NOTE:  All MPH students starting their degree program in Fall 2009 are now required to take the Public Health Capstone course PHC 6936 which includes the taking of the core exam.  Information about the capstone course can be found here:  http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/academicaffairs/capstone.html

The Core Comprehensive Examination is a requirement for all students seeking an MPH or MSPH degree in the College of Public Health. (MHA degree students are required to take the HPM Capstone course.) Students who entered their program prior to Fall 2009 are encouraged to take the core exam early in their program - as soon as they have taken all their core courses (or are enrolled in their last core course). See below for more information about eligibility requirements and application.   Students also have the option of taking the exam as part of the capstone course – see link above. 

NOTE: In the Environmental and Occupational Health Department (EOH), there is a core and concentration exam that may be taken separately or concurrently. See below for more information.

Students (including Capstone students) must take the exam on the regularly scheduled exam dates listed.  Alternate exam dates will not be approved.

*Students in the Capstone Class do not need to submit an application. 

1. Core Exam: This tests mastery related to all of the five core courses –

This section is developed by a committee comprised of faculty and is administered to all students taking the exam regardless of their home department. The Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs and the Educational Outcomes Committee are responsible for assessing and monitoring the quality and outcomes. MPH/MSW and MPH/MS Adult Nursing dual degree students must take all five core sections of the exam although the class PHC 6410 Social & Behavioral Sciences Applied to Health is not required in these programs. However, students do have the option to take the course. *In the case of some MSPH degree programs which only require 3 core courses, the student will only need to take the 3 sections of the Core Exam that correspond with the 3 core courses he/she took.*  The MSPH in Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Medicine require completion of all five Core areas of the exam.

Eligibility for the Core Exam (for students taking the exam as a stand alone exam, who are not in the capstone class):

A student must have:

• Either completed all Core courses, or completed 4 out of 5 Core courses and be currently enrolled in the last Core course.
  (*some MSPH programs: completed 2 out of 3 Core courses and currently enrolled in the third course)
• Attained at least a 3.0 GPA and be in good academic standing.
• 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. "B-" (2.67) grades will not be transferred.
• No core course work with a grade of incomplete.
• Written approval of advisor and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.
• Registered for at least two credits in the semester the exam is taken (not required to be registered in order to retake the exam the following semester).
• All outstanding issues related to taking the exam resolved prior to the application deadline.
• First-time retake students must wait to retake failed sections of the exam until the next published exam date in the following semester. Students who retake one or more subject/s and fail a second time will be required to retake the core course/s pertaining to the failed subject/s and pass the course/s with a minimum of a B. The student may then retake the failed subject/s of the core portion of the comprehensive exam a third and final time. (see Retaking the Exam section below).

Format for the Core Exam: 100 multiple choice questions to be answered on a Scantron bubble form with a number 2 pencil. 20 questions per Core subject. You will have 3 hours to complete the Core Exam.

2. Concentration Exam (EOH students only): This tests mastery related to the students’ department and concentration requirements. This section will be designed according to department written criteria. Note: Not all EOH concentrations have a concentration exam – check with your advisor for more information.

Eligibility for the Concentration Exam:
a student must have:

• Completed a minimum of 75% of the credit hours for his/her required Concentration courses prior to the semester in which the exam is taken and be currently enrolled in your remaining Concentration courses.
• Attained at least a 3.0 GPA and be in good academic standing.
• 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. "B-" (2.67) grades will not be transferred.
• No concentration course work (excluding field experience, special project, and thesis) with a grade of incomplete.
• Written approval of advisor and Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs
• Registered for at least two credits in the semester the exam is taken (not required to be registered in order to retake the exam the following semester).

Format for the EOH Concentration Exam: The EOH department is responsible for writing its own concentration exam. Please check the EOH website, under Student Resources, for the department's Comprehensive Exam Guidelines. You can also ask your department advisor questions regarding the Concentration Exam. You will have 3 hours to complete the Concentration exam.

3. Grading

All exams are graded on a pass/fail basis.

Core Exam: There are FIVE core areas. An overall average score of 70% is required to pass. If a 70% overall score is not achieved, only the section(s) in which 70% was not achieved will need to be retaken. Students in the Public Health Capstone course should consult the course syllabus for grading information. 

Concentration Exam: Contact your advisor with questions about the grading of your concentration exam.

Typically, all Comprehensive Exams will take 2 to 3 weeks to process. Students will be notified by email of their exam results about 2 to 3 weeks after they take the Exam.

Retaking the Exam

College of Public Health Core Comprehensive Exam Retake Procedure:

Date Approved:
9/04-College of Public Health
10/04-USF Graduate Council Subcommittee
10/18/04- Fully Approved by the Graduate Council

Date Implemented: 10/18/04

Date Amended: 11/27/07
The comprehensive exam is one of the major ways the College provides a culminating experience for students. This exam provides a mechanism to ensure that the core principles of public health have been mastered. Students who fail the subject/s of the core portion of the comprehensive exam will be allowed to retake the exam for the failed subject/s. A student who retakes one or more subject/s and fails a second time will be required to retake the core course/s pertaining to the failed subject/s and pass the course/s with a minimum of a B (80-89%). The student may then retake the failed subject/s of the core portion of the comprehensive exam a third and final time. The student must complete the exam retake following completion of the course/s and must PASS on that administration. If the student fails a third time, the College has the authority to dismiss the student from the program.

Students also have the opportunity to enroll in the public health capstone course which includes taking the core comprehensive examination. A student who receives a passing grade of C or higher in the capstone course will be considered as having met the core comprehensive exam requirement.

Concentration Exam Retake Procedure: Please check the EOH website, under Student Resources, for that department's Comprehensive Exam Guidelines for retake exams.


4. Comprehensive Exam Application and Process

The Comprehensive Examination Application is available for downloading.
Application Procedure:

• Download the form and complete. Get your advisor's signatures. Note: the Deadline Dates
• Submit the completed form to the COPH Academic and Student Affairs Office.
• Each student's academic course work will be reviewed by the Academic and Student Affairs Office and submitted for final approval to the COPH Academic Dean.
• The approval process takes approximately two weeks after the application deadline date.
• Each student will receive an email confirming approval or denial to take the Comprehensive Examination
• Each student who is approved to take the Comprehensive Exam will receive emails to their USF Health e-mail address with further exam information and updates
• Students taking the Public Health Capstone class are not required to submit an exam application. 
  
  Important Note:
  
  Students planning to graduate see Graduation, Application & Procedure for more information.