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Registrar's Office

Departmental Participation Policies

Biostatistics

The Biostatistics Department will require all funded students to participate in an academic activity: first and second year students will be expected to take one of the WinterSession courses offered for credit, and students in their third year and above will be expected to work on their thesis or take a course.

Environmental Health

1. All full-time EH students are required to participate in WinterSession (January 3-25, 2006). Most doctoral students in year 3 or beyond will continue their thesis research. For them, filling out the Environmental Health WinterSession Participation Form is optional. Participation is also optional for part-time students.

2. Every EH student in their first or second year in any degree program must submit an Environmental Health WinterSession Participation Form outlining the nature of the proposed activity. The form should be signed by the student and the student's advisor and handed into the Department of Environmental Health office (SPH1, Room 1411) no later than January 3, 2006. Students taking courses for credit must also follow the Registrar's Office guidelines in registering for the courses.

3. WinterSession is considered to be part of the spring semester. This means that term-based course registration limits will be imposed for the combination of WinterSession and the Spring term. If, because of course availability and scheduling, full-time students wish to carry a reduced load (15-19 credits) in the fall term in order to carry greater than 25 credits in the spring, they may petition the registrar to do so. Please note that such a configuration can put a student's progress to his or her degree at risk. Approval of any such request will be dependent on the clear understanding by the student and faculty advisor that changes in anticipated offerings could occur leaving the student without sufficient credits to complete the planned academic program on time.

4. Participation should entail activities that will enhance the student's academic experience. Activities can be taken for credit or not for credit. Students taking an activity for credit can choose to receive an ordinal grade or pass/fail. If total credits for the academic year exceed 45, then additional tuition will be charged by the Registrar's Office. (Students choosing a non-credit activity are encouraged to participate in HSPH Poster Day in late February). There is wide latitude in the kinds of activities that would meet the WinterSession requirement. Examples of appropriate activities include:

 

  • Environmental Health Courses
    The following courses are being offered for WinterSession (please go the HSPH Registrar website www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/courses/wintersession/all.shtml for descriptions of each course):
    EH270 Environmental Risk Management 5 credits (Robert Pojasek, Jack Spengler)
    EH280 Field Methods in Environmental Health 2.5 credits (Robert Herric, Jim Shine, Helen Suh, James Stewart)
    EH281 Occupational Health Care Delivery 2.5 credits (Eileen McNeely, David Christiani)
    ID285 Environmental Health Risk: Cases and Concepts 2.5 credits (Kimberly Thompson

    Students choosing this option for credit must register for the course through OASIS. Please follow guidelines established by the Registrar's Office.
  • Environmental Health Practicum or Laboratory Rotation 2.5 credits (EH Faculty) Students will participate in a field or laboratory based activity, addressing elements of study design, data collection and interpretation, and report writing. This practicum will be tailored to the student's interests; for example it may be linked to a research activity conducted by HSPH faculty.

    Students choosing this option for credit must fill out an independent study contract and submit it to the Registrar's Office. Please follow guidelines established by the Registrar's Office.
  • Field Experience in International Occupational Health and Safe 2.5 to 5.0 credits (David Christiani)
    This intensive two to three week course will focus on three major industries in Taiwan: iron/steel works, shipbuilding, and petrochemicals. Lectures will cover these industrial processes and their known health and safety risks. Students will be taken on several supervised site visits to each industry, and will be encouraged to process their observations through interactive discussions. This course will also provide exposure to cultural issues around work, work organization, labor-management relations, and governmental and academic roles relevant to occupational safety and health in these settings. The faculty will include several HSPH alumni and experts in southern Taiwan.
    Course Activities: Site visits; seminar presentations (case–study participatory approach). Site visits will be supervised by the above faculties, along with exposure assessment experts from Kaohsiung Medical University and the National Health Research Institute. Written reports of site visits will be prepared by students, with oral presentations and discussion. Financial support is available.

    Students choosing this option for credit must fill out an independent study contract and submit it to the Registrar’s Office. Please follow guidelines established by the Registrar’s Office.
  • Courses Offered by Other HSPH Departments or Other Harvard Schools
    EH students have the option of taking WinterSession courses or activities offered by other HSPH departments (please go the HSPH Registrar website www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/courses/wintersession/all.shtml for a listing of HSPH WinterSession courses). Courses offered at other Harvard schools during WinterSession are also acceptable.

    Students must register for the course through the Registrar's Office. Please follow guidelines established by the Registrar's Office.
  • Online Course: Human Health & Global Environmental Change
    This non-credit option contains a series of lectures and discussion videos from the Human Health & Global Environmental Change (EH278) course offered during the academic year. To access the online course, go to www.med.harvard.edu/chge and click on Medical Education.
  • Doctoral Research
    First and second year doctoral students could begin their research towards their thesis.
  • Travel Abroad
    Faculty-sponsored trips to China, Greece, India, Mexico, and any other country where research and training opportunities are available.
  • Work with Profit or Non-profit Organization
    For example, students could participate research programs being conducted at the Research Center for Safety & Health at Liberty Mutual Insurance Group's facility in Hopkinton. Another scenario could involve students doing volunteer work in the community. Work with governmental agencies such as the EPA or NIEHS is another option.

5. In addition to the examples of WinterSession activities listed above, students may discuss other options with their advisor. Activities approved by the advisor will be acceptable in meeting WinterSession requirements.


Epidemiology

In general all full-time students are expected to participate in WinterSession activities, whether for credit or not for credit, on-campus or off-campus, in accordance with their individual needs and interests. WinterSession is optional for part-time students.

The Epidemiology Department requires that each full-time student formulate a plan (or request an exemption) for the WinterSession, and e-mail that plan or request to their advisor by December 1. The advisor will either approve, or require a change. Questions or concerns can be brought to the department chair for adjudication. All full-time students must report their approved WinterSession activities via e-mail to the academic services coordinator.

Acceptable activities might include WinterSession courses, tutorials/independent study projects (with faculty members who are willing to take these on), travel tutorials, field placements, practica, community service projects, courses organized and taught by students, and skill-building workshops sponsored by administrative departments of the school. Approved activities need not be located on campus, or even in the United States.

Genetics and Complex Diseases

First-year students are expected to participate in laboratory rotations during WinterSession. Continuing students are expected to be engaged in full-time research work while taking the opportunity to attend departmental and school-wide WinterSession offerings.


Health Policy and Management

A. In general, each full-time HPM student is expected to participate in WinterSession activities that will enhance the student's academic experience. The nature of these experiences will vary in accordance with the needs and interests of individual students. Some of the activities that would be appropriate include:

  • Courses on campus - these may be credit or non-credit courses at HSPH or at other Harvard graduate schools or MIT.
  • Work conducted as part of the Applied Research and Practice (for MS2 students)
  • Independent study
  • Research work
  • Site visits relevant to career opportunities
  • Volunteer work in the community
B. Every full-time HPM student is required to submit an contract that designates the nature of the student's WinterSession activity. All contracts must be signed by the program director and should be filed with the HPM Office of Academic Programs (Kresge 325 or 332) no later than December 6.

C. Part-time students are not required to participate in WinterSession activities. There will be a tuition charge for any credit courses taken by part-time students.


 

Immunology and Infectious Diseases

First Year students are expected to participate in laboratory rotations during Winter Session. Continuing students are expected to be engaged in full time research work while taking the opportunity to attend departmental and school-wide Winter Session offerings.

Nutrition

Winter Session is a period of academic study for nutrition students. Students are responsible for designing an individual program/project of study (credit or non-credit) for this time period. It is necessary for them to obtain their advisor's approval of this project. If there is any question about the appropriateness of the plan, the department chairman will review the proposal.

Population and International Health

The Department of Population and International Health strongly encourages all full-time students to participate in WinterSession activities, whether for-credit or non-credit, on-site or off-site, in accordance with their individual needs and interests.

Society, Human Development, and Health

Harvard School of Public Health requires that all full time students be engaged in academic work during the WinterSession.  (This is not required for part-time students.)  General information on WinterSession can be found at www.hsph.harvard.edu/registrar/WinterSession/index.shtml. 

All SHDH students should meet with their advisors during Fall 1 to discuss plans for their WinterSession activities. 

In general, full-time SHDH students are expected to participate in activities that will enhance the student's academic experience.  Students are not required to take courses.  Because the nature of these experiences is broad, the following are some of the activities that would be appropriate:

  • Courses on campus - these may be credit or non-credit courses at HSPH or at other Harvard graduate schools or MIT. Note: students are not required to take more than 1 course, regardless of the length.
  • School-sponsored field trips.
  • Workshops (i.e., Designing a Web Site, Public Speaking, community education course, Spanish for Medical Professionals, etc.,).
  • 2nd Year masters students can write up their summer practice work; 1st year masters students can make initial contacts and plans for summer work.
  • On-line courses.
  • Work on a paper for publication, an op. ed. piece, etc.
  • Practice job-related skills: writing resumes, interviews, networking interviews, etc.
  • Independent study (does not need to be for credit).
  • Independent work: to develop practical experience, independent research, or field study.
  • Research work (Note: Human Subjects Committee approval may be needed; verify with advisor).
  • Site visits relevant to career opportunities.
  • Community based volunteer work clearly linked to learning objectives.
  • Doctoral students need to be engaged in preparation for the written doctoral exam, or for their oral exam or else be working on their dissertation.

Any completed WinterSession courses (up to 5 credits) will be added to a student's spring credit totals. 

Part-time students will be charged tuition costs for any credit courses taken.

 

MPH Program

A. In general, full-time MPH students are expected to participate in activities that will enhance the student's academic experience. Because the nature of these experiences is broad, the following are some of the activities that would be appropriate:

  • Courses on campus - these may be credit or non-credit courses at HSPH or at other Harvard graduate schools or MIT.
  • On-line courses
  • Independent study (does not need to be for credit)
  • Independent work: to develop practice experience, independent research, or field study.
  • Research work (Note: Human Subjects Committee approval may be needed; verify with advisor)
  • Site visits relevant to career opportunities
  • Volunteer work in the community

B. Every full-time MPH student is required to submit an agreement that designates the nature of the student's WinterSession activity. All agreements must be signed by the concentration leader and submitted to the MPH Program Office (Kresege 506) no later than Monday, December 11, 2006.

C. Any WinterSession courses taken for credit will be added to a student's spring credit totals. No additional tuition is charged for full-time students, unless they go beyond 45 credits total for the year.

D . Part-time students are not required to participate in WinterSession activities*. However, if students do plan to participate, please submit the agreement to the MPH program office, so we can keep track of the activities of our students for a report to the Dean. There will be a tuition charge for any credit courses taken by part-time students.

*Any student who may currently be listed as part-time but is graduating within one year from the point of entry into the program must satisfy the WinterSession requirement and complete an agreement.

E. Summer-only MPH students will be allowed to register for WinterSession courses. Course charges will be the same as for any part-time student and will include a registration fee.