The ESDP program prepares students to conduct research and lead innovation that enhances educational and life outcomes for diverse populations in P-12, post-secondary, and community settings. Such diverse populations include culturally and linguistically diverse individuals, those with disabilities, those from high-poverty backgrounds, those impacted by gender bias or bias related to sexual orientation, and those with other learning or behavioral differences.

Guiding Notes & Recommendations

THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
The Graduate School website provides all information regarding requirements for completion of a graduate degree at UAB. It is the student’s responsibility to carefully review UAB graduate school requirements. You may find more information about the Graduate School on their website, www.uab.edu/graduate or contact the Graduate School via phone [(205) 934-8227] and email: gradschool@uab.edu.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
It is important to consult the Program Director regarding financial support. A limited number of graduate assistantships are sometimes available. The number of assistantships available varies from year to year. These assistantships are awarded on a competitive basis. In addition, PhD students who have a background in health promotion and/or human services, may be hired as adjunct faculty to teach undergraduate health education and human services courses. For more information, contact the CHHS Program Director.

ADVISING
All new doctoral students will be advised by the Graduate Program Director upon admission to the PhD program during year one. The Graduate Program Director will evaluate the student’s previous work and determine the appropriate selection of coursework for the year. During year two, students may be assigned to a specific faculty advisor/mentor. Students should consult their advisor/mentor at least once per semester to review their course of study. Each doctoral student will select a dissertation chair after successful completion of the comprehensive examinations, normally late in year 2 or during year 3. Oftentimes, the academic advisor/mentor also becomes the dissertation chair; but this is not a requirement. The dissertation chair must come from the CHHS program.

TRANSFER OF GRADUATE COURSEWORK
In accordance to parameters in place at the UAB Graduate School, students may transfer up to 12 semester hours of comparable graduate courses completed previously into the program. However, students must complete a total of 72 credit hours of Doctoral work above the Master’s level. Students may not transfer graduate coursework to satisfy the Health Disparities Core or the Research and Statistics Core requirements. Only course work that was not previously used to satisfy degree requirements may be used as part of the current degree program.

GRADE POLICIES
In accordance to parameters in place at the UAB Graduate School, grades of A and B indicate that the individual has passed the course, while lower grades indicate a substantial failure to demonstrate acquisition of course content. A grade of D is not assigned in graduate courses at UAB. A student who receives a grade of C or below in a required course may need to re-take the course. Note: Receipt of a second grade of C or below in a required course that is repeated results in termination from the program.
The Registrar’s Office automatically converts a grade of “I” (Incomplete) to an “F” (Fail) if an “I” is not changed before the end of the next term. In order for an “I” to be changed to an acceptable grade, the respective course requirements must be met before the end of the following term in which the course was first taken.

GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING AND DISMISSAL FROM THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
UAB grades are represented numerically on a 4-point scale (A=4, B=3, etc.). The Graduate School defines good academic standing as a grade point average of at least a 3.0 based on courses graded on an A-F basis, more Passes than Non-Passes in courses graded on a P/NP basis. A graduate student whose grade point average (GPA) and/or performance in P/NP courses does not meet the Graduate School’s criteria for good academic standing will be placed on academic probation (also known as conditional dismissal) by the Graduate School. The student then has two terms to improve their academic standing to a “good” standing as defined by the Graduate School to avoid dismissal from the graduate program and the Graduate School.

CHHS PROGRAM PROBATION AND DISMISSAL
Although academic standing, probation and dismissal is determined by the Graduate School, additional criteria for satisfactory performance are established by CHHS faculty. Students in the ESDP – Health Disparities concentration may be placed on probation for reasons related to academic performance, research competency, professional conduct, interpersonal conduct, or failure to make adequate progress. When a student is placed on program probation, a letter from the Program Director is sent to the student and the Graduate School. The same procedures are followed for removing the student from probation.

A student who is placed on probation must be informed as to the reasons and must be given a deadline by which time the situation, grade, condition, or behavior is to be remedied. If the deadline is not met, the decision to extend the deadline or dismiss the student from the program is at the discretion of CHHS program faculty. Students may also be dismissed for unethical conduct or behavior to the extent to which their further participation in the program is judged to be detrimental to themselves, others, or the integrity of the CHHS program. In such cases students may be dismissed from the program without being first placed on probation.

LEAVE OF ABSENCE
In accordance to parameters in place at the UAB Graduate School, requests for leave of absence will be considered on a case-by-case basis. A leave of absence must be for serious and substantial reasons that cannot readily be addressed during a period of full-time enrollment. Requests must be submitted to the Program Director and require approval of the Graduate School. The length of the leave of absence must be specified. A student considering such a request is encouraged to discuss their options with their mentor/Program Director in advance. Official notice of return must be submitted to the Program Director in writing and requires consultation with the student mentor/Program Director, and approval of the Graduate School dean.

SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS IN PROGRAM
A student’s retention in this program is contingent on the CHHS & ESDP faculty’s belief that the student is likely to complete the program successfully. If the faculty ceases to hold this belief at any point, the student may be dismissed from the program. Note: Students cannot make more than two F’s during supervised research courses.

TIME LIMITATIONS
In accordance to parameters in place at the UAB Graduate School, doctoral students are expected to complete all degree requirements within 7 years of matriculation. One extension of these time limits can be requested when mitigating circumstances preclude completion of requirements within the time limit. The request for an extension must include a written and signed completion plan outlining the timeline for degree completion. Instructions for preparing a completion plan are available on the Graduate School website. Time limit extension requests require the approval of the student’s dissertation committee (if applicable) as well as the Graduate Program Director and must be presented in writing to the Dean of the Graduate School for consideration and approval.

COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION
A written comprehensive examination is required of all candidates for the PhD degree. The core comprehensive exam may be offered during each semester (currently upon the requests of ESDP – HD students). The exam must be passed unconditionally before the student can defend their dissertation proposal and be advanced to candidacy.

Eligibility: To be eligible to sit for comprehensive exams, students must have successfully completed the core courses of the ESDP Program. Additionally, students should have completed the following CHHS & EPR courses:

EPR Courses: 596, 609, 696, 710, & 792
CHHS Courses: 606, 610, 611, 612, 662, 632, & 689

Students must be registered for at least three semester hours of graduate work during the semester(s) in which the comprehensive exams are taken.

Preparation: Two weeks prior to the exam, students will receive a list of scenarios describing a health problem and intended audience; students must select one option to focus on during the exam process. Students should NOT assume that “A” level performance in their coursework is adequate preparation for the comprehensive exam. To prepare, students should review all materials from listed coursework as well as other related courses and supplementary material. This exam is designed to test the student’s ability to take a given
population and design an appropriate, theory-based health intervention to the situation. Each student must synthesize and apply what has been learned throughout the program.

ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY FOR DISSERTATION RESEARCH
Students can begin dissertation hours (799) only after the completion of mandatory coursework, passing comprehensive exams, a successful proposal defense and IRB approval. Each student must work closely with their dissertation chair and committee in the development of a dissertation proposal. The dissertation committee should include a minimum of five faculty members. The chair must come from CHHS faculty. Typically, the committee is made up of a chair, methodologist, content expert(s) and another interested faculty member. The dissertation chair will assist in the formation of the committee, although it is the student’s responsibility to negotiate committee membership. This process usually happens naturally during years 2 and 3, as students take more classes and engage with a broader range of faculty. To be eligible to serve on a dissertation committee, faculty must have UAB graduate faculty status, and have expertise related to the dissertation topic. A person outside of the university may be appointed with the approval of the graduate program director of this program and graduate school dean at UAB.

Students must submit a “Graduate Study Committee Form”, which can be found on the Graduate School website, to finalize this process. Once a student has successfully defended their dissertation proposal, and filed the appropriate paperwork with the Graduate School, they can be admitted to candidacy and begin their research. Students cannot collect or analyze data ahead of committee and IRB approval. Check with the UAB Graduate School for the appropriate forms and important deadlines for that process.

For more information about the dissertation process, please visit: Your Thesis or Dissertation – Graduate School | UAB.

Sample Guidance for Course Selection | Students with Full-Time Employment

Program Courses	Semester Taken	Notes regarding Matriculation
EDC 750 Critical Pedagogical Studies in Diverse Populations (3 hours)	Fall (Year 1)
EDF 755 Educational Studies in Diverse Populations (3 hours)	Fall (Year 1)
EDF 765 Metropolitan Education Studies Proseminar (3 hours)	Spring (Year 1)
CHHS 742 Health Disparities in Diverse Populations (3 hours)	Spring (Year 1)
Research Courses
EPR 596 Introduction to Qualitative Methods in Education Research  (3 hours)	Summer (Year 1)	PRE-REQ: EPR 594 Introduction to Educational Research Design (3 hours)
EPR 609 Statistical Methods and Research in Education (3 hours)	Summer (Year 1) Spring/Summer (Year 2)	PRE-REQ: EPR 594 Introduction to Educational Research Design (3 hours) PRE-REQ: EPR 608 Statistical Methods and Action Research (3 hours)
EPR 696 Qualitative Research: Inquiry and Analysis (3 hours)	Spring	PRE-REQ: EPR 596 Intro to Qualitative Methods in Educational Research (3 hours)
EPR 710 Computer Applications & Advanced Statistical Methods (3 hours)	Spring	PRE-REQ: EPR 609 Statistical Methods and Research in Education (3 hours)
EPR 792 Mixed Methods Approaches to Educational Research (3 hours)	Fall	PRE-REQ: EPR 594 Introduction to Educational Research Design (3 hours) PRE-REQ: EPR 596 Intro to Qualitative Methods in Educational Research (3 hours) PRE-REQ: EPR 608 Statistical Methods and Action Research (3 hours) PRE-REQ: EPR 609 Statistical Methods and Research in Education (3 hours)
Concentration Coursework: Health Disparities Core [REQUIRED] *Students desiring to include other coursework should discuss with advisor.*
Health Promotion Prescribed Track (coursework supporting contextual understanding & approaches for promoting health equity) CHHS 606 Advanced Issues of Disease Prevention in Health Education/Promotion (3 hours) [Take when first able.] CHHS 632 Advanced Administration of Health Education/Promotion Programs (3 hours) CHHS 662 Advance Worksite Health (3 hours) Health Education Prescribed Track (course work necessary to sit for national CHES certification) CHHS 606 Advanced Issues of Disease Prevention in Health Education/Promotion (3 hours) CHHS 642 Applied Behavioral Theory and Health Education/Promotion (3 hours) CHHS 689 Intervention Strategies for Health Education/Promotion (3 hours) CHHS 697 Community-Based Approaches to Evaluation and Grantsmanship of Health Education/Promotion Programs (3 hours)	Spring
Health Promotion Prescribed Track (coursework supporting contextual understanding & approaches for promoting health equity) CHHS 611 Interdisciplinary Approaches to School Health Education/Promotion (3 hours)	Summer
Health Promotion Prescribed Track (coursework supporting contextual understanding & approaches for promoting health equity) CHHS 610 The Advanced Health Education/Promotion Specialist (3 hours) [Take when first able.] CHHS 689 Intervention Strategies for Health Education/Promotion (3 hours) CHHS 612 Student Health and Well-Being in Higher Education (3 hours) Health Education Prescribed Track (course work necessary to sit for national CHES certification) CHHS 610 Advanced Health Education/Promotion Specialist (3 hours) CHHS 631 Applied Planning and Implementation of Health Education/Promotion Programs (3 hours) CHHS 621 Advanced Health Communications in Health Education/Promotion (3 hours) CHHS 632 Advanced Administration of Health Education/Promotion Programs (3 hours)	Fall
Concentration Electives (0-21 hours) Total hours vary depending on previous courses approved by program advisor.  Courses from the second page of this checklist and/or other courses approved in advance by program advisor. Graduate level CHHS courses are described here: http://catalog.uab.edu/graduate/courseindex/chhs/. Elective courses may include: School of Education & Human Sciences courses CHHS 730, 731, 732, 601, 602, 608, 621, 623, 624, 631, 640, 641, 642, 690, & 697 ECG 600, 612, 613, & 631 EDC 760 & 770 EDF 600/700 level courses EPR 614, 695, 700, & 790 HEA 600, 610, 620, 630, 640, 650, 660, 670, 680, & 685 KIN 601, 607, 636, 637, 638, 643, 645, 647, 649, 650, 651, 674, 694, 695, 726, & 729 *For more information about these graduate level courses within the School of Education & Human Sciences, please visit: Curriculum & Instruction courses | Human Studies courses Sample of Courses external to the School of Education & Human Sciences HB 600, 601, 602, 603, 605, 609, 611, 612, 613, 615, 616, & 617 HPO 600, 607, 642, 670, & 672 PY 620, 635, 652, 653, 683, & 785 SOC 620, 629, 718, 730, 743, 755, 756, 759, 760, 775, & 791 *For more information about these and other graduate level courses within the UAB graduate student infrastructure, please visit the UAB Graduate Catalog here: https://catalog.uab.edu/graduate/ *Consult with mentor and Program Director regarding graduate level courses within Counseling, Education Psychology & Research, Kinesiology, Educational Foundations, Educational Leadership and programs external to the School of Education such as Psychology, Health Behavior, Health Care Organization & Policy, & Sociology. **All courses are not available every semester. Check the course schedule for course offerings. ***Of courses included on the list above, some may require permission to enroll.	Semesterly
Research & Dissertation
GRD 717 Principles of Scientific Integrity (3 hours)	Semesterly
CHHS 798 Supervised Research in Health Education/Promotion (9 credit hours total, up to 3 hours per semester)	Semesterly
CHHS 799 Dissertation (12 credit hours total, up to 6 hours per semester)	Semesterly