Welcome to the awesome responsibility of academic advising! The COPH strives to provide accessible and supportive academic advising to all of its students. This manual is a guide to your role as an academic advisor.
We have several expectations of you, as a faculty member who we trust with the important responsibility of being an academic advisor. Specifically, we expect you to:
- Be fully engaged with your advisee.
- Be knowledgeable about our programs and courses.
- Assist the student in selecting a course of study that will best serve their academic and professional goals.
- Monitor your student’s progress; identify if they need assistance progressing through their program; and provide them with support that can move them toward graduation in a timely fashion.
- Provide, or create networks to provide, career advising.
While most of this manual applies to all programs, we also include some guidance in the appendices for the MPH capstone experiences. This is because of the large number of COPH students who are MPH students.
We hope that you will have a rewarding experience being a COPH academic advisor. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding advising or mentoring our students.
Enjoy your students! Best regards,
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Table of Contents
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Advising Role
The roles and responsibilities of academic advising.
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Advising Documents
Program and course planners, recommended schedules, handbooks, etc.
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Meetings & Record-Keeping
More on meetings, student files, and program planners.
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Advisor Designation
Details on designating and approving advisors for COPH students.
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Advising Assignments
Details on how and when advising assignments are distributed.
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Student Leave of Absence
Student Leave of Absence Policy, outlined by UAMS Academic Affairs.
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Program Directors
A list of program directors for each program.
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Appendix A
More on the MPH Progression Policies
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Appendix B
Advising for the MPH Applied Practice Experience (A.P.E.)
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Appendix C
Advising for the MPH Integrated Learning Experience (I.L.E.)
Your Role
In your academic advising, you will work one-on-one with students using the useful web-based advising documents listed below. Your role is to provide students with guidance in selecting courses and developing a curriculum plan that meets COPH requirements, promotes academic progression, and fosters students’ personal and professional goals. Your department chair will orient you to your role as an academic advisor. The COPH Office of Academic Affairs conducts occasional advising workshops to help you develop your advising skills.
Useful Advising Documents
The COPH provides on our website a number of documents that will facilitate your advising work. You need to be very familiar with these documents, and you need to make sure your advisee is acquainted with them. Both of you will use them as references.
- Program Planners: There is a program planner for each certificate and degree concentration offered by the COPH. Find the one that pertains to your advisee’s program. Use it to advise them about all of the requirements for the program. Make sure you include the credit hour requirements for the program, any non-degree requirements for graduation (e.g., academic integrity training requirement, writing competency requirement, IPE curriculum requirement); and if a degree program, the competency matrix for the program. The program-specific planners make it possible for you and your student to monitor their academic progress against degree requirements and competency expectations. The program planner is arguably your most important academic advising tool.
*Program planners may be revised over time following action by the COPH Academic Standards Committee. The student is expected to complete their degree according to the program planner that was in place when they entered the program, unless the student requests in writing to complete their degree under a subsequent program planner. For your convenience in advising students who are completing their degrees under previous program planners, refer to the Archive of Program Planners.
*A student can request a change to a newer degree program planner. This request requires submission of a Change in Degree or Plan Form to Office of the University Registrar. This form may be found on the Office of the University Registrar website. - Two-Year Course Planner: The two-year course planner shows the courses planned for the next two years. The COPH tries to keep this two-year course planner as accurate as possible, but please keep in mind that this schedule is tentative and could change based on the discretion of the department and primary instructor. Use it with the recommended course schedules to help your students plan their schedules over the next two years.
- Recommended Course Schedules : These schedules are for students enrolled full-time in a degree program. They lay out a plan for what to take, and when, so that the student can complete their program and graduate in a most timely fashion. Use it to help your full-time students plan their schedules over the next two years.
- COPH Student Handbook: The COPH has college-specific academic policies listed in the COPH Student Handbook. Use it to advise your students about the COPH policies they must follow (e.g., grading policies; academic integrity standards; degree completion requirements). Please especially note the policy on time frame for completion of degree:
- All requirements for a graduate certificate, MPH, MHA, or MS degree must be satisfied within six (6) consecutive calendar years from the first registration (whether as a certificate or degree candidate, or a non-degree student) with the COPH.
- All doctoral degree program requirements must be completed within ten (10) consecutive calendar years from the first registration in courses for the doctoral degree program. All doctoral programs have specific timelines with interim milestones. See specific doctoral program policies.
- Combined degree seeking students (MD/MPH, JD/MPH, MPS/MPH, AUD/MPH, and PharmD/MPH) are expected to complete all MPH degree requirements within eight (8) consecutive calendar years from their first registration in the dual degree program.
- Graduate School Handbook: If your advisee is in a COPH PhD program they also need to follow the policies and procedures of the UAMS Graduate School.
- UAMS Academic Catalog: In addition to information about COPH programs, the UAMS catalog contains a list of UAMS academic policies and course descriptions for all COPH courses. This tool enables you to advise your students about the UAMS policies they must follow. You can also use it to help your students decide on individual selective or elective courses, determine prerequisites, and understand the content of required courses.
- COPH Academic Calendar: The academic calendar contains all of the important dates that you and your students need to know about registration, examinations, days of instruction, orientation, adding and dropping courses, holidays, grades due, and the like. You can use it to help your students meet deadlines.
- One-year academic calendar: https://publichealth.uams.edu/students/current-students/academic-calendar/
- Five-year academic calendar: https://registrar.uams.edu/academic_calendar/
Meetings and Record-Keeping
- Meetings: Academic faculty advisors should meet with student advisees (a) upon initial assignment to an advisor and (b) at least twice per semester thereafter, or more frequently if needed.
- Student Files: Academic faculty advisors must maintain files on each student advisee. Include in these files copies or originals of all pertinent forms, and records of meetings and communications with students.
- Program Planners: On the initial meeting with the student, the faculty member will complete a program planner using the Recommended Course Schedules and Two-Year Course Planners as a guide. Retain the original and provide the student with a copy.
Advisor Designation and Assignment
All students in the COPH must have a designated faculty advisor. Department chairs are responsible for designating or approving faculty as concentration-specific advisors in their respective departments. If you have questions about how advisees are assigned, please ask your department chair.
Also, the COPH provides a faculty member as a general academic advisor for dual degree students. This dual degree advisor is in addition to the concentration-specific advisor.
Your Advising Assignments
The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) informs the students you are their advisor. OSA enters the advisor designations in GUS during the first week of classes once all of the incoming students have matriculated. This information is distributed to the program coordinators. OSA will send advisee lists to the departments each semester.
Leave of Absence Policy for Students
The Student Leave of Absence Policy is outlined in UAMS Academic Affairs Policy 2.2.10: https://academicaffairs.uams.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2022/08/2.2.10-Student-Leave-of-Absence-Policy-2022.07.26.pdf
The UAMS Student Leave of Absence Request Form can be found on the Office of the University Registrar’s website at https://registrar.uams.edu/our-forms/
Program Director Contacts
Graduate Certificate Programs
- Graduate Certificate in Public Health
- Graduate Certificate in Environmental Health Sciences
- Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Data Analytics
- Graduate Certificate in Regulatory Science
MPH Programs
- MPH in Biostatistics
- MPH in Environmental Health Sciences
- MPH in Epidemiology
- MPH in Health Behavior and Health Education
- MPH in Health Policy and Management
- MPH in Climate, Rural, and Global Public Health
MHA and MS
- MHA
- MS in Healthcare Data Analytics
Dual Degree Programs
- MD & PharmD MPH
- JD/MPH
- AUD/MPH
Doctoral Programs
- DrPH in Public Health Leadership
- PhD in Environmental Health Sciences
- PhD in Epidemiology
- PhD in Health Promotion and Prevention Research
- PhD in Health Services and Systems Research
APPENDIX A: MPH Progression Policies
Progression Beyond the MPH Core Policy
Students must complete the CPH Exam Prep course after completing between 18 to 24 credit hours of coursework, which must include the 18 hour MPH core courses: PBHL 50033 Introduction to Public Health; BIOS 50133 Biostatistics; ENVH 51003 Environmental Health Sciences; HPMT 51033 The Health Care System; HBHE 51043 Health Behavior and Health Education; EPID 51103 Epidemiology I.
Certification in Public Health Exam Policy
As of the Fall 2024 semester, all students beginning enrollment in the Master of Public Health degree program will be required to register for and must complete the Certification in Public Health (CPH) Exam Prep Seminar (which requires taking the CPH exam) in the next regular semester after successfully completing the 6 MPH CORE courses (PBHL 50033 Introduction to Public Health; BIOS 50133 Biostatistics; ENVH 51003 Environmental Health Sciences; HPMT 51033 The Health Care System; HBHE 51043 Health Behavior and Health Education; EPID 51103 Epidemiology I).
Example. Ms. Jones is in good academic standing after completing 3 MPH core courses in the Fall 2024 semester and the remaining 3 MPH core courses in the Spring 2025 semester. Ms. Jones must complete the CPH seminar (which requires taking the CPH exam) in the Fall 2025 semester.
The COPH will cover the cost of the first CPH exam attempt by issuing a voucher. If a student does not pass the CPH exam, retaking the exam is optional, in which case the student will be responsible for any rescheduling arrangements or re-testing fees. If the student passes the CPH exam, then upon graduation they will possess both a degree and a professional certification and may sign their name using both MPH and CPH.
APPENDIX B: Advising for the MPH Applied Practice Experience (A.P.E.)
All MPH students are required to complete a field experience consisting of a minimum of 200 hours of work in a public health-related activity outside UAMS unless otherwise preapproved by the COPH Academic Standards Committee. These are community-based projects under the joint supervision of a qualified specialist in public health practice and a COPH faculty member. At the end of the project, students must submit two work products approved by the faculty advisor that must be a benefit to both the student and the site. After approval, the two work products must be submitted to the Public Health Practice Coordinator with the faculty advisor’s signature.
See A.P.E. Guidelines at https://publichealth.uams.edu/students/current-students/projects/
A.P.E. Advisors
Faculty A.P.E. Advisor – Each student undertaking an A.P.E. must select a faculty advisor to assist with formulation of a plan, selection of a site, and assessment of work completed. The A.P.E. faculty advisor may be, but is not required to be, the student’s faculty academic advisor.
Site A.P.E. Advisor – All A.P.E.’s must have a designated person at the site. This person must be preapproved and oriented to the A.P.E. process and policies by the COPH Public Health Practice Coordinator.
A.P.E. Site Selection
Although the student is not restricted to previously identified sites, the Public Health Practice Coordinator maintains a roster of approved A.P.E. sites. Students or faculty proposing a site not on this list must consult with the Public Health Practice Coordinator prior to initiation of activities, and the Public Health Practice Coordinator must be involved in approving the site and orienting the proposed site advisor.
A.P.E. sites should be outside of the COPH and UAMS (the 12th Street Clinic is excepted) unless otherwise preapproved by the ASC and Associate Dean for Student and Alumni Affairs in consultation with the Public Health Practice Coordinator. If a new site, an Applied Practice Experience New Opportunity form must be on file in the Public Health Practice Coordinator’s office before an experience may begin.
A.P.E. Hours and Products
The A.P.E. field experience requires 200 clock hours of work in public health-related activities, with a portfolio consisting of two products that must benefit both the student and the site (written document, video presentation, training manual, evaluation, etc.), approved by the faculty A.P.E. advisor, the site A.P.E. advisor, and the student.
Timing
Students have up to two consecutive semesters to complete an A.P.E. The A.P.E. may be initiated in the summer semester.
Information sessions – All students must attend the APE/ILE Information Sessions no later than the semester immediately prior to initiation of activities.
Resources
A.P.E. plan templates, required forms, and other applicable policies and requirements are available to faculty advisors and students in the A.P.E. Manual, available at https://publichealth.uams.edu/students/current-students/projects/.
APPENDIX C: Advising for the MPH Integrated Learning Experience (I.L.E.)
Integrated Learning Experience (I.L.E.) Project
The I.L.E. Project is required of all MPH students, intended to be undertaken at the end of the degree program, and requires the student to synthesize and integrate knowledge and apply theory and principles learned to an area of public health practice. I.L.E. project activities must result in a well-written, high-quality paper. This may include the preparation of a manuscript suitable for publication, a health policy proposal, a research proposal for submission, educational materials, or equivalent. The final product must be submitted to the COPH Office of Student and Alumni Affairs Project Coordinator with committee signatures.
See I.P.E. Guidelines at https://publichealth.uams.edu/students/current-students/projects/
I.L.E. Advisors
Students must form an I.L.E. Advisory Committee to approve the I.L.E. Plan and guide the student through the process. At least two COPH faculty members from different COPH departments (one of whom must have a primary appointment in the COPH) comprise the Committee. The I.L.E. Committee Chair should hold a primary appointment in the COPH in the student’s concentration (the majority of students should have a concentration as an MPH student). In conjunction, they should be the best match for the project and the student’s interests; this may or may not be the student’s faculty advisor. All Committee members must sign the I.L.E. Registration Form to be submitted to the Public Health Practice Coordinator.
Timing
Students have up to three consecutive semesters to complete an I.L.E.; however, no I.L.E. may be initiated in the summer semester.
Resources
I.L.E. plan templates, required forms, and other applicable policies and requirements are available to faculty advisors and students in the I.L.E. Manual, available at https://publichealth.uams.edu/students/current-students/projects/.