The following academic procedures will assist you in processing the required paperwork needed to accomplish each request.  Please follow the procedure properly in order to expedite your request quickly.  All of the forms needed are on the forms page unless otherwise stated.

Grades and Academic Standards:

Graduate students must maintain an overall average of 3.0 ("B") in all courses, and meet the requirements of the degree program to be considered "in good standing." No grade below "C" will be accepted toward a graduate degree. This includes C- grades. All grades will be counted in computing the overall grade point average (GPA). This means that any class in a student's program in which he/she receives a grade below a C (C- to F) must be retaken.

Only grades of "B" (3.0) or higher earned as a non-degree seeking student are eligible for transfer after acceptance into the College of Public Health . Please be aware that a "B-" (2.67) grade will not be transferred.

Any student who is not in good standing (GPA below 3.0) at the end of a semester shall be placed on probation. As of Fall 2004 USF has implemented automated academic probation procedures. More information on the procedures can be found in the Graduate School catalog at http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/catalog/main.asp.

Graduate Grading System

Graduate grades will be assigned quality points in the Grade Point Average (GPA) grading system as follows:

A+ = 4.0
A = 4.0
A- = 3.67
B+ = 3.33
B = 3.00
B- = 2.67
C+ = 2.33
C = 2.00
C- = 1.67
D+ = 1.33
D = 1.00
D- = .67
F = 0.00
FF = Failure due to academic dishonesty
IF = 0.00 (Incomplete Fail)
MF = 0.00 (Missing Fail)

The following are not computed into the GPA:

I = Incomplete
M = Missing Grade / No grade reported by instructor
N = Audit
S / U = Satisfactory / Unsatisfactory
W = Drop or Withdrawal from course without penalty
Z = Continuing registration in multi-semester internship or Thesis/Dissertation Courses

Incomplete Grades:

Graduate Students - Please refer to the Graduate School Incomplete Grade Policy at: http://www.grad.usf.edu/newsite/main.asp

Undergraduate Students - An "I" grade may be awarded at the discretion of the instructor only when the student is otherwise earning a passing grade and only if the incomplete is due to the omission or fault of the student. Fifty (50%) percent of coursework must be satisfactorily completed to be eligible for an incomplete grade. Students are to download the Contract for Incomplete Grades form. The contract should include a description of the work to be completed, the date by which the work is to be submitted and should be approved and signed by the course instructor. The "I" is not computed in the grade point average. If not changed after two terms (including summer), "I" grades will be converted to "IF" (Incomplete Fail) or "IU" (Incomplete Unsatisfactory) and will be computed into GPA until removed. Students do not re-register for courses in which they are only completing previous course requirements to change an "I" grade. If a student wants to audit a course for review in order to complete course requirements, full fees must be paid. All "I" grades excluding field experience, special project, and thesis must be removed before approval is granted to take the comprehensive exam. All "I" grades must be removed before approval is granted for the Ph.D. qualifying examination and graduation.

Undergraduate students complete the following steps -

1. Download and complete the Contract for Incomplete Grades for Undergraduate Students on the COPH forms page
   
2. Get the required signatures
3. Submit to the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office

Missing Grades:

In the event a grade is lost or the instructor fails to turn in a grade by the end of semester deadline, the Registrar assigns a default grade of "M" (missing). An "M" grade is not calculated into a student's GPA. If an "M" grade is not changed by the end of the next semester , it will automatically turn into an "MF" (Missing Fail) or "MU" (Missing Unsatisfactory) as appropriate. An "MF" or "MU" is calculated into the GPA. All missing grades excluding field experience, special project, and thesis must be removed before approval is granted to take the comprehensive exam. All missing grades must be removed before approval is granted for the Ph.D. qualifying examination and graduation.

Change of Grade:

Incomplete or missing grades are the responsibility of the student. Upon completing all work required for the class, please contact the instructor to submit a change of grade form to the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office. Only the faculty member can pick up a change of grade form.

Change of Advisor: download the COPH form Petition for Change of Advisor, Concentration Area, Department or Degree Program.  Complete the top portion of the form and submit to COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  The student will be notified by email once the change is approved.  All forms will be processed during the semester processing dates established by the department. 

Change of Concentration Area: download the COPH form Petition for Change of Advisor, Concentration Area, Department or Degree Program.  Complete the top portion of the form and submit to COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  The student will be notified by email once the change is approved.  All forms will be processed during the semester processing dates established by the department.

Change of Degree Program: download the COPH form Petition for Change of Advisor, Concentration Area, Department or Degree Program.  Complete the top portion of the form and submit to COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  A USF Change of Degree Program form will be required also, this form is only available in the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  The student will be notified by email once the change is approved.  All forms will be processed during the semester processing dates established by the department.  

Change of Department: download the COPH form Petition for Change of Advisor, Concentration Area, Department or Degree Program.  Complete the top portion of the form and submit to COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  The student will be notified by email once the change is approved.  All forms will be processed during the semester processing dates established by the department.

Student Grievance Procedure:
Review USF Academic Grievance Policy at http://generalcounsel.usf.edu/policies-and-procedures/pdfs/policy-10-002.pdf

• Undergraduate:
  http://www.ugs.usf.edu/pdf/cat1011/2010-2011DRAFT.pdf#page=56


• Graduate:
  http://www.grad.usf.edu/inc/linked-files/USF_Grad_Catalog_2010_2011.pdf#page=50

Dissertation: please refer to the following documents:

• Your PhD Checklist;
• Your department's guidelines found on their website under Student Resources;
• Your program's description page in the COPH catalog (http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/programs_offered.html) ;
• The USF Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Resource Center (http://www.grad.usf.edu/thesis.asp) ;
• The USF Graduate Catalog (http://www.grad.usf.edu/catalog.asp).

Add a Course: please see our staff to assist you during the first week of classes to add a course in the OASIS system. To petition to add a course after add/drop week the form required for this action is a USF Graduate Petition available in the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  Petitions submitted will take 2-3 weeks to process before a change in the OASIS system is noted.

Drop a Course / Withdraw: you can drop a course in the OASIS system up to the final drop date without academic penalty. See the COPH Schedule for dates.  After the final drop date the form required for this action is a USF Graduate Petition available in the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  Please see our staff to assist you.  Petitions submitted will take 2-3 weeks to process before a change in the OASIS system is noted.

Delete a Course: the form required for this action is a USF Graduate Petition Delete Form available in the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  Only non-attended courses can be deleted.  Please see our staff to assist you.  Petitions submitted will take 2-3 weeks to process before a change in the OASIS system is noted. 

Exchange a Course: the form required for this action is a USF Graduate Petition available in the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  Please see our staff to assist you.  Petitions submitted will take 2-3 weeks to process before a change in the OASIS system is noted.

Late Registration: two forms are required for this action a USF Registration Form & a Graduate Petition available in the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.  This procedure replaces the normal OASIS registration.  Students do not need to register again in OASIS.  Please see our staff to assist you.  Petitions submitted will take 2-3 weeks to process before a change in the OASIS system is noted. 

Thesis: please refer to the following documents:

• Your department's guidelines found on their website under Student Resources;
• The USF Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Resource Center (http://www.grad.usf.edu/thesis.asp) ;
• The USF Graduate Catalog (http://www.grad.usf.edu/catalog.asp).

Time Conflict: a Time Conflict form is needed when a student has two classes in conflict and cannot complete their registration in OASIS.  Complete the Time Conflict form, get the required signatures, and attach to the Registration Worksheet.  Submit the forms to the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office to receive a time conflict permit in order to register.

Transfer Credits: students who would like to transfer credits earned from USF or another accredited university will need to see the COPH Academic and Student Affairs staff for assistance.  Please read the information below prior to submitting your request:

• Non-Degree Seeking Students:  only 12 credits taken as a non-degree student at the University of South Florida (USF) can be transferred into a program with grades of "B" or higher.  Please be aware that a "B-" (2.67) grade will not be transferred. No transcript will be required for USF courses.


• Degree Seeking Students: only 12 credits with grades of "B" or higher taken at another university can be transferred into your program per department/advisor approval.  Please be aware that a "B-" (2.67) grade will not be transferred. An official transcript will be required unless on file in your COPH permanent record in the Academic and Student Affairs Office.


• Course Substitution Requirements for the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics Core Courses (Effective Spring 2010)
  
  It is important that all COPH students have a solid foundation in the core courses of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. To transfer in courses taken elsewhere as substitutes for PHC 6000 (Epidemiology) or PHC 6050 (Biostatistics I) students must:


1. Have received a grade of B or better in the course taken elsewhere as determined by official transcript.


2. Submit, for departmental review, a syllabus from the course requested as substitute to ensure content covered is equal.


3. If the course is considered by the department to be similar, students must take a multiple choice exam of PCH 6000 (Epidemiology) or PHC 6050 (Biostatistics) content, either through blackboard or in person.


4. Successfully pass the exam with a score of B (80%) or higher in the first attempt.

If the above requirements are satisfied, the previous course will be approved by the department. The student must submit the course substitution form to the department for signature. If any of the above requirements are not met, students must enroll in the core course(s) in the College of Public Health at U.S.F.

Use of “c” in Degree Acronyms for Degree Candidates:

The College of Public Health does not permit students who are pursuing their masters or doctoral degrees to use the degree acronym after their names and a small “c” for candidate. In other words students are not permitted to use MPHc, MSPHc, MHAc or PhDc. If students, after successfully completing all comprehensive exams (core and concentration) for the master degrees or the qualifying exam for the doctoral degree wish to put their name followed by the words—master degree candidate or doctoral degree candidate-- this is allowed.

The reason for this is that the use of the degree acronym and small “c” causes confusion for faculty, employers, and other individuals who are reviewing students’ CVs and other materials. It creates the situation whereby a student appears to already have the degree when this is not the case. As a degree-granting College, this cannot be allowed.