Fall 2020 COVID-19 Updates
Please review the information below for updates regarding the fall 2020 semester. If you have questions, please email SPHAnnounce@uth.tmc.edu.
Fall 2020 course delivery
Because of how our courses are structured, we are able to be creative in how we choose to deliver classes. Below are the guidelines for the fall semester.
- The majority of in-person/ITV courses (courses with a PH, PHM, or PHD prefix) will be hybrid and utilize WebEx to host class. We are fortunate to be able to leverage the flexibility afforded by the WebEx platform. Faculty may be teaching from off-site, their office or in the classroom. Similarly, the students may be offsite or in the classroom (exceptions are noted below).
- Some lab-based or practice-based courses may be held in-person; faculty will reach out to students directly with plans for these courses, including precautionary and preventative actions that will be taken to ensure the safety of students and faculty.
- Online courses (courses with a PHW, PHWM, or PHWD prefix) will continue to be delivered totally online as usual.
- Students enrolled in independent studies, PH 9997 Practicum, PHM 9998 Culminating Experience/Thesis Research, PHD 9999 Dissertation Research should work with their faculty advisor or supervising faculty member to make appropriate arrangements.
Faculty and staff will be reaching out to communicate new procedures and etiquette for their classes before the start of the term. If you have any questions about how your course will be delivered, please contact your instructor directly.
Fall 2020 course registration
The Fall 2020 course schedule will be available for viewing using the interactive course schedule on July 1, 2020. Registration for fall 2020 begins on Wednesday, July 15th, at 8:00am. The myUTH Student Registration Guide will give you step-by-step instructions for searching and registering for courses in myUTH. For additional important registration dates and deadlines, see the list of Fall 2020 Enrollment Dates.
Joining a streaming class in WebEx
A link to the teaching faculty member’s personal WebEx room used for hosting the class will be placed on each course’s Canvas page prior to the first day of classes for the fall term. Step-by-step instructions for how to join a streaming class are available on the SPHCOVID19 Resources page on the School of Public Health Intranet, along with contact details for technical support teams. You must use your UTHealth credentials to access Intranet.
Special considerations and other accommodations
Students who need or prefer to attend class on campus due to special circumstances, such as maintaining a sponsored F-1 visa status*, lack of internet access, or accessibility requirements my attend class in-person at their respective campus. Students must follow all safety guidelines and protocols issued by UTHealth when visiting campus for any reason.
If you already know that you will be attending class in-person, please complete a short survey describing the circumstances and proposed accommodations so that the School can plan accordingly. The School will reach out to students with additional details about returning to campus as they become available. The survey can be accessed here: Fall 2020 Special Accommodations Request for Returning to Campus.
*At this time, the federal government has not issued a waiver for international students to attend courses online or via WebEx for the Fall 2020.
Practicum updates
The University has lifted regulations and restrictions surrounding practice-based experiences for the Fall 2020 term. Practicum experiences for fall 2020 will follow traditional guidelines and expectations, with the exception of international practice experiences, which will be subject to international travel restrictions put in place by the CDC and U.S. Department of State. Given the circumstances, students who would prefer to pursue a remote experience are welcome to do so. For additional information and guidance, visit the Practicum Overview page on mySPH.