FACULTY RESEARCH PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS CURRENT STUDENTS POST DOCTORAL COURSES CURRENT STUDENTS Introduction Ph.D. Program Graduate Student Handbook Ph.D. Requirements TA Manual Pre-research Seminars Department Rescources Columbia Resources Student Directory Incoming Class Previous Classes M.A. in Biotechnology Introduction Student Handbook Seminars Useful Websites Undergraduate Program Welcome Ph.D. Requirements Ph.D. Requirements Introduction Course Work Qualifying Exams Teaching Research Student Advisory Committees Departmental Retreat Introduction The Ph.D. Program in Biological Sciences can be described in terms of 4 components: course work, qualifying examinations, teaching, and research. For further treatment of this topic consult the Graduate Student Handbook Back to Top Course Work The Core Course in cell and molecular biology ( G6001 - G6002 ). Two semesters of this intensive course (3-4 meetings/week) cover genetics, molecular biology, cell biology, developmental biology, structural biochemistry, neurobiology, immunology, and computational biology. Three graduate seminar courses. Two courses for students with a Masters degree. Pre-research Seminars (G9301): Faculty describe their research, plus discussions on the conduct of science. Students who have not had Physical Chemistry (one semester) and 3 semesters of college-level math, are required to make up those undergraduate courses. Attendance at the weekly Departmental colloquium (outside speakers) is required. Seminars are usually held Mondays and Wednesdays at noon in Room 700 Fairchild. For a typical program and a list of elective courses go to Program and Courses. Back to Top Qualifying Exams Part I: Successful completion of the Core Course.(G6001 - G6002). Part II: a written research proposal describing an intended thesis project (~10 double-spaced pages) followed by an oral defense before a 2-person faculty committee. This exam takes place during the Spring semester of the second year. Back to Top Teaching Experience in teaching is deemed an important and essential part of Ph.D. training. Two semesters are required for most students. Assignments include leading a recitation section and supervising a laboratory section. Extra credit is given for more demanding assignments. Students are given a short workshop in teaching technique at the start of this training. More information on teaching can be found in the Graduate Student Handbook Back to Top Research Research constitutes the single most important component of the training program. Laboratory rotations begin in the first semester of the first year. Further rotations are encouraged but not required. Two or three rotations can be carried out during the first academic year, with a longer rotation during the first summer. By the start of the second year, most students will have settled into laboratories for their thesis research. Back to Top Student Advisory Committees Starting in the second year, each student meets with an advisory committee consisting of their research sponsor plus two other faculty. This committee stays with the student until the completion of the program, the defense of the thesis. Back to Top Departmental Retreat Every other year, the entire department spends a weekend in the mountains discussing research projects. Arden House and Mohonk Mountain House are two of our favorite locations for this Mini-Symposium. HOME DIRECTORIES NEWS & EVENTS RESOURCES EMPLOYMENT CONTACT US