Supplemental Coursework
Each student will work closely with his/her Academic Advisor and Research Mentor to create an individually designed plan of study that will enable the student to acquire the additional skills and knowledge to conduct research in his/her area of interest. The equivalent of 9 credits (3 regular term courses) is the minimum requirement for the supplemental coursework, but the actual number of courses/credits can exceed this minimum and will be determined for each individual student in consultation with his/her Academic Advisor and Research Mentor. Supplemental coursework will typically be comprised of selected courses at other institutions in the Boston Area as well as specifically designed/focused Independent Studies (RS-990, see next section) with faculty members who have expertise in the area(s) of interest. A Supplemental Coursework Form (available in the D2L PhD Student/Faulty Forum) is completed in collaboration with the Research Mentor and Academic Advisor and submitted to the Executive Committee for review, typically before the end of the second semester of study (Spring of Year 1). Supplemental coursework can be taken for letter grade or as Pass/Fail. It is the responsibility of the Academic Advisor to present the Supplemental Coursework Plan to the program’s Executive Committee for approval. Once approved, the Plan can be updated as needed in collaboration with the Academic Advisor and Research Mentor. A revised Supplemental Coursework Plan detailing changes from the original plan and the rationale for changes should be submitted to the Executive Committee and presented by the Academic Advisor for approval.
3.1.2.1 Independent study courses (RS-990): Supplemental coursework may include Independent Study course(s) of variable credit (1-6 credits). Courses can be taken either for a letter grade or Pass/Fail. Independent Study courses are approved work with a mentor on a project outside of a regularly scheduled course or research. If you plan to complete an Independent Study as part of your approved supplemental coursework, you must first submit an Independent Study Agreement Form for Director/Associate Director approval. This Form includes the faculty member who will supervise, the title, rationale, description, objectives, plan of approach, resource materials required, evaluation methods and number of credits of the Independent Study. Once approved, the IHP Registrar will register you for a section of RS-990. Note: the supervising faculty for an Independent Study must be a faculty member within the IHP PhD program (generally the Academic Advisor or the Associate Director). Students may work with a faculty member outside of the IHP for an Independent Study, but the supervision and grading of the Independent Study must be completed by an IHP PhD faculty member. When completing the Independent Study Agreement Form, please list an IHP PhD Faculty member (either your Academic Advisor or the Associate Director under ‘Faculty Name’. This person will be responsible for entering a grade at the end of the term. A course taken at an outside institution is NOT considered an Independent Study (see section on Transfer Courses).
3.1.2.2 Transfer courses: Supplemental coursework may include transfer courses taken at an outside institution. Use of transfer courses requires approval by the Academic Advisor, the Research Mentor and the Executive Committee. If you plan take a transfer course, you must register for IHP transfer credits for the semester in which the course will be taken and complete a PhD Transfer Course Request Form for Director/Associate Director approval. The PhD Transfer Course Request Form requires a syllabus to be uploaded. Transfer courses may be taken for a letter grade or as Pass/Fail. At the completion of the coursework, you must have the grade sent directly to the IHP Registrar [DM1]for recording on your official transcript. Transfer courses are distinct from Independent Study courses (see section on Independent Study Courses). The IHP Rehabilitation Sciences PhD Program has formal course sharing agreements with the Harvard School of Public Health (Fall and Spring terms) and the Harvard Graduate School of Education which enable IHP PhD RS students to take pre-approved courses at these institutions without paying tuition. Please refer to D2L for additional instructions about registration.
Upon completion of a transfer course, students must communicate with the outside institution at which the course was taken to ensure a formal transcript or grade report is delivered to the IHP Registrar. For courses taken at the Harvard School of Public Health, their registrar will send grades directly to the IHP Registrar (as they do not provide transcripts to cross-registrants). In this case, students should follow up with the IHP Registrar to confirm the grade has been received.
Students may petition that up to 6 credits of previously completed, relevant coursework be transferred in as supplemental coursework, provided: 1) the coursework did not count toward another degree; and 2) the coursework was completed within the preceding 5 years. The petition for transfer credit must first be approved by the Program’s Executive Committee and then filed through the Registrar’s Office - it must include a transcript showing the completed course(s) with a grade of “Pass” or B or higher. Submit a Course Replacement Form to transfer in course credits as supplemental coursework or to replace core curriculum.