Beyond the general university and school information for students, each academic program may have guidelines, policy and procedures that are specific to that program of study or degree designation alone.
The full list of Fairbanks School of Public Health academic programs, majors, concentrations, minors, certificates, along with program competencies, course descriptions and study abroad opportunities can be found in the IU Indianapolis Campus Bulletin.
The Fairbanks School of Public Health (FSPH) monitors undergraduate student progress each fall and spring semester and assigns a standing category for each student per IU Indianapolis policy. This allows FSPH to carefully track and support your academic progress.
The Office of Financial Aid also monitors students for academic progress. Students who demonstrate a pattern of not making adequate progress risk losing their financial aid.
Although the Fairbanks School of Public Health does not consider financial aid issues when making decisions about academic review and release, it does assist the Office of Financial Aid by certifying whether students are making satisfactory academic progress (SAP).
The FSPH academic standing requirements for undergraduate students are as follows:
Dean’s List
A student will be named to the Dean’s List if they have completed 12 or more credits with a semester GPA of 3.5 for that semester.
Dean’s List is published each regular semester (fall/spring) by the Division of Undergraduate Education. Learn more about the Dean’s List.
Good academic standing
A student is considered in good academic standing with FSPH when maintaining a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher.
Academic review (previously academic probation)
Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.5 at the end of a regular semester (fall/spring) will be placed on academic review.
Students will continue on academic review when their semester GPA is at least 2.5, but their cumulative GPA is below 2.5.
Students will be removed from academic review status once their cumulative GPA is at least 2.5.
A student will be notified of academic review status via IU email from the Fairbanks School of Public Health and must follow conditions as established by FSPH during this review period.
Academic release (previously academic dismissal)
Students on academic review will be released from their program of study if they fail to attain a semester GPA of at least 2.5 in any two consecutive regular semesters (fall/spring) and the cumulative GPA is below 2.5.
Students who are released for the first time cannot enroll until one regular (fall/spring) semester has elapsed since being released and must petition by the established deadlines to be considered for reinstatement.
Students released two or more times cannot enroll for the next two consecutive regular (fall/spring) semesters and must petition by the established deadlines to be considered for reinstatement.
A student will be notified of academic release status via IU email from the Fairbanks School of Public Health.
First semester student academic release
A first semester student who has completed a minimum of 12 IU Indianapolis credit hours will be dismissed if they fail to attain a GPA of at least 1.0.
Students who are released for the first time cannot enroll until one regular (fall/spring) semester has elapsed since their academic release and must petition by the established deadlines to be considered for reinstatement.
First semester student is defined as a first-year, transfer, or intercampus transfer student that is enrolled int their first semester at IU Indianapolis.
A student will be notified of first semester academic release status via IU email from the Fairbanks School of Public Health.
Reinstatement
Students seeking reinstatement should contact FSPH academic advising to verify their eligibility for reinstatement and obtain the reinstatement petition form.
To allow sufficient time for considering a petition for reinstatement, an eligible student should submit a petition before June 15 for the fall semester and October 15 for the spring semester. FSPH does not review students for reinstatement for the summer semester.
Students who are reinstated will be notified via IU email from the Fairbanks School of Public Health. The email will indicate any conditions and restrictions affecting readmission and continuance in the degree program.
Conditions for reinstated students
Students who are reinstated will be classified as under academic review until their cumulative GPA is at least 2.5.
During the first regularly enrolled term in academic review status, students will be strongly encouraged to enroll in no more than 12 credit hours and must achieve a semester GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Each subsequent academic review semester, students will be permitted to enroll full-time but must continue to attain a 2.5 semester GPA. Failure to meet the semester GPA requirement while under academic review status will result in academic release.
Reinstated students who achieve good academic standing, a 2.5 or higher cumulative GPA, but then subsequently fall below this standard in a following semester will be held to the normal academic review terms as outlined in the academic review and release policy.
Reinstatement after a second academic release is extremely rare and only considered in extenuating circumstances with supporting documents (doctor’s notes, court papers, etc.). Students released two or more times who are reinstated must remain in good academic standing each semester as there will be no further reinstatements.
Sanctions
Students may be academically released from FSPH if they do not make appropriate academic progress as described above. Being released from FSPH does not prevent a student from pursuing another program at IU. Dismissal is a campus level-action and may be invoked only by the standards noted in the IU Indianapolis Academic Policy statement. Students not meeting the academic requirements specified in this procedural document will generally be academically released by FSPH, but not dismissed by the campus.
All undergraduate students in the School of Public Health receive academic advising support from an assigned academic advisor who can assist with academic exploration and planning, course registration, and general guidance. Students can find their assigned academic advisor and schedule appointments directly through the Student Appointment Scheduler (SAS). All students are expected to meet with their academic advisor at least once a semester, though they are available year-round for additional support.
Students in the pre-major who are still working towards admission to their program as a pre-major will work with their assigned pre-major advisor.
In addition to regular advising appointments, undergraduate students also have access to the FSPH academic advising Canvas site. This site includes a variety of academic planning tools, tutorials, and forms. Students are encouraged to monitor this site regularly as critical information will be shared regularly through this site.
Undergraduate students in the School of Public Health as well as students enrolling in School of Public Health courses must be officially enrolled in order to attend class. Students who request a late enrollment for a course that is not designated as late enrollment (i.e., internship, courses that start later in the term) will not be granted permission to enroll in the course after the 25 percent refund period ends.
Under certain circumstances, students can seek grade changes for a course that has been completed if the student believes that a grade has been calculated or assigned incorrectly. The reasons for seeking a grade change are:
A student who is seeking a grade change for one of these reasons must first contact the instructor and ask for the grade change. In the event the instructor does not change the grade, the student may appeal the instructor’s decision by filing a change of grade appeal with the registrar’s office. Once completed, the appeal will be sent to FSPH and students will be notified of final decisions after the appeal has been received and decided upon.
A student has 90 days after the conclusion of a course to appeal a grade. In cases of extenuating circumstances, petitions filed after this date may be considered.
Occasionally a student may seek a withdrawal after a course has been completed. Changing a grade after the grade is issued is rarely granted and only in extraordinary circumstances that prevented the student from officially withdrawing or would have imposed an unreasonable hardship on the student. A request to change from a letter grade to a withdrawal is never granted in the following situations:
Undergraduate FSPH students seeking their first degree may grade replace a maximum of 15 credit hours. If a student chooses to repeat a course and achieves the same or higher grade, both attempts will appear on their transcripts. On the transcript, the original grade will be replaced by an X, and only the second grade will be counted in the cumulative GPA. Students may “replace” the same course twice.
Grade replacement is not automatic. Students must contact their academic advisor to initiate this request.
General minor policies
Students who choose to pursue a minor must officially declare this minor on their IU Indianapolis record. Students should contact the appropriate academic department for additional guidance on how to declare the minor. Minors will not be awarded to the student’s transcript unless it has been officially declared and successfully completed.
Undergraduate students pursuing an FSPH bachelor's degree program may not earn an FSPH minor or certificate in the same area of study as their major. For example, health services management students may not earn the health administration minor or health administration certificate.
BSPH minor policies
The Undergraduate Student Association is the official undergraduate school government that provides students a voice in matters pertaining to the affairs of the university and Fairbanks School of Public Health.
Students seeking more information about joining the UGSA should reach out to their academic advisor.
In order to be in good academic standing, the MHA program requires students maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. A grade of C or better must be earned. Required courses that fall below the C grade threshold must be repeated and only the BEST grade achieved will be used in computing the university GPA. If the course is an elective, it does not have to be repeated, but the 3.0 GPA must be maintained.
Academic probation
Students will be placed on academic probation and a hold will be placed on their account if their semester and/or cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0. Students on academic probation are given one semester to bring their GPA to a 3.0 or higher. If students are unable to bring their GPA up to 3.0, their academic record will be reassessed by the MHA committee, and a decision will be made as to whether or not the student may continue in the program.
In order for courses to meet MHA graduation requirements, a grade of C or better must be earned. Courses where a grade of C- or lower has been earned must be retaken for the student to meet graduation requirements.
Termination
If a student has failed to meet the minimum 3.0 GPA requirement or standards stipulated in the written letter, therefore has resulted in termination from the program from their program's academic program review committee.
Termination recommendations may be made under any of the following conditions:
The office of student success will email and send by postal mail a certified letter notifying the student of termination from the program.
A student who has been dismissed academically may petition for reinstatement after one semester (fall or spring) has elapsed from the date of dismissal. Only under exceptional, extenuating circumstances will a petition be considered earlier. Forms can be obtained form the office of student success.
All MHA residential students are asked to meet with the program director a minimum of three times during their MHA educations: (1) soon after the first semester begins; (2) at some point during the second semester of the first year; and (3) at some point during the fall semester of the second year.
Additionally, students should plan to meet with their graduate advisor for questions regarding course authorizations, course enrollment planning, and other operational or policy questions. MHA Residential Students can schedule an advising appointment with Elijah Barry through the Student Appointment Scheduler (SAS).
MHA online students should contact Lindz Tuthill, iuograd@iu.edu for advising assistance.
Arranged courses offered in the FSPH (PBHL-H 650: Independent Readings, PBHL-H 735: Research in Health Administration, and PBHL-H 702: Internship in Health Services Management) require authorization prior to registration. Please consult with your FSPH academic advisor for instructions regarding registration for these courses.
In some cases, a student may be eligible to transfer coursework/credit hours earned at another CAHME-accredited institution into the MHA program. Students may transfer no more than nine credit hours of coursework, in which a grade of “B” or better was awarded.
The student should submit a request for evaluation of transfer credit to the office of student success and attach a copy of the syllabus for the course to be transferred, along with other supporting documentation as needed. When the decision has been made, the student will be notified in writing.
The course instructor, faculty advisor, and MHA program committee will evaluate the transfer request. They will consider the following criteria when making the decision:
Students will satisfy the internship requirement by registering for PBHL-H702 for three credit hours. Students should follow these steps in order to be given permission to register for PBHL-H 702:
MHA Student Association (MHASA)
The MHA Student Association is a social organization that will provide networking and volunteer opportunities for all MHA graduate students. Contact the MHA program director for more information.
Upsilon Phi Delta
Upsilon Phi Delta is the national honor society for students in healthcare administration. The society recognizes scholastic excellence by students in the health administration field. Membership is by invitation only and students must achieve a minimum overall 3.8 grade point average in their studies. (Students who apply for graduation by the posted deadlines will be considered).
Student Life
The Division of Student Life at IU Indianapolis, as educators and advocates, provides student-centered services, consulting, facilities, learning experiences and programs for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community.
Student representation on department committees
In order to be in good academic standing, the MPH program requires students maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. A grade of B or better must be earned. Required courses that fall below the B grade threshold must be repeated and only the BEST grade achieved will be used in computing the university GPA.
For courses to meet graduation requirements, a grade of B or better must be earned. Courses where a grade of B- or lower has been earned must be retaken for the student to meet graduation requirements and the student will receive an academic warning. If the course is an elective, that specific course does not have to be repeated, but an alternate must be chosen and a grade of B must be achieved in order to meet the program of study requirements.
Academic warning for certificate and MPH programs
A warning will be issued to a student when their semester and or cumulative GPA falls below 3.0. This status is initiated and documented by the office of student success. The student will be notified in writing via email, and documentation placed in the student’s file. If the deficiency is not corrected after one semester or required standards by the timeframe stipulated in the written letter, probation may be recommended.
Academic probation for certificate and MPH programs
The academic progress review committee may recommend probation for any student who has not corrected the deficiency that resulted in the warning. A student on academic probation is expected to meet the required standards by the timeframe stipulated in the written letter. Failure to meet the required academic standards can result in dismissal from the program.
Termination
A student who has failed to meet the minimum 3.0 GPA requirement or standards stipulated in the written letter, therefore has resulted in termination from the program by their program's academic program review committee.
Termination recommendations may be made under any of the following conditions:
The office of student success will email and send by postal mail a certified letter notifying the student of termination from the program.
A student who has been dismissed academically may petition for reinstatement after one semester (fall or spring) has elapsed from the date of dismissal. Only under exceptional, extenuating circumstances will a petition be considered earlier. Forms can be obtained form the office of student success.
MPH in-person/hybrid students should plan to meet with the FSPH graduate advisor for questions regarding course authorizations, course planning, and other operational or policy questions. MPH students can schedule an advising appointment with Elijah Barry through the Student Appointment Scheduler (SAS).
MPH online students should contact Lindz Tuthill, iuograd@iu.edu for advising assistance.
The MPH degree includes a 160-hour applied practice experience (internship). Students should consult with their faculty advisor/mentor and the director of career and professional development to prepare for their practice experience.
Students must complete a proposal form and obtain authorization before they may register for their applied practice experience (i.e. the 602 internship). Access more MPH internship resources here.
Students who have completed all MPH requirements and earned an “I” grade for the Capstone may be required to enroll in one credit hour each semester until the project grade has been assigned. Enrollment in one credit of PBHL-700 allows students access to the library, computer labs, IRB, and other campus facilities/services.
Please contact your graduate advisor for more information on continuous enrollment authorization.
In some cases, a student may be eligible to transfer coursework/credit hours earned at another accredited academic institution into the MPH program. Students transferring from a CEPH-accredited program or school may transfer up to 15 credit hours of required or elective graduate coursework into the MPH program if a grade of “B” or better was earned.
Students transferring from a non-CEPH-accredited program or school may transfer up to nine credit hours of required or elective graduate coursework into the MPH program if a grade of “B” or better was earned.
To request transfer of credit, current MPH students may obtain the transfer request form from the Student Portal. Students should attach a copy of the syllabus for the course credits to be transferred, along with other supporting documentation as needed. The course director and student’s faculty advisor will evaluate the transfer request. They will consider the following criteria when making the decision:
When the decision regarding transfer of credit has been made, the student will be notified via email.
MPH students are required to pass the CPH exam before they graduate from the program. The CPH exam course (P508) should be taken after successful completion of the core courses.
Please note: MHA MPH dual students will be given access to the school's CPH exam prep Canvas course. Study modules, resources, and necessary forms for obtaining your exam voucher are included on this resource site.
After the CPH exam intent form is completed, students are issued a voucher that enables them to take the CPH exam at home (with remote proctoring) or at one of the exam sites. For more information about the CPH exam, visit CPH exam materials.
A $250 CPH exam fee is assessed when students register for the P705 capstone course.
Students in the MPH program and Graduate Certificate in Public Health program participate in a variety of InterProfessionalEducation (IPE), referred to as “IPE Phases.” This required experience is associated with the core course P510, in which students attend the 'Exposure Phase'. A one-time fee is assessed to cover the session. During the IPE sessions, MPH students learn about, with and from students in other health professions as they solve complex health issues together. For more information about IPE, visit interprofessional education at IU.
This course is designed to expose students to published material on a specific topic or technique in the field of public health. The material to be studied will be determined primarily by the student under the direction of a faculty member with input from the student’s faculty advisor. The student is expected to work closely with the faculty member to identify the material to study, plan a timeline for completion of the study, and determine the nature of the study product.
Generally the product will be a summary and interpretation of the material studied in the form of a literature review. The student and faculty member will complete a written agreement form, which can be found on the website, prior to registering for the course. The form outlines the scope of work for the semester.
This agreement will also be signed by the student’s faculty advisor. Students may register for one to four (1-4) hours of academic credit for this course. Students must document at least 45 clock hours of effort for every one hour of academic credit. The documentation of effort should be submitted along with the final paper. A student may repeat this course once. The readings in public health permission form is available under the Student Portal.
MPH Student Association
This committee represents all students enrolled in the MPH program. Student leaders are involved in new student orientation, student gatherings, social events, service activities, and graduation. This committee meets monthly or as needed.
Master's program committee
This committee reviews proposals for new courses and dual degrees, recommends actions to the faculty assembly, discusses issues related to the MPH program, and reflects on short-term and long-term planning matters (public health competencies, course development, and curriculum content). This committee meets monthly. The MPH student association president or their designee serves as the MPH student representative on this committee.
Graduate and Professional Student Government (GPSG)
The GPSG is the student government body for all graduate programs on campus. At least one FSPH graduate student attends the IU Indianapolis GPSG meetings to represent the graduate programs in our school. The GPSG meetings occur once a month and a representative from the FSPH is required to attend.
MPH community practice committee (CPC)
This committee includes faculty, practitioners and students. Committee members discuss matters related to the practice component of the MPH curriculum, particularly the Applied Practice Experience (APE) and the Integrated Learning Experience (ILE). Among the topics are identification of sites and preceptors, definition of student and preceptor expectations, and evaluation of the practical experiences. Meetings are typically held three times a year.
IU Indianapolis Student Affairs
The IU Indianapolis Division of Student Affairs provides student-centered services, consulting, facilities, learning experiences and programs for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community. For more information, visit Student Affairs.
Delta Omega
Delta Omega is the national honorary society for students in public health. Induction into Delta Omega is a highly competitive process and requires nomination by the FSPH faculty. Students do not apply for membership in Delta Omega, rather, they are nominated by faculty toward the end of their MPH education based on academic performance, dedication to quality in the field of public health, and protection and advancement of the health of all people. Graduating students are considered by faculty for nomination into Delta Omega in the spring of each year.
Each chapter of Delta Omega elects new members from five groups:
In order to be in good academic standing, the MSGHSD program requires students maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. A grade of B or better must be earned. Required courses that fall below the B grade threshold must be repeated and only the BEST grade achieved will be used in computing the university GPA.
For courses to meet graduation requirements, a grade of B or better must be earned. Courses where a grade of B- or lower has been earned must be retaken for the student to meet graduation requirements and the student will receive an academic warning. If the course is an elective, that specific course does not have to be repeated, but an alternate must be chosen and a grade of B must be achieved in order to meet the program of study requirements.
Academic warning for MSGHD program
A warning will be issued to a student when their semester and or cumulative GPA falls below 3.0. This status is initiated and documented by the office of student success. The student will be notified in writing via email, and documentation placed in the student’s file. If the deficiency is not corrected after one semester or required standards by the timeframe stipulated in the written letter, probation may be recommended.
Academic probation for MSGHSD programs
The academic progress review committee may recommend probation for any student who has not corrected the deficiency that resulted in the warning. A student on academic probation is expected to meet the required standards by the timeframe stipulated in the written letter. Failure to meet the required academic standards can result in dismissal from the program.
Termination
A student who has failed to meet the minimum 3.0 GPA requirement or standards stipulated in the written letter, therefore has resulted in termination from the program by their program's academic program review committee.
Termination recommendations may be made under any of the following conditions:
The office of student success will email and send by postal mail a certified letter notifying the student of termination from the program.
A student who has been dismissed academically may petition for reinstatement after one semester (fall or spring) has elapsed from the date of dismissal. Only under exceptional, extenuating circumstances will a petition be considered earlier. Forms can be obtained form the office of student success.
All MS GHSD students are assigned to our graduate advisor. Students should plan to meet with the FSPH graduate advisor for questions regarding course authorizations, course planning, and other operational or policy questions. Students can schedule an advising appointment with Elijah Barry through the Student Appointment Scheduler (SAS)
If the student previously took graduate certificate program courses for credit as an IU student through the university, the credits will transfer to this MS degree within two years of completing the graduate certificate if a grade of “B” or better was earned in the course. If the student took the courses as non-university credit, the courses cannot apply to the MS degree.
In some cases, a student may be eligible to transfer coursework/credit hours earned at another accredited academic institution into the MS in Global Health & Sustainable Development program. Students may transfer no more than nine credit hours of coursework if a grade of “B” or better was awarded. Transfer requests will only be allowed for students who did not apply the credit toward a former academic degree. Students should submit a graduate transfer of credit form to the office of student success and attach a copy of the syllabus for the course to be transferred, along with other supporting documentation as needed.
They will consider the following criteria when making the decision:
When the decision regarding transfer of credit has been made, the student will be notified via email.
A minimum of a B (3.0) average in graduate work is required for continuance in graduate study. Courses completed with grades below B- (2.7) are not counted toward degree requirements, but such grades will be counted in calculating a student’s grade point average. Courses taken with the pass/fail option will not be counted towards the degree but may be used as prerequisites to take courses which will be counted towards degree completion.
Pass/fail-option courses will not affect the student’s grade-point average.
Academic warning
Students will be placed on academic probation if their cumulative GPA falls below 3.0. A warning will be issued to a student when their semester and or cumulative GPA falls below 3.0. This status is initiated and documented by the office of student success. The student will be notified in writing, and documentation placed in the student’s file. If the deficiency is not corrected after one semester or required standards by the timeframe stipulated in the written letter, probation may be recommended.
Academic probation
The academic progress review committee may recommend probation for any student who has not corrected the deficiency that resulted in the warning. A student on academic probation is expected to meet the required standards by the timeframe stipulated in the written letter. Failure to meet the required academic standards can result in dismissal from the program.
Termination
A student who has failed to meet the minimum 3.0 GPA requirement or standards stipulated in the written letter, therefore has resulted in termination from the program by their program's academic program review committee.
Termination recommendations may be made under any of the following conditions:
The office of student success will email and send by postal mail a certified letter notifying the student of termination from the program.
A student who has been dismissed academically may petition for reinstatement after one semester (fall or spring) has elapsed from the date of dismissal. Only under exceptional, extenuating circumstances will a petition be considered earlier. Forms can be obtained form the office of student success.
All MS Biostatistics students are assigned a faculty advisor/mentor and are asked to meet with their faculty advisor/mentor a minimum of three times during their education: (1) soon after the first semester begins; (2) during the second semester of the first year; and (3) during the fall semester of the second year.
Additionally, students should reach out to their FSPH graduate advisor for questions regarding course authorizations, course planning, and other operational or policy questions.
In some cases, a student may be eligible to transfer coursework/credit hours earned at another CEPH accredited MS Biostatistics program or accredited MS statistics program into the MS Biostatistics.
Students may transfer no more than nine credit hours of coursework, in which a grade of “B” or better was awarded, into the MS Biostatistics program. Transfer credits that have been used to earn another graduate degree can be applied toward the MS program but will not reduce the total number of credits (36) required for the MS degree.
Transfer credits that have not been used to earn another graduate degree can be applied toward the MS program and may reduce the total number of credits required for the MS degree. Students who have questions about the process of transferring credit to the MS program should consult the Fairbanks School of Public Health student success office.
The student should submit a request for evaluation of transfer credit form to the FSPH student success office and attach a copy of the syllabus for the course to be transferred, along with other supporting documentation as needed. When the decision has been made, the student will be notified in writing.
The course director and student advisor will evaluate the transfer request. They will consider the following criteria when making the decision.
The course in question must be a graduate course in which the student received at least a B grade (no B-’s will be accepted).
Thesis option
Register for B711 MS Thesis Research in Biostatistics. No elective courses are required when taking the Thesis option.
Non-thesis option
Students taking the non-thesis option are required to take the MS competency exam. The examination focuses on materials from PBHL B571, B572, and B573, but also requires theoretical knowledge at the level of STAT 51600 and 51700. Students are recommended to take the examination in the spring after they have completed B 573 and will be given a second chance to pass if the first attempt was unsuccessful.
After passing the exam, students must then take three hours of electives.
Students that do not pass the MS competency exam will be required to enroll in B711 MS Thesis Research in Biostatistics.
Students pass the MS competence exam and register for six credit hours of elective courses. The MS competence examination will be given twice a year.
When a student enters the PhD program, they will be assigned an academic advisor by their PhD program director. The advisor will be a faculty member in the student's major department.
Each student will have an advisory committee. The purpose of the advisory committee is to guide students in their academic progress prior to completing the qualifying exam. The PhD program committee plus at least one faculty member who is not a member of the department (i.e. “outside” member) will act as the student’s advisory committee. Outside representation on the advisory committee will be identified and chosen (often from the student’s minor area) by the PhD program committee in consultation with the student by the end of the student’s first academic year.
At the conclusion of each academic year, information regarding academic progress and co-curricular activities will be requested of each student. Typically, this will be accomplished via a private, web-based form. The information provided will be used to provide feedback and mentor students during one-on-one meetings scheduled in the fall, near the start of the academic year. At least two members of the advisory committee will be members of the graduate faculty.
The program faculty members aim for students to complete the program expeditiously while still producing high quality dissertation research. Full-time students will often complete all of the program requirements within three to five years. However, the time to complete a PhD program is less predictable than many other academic programs and may take longer than four years.
The University Graduate School mandates that all required coursework must be completed within the seven calendar years prior to the qualifying exam. Coursework completed more than seven years before the qualifying exam may be revalidated according to procedures outlined in the University Graduate School Bulletin.
Once a student passes the qualifying exam, they have up to seven years to complete the dissertation. However, in total, students may not take more than 10 years to complete all program requirements (coursework, qualifying exam, and dissertation).
The policy of the University Graduate School is that students may be dismissed for failure to maintain adequate academic progress toward the degree. For candidates, this standard is set by the faculty of each program or by the student's dissertation committee. The student must first be notified of deficient academic progress by being placed on probation for one semester. If the deficiency is not rectified, then the student may be dismissed.
The PhD program committee regularly reviews students’ academic progress. Considerations for adequate academic progress may include the number of credits earned per year, the academic performance in courses (with greater weight given to program core courses), and progress on the dissertation. Other considerations may be made on a case-by-case basis.
In order to be in good academic standing, the PhD program requires students maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. A grade of B or better must be earned.
For courses to meet graduation requirements, a grade of B or better must be earned. Courses where a grade of B- or lower has been earned must be retaken for the student to meet graduation requirements and the student will receive an academic warning. If the course is an elective, that specific course does not have to be repeated, but an alternate must be chosen and a grade of B must be achieved in order to meet the program of study requirements.
All grades are used to calculate the student's GPA.
Students who have passed the qualifying examination must enroll each semester (excluding summer sessions) for any remaining required coursework or dissertation credits. Once such students have accumulated 90 credit hours in completed coursework and deferred dissertation credits, they must enroll for six hours of graduate credit (GRAD-G901) each semester until the degree is completed. The fee for this course is $150.
Students are permitted to enroll in G901 for a maximum of six semesters. Failure to meet the continuous enrollment requirement will automatically terminate the student’s enrollment in the degree program. Please contact the office of student success PhD program liaison for authorization to enroll.
Enrollment in G901 is based on several requirements:
Once all of these conditions have been met, you may request permission to enroll in G901. Summer enrollment requires that additional conditions are met; see the form for specifications. You may enroll in this course for up to six semesters.* After six semesters if you have not graduated, you must enroll in one or more credits of B800, E800, or H800 to remain continuously enrolled and meet full-time enrollment requirements.
Biostatistics PhD students need authorization to register for the following:
Students should register for B698 under the BIOS PhD Advisor and B800 under their thesis/research director.
Epidemiology PhD students need authorization to register for the following courses:
Health Policy and Management PhD students need authorization to register for the following:
Students should register for H799 under the HPM PhD program director and H800 under their dissertation director.
Please contact the PhD student success to request course authorization.
In some cases, a student may be eligible to transfer coursework/credit hours earned in another degree program into their PhD program. Per the Indiana University Graduate School, students may transfer no more than 30 credit hours into a PhD program. Also, students are encouraged to consult with their advisory committee as to whether they would benefit most from transferring these credits versus substituting alternative coursework.
The HPM PhD program only allows transfer of credit for the public health foundations courses, which consist of nine total credit hours.
The student should complete a request for transfer form, obtained from PhD student success, and attach a copy of the syllabus for the course to be transferred, along with other supporting documentation (e.g., examinations, papers). Transfer requests should be submitted to the PhD student success representative.
The course director and student advisor will evaluate the transfer request. They will consider the following criteria when making the decision:
When course transfer decisions have been made, the student will be notified in writing.
The culmination of the PhD program is the writing and public oral defense of the dissertation, which is required of all PhD students. The dissertation must be an original contribution to knowledge and suitable for publication as one or more peer-reviewed articles in a high-quality journal. The dissertation is written under the supervision of a research committee as described below. The research committee, led by the research director, is responsible for judging the dissertation’s qualification as an original contribution to knowledge and suitability for publication.
Rather than writing a conventional dissertation, students may elect to write a dissertation that consists of three related papers of publishable quality. The research committee must approve the selection of the three-paper option. There are advantages and disadvantages to a three-paper dissertation. Often, three-paper dissertations can be submitted and published more efficiently because they are already organized and formatted as manuscripts for submission to a journal.
However, three paper dissertations can also be more challenging to complete because they may cover more research questions and analyses than a conventional dissertation.
Additional information: PhD guidelines for dissertation of three papers
Important resources for doctoral students
Students must select at least one minor subject. A minor provides additional research training in an area that complements the primary degree training. Courses counted toward a minor cannot also be counted toward the major. The determination of the minimum requirements and examination procedure (if any) for the minor is entirely at the discretion of the minor department or program.
The minor should be chosen from the list approved by their program. See the list of approved minors. If students wish to complete a minor not on this approved list, they should obtain approval from their PhD program director. In certain cases, intradepartmental or interdepartmental minors may be approved. However, approval should be requested prior to pursuit of any of the proposed courses of study.
The director of the Health Policy and Management PhD program will schedule students to take the qualifying examination when they have completed all required courses, including minor courses. Exams will typically be offered following the conclusion of the fall semester (i.e. over winter break) or during the summer, with accommodations made at the discretion of the program director.
The qualifying examination will be designed to assess students’ mastery of the competencies for the Health Policy and Management PhD program. At the discretion of the minor department(s) or the interdepartmental committee, the qualifying exam may cover the minor subject(s) as well.
The Department of Health Policy and Management faculty will assess whether the student has answered the items completely and correctly to determine if they have passed or failed the exam. Students who fail the qualifying exam may retake it only once. If the exam has multiple parts and the student fails one part, they may retake only the part they failed. The date of passing is regarded as the date of passing the final portion of the examination. The qualifying exam must be passed at least eight months before the date the PhD degree is awarded.
As students near the completion of their coursework, they should consult with the HPM PhD program director for guidance of scheduling and preparing for their qualifying exam.
The qualifying examinations consist of two components, a written examination component and an oral examination component (often referred to as preliminary examination). All students must successfully complete these two parts prior to being admitted to candidacy.
Qualifying examinations - written (required)
Students must pass an initial written qualifying examination in the areas of probability, mathematical statistics, generalized linear models, longitudinal data analysis and survival analysis. The written qualifying examination is offered once a year during a week-long qualifier exam session before classes start in August and is administered in two sections – theoretical biostatistics and applied biostatistics.
The format of the written qualifying exam
The theory exam is an in-class exam that covers the materials from the five D core courses: Stat 51900, Stat 52800, Stat 52500, Stat 53600 and PBHL–B574
The preparation and the administration of the written part of the qualifying examination is overseen by the program graduate examination committee. Students are expected to have completed and passed both sections of the written qualifying examination on or before their written qualifier deadline.
Deadline for completion of the written qualifying part
The deadline for having successfully completed the qualifying examination is three years for incoming full-time students with a master’s degree and four years for part-time students who are entering the program with a master’s degree, or for full-time students entering the program without a master’s degree. Students have at most two attempts to successfully complete each part of the examination.
Financially supported full-time students who enter the program with a master's degree or equivalent are expected to have successfully completed the qualifying examination by August at the end of their second year. Financially supported full-time students who enter the program without a master's degree are expected to complete the qualifying examination by August at the end of their third year. The department will not guarantee funding for full-time students beyond this period.
If students do not pass both sections of the examination by the above deadline, they will be terminated from the program.
A student will have at most two attempts to pass the written qualifying examinations. The first attempt must include the entire written examination, i.e. both the theoretical and applied sections. If one or both sections are not passed on the first attempt, then one additional attempt, on or before the deadline, is allowed. During the second attempt, the student may only sit for the section(s) not passed in the first attempt. A student’s first attempt at the qualifying examination will result in one of the following three outcomes:
A student’s second and final attempt at the written qualifying examination will result in one of the following two outcomes:
Students who fail any part of the written qualifying examinations will be able to review their graded examinations and, if they choose to appeal the grade(s), will be allowed to do so within 30 days of receiving the grades. The program directors will not accept for consideration any appeal beyond this one-month period.
A student becomes eligible to take the oral part of the qualifying examinations after successfully passing the written qualifying examination. This examination consists of an oral presentation on an advanced research topic suggested by the student to the student’s advisory committee, which administers this examination.
In preparation for this examination, the student must provide the committee with a paper (10-15 pages) outlining the advanced topic to be covered, clearly indicating the scope and depth of the planned research along with relevant references. In the examination, the student is expected to display an in-depth understanding of the chosen subject matter.
The committee may ask the student questions that normally will be directed to the subject matter of the research but may, by natural extension, also cover any other relevant topic including the minor subject.
The oral qualifying examinations will normally be completed at the end of all required coursework, before the student embarks on the dissertation, but may occur prior to all coursework depending on the student’s preparation and how far along they are in their dissertation research. The student must pass this examination (as well as any remaining minor area requirements) before passing on to candidacy.
The director of the epidemiology PhD program will schedule students to take the qualifying examination when they have completed all required core courses, methods courses, substantive courses, and minor courses. The director will assemble the qualifying exam committee consisting of at least two primary faculty members in the department. The qualifying examination will be designed to assess students’ mastery of the stated competencies for the epidemiology PhD program.
Normally the qualifying examination will be scheduled once a year for students who have completed their coursework; the exam will be a written take-home exam conducted over a two-week period. In a timely fashion, the qualifying exam committee members will assess whether the students have answered the items completely and correctly to determine if they have passed or failed the exam.
Students who fail the qualifying exam are normally allowed to retake it only once. If the exam has multiple parts and the student fails one part, they may retake only the part they failed.
The date of passing is regarded as the date of passing the final portion of the examination. The qualifying exam must be passed at least eight months before the date the PhD degree is awarded.
As students near the completion of their coursework, they should consult with the EPI PhD program director for guidance of scheduling and preparing for their qualifying exam.
Members of the University Graduate School faculty ultimately determine standards of admission, set the general requirements for degrees, pass upon the specific requirements of programs, approve courses for graduate credit, and certify candidates for degrees.
These functions are executed by the graduate council and the dean and administrative staff. More specifically, the University Graduate School faculty serve on advisory and research committees for doctoral students, direct master’s theses and doctoral dissertations, and elect members of the graduate council. Details about the University Graduate School policy can be found in the Graduate Bulletin, updated annually.
Each department in the Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health is responsible for specifying the program requirements, monitoring students’ progress toward the degree, and making recommendations to the University Graduate School regarding nomination to candidacy, appointment of a research committee, defense of the dissertation, and conferring of the degree.
The major milestones in the PhD program are:
Limited status can be used for committee appointments under several circumstances. Limited status can be used for the appointment of an off-campus individual who is an expert in the student’s training area but who does not hold an IU Indianapolis graduate faculty appointment (not IU Indianapolis employees or affiliates).
Applications must be submitted to the IU Indianapolis campus graduate school office for a limited appointment for these individuals to serve on specific student committees. Typically, these external experts do not have voting rights on decisions related to student progression and grades, but they can contribute to meetings and help mentor students.
Also, these individuals would be considered a fifth member, not one of the minimum four requirement. Individuals with affiliate or other non-tenure track appointments at IU Indianapolis can hold limited or full appointments depending on their efforts on campus.
If a research committee member leaves IU Indianapolis in good standing for any reason other than retirement and wishes to remain on a committee until the student graduates, a request must be made for “limited” status. These requests must include the student name and university ID.
Each committee must have a faculty member serving as the representative for the minor (minor rep). The minor representative should be an IU Indianapolis faculty member with full status from the minor program. The term outside member is sometimes used to refer to the minor representative. However, this term may also be used to refer to a faculty member from another department or school who holds a full appointment on the IU Indianapolis graduate faculty.
Emeritus faculty may continue to serve on the student committee on which they held membership prior to retirement. These faculty cannot serve as the committee chair, but can hold the position of co-chair. This situation does not require a request for limited status, however, if the faculty member was serving as chair, a nomination of research change form/eDoc is required along with the appointment of a new chair or co-chair.
Requests for full or limited graduate faculty status should be sent to Dr. Janice Blum, associate dean, University Graduate School (jblum@iu.edu). These requests must include a CV. Once the requests are reviewed, they will be forwarded for approval by the University Graduate School.
The DrPH program director serves as the faculty advisor for the program, guiding the student in interpreting course and program requirements and helping to identify potential dissertation committee or doctoral project panel chairs.
Dissertation committee or doctoral project panel chairs are typically identified toward the end of the first year of study based on mutual scholarly interests. Chairs help the student identify additional committee or panel members and advise the student on their doctoral research from the point of proposal development through the research process and until final defense of the dissertation or project.
The school’s student success department is also available to help students with course registration and other administrative questions throughout their time in the program.
Please contact Shawne Mathis with questions regarding course authorizations, registration, and other administrative questions.
