Graduate Catalog

Program Structure and Requirements

Overall Program Structure

The normal length of the program is 60 credit hours. To be recommended for graduation with an PhD in Molecular Life Sciences, students must satisfactorily complete formal courses in the specified categories as set out as follows – 9 credit hours of core required courses and 15 credit hours of electives (of which at least 9 credits hours must be BIOL electives, and up to 6 credit hours of additional electives). The curriculum also requires 36 credit hours of thesis research. Additionally, students have to submit a written thesis which is evaluated by the examination committee, as well as satisfactorily defend their thesis research in a viva format.

 

Program Component Credit Hours
Program Core  9
Electives 15
PhD Thesis Research 36
Total 60

 

Program Requirements

Students seeking the degree of PhD in Molecular Life Sciences must successfully complete a minimum 60 credit hours as specified in the program requirements detailed below, with a minimum CGPA of 3.0. Course selection should be made in consultation with the student’s Main Advisor.

Program Core (9 credit hours)

Students must  complete the core courses listed below.

Core Courses

SCIE 701Research Methods in Science

3

BIOL 795Graduate Seminar I

1

BIOL 796Graduate Seminar II

1

BIOL 797Graduate Seminar III

1

BIOL 701Advanced Techniques in Molecular Life Sciences

3

Program Electives (15 credit hours)

Students must complete 15 credit hours of electives (of which at least 9 credits hours must be BIOL electives, and up to 6 credit hours of additional electives).

Program Elective Courses

BIOL 710Recent Advances in Protein Biochemistry

3

BIOL 720Recent Advances in Cell Signaling and Cancer Biology

3

BIOL 730Recent Advances in Biotechnology

3

BIOL 740Recent Advances in Virology

3

BIOL 750Recent Advances in Endocrinology

3

BIOL 760Recent Advances in Clinical Microbiology

3

Elective Courses from Other Departments

BMED 711Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering

3

BMED 720Biophysical Engineering of Cellular Systems

3

CHEM 714Recent Developments in Analytical Chemistry

3

CHEM 715Recent Developments in Nanochemistry

3

CHEM 716Recent Developments in Environmental Chemistry

3

CHEM 717Advanced topics in Biochemistry

3

Thesis Research (36 credit hours)

Students must complete a Dissertation that involves creative, research-oriented work within the field of Molecular Life Sciences, under direct supervision of a full-time faculty advisor from the Biology Department, and at least one other full-time faculty who acts as a co-advisor. The outcome of research should demonstrate the synthesis of information into knowledge in a form that may be used by others. The research findings must be documented in a formal dissertation and defended successfully in a viva voce examination.

Thesis Research

BIOL 799Thesis Research

36