Environmental Health Sciences

Written Proposal

Qualifying Examinations are to be completed and defended after the 4th semester in the program; this should be summer semester of the second year. The qualifying exams are comprised of two written proposals:

1. The thesis proposal conceived in collaboration with the student’s mentor, but the work of the student, and
2. A topic of interest to the student concerning some aspect of environmental science.

The second proposal must be on a topic separate from the thesis proposal. The uniqueness of the second proposal should be determined by the student’s mentor and, if necessary, in consultation with the Director of the DrPH program. Once the thesis topic and the topic of the second proposal are decided, the student will write and submit a one-page abstract to the Qualifying Examination Committee for approval. Once approved, the student will write up each as a complete proposal.

Format of Proposals

The proposals must be 10-15 pages long, single spaced, with one-inch margins, in 12-point font, and include the following:

Abstract

The abstract is to be 250 words or less, describing the purpose, significance, and approach of the proposal. (The abstract is not included in the page count.)

a. Specific Aims
List the broad, long-term objectives as well as what the application’s proposed research is intended to accomplish, e.g., to test a stated hypothesis, create a novel design, solve a specific problem, or develop new technology. This section should provide a brief statement of purpose with a hypothesis to be tested, followed by a series of 2-4 major aims that the student proposes to carry out in order to sufficiently test his/her hypothesis. This section must be succinct and cannot exceed 1 page.

b. Background and Significance
Briefly describe the background leading to the present application, critically evaluate existing knowledge, and specifically identify gaps that the project is intended to fill. State concisely the significance and health-related relevance of the research described by relating the specific aims to the broad, long-term objectives. This section is intended to set the stage for the proposal, briefly describing the current state of the field as well as specific studies that lead to the hypothesis and proposal. A good background will provide a logical introduction to the proposed experiments. This section cannot exceed 3 pages.

c. Preliminary Studies/Progress Report
This report is required when appropriate and applies only to the thesis proposal - not the second proposal. Use this section to provide an account of any preliminary studies pertinent to the application, focusing particularly on any studies carried out by the student. While students may not have generated any preliminary data, the section can be used to describe data results from others in the laboratory that lead up to the proposed thesis project. This section can be 2-3 pages.

d. Research Design and Methods
Describe the research design and the procedures to be utilized in accomplishing the specific aims of the project. Discuss how the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted and expound upon the suitability of the data sharing plan. Describe any innovative methodology and its advantage over existing methodologies. Discuss the potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed procedures as well as alternative approaches to achieve the aims. As part of this section, provide a tentative sequence or timetable for the project. Point out any procedures, situations, or materials that may be hazardous to personnel and the precautions to be exercised. This section should be 7-12 pages.

One outline students may consider is listed below:

1. Restate the specific aim
2. Briefly explain the purpose of proposed studies
3. Give experimental details or detailed study analysis
4. Describe expected outcomes/anticipated results
5. Point out pitfalls
6. Give alternative approaches

e. Literature Cited
Include full references with all authors and titles. Neither this section nor the Abstract is included in the page count.

Examples of previous examinations/theses are available in the EHS Main Office.

Oral Defense of Proposal

It is the responsibility of the student to set the date of the oral Qualifying Examination. This must be done in conjunction with his or her advisor and the members of the Examination Committee - a standing committee of three faculty members (Dr. Pat Kinney, Dr. Matt Perzanowski, Dr. Greg Freyer), plus the student’s thesis advisor. The completed proposal must be submitted to the Examination Committee members at least 2 weeks before the defense. Although the Qualifying Examination is expected to last 2 hours, be prepared to allot 3 hours for the exam.

At the Examination, the student will give a formal presentation of each proposal. This is followed by a question and answer period, during which time the student will be expected to defend the validity of their proposal and to answer questions related to the proposed area. Students should be prepared to answer questions related to Environmental Health Sciences and their course work where it pertains to the subject. The oral presentation should last no more than 30 minutes for each proposal, with a 30 minutes question period to follow. After the defense, the committee will vote to 1) pass the student, 2) ask for minor revisions to the proposals, which will be addressed with the thesis advisor or 3) fail the student, whereupon the student is required to undertake another exam within two months. Upon successful completion of the Qualifying Examination the student will receive a confirmation passing letter from the Department.

After the Qualifying Exam

Upon completion of the qualifying exam, DrPH candidates should focus on completing their thesis work. In consultation with their advisor, students must also pick a thesis committee. It is recommended that the composition of the committee meets the same requirement as the defense (dissertation) committee so that these can be one in the same. You should have a thesis committee meeting within 2 months of completing the Qualifying Exam and go through your thesis proposal with the committee members.