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
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).
Elective Courses from Other Departments
| BMED 711 | Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering | 3 |
| BMED 720 | Biophysical Engineering of Cellular Systems | 3 |
| CHEM 714 | Recent Developments in Analytical Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 715 | Recent Developments in Nanochemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 716 | Recent Developments in Environmental Chemistry | 3 |
| CHEM 717 | Advanced topics in Biochemistry | 3 |
Program Elective Courses
| BIOL 710 | Recent Advances in Protein Biochemistry | 3 |
| BIOL 720 | Recent Advances in Cell Signaling and Cancer Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 730 | Recent Advances in Biotechnology | 3 |
| BIOL 740 | Recent Advances in Virology | 3 |
| BIOL 750 | Recent Advances in Endocrinology | 3 |
| BIOL 760 | Recent Advances in Clinical Microbiology | 3 |
| BIOL 790 | Recent Advances in Drug Development and Delivery | 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