GENEPHD - Genetics

63

At the University of Arizona, the Graduate College sets the overall framework for the completion of the doctoral degree. Within these guidelines, the Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program establishes specific requirements and monitors student progress to ensure:

Sufficient breadth of knowledge in genetics
Sufficient depth of knowledge in the students area of specialty
Rigorous research training
Training in career skills (writing, speaking, critical evaluation of the literature)
Training in teaching skills

Typically, successful completion of the Doctoral program takes 4.5 to 5.5 years of study. Doctoral students must complete 36 units of graduate-level coursework. 18 units must be in the major subject area, must be taken as letter-grade, and must be courses at the 500-level or greater.

Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.00 (letter grade of B) or better to receive financial support and to be awarded a Ph.D. degree. All students in the Doctoral degree program are also expected to comply with the regulations of the Graduate College with respect to residence, credit hour requirements, and the qualifying and comprehensive examinations (please refer to the Graduate College Policies for more information).

Doctoral students, with the input of their advisor, also develop a minor area of study based upon the student's research goals. The minor is satisfied with 9 units of relevant coursework in the minor department.

In addition, the Doctoral Program requires that each student complete a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 laboratory rotations within their first academic year. Furthermore, each Doctoral student must take a course in Ethics, in GENE670, and complete a semester as a teaching assistant to gain experience as a teacher.

During their second academic year, Doctoral students should form a Comprehensive Committee and, by the end of the second or third academic year, they must pass their written and oral Comprehensive Exams based  their the major and minor areas of study.

After a successful performance on the Comprehensive Exams, the Doctoral student will form a Dissertation Committee and complete their dissertation project to earn the Ph.D. degree.

Minumum credits: 63
Core coursework: Vary according to selected degree-granting program; see links to five participating life science graduate programs at <http://www.abbs.arizona.edu>;
 

Major: 36 units of coursework, combining units from the core curriculum and units from the student's specific area of interest (see below: typical curriculum).

Dissertation Units: At least 18 units of dissertation credit are taken after successful completion of the comprehensive examinations. Other units come from independent study and research credit.

Teaching Requirement: Students are required to teach for one semester in a course that complements their interests. Additional opportunities for teaching may also be available.

Seminars: In addition to the weekly GIDP Current Topics Seminar, students are required to attend seminars and journal clubs as determined in consultation with their mentor and mentoring committee.

GENE 670 (Recent Advances in Genetics): This the genetics graduate seminar. Eight semesters (i.e., 16 credit units) of this 2-unit course, offered in the Fall and Spring semesters, is required of all students.  This course consists of work-in-progress, research presentations, presentations of journal club articles from the current literature, and research seminars in genetics.  it is a letter-graded course.

CMM 518 (Fundamental Genetic Mechanisms): This is a 3-unit course, offered in the Fall semester, required of all students. This course is an introductory graduate-level course in advanced concepts in genetics. The course covers a wide array of genetic concepts, including gene interaction, genetic analysis, chromosome structure and mechanics, meiotic mechanisms, gene regulation, dosage compensation, sex determination, and somatic mutation. 

GENE 795A (Laboratory Research Rotations):  For first-year students who have not chosen a major advisor at the beginning of their graduate career, the Program requires they take three rotations from the beginning of the first semester, usually Fall, to the midpoint of the second semester, usually Spring.  These three nine-week lab rotations are 3 units each (9 credit units total). Students are asked to present a summary of their rotation project in the graduate seminar. The supervising faculty assign a letter grade for the rotations.

MCB 695E  Ethics (1 unit),  PHCL 595B Scientific Writing Strategies, Skills and Ethics (2 units), or SP H 649 Survival Skills and Ethics  (3 units)

GENE 920 (Dissertation):  18 units, as required by UA Graduate College

Genetics Program students must select additional courses to complete their PoS. Courses are generally at the will of the student and the student’s advisory committee. However, to assure sufficient breadth for the students of the Genetics Program, students must choose one course from each of two of three lists, determined by the Genetics Curriculum Committee and maintained on the Genetics GIDP web page. The three lists are broadly divided into three categories: Organismal Genetics; Biochemistry; Genomics, Informatics, and Population Genetics. For example, a student must pass CMM518, and one course from Organismal Genetics, and one from Biochemistry, or he or she may pass CMM518 and one from Organismal Genetics and one from Genomics, Informatics, and Population Genetics.

The inclusion of a new course offered by the University on one of the lists can be done by your advisor by contacting the Genetics Curriculum Committee, the Chair, or the Vice-Chair of the GIDP.

Students are required to complete two courses, one from each of two of the 3 class groups A. Genetics, B. Biochemistry, and C. Genomics and Bioinformatics.  as a distribution requirement. 

A. Genetics

• CMM 695D: Advanced Analysis of Human Genetic Disease: From Chief Complaint to Drug Discovery

• GENE 530: Conservation Genetics

• MCB 572A: Cell Systems

• PLP 528R: Microbial Genetics

B. Biochemistry

• BIOC 568: Nucleic Acids, Metabolism and Signaling

• BIOC 565: Proteins and Enzymes

• BIOC 555  Methods of Physical Biochemistry

• BIOC 573 Recombinant DNA Methods and Applications

• CHEM 523A Bioanalytical Chemistry

C. Genomics and Bioinformatics

• ABE 587: Metagenomics: From Genes to Ecosystems

• MCB 553: Functional and Evolutionary Genomics

• GENE 677: Principles of Genetic Association Studies

• MCB 546: Genetic and Molecular Networks

• Gene 526: Population Genetics

• MCB 516A: Statistical Bioinformatics and Genomic Analysis

The Graduate College expects students to maintain an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 (B). One semester < 3.0 and the student is on probation. Two semesters < 3.0 and the Graduate College will remove the student from the program. The Genetics Program has a more stringent requirement that students must not have more than two (2) grades of C in their coursework. Failure to achieve such a record can result in dismissal from the Program. In this case, the Program asks the Graduate College to remove the student. Students who are removed from the Program or College may apply for non-degree status is they want. Students in non-degree status may be ineligible for continuing financial support, depending on the source of the funding.

Minor: At least 9 units are required by the minor department. Students may choose to minor in: Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology, Pharmacology, Psychology, Cell Biology & Anatomy, Genetics, Physiological Sciences, Speech & Hearing Sciences, or another related area.

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.