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Rapidly Dividing Cells in the Early Fruit Fly Embryo (Mark Peifer Lab)

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Degree Requirements

Coursework Requirements

4 courses during the first 2 years.

  • 2 must be 3-hour (minimum) graduate-level lecture courses
  • 1 must be a seminar/journal club course
  • the 4th can be either a lecture or seminar/journal club course
  • Specific courses are NOT mandated.

Lecture courses should include two of the following major topic areas

  • Molecular Biology (e.g. BIOL 631, BIOL 632)
  • Genetics (e.g. GENET 621, GENET 622)
  • Cell/Developmental Biology (e.g. BIOL 624, CBIO 643, CBIO 644)
  • Biochemistry/Biophysics (e.g. BIOC 601)
  • Microbiology/Immunology (e.g. MCRO 614, MCRO 630, MCRO 635)
  • Other appropriate courses (Bioinformatics for example) can be selected in consultation with an advisor.

Attend weekly departmental seminar series.

Participate in a student seminar series where students present their own research.

Exam Requirements

Written exam

Students choose 3 areas (of 4 offered) for concentration. They are given a group of up to 10 papers for each area approximately one month before the exam (early June or July). They receive questions and answer them at 5 hrs/area over several days at the end of the month, in a written format. The exams are then graded by the Biology MCDB Written Exam Committee. Students who do not pass may be asked to retake all or part of the exam the following year. Click here for a more detailed description of the written exam process.

Feasibility Exam

The feasibility exam is a comprehensive oral examination that is accompanied by a written research proposal. This examination must be held before the end of the spring semester of the third year. This translates into approximately 2 years after the written exam. For the feasibility and oral exam, students write a feasibility proposal on their thesis topic in the NIH NRSA style. The proposal should have preliminary data that has been generated; however, the report should be primarily focused on the logic and feasibility of the project. A member of the thesis committee who is not the mentor will chair this examination. All members of the student’s doctoral committee will examine the student. Grading will be pass or fail. A pass requires the approval of no less than 2/3 (in most instances 4 out of 5) of the committee. Click here for a more detailed description of the feasibility exam.

Thesis Defense

After completion of the Feasibility Exam, students continue to have yearly committee meetings. Students must schedule a pre-thesis defense meeting at least 2 months prior to their anticipated thesis defense date, and prior to setting the date. The committee must give the student permission to defend. The defense consists of a written thesis that has been read and approved by the committee, a public seminar describing the thesis work, and a private oral defense of the thesis work with the committee.

Have yearly committee meetings at least every 12 months. Student must schedule a pre-thesis defense meeting at least 2 months prior to anticipated thesis defense date, and prior to setting the date. The committee must give the student permission to defend. The defense consists of a written thesis that has been read and approved by the committee, a public seminar describing the thesis work, and a private oral defense of the thesis work with the committee.