NSU HPD Catalog 2023-2024

362 Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences—Department of Health Science HSP 9008—Comprehensive Exam The comprehensive examination is a written examination that students take after the completion of all the required Ph.D. in Health Science coursework and before beginning the dissertation phase of the Ph.D. program. It is designed to evaluate a student’s ability to demonstrate suitability as a candidate for a Ph.D. degree. Successful completion of the comprehensive examination is required for students to move to advanced standing and begin dissertation research. The comprehensive examination is given two times per academic year, during the summer and winter semesters, and takes place on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie Campus. Students must take the comprehensive examination within one year of completion of all academic coursework. Failure to complete the requirements within the time frame may result in dismissal from the program. Students who register for the comprehensive examination certify by this action that they are prepared to take the exam. However, participating in the comprehensive examination center does not mean that students will pass the comprehensive examination. Students can withdraw from the comprehensive examination without a reason up to 10 days before the exam. Once this time has passed, students with circumstances beyond their control (such as sickness, car accident, family illness or other extenuating circumstances), must notify the Ph.D. program director at the earliest possible time and provide documentation to support their need to withdraw from the exam. Students who have obtained approval from the Ph.D. program director to withdraw from the comprehensive examination will be allowed to take the comprehensive examination at the next scheduled offering. Students who registered for the comprehensive examination and who fail to take the exam, or students who do not contact the program director requesting to be excused from the examination, will automatically fail the comprehensive examination. Students who have failed the comprehensive examination are referred to the Committee on Student Progress (CSP). The CSP will examine the student’s individual case and will make appropriate recommendations to the department chair or designee. See the procedures for the Committee on Student Progress and Student Appeals in the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences Student Handbook. The grading of the comprehensive examination is on a Pass/Fail basis. Students are notified of their results on the comprehensive examination by certified mail and copies of the letters are sent to students’ NSU email accounts. Following the successful completion of the comprehensive examination, students can register for dissertation credits and begin the dissertation process. Students are only allowed to take the complete comprehensive exam once and must pass all three categories to move forward to the dissertation phase of the Ph.D. program. Students who fail one or two of the three categories on the comprehensive examination have failed the exam and are referred to the CSP. The CSP will examine the student’s individual case and may recommend that the student be allowed to retake a failed category or categories at the next scheduled institute. Students who do not pass all three exam questions and are given permission to retake one or two questions at the next exam offering will be required to enroll in an additional 1-credit continuation course. If students are allowed to retake a failed category, they have one opportunity to pass all failed categories. Failure of one or two categories on retake results in the student’s second failure of the comprehensive exam. Students who fail the comprehensive examination on retake are referred to the CSP for possible dismissal from the Ph.D. program. Students who wish to dispute their grades must contact the Ph.D. program director, as there is no direct communication between graders and students. Grade disputes must be submitted in writing within five business days of notification of the comprehensive examination results. The program director will interact directly with the faculty member who graded the exams and inform the student of the grader’s comments. The grade dispute ends at the program director. All college-wide policies regarding academic honesty, the student progress committee, and appeals apply to the comprehensive exam. Students are required to familiarize themselves with the academic standards and the academic honesty policy and procedure as described in the Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences Student Handbook. (1 credit) HSP 9010—Research Practicum Continued Students who do not complete HSP 9007 in the required 16 weeks must enroll in HSP 9010. A charge of 2 credits for continuing service will be made to maintain the student’s full-time status in the Ph.D. program. Students’ progress through Research Practicum Continued will increase their total number of degree credits beyond the required 68. (2 credits, continuing service charge) HSP 9011, 9012, 9013, 9014, 9015, and 9016—Dissertation The dissertation is scheduled as six courses over two years. This includes the dissertation preparation seminar, proposal, dissertation, and oral defense. Students will conduct original research in an area of the student’s expertise or concentration, as approved by the program chair and dissertation committee, with verification of presentation or publication. The dissertation will culminate with an oral final defense, which will occur in person at the summer or winter institute, or on the Fort Lauderdale /Davie Campus. The oral defense must be arranged at least 45 days in advance. Process and requirements are detailed in the Health Professions Division Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences Dissertation Guide. (12 credits)

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