Doctoral Progression Policy (PhD, DrPH)

USF College of Public Health

Doctoral Graduate Student Progression  (PhD, DrPH)

All applicable policies can be found in USF catalog from the Office of Graduate Studies

All questions should be directed to the Doctoral Training Office

Purpose and Intent

The USF College of Public Health is committed to student success and ensuring progression through our graduate programs, including the timely achievement of milestones. Facilitating students through their academic progress to degree is just one of the many university initiatives directed at assisting students in effectively meeting their academic goals.  Doctoral degrees must be completed within a seven-year timeframe.

Audience

The following progression plan is for doctoral-level graduate Public Health programs (PhD, DrPH).  This plan refers only to progression toward degree. Please see the specific degree for any additional requirements of each degree program.

Progression Milestones

1. Students must maintain an overall and program grade point average (GPA) of 3.30* and produce work consistent with the standards of the USF Academic Integrity Policy in order to be considered in academic "good standing" and to earn a degree.
2. All doctoral level students who do not have an MPH or MSPH, MUST enroll in the required core courses (History and Systems and Population Assessment I) in their first fall semester.  Enrollment in Population Assessment 2 must occur in the second semester unless a grade lower than a B is earned in either of the first two core courses.  In this case, students must wait until successful completion of the first two courses before progression into the second course.
3. Students must earn the grade of ‘B’ or higher in each required core and concentration course and a ‘C’ or higher in all elective courses.
4. Students are limited to a total of two course withdrawals (excluding withdrawals with cause or military duty).
5. Successful completion of the qualifying exam must occur by the end of the 4^th year in the doctoral program.

Holds, Academic Progress Plan, and Plan of Improvement

1. Doctoral students who have a GPA less than 3.3* will be placed on probation according to the Graduate Student Probation Process, and a hold will be placed on their account, preventing registration until they meet with an advisor and create an Academic Progress Plan ensuring that the student has a path to raise the GPA to the required minimum.
2. Doctoral students who receive less than a ‘B’ in a required core or concentration course or less than a ‘C’ in an elective course, will have a hold placed on their account, preventing registration until they meet with an advisor and create a Plan of Improvement. The Plan will be submitted to the Academic Progression Review committee. If the committee approves the proposed plan, the student must register and repeat the course the next time it is offered.
3. PhD students will participate in the annual progress report process (DrPH students are reviewed by faculty mentors along the way to degree). If there is inadequate progress toward milestones or degree completion, a Progress Plan will be implemented with detailed deadlines for the relevant milestones. If the student does not meet the deadlines, the student may be dismissed or asked to voluntarily withdraw.
4. Time limit extensions will not be granted unless there are extenuating circumstances.  In order to be granted a time limit extension, a detailed timeline with explicit due dates (e.g., “October 3, 2023”) for completion of all remaining milestones will be provided by the major professor, director of the program, and Sr. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.  If the student does not meet any of the deadlines on the timeline, the student will be dismissed or asked to voluntarily withdraw.  The maximum amount of time that may be granted in a time limit extension is 2 years.  No second time limit extensions will be granted.
5. PhD students who have not entered doctoral candidacy by the end of their 4th year in the program and who are not making adequate progress to degree completion according to their Progress Plan will be encouraged to voluntarily withdraw or be recommended for dismissal to the Office of Graduate Studies, (DrPH students do not enter doctoral candidacy).
6. Leaves of absence are an option for students experiencing health, family, or other challenges during their doctoral training. If a leave of absence needs to be considered, students should meet with their academic advisor.

Dismissal

1. Doctoral students that earn two (2) grades below a ‘B’ and/or ‘U’ in the required core or concentration courses, or two (2) grades below a ‘C’ and/or ‘U’ in elective courses will be encouraged to voluntarily withdraw or be recommended for dismissal to the Office of Graduate Studies.
2. Doctoral students who do not have a path to raise the GPA to the 3.3* minimum in an Academic Progress Plan will be encouraged to voluntarily withdraw or recommended for dismissal to the Office of Graduate Studies.
3. Doctoral students who have violated the Academic Integrity Policy will be recommended for immediate dismissal to the Office of Graduate Studies.
4. Doctoral students who have not entered candidacy by the end of their 4th year in the program and who are not making adequate progress to degree completion according to their Progress Plan will be encouraged to voluntarily withdraw or be recommended for dismissal to the Office of Graduate Studies.
5. The Sr. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the College of Public Health will notify students who are being dismissed in writing as required by USF policy.

*For students in catalog years prior to 2023, the overall and program grade point average minimum is 3.0.

Appeal Process: See USF Policy 10-002: Academic Grievance Procedure for Students. Dismissal for lack of academic progress is not subject to the appeal process.

Version 1.0 (8.2.2023)