Ph.D. Degree Requirements

The Doctor of Philosophy Degree

Degree Sheet, Ph.D.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The course requirements are determined with the assistance and approval of the student’s Graduate Advisory Committee.  The following guidelines may be used:  a) 30 hours of formal graduate course work for the Ph.D.  BIOC 5753, 5824, 5853, and 5930 (4 credits) must be included in that total and a B or better is required in each of these 5000-level courses, unless the Committee approves previous coursework or experience as meeting that requirement.  b) Four advanced graduate courses in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology [BIOC 6763, 6740 (one credit), 6773, 6783].  BIOC 6792 is also recommended, but not required.  For Ph.D. students, a B average must be attained for the combined advanced courses in Biochemistry.  c) Other graduate courses in chemistry or other fields of specialization may be taken as appropriate to the research problem and interests of the student.  Students are expected to enroll at least two times in BIOC 6110 and two times in BIOC 6820 and to participate in seminar programs continuously after the first semester of enrollment. 

REQUIRED EXAMINATIONS
Written Cumulative Exams. Each student will take a series of Cumulative Exams beginning in the spring semester following their first fall semester.  The exams are of two types:  1) Interpretation of results from a current research paper, and 2) Examinations of factual knowledge based on course presentations, etc.  The two types of exams are given in alternating months.  The exams will be given at approximately monthly intervals.  Factual knowledge exams will be restricted to two hours and interpretative (journal article) exams will be three hours in length.  Exams will be administered as open book and open notes.  During their first fall semester, graduate students will be given coaching on how to read scientific papers, how to write abstracts and discussions, and in general how to succeed in the cumulative exam process.  Students may attend the actual exams being offered in the first fall semester.  If they wish to start taking cumulative exams early during their first semester, any exam they attempt and turn in will count as one of their 12 tries.

Each faculty member submits appropriate questions and papers to the Examination Committee before the examinations are set.  The examinations are prepared by the Examination Committee using these materials.  Questions on the exam are graded by the author and one member of the Evaluation Committee with conflicts removed by consultation.  Each student will be graded pass/fail based on his exam score or written interpretation of paper.  A student is required of pass 5 of 12 cumulative exams before taking the Oral Exam.  Students are expected to begin taking exams the spring semester after their first fall semester and monthly thereafter until five are passed or the maximum of 12 are attempted.  Students failing to pass 5 of the 12 exams will be dropped fro the Ph.D. program.  Absence from an examination will be counted as a failure unless the student receives permission ahead of time from the Department Head or Examination Committee.  Results of exams will be available to the entire faculty for their information and comment.   Faculty will grade the exams within two weeks and provide feedback on the answers that were expected.  This feedback may take various forms including:  direct comments written by the instructor on the exam, discussion groups on the exams, and correct answers placed in the exam notebook of past exams kept in the Departmental reading room.

Written Proposal. Doctoral students will submit a written proposal in the area of their dissertation to committee members within six (6) months of passing the cumulative examinations.  Students are required to pass the qualifying examination based on this written proposal within nine (9) months of passing the cumulative exams.  Failure to meet these deadlines will result in reduction or elimination of financial support provided to the student.

The proposal should closely follow guidelines from a national granting agency (NIH, NSF, or USDA guidelines will be acceptable, subject to format approved by the student’s committee).   The intent of the written proposal is to demonstrate critical thinking and planning on the part of the student.  Faculty advisors are encouraged to assist students in these efforts; however, proposals containing materials plagiarized from past grant applications or other sources, obviously, will not be acceptable.  Students should give careful consideration to the criteria used to determine if adequate progress is being made on the primary research plan, what obstacles or critical barriers must be conquered for the project to be successful, and how these issues will be monitored during conduct of the project.  The student is then to propose two alternative research plans (in less detail) to be considered if the first plan is not successful.  In format the proposal should contain approximately 20 pages, with text double-spaced and written in 12 pt Times font.  The composition of the proposal should be:  Introduction (6 pages), Major Research Plan (8 pages), Alternate Research Plan #1 (3 pages) and Alternate Research Plan #2 (3 pages).  The written proposal will be evaluated by the graduate student’s advisory committee members.

Oral Presentation. After approval of the written proposal by the student’s thesis committee, students will present the proposal to the faculty and students of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and to members of the dissertation committee.  An oral examination will be held immediately following the oral presentation and graded by the student’s committee members.  In addition to the material in the oral and written presentations, all other areas of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology are open for discussion and inquiry by the committee members.  Any student not passing the Oral Qualifier will be asked to complete requirements for the M.S. Program.

Final Oral Defense of Dissertation. Upon completion of research activities the candidate will prepare a written Dissertation which will be evaluated by the student’s thesis committee.  Students are recommended to consult and involve their Committee at early steps during preparation of the Dissertation.  Candidates will give a final public presentation of their Dissertation followed by a defense of the Dissertation to their Graduate Committee.  The Graduate Committee is the final arbitrator in the success of the Dissertation and its defense.