Academic Policies & Procedures

Doctoral Students

Course Prescription Meeting

Course Prescription Meeting:

Students must meet with their Doctoral Advisory Committee to determine the coursework the student will take prior to taking the Doctoral Qualifying Examination.

Students should complete this step by their 2nd year in the program.

During this meeting, the Advisory Committee will evaluate the students’ transfer coursework, as well as list out coursework for the student to take prior to their taking the Qualifying Examination and becoming a Doctoral Candidate.

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Course Prescription Requirements:

Major, Minor, and Dissertation Course Requirements:

Requirements for this degree are prescribed by each individual student's faculty advisory committee. Requirements include: a minimum of 90 credits beyond the bachelor's degree; a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA for graduation; and a minimum grade of C in each course used for the degree.

To request a course prescription meeting, first finalize the day and time with all members of your committee. Meetings may happen in person or virtually using Zoom or Microsoft Teams.

If you choose to have the Course Prescription meeting in person, please fill out this form a minimum of 10 working days before the planned meeting date so the Graduate Recorder can reserve a room: https://sph.indiana.edu/forms/student/graduate-student-meeting/index.php

If you choose to have the Course Prescription meeting virtually (on Zoom or Microsoft Teams) the form above is not necessary, but the student is responsible for creating a Zoom or Teams meeting and distributing the meeting information to their committee. Once the meeting is complete and the committee approves the coursework plan, the student can then initiate the Online Course Prescription form (see below).

The Course Prescription Form is housed online in the SPH-B E-Course Prescription Environment, located here: https://sph.indiana.edu/ECRx/ - student will select the “Student Login” link to begin the form process. This is linked to the Advisory Committee and Transfer Credits form within the same online environment so all can be referenced as needed by the student.

The form is first approved by the Advisory Committee Chair, then each committee member, then the Graduate Recorder, and finally the Assistant Dean of Graduate Education.

Prerequisites and/or Required Courses

All students in the Ph.D. in Environmental Health degree, the Ph.D in Epidemiology Degree, the Ph.D in Biostatistics Degree, the PhD. in Nutrition degree, and the Ph.D. in Health Behavior degree, must complete the following two requirements:

  • Public Health Foundations Requirement (0 credits) All School of Public Health graduate students should complete the Public Health Foundations online course prior to registering for their first semester courses.  Complete details and registration information for this course can be found at the following Website: https://expand.iu.edu/browse/publichealth/courses/foundationalknowledgepublichealth.
  • SPH-E 651, Epidemiology (3 cr.), or its equivalent.

All students in the Ph.D. in Leisure Behavior degree, and Ph.D. in Human Performance degrees (Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology, Motor Learning/Control, and Sport Management), are required to complete the following requirement:

  • Public Health Foundations Requirement (0 credits) All School of Public Health graduate students should complete the Public Health Foundations online course prior to registering for their first semester courses. Exception: this requirement is waived for students with a prior MPH degree from a CEPH accredited program or school. Complete details and registration information for this course can be found at the following Website: https://expand.iu.edu/browse/publichealth/courses/foundationalknowledgepublichealth.

Degree Requirements (90 credits minimum)

  • Research Skills (9–13 credits) A minimum of 9 credits are required of coursework providing skills necessary to conduct research. Advanced courses in biostatistics are commonly prescribed.

Important Note: Each Doctoral Degree program may require additional courses beyond this 9 credit hours.  Please see Degree Requirements for your major under Graduate Programs in the SPH-B Academic Bulletin.

Research skill credits count toward the 90 credits for the degree. Courses counted in this area require a minimum grade of B.

Examples of Research Skills courses:

  • Advanced statistics courses
  • Engineering (recommended for Biomechanics): one course in each of statics, dynamics, and mechanics of materials. These courses should have the content of standard theoretical courses in engineering.
  • Other appropriate research skills that have been endorsed by the doctoral advisory committee and approved by the associate dean for graduate studies. Some examples of other appropriate skill areas are computer science, mathematics, and electronic techniques in physics.
  • Major Area of Study (30 credits minimum) A minimum of 30 credits in the major area of study. These courses must be taken within the School of Public Health. Courses transferred from previous graduate work outside the School of Public Health, if within the major area of study, can be used to fulfill the major areas of study requirement, contingent upon the advisory committee’s approval.
  • Minor Area of Study (9 credits minimum) A minimum of 9 credits of coursework in a designated area outside the department in which the major is being pursued. 

Certain minors may require more than 9 credit hours.  Please follow the Bulletin requirements for the minor you have selected.  It is not permissible to exceed the credit hour requirements of a listed doctoral minor.

  • Electives (0–28 credits) Elective credits may range between 0 and 28. An optional second minor may be included in the elective credit hours.
  • Dissertation (20–30 credits: 799-level) – 20 credits is the minimum amount that must be taken by all IU doctoral students.  However, a student may take up to 30 credits in order to bring the degree credits up to 90 total.

Course Prescription Stipulations:

In addition to the requirements listed above,

  1. A student registered in a doctoral program must satisfactorily complete all course work and the doctoral qualifying examination within five (5) years of the initial registration.
  2. Courses used to satisfy the 90 required credit hours of graduate coursework may not have been completed more than seven (7) years before the date on which the student takes the doctoral qualifying examination.
  1. Elective or minor course work must clearly support the development of research competency in the major field.
  2. Deficiencies in coursework must be made up during the first year of enrollment.

 

 

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