Molecular & Cell Biology Degree Requirements

NOTE: Only for students enrolled before 2010.

All incoming students are required to take a set of core courses in the first year. This core curriculum consists of four lecture courses in molecular and cell biology and biochemistry and two seminar classes, one in Molecular Biology, in which students read and present papers from scientific journals, and one in Bioethics.

At the same time, students rotate in two to three research laboratories during the first year. These lab rotations serve two purposes:

1. To identify a laboratory in which the student will carry out his/her thesis work. This choice is a combined decision between student and mentor and the rotation helps to determine if there is a good fit between student and mentor with respect to both scientific interest and laboratory style.
2. These rotations provide an opportunity for students to learn about new areas of science and new ways of thinking that s/he may not have been exposed to prior to entering graduate school.

After the completion of the core requirements, and by the beginning of the second year, students are expected to have identified an advisor for dissertation research. At this point, the student and Thesis Mentor establish an Advisory Committee that helps to guide the student through the remainder of the graduate work. Beyond the first year, the student must take three semesters of advanced, second level courses in specialty areas and topical subjects tailored to the development and needs of individual students. A qualifying examination comprised of a Thesis Proposal with oral defense is presented early during the third year in the program. This serves to lay out and solidify plans for doctoral research, which the student will carry out during the remainder of his/her time in the program.

A doctoral candidate must complete at least 30 hours of graduate academic credits with a minimum of 12 semester hours of MOCB 899 to be eligible for a Ph.D. At least 24 of the credit hours must be at the 600-level or above.

Finally, the ability to do independent research must be demonstrated by an original dissertation which has to be successfully defended in order to meet the degree requirements. The members of the student's Advisory Committee usually would serve also on the Dissertation Examination Committee, with the research advisor serving as chair.

Where are the faculty whose labs you can work in?

Most are based on the College Park campus. CARB of UMBI is in Rockville; and the NIH labs are in Bethesda.

Course Requirements

Typically, the core coursework is completed in the first year.

• MOCB 630 Molecular Genetics (3 credits), Fall Semester
• BCHM 674 Nucleic Acid Biochemistry (3 credits), Fall Semester
• MOCB 639 Advanced Cell Biology (3 credits), Spring Semester or BIOL 708A Eukaryotic Cell Biology (3 credits), Spring Semester
• MOCB 640 Protein Structure and Function (3 credits), Spring Semester
• MOCB 608 Seminar (1 credit), Both Semesters
• Fall Semester: Topics in Cell & Developmental Biology
• Spring Semester: Bioethics
• MOCB 699 Laboratory Rotation (2 credits), Both Semesters

Four additional credits of graduate level credits are required after the first year.

When to Select a Thesis Advisor

Within your first year in the program. You must have an advisor by the end of your first year to remain in the program.

When to Form Your Thesis Committee

It is required that you attempt your candidacy exam by your fifth semester, so it is suggested that you form your committee by the end of your second year.

Who Makes Up Your Committee

• Five Members
• Four members should be MOCB faculty.
• No more then two members from the same department, the UMBI, or NIH.
• One member is your Advisor, and they count as a member of a particular faculty/center.
• One member is the Dean's Representative and should be a tenured faculty member that is not an MOCB faculty member.

Committee Meetings

Annually. Both advisor and student must also submit an annual progress report.

Advancing to candidacy

• Complete your qualifying exam.
• The Exam must be attempted the first time by the end of fifth semester.
• Written research proposal on the student's intended dissertation research project is submitted.
• The completed proposal must be given to the committee at least two weeks before the scheduled date for the oral examination.
• In a preliminary meeting the proposal is approved/revised. The final presentation is made during the qualifying exam.
• In the case of failing, the test must be retaken within six months and passed in order to stay in the program.

Completion of the Dissertation Research

The ability to do independent research must be demonstrated by an original dissertation on a topic approved by the Thesis Advisory Committee. A presentation of the thesis work is done in a public seminar. Following the seminar, the student must defend the thesis to the Thesis Committee.

Questions?

More details on the graduate student process are available in the MOCB handbook. If you have specific questions, contact MOCB Sarah Biancardi, Administrative Assistant (sbiancar@umd.edu), or current students in the program.