1. MENTORS, ADVISORS, & DOCTORAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Bruce Lubotsky Levin, DrPH, MPH
Associate Professor & Head
Behavioral Health Concentration
Dept. of Community & Family Health
USF College of Public Health

2. USF OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES
2015 – 2016 Graduate Catalog Section 8 – University Degree Requirements Major Professor “The Major Professor serves as the student's advisor and mentor.”

3. WHAT IS MENTORING? “Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen,
and a push in the right direction.”
- John C. Crosby
[Challenge, listen, push]

4. WHAT DO MENTORS DO? SHARE IDEAS & INTERESTS HELP DEVELOP YOUR CAREER
OFFER GUIDANCE, INTELLECTUAL SUPPORT, & PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
UNDERSTANDING
CHALLENGING
INSPIRATIONAL

5. FINDING MENTORS Ask yourself…
WHAT ARE MY OBJECTIVES FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL?
WHAT ARE MY STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES?
Ask yourself…
WHAT KINDS OF RESEARCH INTEREST ME?
DO I NEED A WRITING MENTOR?
WHAT TYPE OF CAREER DO I WANT TO PURSUE?

6. FACULTY ADVISOR Just one? Familiar with USF/CFH doctoral process
Accessible?
Provides timely & quality feedback?
Record of success?
Personality “match”… if not working… CHANGE ADVISORS! [Doctoral – Dissertation]

7. DOCTORAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Minimum of four faculty members
Faculty advisor (academic focus areas)
Faculty Member (theory)
Faculty Member (research methods/evaluation)
Faculty Member (academic focus areas)

8. DUTIES OF DOCTORAL COMMITTEE
Approve plan of study (courses)
Prepare annual evaluation (chair)
Reviews concept paper
Develop qualifying exam questions
Grade qualifying exam answers

9. ASSEMBLING DOCTORAL & DISSERTATION COMMITTEES?

11. CHOOSE WISELY! SELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK(S)
IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH/CFH
RESEARCH METHODS
AREAS OF FOCUS
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK(S)

12. CHOOSING DOCTORAL COMMITTEE
Specific area-based knowledge?
Provides timely & constructive feedback?
Previous experience?
Accessible?
Group dynamics of committee?
Problems…CHANGE (Doctoral to Disseration Committee)

13. APPROACHING POTENTIAL MEMBERS
Consult your faculty advisor
Experience on doctoral committees
“Interview” potential faculty
Ask other doctoral students

14. WHAT IS A DISSERTATION COMMITTEE?
Determines when you can defend
your proposal
Approves proposal defense
Supervises research & data analysis
Approves dissertation defense
Follows CFH & USF guidelines/requirements

15. 2015 – 2016 USF Graduate Catalog
USF Degree Program Listing:
USF Graduate Policies:
USF Graduate Catalog, all sections:

16. References
Bonaparte, S, Baldasty, J. Building Your Network: Finding Mentors. Mentor Memo, University of Washington graduate student newsletter. Available online at: Accessed on July 21, 2015.
Cham, J. The thesis committee [Image]. PhD Comics. Available online at: Accessed on July 27, 2015.
2015 – 2016 USF Tampa Graduate Catalog. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida. Available online at: Accessed on July 31, 2015.
PhD Student. Choosing Your Team: Selecting a Chair and Academic Committee. Available online at: Accessed on July 30, 2015.

17. References (con’t)
Rackham Graduate School. How to Get the Mentoring You Want: A Guide for Graduate Students. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan. Available online at: Accessed on July 24, 2015.
Shorter D. Welcome to graduate school: six key lessons to help master’s and doctoral students thrive in their first year. Chronical of Higher Education 2014; 61(03).
Stanford Teaching Commons. Selecting a dissertation chair and committee. In: FC Lunenburg, BJ Irby (Eds). Writing a Successful Thesis or Dissertation: Tips and Strategies for Students in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Available online at: Accessed on July 30, 2015.