Academic Opportunities

Variable credit courses

The College of Public Health and Health Professions offers three variable credit courses each semester that can be taken for 0-4 credits, depending on the course. Students cannot register themselves for these courses but instead must complete and submit paperwork by the second day of drop/add to be registered. The three courses are described below.

Clinical Observation

HSC 3801 Clinical Observation (1-4 credits; Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) is where you shadow a health professional. For every credit you register for, you are expected to complete 50 hours of observation over the duration of the semester. You can shadow multiple professionals and/or shadow at multiple places (does not have to be in Gainesville), however there is additional paperwork for each additional professional or location. It is the student’s responsibility to arrange who and where they will shadow. Additionally, the student agrees to submit a one-page double-spaced journal to the PHHP faculty supervisor (minimum five submissions) every three weeks reflecting upon what they’ve observed, and emphasizing aspects like patient-provider communication, differential diagnosis, professional ethics, the provider’s different roles, etc. Each journal should emailed directly to the PHHP faculty supervisor.

To request registration:

1. Contact a site or sites to establish if you can observe a health provider, the number of hours you can observe, and whether it’s feasible to obtain those hours over the course of the upcoming semester.  
2. Identify a PHHP faculty member who is willing to serve as your academic supervisor for your clinical observation.
3. Complete the Contractual Agreement Form with the faculty and the health care provider and get their signatures.
4. Upon receipt of completed form, you will be registered for the course. 

Independent Study

HSC 4905 Independent Study (1-4 credits; Letter Grade) is where you and a faculty member conceptualize a non-research based project that has to do with your professional development and/or personal growth. For example, may you read a book on a topic of interest and discuss the book with the faculty multiple times throughout the semester. Or, for example, you could interview various health professionals in the field you are pursuing and get a sense of their pathway through graduate school or getting a job. For each credit you register for, you either complete an additional project or the single project become larger in scope.

To request registration:

1. Identify a PHHP faculty member who is willing to work with you for an Independent Study.
2. Complete the Contractual Agreement Form with the faculty and get the faculty member’s signature.
3. Upon receipt of completed form, you will be registered for the course. 

Supervised Research

HSC 4913 Supervised Research (0-4 credits; Letter Grade) is where you assist a PHHP faculty member with a research project that they are currently doing or plan to do. That is, you do not create a research project on your own but rather work with a PHHP faculty member. Like clinical observation, 1 credit is equivalent to 50 hours of time over the duration of the semester.

To request registration:

1. Identify a PHHP faculty member who is willing to work with you for Supervised Research.
2. Complete the Contractual Agreement Form with the faculty and get the faculty member’s signature.
3. Upon receipt of completed form, you will be registered for the course. 

For questions regarding variable credit courses, please contact Kendra Hamilton.