dissertation research that involve contact with study subjects or data containing personal identifiers cannot proceed until IRB approval has been obtained.
Please send feedback on the MSPH Guidebook