MCB Degree Requirements

Graduate Student Handbook and MOU

• General Procedures

  • Admission
  • Student Progress and Graduation
  • Stipends and Other Financial Support 

• Specific Requirements

  • Research Adviser
  • Doctoral Advisory Committee
  • Coursework
  • Additional Courses Required by Home Departments
  • Demonstration of Competency
  • Grades
  • Research Proposal
  • Comprehensive Examinations
  • Teaching Requirement
  • Financial Support
  • Scholarly Disciplines
  • Dissertation Defense
  • Probation and Remediation 
  • Academic Misconduct 

Graduation Requirements for Molecular & Cellular Biology Ph.D. Programs 

1. 90 credit hours (30 graded credits of course work) are needed to complete the Ph.D. degree, unless entering with a previously earned MS degree in a related field.  A student entering the program with an earned MS degree is required to complete a minimum of 24 graded credit hours of graduate coursework. Required core curriculum for MCB students consists of:
   • Biochemistry - CHEM 5901 (4 credits) and CHEM 5902 (4 credits)
   • Biological Research and Science Ethics – PBIO 5170 (1 credit)
   • Molecular Biology - MCB 7200 (3 credits)
   • Bioinformatics – Genomics Laboratory – MCB 5280 (3 credits) or Problem Solving with Bioinformatics Tools – MCB 5160 (3 credits)
   • Advanced Cell Biology - MCB 7600 (3 credits)
   • Writing in the Life Sciences - PBIO 5180 (3 credits)
   • Seminar in Molecular and Cellular Biology - MCB 7410 (1 credit)
2. Written Comprehensive Exam
3. Oral Comprehensive Exam
4. Teaching Requirement of 2 full semester assignments (excluding Chemistry and Biochemistry Dept.)
5. Written Dissertation and oral defense.

Culminating Experience:Written Dissertation and oral defense.