Timing The comprehensive exam is administered during the first semester of the second year of the program.
Requirements Before Sitting for the Milestone Students must be in good academic standing and enrolled in the program during the semester in which they sit for the examination.
Form of Evaluation Students must select a journal article relevant to Health Services Research and Policy, prepare a critical review, and deliver an oral presentation to their peers and department faculty.
Other Pertinent Information In the event of a failure, a student may apply to the Department Chair for re-examination. Students who are not permitted to retake the examination, or who do not pass the re-examination, will be released from the program.
Timing The first thesis committee meeting must be held within five months of passing the comprehensive examination. A final draft of the thesis must be submitted to all committee members at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense.
Requirements Before Sitting for the Milestone Students must have passed the comprehensive examination and received approval of their thesis committee from the school before any committee meetings can be held. Prior to each committee meeting, students must submit their research proposal or progress report to all committee members at least two weeks in advance.
Form of Evaluation The thesis is a written policy paper of publishable quality that reports on original scholarly research and incorporates analytic methodologies used during the program. Upon completion, the student presents their work in a seminar and defends it in an oral examination before the thesis committee.
Other Pertinent Information The thesis committee is selected by the student in consultation with their faculty advisor, in accordance with Pitt Public Health and University of Pittsburgh guidelines. The student is responsible for notifying the MS program coordinator of committee members and for scheduling all committee meetings. All theses must be submitted electronically through the Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD) system in accordance with university guidelines.
Return to: