Mar 29, 2024  
Graduate Record 2020-2021 
    
Graduate Record 2020-2021 [ARCHIVED RECORD]

Academic Rules Public Health Sciences


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Academic Regulations


Attendance

Students are expected to attend classes throughout the session with the exception of University holidays. When necessary, excuses for absence from class are arranged between the student and the instructor of the course in question. Routine excuses for illness are not furnished by the Department of Student Health either to the student or to the instructor. At the request of the Department Chair, the Department of Student Health will evaluate the effect of any illness upon a student’s attendance and academic performance. Failure by students to attend lectures and other prescribed exercises in the courses for which they are registered may subject them to penalties for non-attendance.

Absence from written examinations will not be excused except for sickness on the day of examination attested by a physician’s certificate or for other cause which the graduate faculty by special action may approve. An unexcused absence in such cases constitutes failure of the examination.

Degree Conferral

A graduate student who wishes to receive his or her degree must file a degree application in SIS with the School of Medicine Public Health Sciences Program.  . Deadlines for degree applications are October 1st for conferral in December, February 1st for conferral in May, and July 1st for conferral in August (or the next business day in the event that a deadline falls on a weekend). A transcript of the applicant’s previous academic record confirming the substance and award date of his or her baccalaureate degree must also be on file in the Public Health Sciences (PHS) Education Office  by the degree application deadline.

In the event that a candidate does not complete the degree requirements in the term for which his or her degree application was approved, the candidate must notify the  PHS Education Officeof the revised expected date for graduation. The candidate must then submit a new application at the beginning of a subsequent term in which candidacy for the degree is again proposed. A candidate who requests degree conferral during the summer must register for the summer term.

A degree will not be conferred to a candidate who has a notation of “Incomplete” or a blank grade for any courses on his or her transcript.

Enforced Withdrawal

A student may be required to withdraw from a   PHS degree program if the academic advisor, departmental faculty and the  department chair determine that the student is making unsatisfactory progress toward a degree or fails to comply with all applicable University, School, and departmental policies, including but not limited to those governing student conduct, academics, and the Code of Honor. Tuition is charged according to the portion of the term elapsed before the effective date of the enforced withdrawal, and financial support allocated to the student for the remainder of that term is forfeited.

Enrollment

Students are required to register for a minimum of twelve credit hours and as may register for as many as 17 credit  hours by the stated deadline each term. These credit hours may be comprised of a combination of courses and Non-Topical Research. Students must register for at least nine graded credits on the standard lettered scale (A through F) in each of the first two terms of study. Audited courses carry a full tuition charge, but do not count toward the twelve-credit requirement.    A  degree seeking student may request permission to enroll part-time in a PHS degree program.

The registration process is not complete until a student has paid tuition and fees or made satisfactory arrangements with Student Financial Services. Changes in a student’s registration record after the final day for dropping a course, including changing grading options, require the approval of the  Department Chair. Students are expected to enroll continuously through the completion of their degree programs.

Students who have completed all degree requirements after the graduation deadline for a given term or after ceasing full-time enrollment may petition for Degree Conferral in Absentia. Because a student is eligible for this status for one term only, he or she will not be approved for this status until the satisfaction of all degree requirements has been recorded formally by the department. A student may request this status up to 15 days before the graduation deadline for that term, but in such cases may be subject to late enrollment fees.Please see University Regulations—Academic Regulations—Affiliated Status” for additional information.

Grades and GPA

The standing of a graduate student in each course is indicated by one of the following grades: A+, A, A-; B+, B, B-; C+, C, C-; D+, D, D-; F. B- is the lowest satisfactory grade for graduate credit. In courses where the grading option is Satisfactory(S)/Unsatisfactory (U), Unsatisfactory (U) is considered to be a failing grade, as is a grade of No Credit (NC). Students must achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.00 during each academic term and sustain a minimum grade point average of 3.00 cumulatively in order to maintain good academic standing. Unsatisfactory performance during a given semester may be considered sufficient reason for a student to be placed on academic probation or asked to leave a program.

A grade of Incomplete (IN) for a graduate course must be resolved by the conclusion of the next full term. An unresolved grade of Incomplete will be converted to failing grade by the University registrar 200 days from the date on which grades for that term were originally due. Courses in which no grade was recorded are assigned a failing grade 30 days from the date on which grades for that term were originally due. Failing grades recorded in this manner have the same effect on a student’s record and standing as failing grades assigned by instructors. Students carrying multiple grades of Incomplete or blank grades at the conclusion of a term are subject to probationary measures for unsatisfactory academic performance.

Students are responsible for confirming the accuracy of their transcripts. A student must identify and seek correction of any errors by the conclusion of the term following the award of the grade in question or prior to degree conferral if they are graduating that term. Upon identifying a possible error, the student should immediately contact the instructor and the Department of Public Health Sciences Chair . Errors not noted within these time limits will not be revised.

Leave of Absence

A student who wishes to suspend full-time study temporarily may request approval from the PHS Graduate Education Steering Committee to undertake a leave of absence and postpone his or her expected date of graduation. Depending on the circumstances of the leave, a student may also be required  Department to meet with the  Department of Public Health Sciences Chair as part of the approval process. Leaves are approved for a full term or academic year, with a student eligible for up to two years of leave cumulatively. A student on an approved leave retains access to his or her UVA e-mail account and may under certain circumstances purchase health insurance during the first twelve months of the leave, but is otherwise ineligible for financial aid and the use of University facilities. A student must affirm his or her intent to return from leave. A student on leave must file a reinstatement request by April 1 to return in the fall term and by November 1 to return in the spring term.

Leaves of absence involving medical circumstances may be approved at any point before or during a particular term.  In the latter case, tuition is charged according to the portion of the term elapsed before the effective date of the leave, and financial support allocated to the student for the remainder of that term is forfeited.  Students whose leaves involve medical circumstances are required to meet with the Department Chair  as part of the approval process and obtain clearance from the Department of Student Health in order to resume enrollment.

Petitions, Appeals and Grievances

Petitions for exceptions to School of Medicine and Department of  Public Health Sciences policies must be requested by the student through the  PHS Graduate Education Steering Committee.to the Department of Public Health Sciences Chair .

The School of Medicine  does not entertain appeals or grievances of the faculty’s academic evaluation of students.

Students are expected to follow complaint or grievance processes set forth in applicable University policies, including but not limited to those regarding:

  • Graduate Assistantships
  • Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment
  • Preventing and Addressing Retaliation
  • Standards of Conduct
  • Student Academic Grievance Policy (PROV-019)
  • Student Rights and Responsibilities
  • Student Sexual Misconduct

For situations not otherwise directly addressed in University policy, graduate students should attempt to resolve concerns or conflicts by working directly with a faculty member, the director of the particular PHS graduate program , or the department chair. Conflicts or concerns that cannot be resolved to a student’s satisfaction within the department should be referred to the Student Academic Grievance Policy (PROV-019).

A student who wishes to appeal a particular action taken by the PHS MPH/MS Academic Progress and Achievement Committee (APAC) may do so in writing to the Department of Public Health Sciences Chair   within fourteen (14) calendar days of the date on which the decision being contested was communicated to the student.  A three-person ad hoc Appeals Committee will be established that is composed of faculty drawn from Public Health Sciences and other SOM faculty members, none of whom is a current member of the APAC.  The student selects one member, the Department of Public Health Sciences Chair selects one member, and the Dean of the School of Medicine selects the third member, who will also serve as Chair of the ad hoc Appeals Committee.  The student will be permitted to inspect all documentation considered by the APAC.  The student will be permitted to have counsel, to submit affidavits and exhibits, and to summon witnesses at the Appeals Committee hearing.  Legal counsel may be present to provide advice, but legal counsel will not be permitted to participate actively in presentation of testimony, examination/cross examination of witnesses, or oral arguments.  The Appeals Committee is to conduct a hearing as soon as possible (ordinarily within 14 days) and will uphold, modify, or reverse the decision of the APAC.  The Appeals Committee will provide the student with all the evidence against him/her, including the academic grades and written evaluations, and will base its recommendations upon the evidence presented at the hearing.  The Appeals Committee will send its decision, along with a written record of its proceedings, to the Dean of the School of Medicine.  The decision of the Appeals Committee will be final. 

Posthumous Degrees

Eligibility for posthumous degrees extends only to students enrolled in B.A. and B.S. programs.

Readmission and Reinstatement

A student who voluntarily withdraws from the  PHS Graduate Program or otherwise ceases to enroll for a period of up to two academic years and wishes to resume enrollment must file a reinstatement request by April 1 to return in the fall term and by November 1 to return in the spring term. A student who has been absent for longer than two years must reapply through the standard process to his or her program of study.

Transfer Credit

External Credit for New Students in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic Spring 2020. To review the criteria that will be used to evaluate courses taken during Spring 2020 please Click Here .

No extension, correspondence, home-study, or transfer courses will generally be counted toward the degrees of , Master of Science – Clinical Research,  and Master of Public Health, except in rare circumstances after appeal to and approval of the PHS Graduate Education Steering Committee..

Voluntary Withdrawal

A student who wishes to withdraw voluntarily from the  a PHS graduate program during an academic term must discuss the circumstances, and submit a formal notice of withdrawal to the PHS Education Office and the Department Chair.   . Forms for this purpose may be obtained from the PHS  Education Office.  . Students withdrawing during an academic term must do so at least one week prior to the examination period in order to receive notations of “W” on the transcript. Tuition is charged according to the portion of the term elapsed before the effective date of the leave, and financial support allocated to the student for the remainder of that term is forfeited. A student withdrawing after the conclusion of an academic term and before enrolling for a subsequent term need only provide formal notice to the PHS Education Office . For more detail, see “University Regulations—Academic Regulations—Voluntary Withdrawal.”


Admission


Policies

Application for admission must be made on-line by the stated deadlines, which vary by program. A non-refundable application fee is payable at the time of application. Official decisions regarding the application for admission are communicated directly by the  PHS Education Office..

Applicants may apply to only one program in the Department of Public Health Sciences  

Requirements

An applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree  issued by a collegiate institution of recognized rank. .

An applicant generally should have achieved,  a B average in their undergraduate program or the equivalent as estimated by the PHS Graduate Education Steering Committee.

Academic credits, undergraduate or graduate, earned more than ten years before the date of application for admission will normally not be considered as a valid basis for admission to the  PHS Graduate Programs. At the discretion of the faculty in the proposed program of study, such credits may be validated by an examination or examinations given at the University of Virginia.

Official results of the Graduate Record Examination general test (as well as subject tests when required by the department), transcripts, statement of intent, resume and two letters of recommendation from faculty (preferably those who have taught in the field of the major subject) are required in support of the application. The PHS Program will accept LSAT, GMAT, and MCAT tests in lieu of the GRE.  The standardized test requirement is waived for UVA 4th year students applying for admission directly to the Master of Public Health program immediately after baccalaureate graduation  .  Upon acceptance to the Public Health Science Program , the applicant must provide official transcripts of his or her baccalaureate record and any graduate-level work conducted at the University or elsewhere. Additional materials may be required.  .

Applicants whose native language is not English must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which is administered by ETS, or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The minimum internet-based (iBT) TOEFL score requirement is 90 (including sectional minimums of 22 in speaking, 22 in writing, 23 in reading and 23 in listening). The minimum paper-based TOEFL score requirement is 600. The minimum IELTS score requirement is 7.0 in each section. This requirement is typically waived for applicants who will have received a baccalaureate degree or its international equivalent from a college or university in which English is the primary language of instruction.


Degree Requirements


Dual Degrees

Department of Public Health Sciences Department  in conjunction with other Schools at the University of Virginia, offers several dual degrees . Students in a dual degree program must meet the minimum stated academic, and residency requirements  of the participating  degree program.

Business

Department of Public Health Sciences  and the Darden School of Business offer the MBA/MPH . Dual-degree students generally enroll full-time in the MPH Program for two semesters and complete their MPH courses while enrolled in the School of Business. With the approval of the Department of Public Health Sciences, up to nine credits of coursework completed at the School of Business may count toward the master’s degree.

Leadership and Public Policy

Department of Public Health Sciences and the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy offer the MPP/MPH . Dual-degree students generally enroll full-time in the MPH Program for two semesters and complete their MPH courses while enrolled in the School of Leadership and Public Policy. With the approval of the Department of Public Health Sciences, up to nine credits of coursework completed at the Batten School may count toward the master’s degree.

Law

Department of Public Health Sciences and the School of Law offer the JD/MPH. Dual-degree students generally enroll full-time in the MPH Program for two semesters and complete their MPH courses while enrolled in the School of Law. With the approval of the Department of Public Health Sciences, up to nine credits of coursework completed at the School of Law may count toward the master’s degree.

Medicine

Department of Public Health Sciences and the School of Medicine offer the MD/MPH  and the MD/MS in Clinical Research. Dual-degree students generally enroll full-time in the MPH Program for two semesters and complete their MPH courses while enrolled in the School of Medicine. With the approval of the Department of Public Health Sciences, up to nine credits of coursework completed at the School of Medicine may count toward the master’s degree.

Master’s Degrees

The degrees of , Master of Science,  and Master of Public Health will be conferred upon the holder of an approved baccalaureate degree who has fulfilled within the designated time limit all requirements set forth below  together with any discipline-specific requirements stated by the department or program. .

Academic Requirements
Students must complete a minimum of 31  graduate credits for the MS Clinical Research degree and 42 hours of graduate credits for the MPH degree. Only graduate courses taught by members of one of the graduate faculties of the University, and graded on the standard A through F scale may be counted toward the graded coursework requirement unless otherwise specified in a program’s degree requirements. . Courses applied toward a master’s degree in one  program may not be used to fulfill requirements for a master’s degree in a second program unless otherwise stipulated in an official dual degree program. . Students who previously enrolled in courses offered through  the Department of Public Health Sciences while completing an undergraduate or graduate degree program at the University of Virginia may count up to  nine credits of such coursework towards a  master’s degree in the Department of Public Health Sciences as long as those credits were not used to fulfill requirements for the prior degree.

A student’s particular course of study is arranged in consultation with faculty advisors in the discipline and the particular PHS Graduate Program Director. . With the approval of his or her  director, students may elect a limited number of appropriate courses offered  across the University. Additional discipline-specific requirements for the master’s degree are noted in the entries for respective graduate departments and programs.

Residency Requirement
Master’s students must be enrolled in a minimum of two semesters of full-time study.

Time Limitation
All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within five years from the first term of enrollment.

Final Examination
A candidate must achieve satisfactory standing in a final examination (oral, written or both) conducted by two or more Department of Public Health Sciences graduate faculty members designated by the department chair. The result of the examination and the names of the examiners must be reported  to the Public Health Education Office  at least two weeks in advance of final exercises.


Financial Assistance


Assistantships

Teaching assistantships, research assistantships and part-time instructorships are available in most departments to graduate students who are enrolled full time and in good academic standing. The duties associated with these appointments and the wages, tuition remission, tuition adjustment and health insurance subsidy that accompany them are articulated in a policy maintained by the Office of the Provost.

Teaching assistants other than graders must be fluent in English. Graduate students whose native language is not English are required to achieve a grade of 55 or higher on the SPEAK test or complete a series of classes through the Center for American English Language and Culture. In courses that enroll graduate and undergraduate students, the grading of graduate students should not be performed by a graduate teaching assistant. For information concerning assistantships, students should write directly to their directors of graduate  program.

External Awards

A student who receives an external award is required to report the award to the University Student Financial Services Office.  . Failure to report such an award constitutes misconduct on the part of the student and is subject to disciplinary action. .

Loans and Part-Time Employment

Graduate students enrolled full-time are expected to limit their employment, including assistantships and other wage appointments through the University, to twenty hours per week. A student who wishes to work beyond twenty hours per week must petition his or her department chair , indicating the type of work to be undertaken, the weekly effort involved, the potential effects of this additional work on the student’s academic progress, and whether or not the student is present at the University on an international visa. If the department chair endorses the request, he or she will forward it to the  Public Health Science Executive Committee for review.

Graduate students may apply for financial assistance through the Office of Student Financial Services. All awards from federal loan or employment funds are based on need. Students must submit a University financial aid application and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to Student Financial Services. For further information or to obtain a copy of the requisite forms, please contact Student Financial Services.