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PHD in Biology

Chapter 6 Graduate Program Reguations/Course Description
College of Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Biology

The Department of Biology offers opportunities for advanced study and research leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biology. The degree program has emphases in molecular and cellular neurobiology. The Ph.D. in Biology is awarded to candidates who have displayed an in-depth understanding of the subject matter and demonstrated the ability to make an original contribution to knowledge in their field of specialty.

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The regulations for this degree comply with the general University regulations (refer to Chapter 3, General Academic Regulations, and Chapter 5, Doctoral Degree Regulations).

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Admission Requirements. Applicants must have a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited university and a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in upper-division and graduate work, preferably in biology. Applicants must submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with their application. Applicants whose native language is not English must score at least 550 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The Doctoral Studies Committee, comprised of members selected from the graduate faculty, is responsible for advising students. Admission requires appointment to a teaching assistantship, research assistantship, or research fellowship.

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Degree Requirements. The degree requires a minimum of 92 semester credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree. The core curriculum consists of 30 semester credit hours of formal coursework, including elective courses that support the emphasis in neurobiology, and required teaching, research, and completion of the dissertation following advancement to candidacy. Enrollment in the Life Sciences Colloquium and Seminar in Life Sciences is required each semester of enrollment and may be taken for a maximum combined total of 26 semester credit hours. A minimum of 36 semester credit hours in doctoral research, including 12 hours for the doctoral dissertation, must be completed. Any grade lower than “B” in a graduate course or in remediate coursework at the undergraduate level will not count toward the 92 hours. Students matriculating with a Master’s degree may use up to 30 semester credit hours toward the degree provided the courses are comparable to core and elective courses.

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Program of Study

A. Core curriculum (15 semester credit hours required):

BIO 7113 Supervised Teaching in Life Sciences
BIO 7413 Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct in Research
BIO 7513 Advanced Biochemistry
BIO 7573 Experimental Techniques in the Life Sciences
BIO 7643 Cellular and Molecular Biology

B. Colloquia and seminars (26 semester credit hours maximum):

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BIO 7041 Life Sciences Colloquium
BIO 7051 Seminar in Life Sciences

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C. Doctoral research (36 semester credit hours minimum):

BIO 7211-3 Doctoral Research (24 hours minimum)
BIO 7311-3 Doctoral Dissertation (12 hours minimum)

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D. Electives (15 semester credit hours minimum):

BIO 5423 Neuroanatomy
BIO 5433 Neurophysiology
BIO 5443 Neurochemistry
BIO 5453 Neuroendocrinology
BIO 5473 Developmental Neurobiology
BIO 5503 Sensory Physiology
BIO 5543 Pharmacology and Toxicology
BIO 5833 Membrane Structure and Function
BIO 6803 Advanced Immunology and Immunochemistry

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The entire program of study must be approved by the student’s dissertation advisor, dissertation committee, and doctoral studies committee and must be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies for final approval.

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Advancement to Candidacy. Advancement to candidacy requires a student to complete University and program requirements and to pass written and oral qualifying examinations following completion of course requirements. The examination is administered by the Doctoral Studies Committee and is conducted by the Dissertation Committee as outlined below. No more than two attempts to pass qualifying examinations are allowed. Results of the written and oral examinations must be reported to the Doctoral Studies Committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies. Admission into the doctoral program does not guarantee advancement to candidacy.

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Dissertation. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to conduct independent research by completing and defending an original dissertation. The research topic is determined by the student in consultation with his or her supervising professor. A dissertation committee selected by the student and supervising professor and approved by the Dean of the College and the Dean of Graduate Studies guides and critiques the candidate’s research. The Dissertation Committee must approve the completed dissertation.

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Final Oral Examination. Following an open presentation of the dissertation findings, the Dissertation Committee conducts a closed oral examination dealing primarily with the relation of the dissertation to the general field of specialty. Results of the oral examination must be reported to the Dean of Graduate Studies. Awarding of the degree is based on the approval of the Dissertation Committee, approved by the Dean of Graduate Studies. The Dean of Graduate Studies certifies the completion of all University-wide requirements.

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