Program Concentration: Public Health Nutrition

            These guidelines are provided to supplement those published in the Harvard School of Public Health Official Register and Information for Doctoral Stu­dents.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

*         To develop the ability to translate research into practice through skills in nutrition surveillance, policy, program planning and evaluation, management, information dissemination and oral and written communication.

*         To acquire detailed knowledge regarding the biological basis of nutrition and the mechanisms by which diet can influence health. 

*         To gain an interdisciplinary perspective on public nutrition in both its domestic and international context.

*         To develop the necessary quantitative skills in biostatistics required for the evaluation of diet and disease relationships in epidemiologic studies.

*         To attain skills in developing research proposals that require the integration of knowledge about human nutrition with epidemiologic concepts in order to improve diet and activity and reduce disease risk in populations.

            PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

            The Public Health Nutrition program provides rigorous training in the biological aspects of nutrition, epidemiology, biostatistics and select related disciplines.  The overall objective is to develop the ability to translate research into practice. The program includes the following components:

            1.  Formal course work

            2.  Practicum

            3.  Seminars

            4.  Thesis research project

ADMISSIONS

            Students admitted to this program are required to have a general back­ground in the biological sciences and other relevant public health nutrition coursework. Successful completion of program requirements leads to a D.Sc. degree (or Dr.P.H. degree for those with an M.D. or other professional doctoral degree).

GENERAL INFORMATION

            Doctoral students are required to complete coursework totaling a minimum of 80 credits that are inclusive of schoolwide requirements, departmental requirements and a practicum.  Of the 80 credits, students are required to complete at least 40 academic credits distributed over one major field (20 credits) and two minor fields (10 credits each).  In addition, students must take courses in at least two out of an additional four Public Health Nutrition Competencies (minimum 5.0 credits) and plan and conduct a research practicum (6.25 credits). The school requires that all students take a full year of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.  A minimum of two academic years of full-time residence is required. 

            Students with advanced standing (such as those already holding an advanced degree) may have certain course requirements waived if equivalent courses have been completed.  Waiver petitions must be approved by the faculty advisor, the department faculty, and the Committee on Admis­sions and Degrees (CAD). 

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH IN NUTRITION PROGRAM

Formal course work (Years 1 and 2).  The major field of study will be Public Health Nutrition.  In addition, all students will select either Epidemiology or Biostatistics as one of the two minor fields.  The second minor field will be chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor; the choice will provide development in a behavioral or social science that is relevant to applied research in public health nutrition.  The following sequence of courses is suggested:

*required

~recommended

Practicum.  In addition to formal thesis research projects, students will be required to complete a research practicum in the public health setting involving supervised field work.  It will be pass/fail and worth 5 credits at minimum. The practicum will cultivate field research skills, leadership skills, integrate and strengthen technical knowledge and quantitative skills, and enhance oral and written communication skills.  It will also cultivate the capacity to work with others in a substantial project that responds effectively and creatively to the needs of an organization.  Projects may be in the areas of program planning and evaluation, policy development, research methods, project management, mass media communication, information dissemination and intervention. The practicum includes a research component in the form of data collection and analysis, or outcome evaluation. Students will receive 1.25 credits for planning the practicum over a period of 16 weeks. This will usually take place during the fall of the second year but could take place earlier, depending upon prior experience.

Seminars.  Attendance at the Human Nutrition and Nutritional Epidemiology Seminars is mandatory. These are held on Mondays and focus on applied areas of Nutrition, work-in-progress presentations, or presentations by invited speakers.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Selection of advisors. Students will initially be assigned a faculty advisor. Advisors will meet with students on a regular basis and give progress reports each term to the faculty. Every attempt will be made to assign an academic advisor who can also serve as a dissertation advisor in order to maximize early ongoing integration of coursework with research in Public Health Nutrition. When a thesis topic is identified, a new advisor knowledgeable about the research area may be assigned.

Departmental Oral Comprehensive Examination.  The following guidelines will be used for this examination: 

a.  The Departmental Oral Comprehensive Examination tests the student's general knowledge in the major field of nutrition and in minor fields.  In addition, the student will be questioned on topics related to his/her research experienc­es and/or future research plans.  Although a formal research proposal is not required for this examination, the examiners will test the student's ability to do doctoral-level research by asking him/her to formu­late research ap­proaches to the thesis resear