• Molecular Biology Program
  • Program Home
  • Introduction
  • Letter to Applicants
  • Program Comparison
  • Program of Study
• Biological Chemistry Program
  • Program Home
  • Introduction
  • Letter to Applicants
  • Program Comparison
  • Program of Study
• Interest Groups
  • Molecular Biology Groups
  • Biological Chemistry Groups
• Student Life
  • Top Ten Reasons
  • Student Forum
  • Student Resources
  • Cost of Living Comparison
  • Curriculum by Semester
• Website Resources
  • Contact Us
  • FAQs
  • Site Search
  • Faculty Tools
  • Staff Tools

• Molecular Biology Home
• Bioscience Calendar
• Return to Bioscience
• U Home Page

Requirements for the Ph.D. Program in Molecular Biology:

I. First Year

A. Courses
Students in the Molecular Biology Program will complete the standard program outlined below during their first year. The student and Academic Advisor will meet at least twice each semester to plan coursework and discuss rotations (see below). If background deficiencies are identified, the student may be advised to register for appropriate undergraduate work and to delay taking a core course until the second year.
The standard first year coursework is as follows:

Fall Semester
Molecular Biology 6050 Faculty Research Seminar (1 credit)
Philosophy 7570 Research Ethics (1 credit)
Molecular Biology 6410 Biochemistry (3 credits)
Molecular Biology 6420 Genetics & Genome (3 credits)
Molecular Biology 7960 Graduate Research (Rotation Projects) (1-4 credits)

Spring Semester
Molecular Biology 6100-001 Sem. Molecular Biology (1 credit)
Molecular Biology 6100-002 Sem. Molecular Biology (1 credit)
Molecular Biology 6440 Gene Expression (1.5 credits)
Molecular Biology 6480 Cell Biology (3 credits)
Molecular Biology 7960 Graduate Research (Rotation Projects) (1-4 credits)
Student Choice Elective (1-3 credits)

Students must earn a B- or better in all equal core courses. Only one retake is allowed.

Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 in order to remain in good standing with the Molecular Biology Program and to be eligible for tuition waivers.

B. Rotation Projects
During their first year, students in the Molecular Biology Program complete four laboratory rotations with different faculty members. Each student is required to participate in all the Fall and Spring semester rotations. In addition to helping choose a thesis mentor, lab rotations may provide exposure to new areas of research, new experimental techniques and approaches, and help develop contacts that may prove helpful in subsequent thesis research.

Guidelines for choosing and successfully completing a lab rotation, click here

C. Recruiting Involvement
All students are expected to participate in the new student recruiting effort during their first year. This includes hosting prospective students during the recruiting weekends. The 2003 MBP weekends are scheduled for Feb. 20 – 23 , March 6 – 9 and March 20 - 23, 2003.

II. Selecting a Thesis Advisor

The Molecular Biology Program is responsible for students only during their first year. Subsequently, each student must find a thesis advisor, and thereby become a student in the thesis advisor's department. Every effort will be made to assist students in finding an advisor, but ultimately, each student is responsible for making appropriate arrangements. Only in exceptional circumstances, and with approval of the Steering Committee, will the Program continue financial support beyond one year.

In order to allow fair access to thesis labs, students and faculty should not make firm commitments regarding choice of a thesis lab until April 10. Students should discuss their interest in working in the lab of the potential Thesis Advisor during the year, learn whether space will be available and whether a faculty member "in principle" will direct their thesis. When a choice has been made, submit this information to the Program Office.

A student may elect to join a thesis lab outside the MB Program. However, the Program cannot guarantee stipend support for students in labs outside the Program.

III. Following Years

After the first year, each student's education will be conducted under the policies of the department of the Thesis Advisor. This requires satisfactory completion of the standard first year program, including any courses that have been deferred or that must be repeated. In addition, requirements of the graduate school must be met, including a cumulative grade point average above 3.0 and the writing and defending of a Ph.D. Thesis. Additional requirements common to all departments include the following:

A. A Preliminary Examination must be passed. The form and content of the exam may slightly differ from department to department. In general, the preliminary exam will not be undertaken (and in no case shall be considered to have been passed) until the Molecular Biology core program has been satisfactorily completed. The preliminary exam should be taken before the end of the second year.
B. Thesis committee meetings must be held at least once a year after the preliminary exam.
C. 1 1/2 semesters of additional graduate level courses should be taken. This could be a mix of didactic and journal clubs. Please check the individual department requirements. Some non-graduate level courses, such as physical chemistry or computer courses may also be accepted.
D. Participation in departmental journal clubs is expected.
E. Starting in the second year, service as a Teaching Assistant for one semester will be required of each student.
F. A student transferring from one department to another after the first year will be subject to the specific guidelines of their new department. There is no guarantee that a prelim in one department will be sufficient for another department’s requirements.

 

Updated 9/12/05