MASTER OF HEALTH SCIENCE, MASTER OF SCIENCE AND BA/MHS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS MHS / SCM / BA-MHS

MASTER OF HEALTH SCIENCE (MHS) AND ScM thesis is based on either original data MASTER OF SCIENCE (ScM) DEGREES analysis or other research data that is approved by the University Michel A. Ibrahim, MD and Priya Duggal, PhD Graduate Board. serve as the directors and faculty liaison for masters' students. We hold sessions BA/MHS PROGRAM IN EPIDEMIOLOGY throughout the year to help students through the Masters process and to identify areas of The Department of Epidemiology in concern and to resolve issues. Dr. Ibrahim collaboration with the Johns Hopkins can be reached at [email protected] or University School of Arts and Sciences offers E6140 or 410-502-6650. Dr. Duggal can be a combined Bachelor of Arts in Public Health reached at [email protected] or E6539 or Science- Master’s of Health Science in 410-955-1213. Epidemiology (BA/MHS) program. This combined program allows undergraduate DEFINING THE MHS AND SCM students majoring in Public Health Science at PROGRAMS IN EPIDEMIOLOGY the Homewood campus to apply at the end of their 3rd year of undergraduate for direct entry Both degree programs are similar in that they into this program (4 years undergraduate, 2 equip students with the knowledge and skills years MHS). A portion of the credits taken at to do epidemiologic research in the health the Bloomberg School of Public Health during field. Specifically, the two programs train their 4th year of undergraduate may then be students in basic epidemiologic methods, applied to the MHS degree. concepts, and principles and provide opportunities for research and field work in Undergraduate applicants for this combined epidemiology, Both degrees require that degree program apply by June 1 after their students develop a research and experiential junior year for this combined degree program. plan with their advisors, pass written During their senior year, undergraduates may comprehensive exams in epidemiologic enroll in Epidemiology courses related to general knowledge and in their particular area substantive topic areas, Biostatistics and other of concentration, and complete a publishable- Public Health courses. Dr. Terri Beaty, Deputy quality manuscript to fulfill the thesis Chair of Epidemiology, will serve as their requirement. advisor during this year. After completion of their undergraduate degree, the student will Differences between the two degree programs enrolls as an MHS student, the department exist in the way they help students begin a will assign an academic advisor in career in epidemiology and in the nature of Epidemiology and they will complete the same data needed to fulfill the thesis requirement. requirements as other MHS students in their The MHS degree can be viewed as a starting Area of Concentration. point in epidemiology that meets the needs of different groups of students. It can be an entry to the field for recent college graduates who wish to gain the skills necessary to work on public health projects. It can also be useful for physicians and other health professionals who wish to acquire research skills. The MHS thesis can be based on original or secondary data analysis.

The ScM degree can also be viewed as a starting point in epidemiology but entails more emphasis on epidemiologic methods. Students in this program are usually interested in pursuing a research career. The

ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS MHS / SCM / BA-MHS

The following is a lighthearted look at what you could expect during the masters programs:

The Second - Year Student or “What do I The First - Year Student: do now?”: Oh, the confusion, the possibilities! Courses, Congratulations! You survived the first year, more courses, quite a number of sleepless but you’re not finished yet! Amazingly, you nights, a real break for the Winter Holidays, will find that you have a few more minutes in a roller coaster of responsibilities culminating your day. You may begin drifting - thinking with the Comprehensive Exams in June! you have months before your thesis is due. Some hints: • Don’t wait too long to refocus. • Try to make friends at your lab tables - • The secret is to stay involved. these people will be invaluable to you • Become a Teaching Assistant for one of throughout your program. the first year courses • Attend journal clubs, AoC seminars and • Volunteer to be a mentor for a new Friday Departmental seminars to get a student feel for the kind of research going on in • Sign up for thesis research with your the field and at the School. advisor and set up biweekly or monthly • Introduce yourself to your student mentor discussions and ask lots of questions. • Take the classes that interest as well as • Come to the parties, stop by the student challenge you. room (always a good place for extra food), • Continue to attend journal clubs and join our intramural teams or just come and seminars. cheer. • Join SER and APHA and read the journals! • Try to get to know the second and third

year students - they are invaluable for Few people actually complete their thesis on getting to know faculty, taking the “right” the topic submitted on their application. Just courses, studying for comps, and showing like undergrads, most graduate students you the ropes! change their topics three to four times • Beginning first or second term, take at between matriculation and graduation. This is least one credit of “Special Studies and normal and it’s ok! But if you are feeling Research” with your advisor. This gives frustrated, see your advisor, or stop in at the you a formal way to begin a dialogue and Academic Coordinator’s office. identify directed readings in areas that may be of interest to you, and will serve as

a springboard for thinking of research topics and hypotheses.

• During Winter Intersession or third term set up an internship or other experience for the summer. It is possible to use your summer experience for your thesis. Start thinking, but not worrying, about your thesis topic. You will have plenty of time for that after you pass the Comprehensive Exams.

ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS MHS / SCM / BA-MHS

RESIDENCY thesis portion of the degree and to qualify for the master’s tuition scholarship. Students The department requires up to two years of failing this examination should consult with full-time registration dependent upon course their advisor and consider the possibility of an and thesis completion. The residency appeal to the Admissions and Credentials requirement (four terms of at least 16 credits Committee. each) must be completed during the first year of the program. Those with pertinent prior The committee may accept or reject the training represented by a master's or doctoral appeal, and may allow a repeat examination degree or equivalent experience may or request an alternative process of evaluation complete the degree in as little as one for the student. Offering a second attempt at calendar year subject to the approval of their passing the examination to all students is not advisors, the Departmental Admissions and standard departmental procedure. Once Credentials Committee, and the Department examinations have been graded, students Chair. may view their exams in the Student Academic Core Office, Room W6508, but may For students in the Genetic Epidemiology not remove them from that office. Students Program, two full years are required. It is successfully completing the exam may understood that students will spend the first proceed to thesis proposal development and year of their programs completing the course qualify for the master tuition scholarship. requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to maintain a minimum overall 3.0 grade point MASTER'S TUITION SCHOLARSHIP (MTS) average in courses required in his/her Epidemiology Area of Concentration. One Masters' students who have completed one grade of “C” is permitted, two grades of “C” or year of residence, maintained a 3.0 GPA in one grade of “D” or “F” will result in required courses, and passed both parts of probationary review by the Departmental the written comprehensive examination are Admissions and Credentials Committee. automatically eligible for a Master's Tuition Scholarship (MTS), provided that they have COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION no other School, Departmental, or external tuition support. Master's Tuition Scholarship A written examination covering the general provides a 75% tuition waiver from the School. methods, principles, history of epidemiology, Students must register for a minimum of 12 contemporary issues and leaders in public credits per term (16 preferred) to receive the health, and the student’s area of concentration MTS. The MTS covers 4 terms of tuition is administered at the end of the first support only; additional support to complete academic year. By the time of the exam, the degree program is not available. students should have completed 64 credit units (one full year of residence), Epidemiology 340.751-753, Biostatistics What makes a good thesis topic? 140.621-624 or 651-654; and the required Epidemiology coursework in their area of Visit the Student Room (W6309) and review concentration. The content of the examination the past dissertations. Read the journals. is directly related to the Department’s listing of Attend seminars. Go to professional competencies and students should use the conferences like SER or APHA. Ideas will competencies in developing a study plan for come to you. Discuss them with your friends, the examination. General knowledge of faculty members, and professionals in the field epidemiology and public health will be tested, to see if you can turn your ideas into valuable even though such material may not be research. specifically covered in courses.

Students must pass both parts of the written comprehensive exams in order to begin the

ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS MHS / SCM / BA-MHS

THESIS REQUIREMENT thesis is submitted to these four readers for their approval. ScM students must complete Masters' candidates are expected to spend at the appointment of thesis readers’ form and least one year working on a thesis that is submit it to the Registrar's Office by the evaluated by the Department and / or School's deadline in February, in order to be faculty and is of sufficient quality to be considered for May Graduation. The form is considered acceptable for publication in a located online at: recognized journal. Students will produce a https://my.jhsph.edu/C13/MastersCandidateInf thesis (30-50 pages double-spaced) for ormation/default.aspx. The policy and binding and are required to present their procedures manual for the ScM program is research at a Departmental Masters Poster located online at: Symposium held annually in May. http://www.jhsph.edu/schoolpolicies/ppm_aca demic_programs_10.html. Master of Health Science (MHS) students must complete a satisfactory thesis in their RESEARCH RESPONSIBILITIES AND area of concentration. The thesis must be ETHICS approved by two members of the Department's faculty including the advisor. All research students including MHS and ScM The thesis may be a critical review of the candidates must complete a course in literature pertaining to a specific area of responsible conduct of research. This interest, new analyses of existing data, or requirement can be satisfied by course original research of a limited nature. It is 550.860.01, “Research Ethics”, offered each expected that the student will meet with the term online; course 550.861 “Responsible three identified individuals throughout the Conduct of Research”, offered first term or, duration of the research project. MHS course 306.665, “Research Ethics and students must send the title of their project Integrity”, offered in the third term. In addition, and the names of their readers to the there may be other courses within the Academic Coordinator by April 1. The policy University that may satisfy this requirement. and procedures manual for the MHS - Approval of alternative courses must be Academic degree program is located online at obtained in writing from the Associate Dean. http://www.jhsph.edu/schoolpolicies/ppm_aca demic_programs_8.html. In addition, students are required to take course 550.865, “Public Health Perspectives Master of Science (ScM) students must on Research.” This course is designed to complete a thesis based on original research. introduce the breadth and methodological The readers committee is comprised of the bases of public health research. Principles of advisor and one additional University high quality research, including the value of a faculty member outside the Department of population perspective, interdisciplinary Epidemiology. Prior to embarking upon the cooperation, the importance of measurement thesis project, the student and advisor should techniques, and the interface between theory work together to select a thesis committee and practice will be stressed. This course is consisting of the advisor, one other automatically waived for students holding an Epidemiology faculty member and two MPH earned within 10 years of enrollment or members from two departments outside of who are enrolled in the MPH program. Epidemiology with the rank of assistant professor or higher. The student should submit a three- to five-page protocol to each member of this committee. The thesis committee members will meet and decide whether the proposed work is of the scope and depth appropriate for a master's thesis in the Department, and whether it is conceptually valid and feasible. Upon completion, the

ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS MHS / SCM / BA-MHS

INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD DEADLINES

The JHSPH IRB requires a web-based The Registrar's Office has provided dates to training program called the Collaborative IRB assist you in completing your degree Training Initiative (CITI) Program. All requirements in time for graduation in May. investigators, students and staff listed on new Students must be continuously registered up application submissions and/or progress to and including the term of completion. reports must meet this criterion. Please note Completion means submission of the thesis to that the CITI program must be completed the Department (MHS) or the Registrar (ScM) prior to submitting to the IRB for initial review and submission of letters of acceptance to the of a protocol, or for continuing review or Academic Support Core Office in W6503 (for amendment of a previously approved MHS) or to the Registrar's Office in Suite protocol. Completion of the JHSPH IRB E1002 (for ScM). These deadlines are firm. required modules also satisfies the requirements of the Homewood campus IRB. If a student misses the graduation deadlines, The CITI training certificate expires after three he/she will not be able to participate in the years. The CITI learner must then graduation ceremony and the degree will not successfully complete a refresher course. be awarded at that year’s convocation ceremony. The University awards degrees three times a year. If the student completes his/her degree requirements at any time after the deadlines, the following notation will be placed on the student’s transcript: “degree requirements completed (and the date)” and the degree will be awarded at the next conferral. The School holds one Graduation ceremony per year in May and students from the previous August and December conferrals are encouraged to participate.

University regulations require a student be registered during the term in which he/she completes the degree requirements. Therefore, if a student anticipates completing the degree requirements during the summer term, he/she must be registered for that term. If a student anticipates completing during September, he/she does not need to be registered for summer but does have to be registered for first term. If a student completes during the Winter Institute, he/she must register for third term. Minimum registration for masters' students is two (2) credits per term. Please visit the Registrar’s Office for further details. http://www.jhsph.edu/offices- and-services/student-affairs/records-and- registration/

ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS MHS / SCM / BA-MHS

Timetable for Completion of Degree Requirements: ScM and MHS Candidates (If Graduation is planned for AY 2013-2014)

Master of Science

Requirement Due Dates for Due Dates for Due Dates for Summer Conferral Fall Conferral Spring Conferral August 30, 2013 December 30, 2013 May 22, 2014 Student has:

Friday Verified with their Academic Coordinator that all Friday Friday February 14, academic requirements for the degree (except June 21, 2013 October 18, 2013 for submission of the thesis) have been fulfilled. 2014

Student has submitted:

Friday Appointment of Thesis Readers Form to the Friday Friday February 14, Office of Records & Registration. June 21, 2013 October 18, 2013 2014

Student has submitted:

Final copies of the dissertation and thesis Friday Friday Friday acceptance letters to the Office of Records & August 23. 2013 December 20, 2013 April 25, 2014 Registration.

Master of Health Science

Requirement Due Dates for Due Dates for Due Dates for Summer Conferral Fall Conferral Spring Conferral August 30, 2013 December 30, 2013 May 22, 2014 Special Project, OR Scholarly Report, OR paper, OR thesis Friday Friday Friday June 28, 2013 October 18, 2013 April 4, 2014 has been submitted to the department chair or advisor.

Department Chair has: ° indicated in writing to the Office of Friday Friday Friday Records & Registration that all degree August 23, 2013 December 20, 2013 May 2, 2014 requirements have been fulfilled ° certified the student’s eligibility for award of degree.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014 School Convocation*

Thursday, May 22, 2014 University Commencement (Homewood)*

*Diplomas for August and December graduates will be ordered at the time of conferral and must be picked up in E1002 (or mailed). August and December graduates are welcome to participate in the May Convocation/Commencement ceremony(ies), but diplomas will not be held for the May convocation or commencement. Please direct questions about any aspect of this proposed timetable to the Office of Records & Registration, [email protected] ACADEMIC GUIDE 2013-2014