Environmental Health Sciences

Written Proposal

Qualifying Examinations are to be completed and defended after the 4th semester in the program. This should be spring or summer semester of the second year. The qualifying exams are composed of two written proposals: 1) the thesis proposal of the student 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. It must be on a topic separate from the thesis proposal. The uniqueness of the second proposal should be decided upon by the student’s mentor and if necessary, in consultation with the Director of the PhD program. Once the thesis topic and the topic of the second proposal are decided, the student will write a one-page Abstract and submit it to the Qualifying Examination Committee for approval. Once approved, the student will write up each as a complete proposal. The student will have two months from that time to complete the written proposals.

Format of the Proposal

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

Abstract
The abstract should 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 specific research proposed in this application 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 give a brief statement of purpose with a hypothesis that is to be tested. This should be 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 needs to 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 the gaps that the project is intended to fill. State concisely the importance and health-related relevance of the research described in this application 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 the 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 (as appropriate; this section only applies 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, they can use this section 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. This, like the Abstract, is not included in the page count.

Examples of previous examinations/theses are available via Alysa Turkowitz.

Oral Defense of Proposal

It is the responsibility of the students to set the date of the oral Qualifying Examination. Once the time/date is confirmed, please contact Alysa Turkowitz to finalize the information and set a location. This must be done in conjunction with the candidate’s advisor and the members of the Examination Committee. The Committee is 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 will be followed by a question and answer period, during which time the student defends the validity of his/her proposal and answers 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 30 minutes of question time 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 undergo another exam within two months. Upon successful completion of the Qualifying Examination the student will be awarded a Masters of Philosophy (see below).

Post- Qualifying Exam: (MPhil)

After successful completion of the Qualifying Exam, you may apply for the Master of Philosophy degree (MPhil) through GSAS. In order to receive this degree, you must have completed at total of 6 RUs including 2 earned from an MA degree at an accredited university in addition to passing your two proposals. GSAS allows no more than four years to achieve the MPhil degree otherwise you will be in poor academic standing.

Registration: Once you have completed your 6 RUs (whether before or after the Qualifying Exam), you must register for Extended Residency (PDF)(ER).