PhD in Molecular Genetics and Genomics - Curriculum

Program Overview

60 credit hours in didactic and laboratory course work is required, including

Interdisciplinary Molecular and Cellular Biology (IBS 7015)

Responsible Conduct of Research (GS 0900)

Major (MGG) courses (minimum of 12 credit hours) plus electives and research credits

Original research upon reaching doctoral candidate status (MGG 9991, 9992)

A typical program timeline is below.

Research Training and Laboratory Rotations

During the Fall and Winter terms of their first year students complete three laboratory rotations. The goal of these rotations is to select a PhD advisor, develop working relationships with different faculty, and learn scientific techniques. Students receive a grade for each rotation. The overall grade will be the average of the three rotation grades and will be credited to MGG 7460 in the Winter term. Correcting for holidays and Spring break, each rotation is approximately 10 weeks long.

Students are supported by Graduate Research Assistantships, which means that there are no teaching requirements. Students are therefore expected to spend the maximum amount of time in the lab, as determined by the faculty advisor. Near the end of each rotation students will give a 15-20-minute oral presentation on the rotation in the CMMG Research Conference series.

At the end of the third rotation all students will communicate their choice of PhD training laboratory to the respective faculty member and to the Graduate Director. All student-faculty matches must be approved by a vote of the CMMG faculty.

CMMG Seminars and Research Conferences

Students are required to attend all CMMG seminars and Research Conferences for the duration of their studies. Excuses in advance of an absence must be reported to the Graduate Director.

Each student will be required to give one presentation each year in the Research Conference series beginning in the second year. Students are encouraged to invite the members of their dissertation committee to attend their presentation, and schedule their yearly committee meeting to follow shortly after the presentation. The outcome of this meeting is reported to the Graduate Director using the dissertation meeting report form.

Timeline for Required Coursework and Advancing to PhD Candidacy

MGG students register for 9-10 credit hours in the Fall and Winter terms, and 1 credit hour in the Spring/Summer terms.

Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to retain their Graduate Research Assistantship. A grade of B- in a required course is considered passing.

At the end of the first year students select an advisor and a laboratory in which to do their dissertation research, file a Plan of Work developed in consultation with the Graduate Director and advisor, and then complete the Written Qualifying Exam.

At the end of the second year, students complete a written Dissertation Prospectus (a proposal for their dissertation research) and defend the proposal at an Oral Examination/Prospectus Meeting. Upon successful completion of the Oral Examination/Prospectus Meeting, students advance to Ph.D. Candidacy.

After advancing to Candidate Status, students are required to enroll in 18 credit hours of Dissertation Research (MGG 9991 and MGG 9992) spread over Fall and Winter terms. If the dissertation is not completed after 18 credit hours of Dissertation Research, the student will enroll in Maintenance Status, MGG 9995 for the remainder of studies.

Typical PhD Program Timeline and Milestones