GUIDELINES AND
POLICIES
For The Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in
Biological Sciences
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I. |
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A. |
Introduction |
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B. |
Steering Committee of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program
in Biological Sciences |
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C. |
Application for Graduate Study |
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II. |
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A. |
Advisors and Internships for New Students |
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B. |
Selection of Dissertation Advisor |
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C. |
Graduate Advisory Committee |
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III. |
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Graduate Curriculum of the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences |
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A. |
Research Requirement |
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B. |
Course Requirements |
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C. |
Teaching Responsibilities |
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D. |
Transfer of Graduate Coursework |
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IV. |
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A. |
Examination Part I |
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B. |
Comprehensive Preliminary Examination |
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V. |
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A. |
Dissertation Requirements |
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B. |
Dissertation Defense |
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VI. |
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A. |
Grade Point Average |
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B. |
Progress Evaluations |
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C. |
Vacation Policy |
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I.
GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE GRADUATE PROGRAM IN INTERDISCIPLINARY
DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
A. Introduction
This booklet defines the
guidelines and policies governing the Doctoral Program of the Interdisciplinary
Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences,
This program combines the former Experimental Pathology program with other research programs in Brody School of Medicine clinical departments, the molecular cellular and ecological programs of the Department of Biology and pharmaceutical chemistry program of the Department of Chemistry. The program starts with a core curriculum of courses for all students, followed by a selection of courses in experimental biology, chemistry, pathology and biomedical sciences depending on the student’s research interest and needs. After the first semester each student chooses a concentration in either Biology, Biomedical Science or Pharmaceutical Chemistry. The Biology concentration includes opportunities for dissertation research in a wide variety of subjects including molecular taxonomy, entomology, fish histocompatability complex, eukaryotic cell molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry, experimental botany, and experimental zoology. The Biomedical Science concentration has research opportunities in cancer research, platelet function, coagulation, immunology and molecular biology of insect venoms, transplantation immunology, reproductive endocrinology, and muscle biochemistry. It also prepares a student to transfer into another Brody School of Medicine Ph.D. program. The Pharmaceutical Chemistry concentration includes studies in a variety of areas relating to basic and applied research and development of therapeutic agents.
Students are supported for a maximum of two years by
B. Steering Committee
1. The program should have a Director and a Steering Committee. An Associate Director may be selected by the Director and Steering Committee.
2. The Steering Committee will consist of two members from each concentration. The Program Director will serve as Chair. The members should include the Graduate Directors from the departments and the Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies from Brody School of Medicine.
3. The present concentration areas are biomedical sciences, biology, and chemistry.
4. Each concentration area will have a Student Admissions Committee and a Curriculum Committee. These concentration committees will report to the Steering Committee, which will have final authority over admissions and curriculum.
5. The Steering Committee will serve as a Faculty Admissions Committee and will approve faculty to participate as Dissertation Directors and the composition of Student Advisory Committees.
6. The Steering Committee will prepare the organizational structure document, administer distribution of funds and determine the program core curriculum.
7. The Steering Committee will meet regularly.
8. Unless modified by the Steering Committee or other authorized individuals or groups, other aspects of the Guidelines and Policies Document dated 5/27/2003 not specified above shall remain in effect.
C. Application for Graduate Study in Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences
Admission to the IDPBS requires
acceptance by the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee
consists of the Program Director plus 3 or 4 members of the Program Committee
chosen by the Committee for a one year term. Three alternate members are also
chosen by the Program Committee. Additional members of the Program Faculty may
be added for individual candidates. The interview process will be customized to
the needs and interests of each applicant and will include presently enrolled
graduate students. Preference is given to applicants who present
evidence of academic potential for careers in biological sciences as demonstrated
by their previous academic achievement and Graduate Record Examination scores.
Selections are made based on individual qualifications and availability of
facilities and resources. Final admission is granted by the Dean of the
Admission requirements for
graduate studies in Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences
are flexible; however, a knowledge of organic chemistry, biology, college
physics, and mathematics through calculus are considered essential to pursue
advanced studies. Students are encouraged to acquire a knowledge of analytical
chemistry, physical chemistry, statistics, and computer science. Specific
requirements for admission to the graduate program are given in the University
Bulletin. It is the general expectation of this graduate program that
applicants enrolled in another program will complete that program prior to
matriculating into this program.
Applicants may apply for admission
to begin studies in the fall semester of the academic year. Application for
admission to the Graduate Program is made on forms furnished by the
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of Contents
II. INFORMATION FOR FIRST
YEAR STUDENTS
A. Advisors and
Internships for New Students
All students must attend fall
semester orientation for
During the process of selecting potential internships (see below), the Program Director or a designated faculty member will serve as temporary advisor to all students who have not selected a research advisor.
During the first year and a half
of study, students will conduct research internships with graduate faculty
members whose research areas are of interest. These internships provide
students with the opportunity to work closely with faculty to gain laboratory
experience in a field of their choice. During the first semester following
entry into the doctoral program, new students should meet with a number of
faculty members in order to become apprised of research opportunities in the
faculty member's laboratory. After meeting with the faculty, students will select
internships. Internships may be for either a half or whole semester. Enrollment
will be in either PATH/BIOL 6810 or 6830. Grades will be assigned by
supervising faculty. Students are expected to spend a minimum of 12 hours per
week working on the internship.
B. Selection of a Dissertation Advisor
Following the completion of at least two internships, a Dissertation Advisor will be selected by the student. The program director will be responsible for assisting the student in selecting a Dissertation Advisor appropriate to the research interests and professional goals of the student, and consistent with the resources of the proposed Dissertation Advisor and the program. The program is responsible for the first two years of stipend support, after this time it is expected that students will be supported by grant, departmental or fellowship funds.
All full time students in the graduate program in Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences should have an Advisor no later than two years after their enrollment. In the event that a student does not have an Advisor at this time, the program director will recommend an Advisor to be assigned by the Program Committee. The assignment should be mutually agreeable to the student and to the Advisor.
Upon selection of an Advisor the student will notify the program director of his/her choice in writing. The faculty member selected as Advisor will concurrently notify the program director in writing of his/her willingness to assist the student and to accept the responsibility of directing the doctoral dissertation. To change the Advisor-Advisee relationship, a written recommendation from the program director and consent of the Graduate Advisory Committee is required.
C. Graduate Advisory Committee
Within the semester of appointment, it is the responsibility of the Advisor to recommend the composition of the student's Graduate Advisory Committee to the program director. The student's Advisor will normally serve as the Chair of the student's Graduate Advisory Committee. This Committee is composed of at least five graduate faculty members. Three of these must be members of the Graduate Faculty in Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences. At least one Committee member must be a member of the Graduate Faculty of another Department. In selecting committee members the student and the Advisor should avoid constructing a committee with a narrow range of academic interests. The Program Director will review the proposed committee and make a recommendation to the Advisor and the Program Advisory Committee of the suitability of the student committee composition.
The student's Graduate Advisory Committee is responsible for establishment of the student's program of study in final detail, approval of the research program, counseling the student, monitoring student's progress, administration and evaluation of the doctoral candidacy research proposal examination, criticism of the dissertation, administration and evaluation of the dissertation defense. The final program of study for the Ph.D. degree shall be formulated and approved by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee (in consultation with the student) and must be reviewed by the Program Director. It is recommended that the program of study be submitted as early as possible in the first semester after assignment of the Advisor.
The student's Graduate Advisory Committee must meet at least twice a year. The student generally should be present for at least a part of all meetings. The chair of the Advisory Committee will submit a written summary of each meeting to the Program Director and provide copies to the student and to each committee member. At least once a year this report shall include a description of the overall achievement and development of the student. This report will be forwarded to the program director and kept in the student's permanent file.
If the Advisor leaves this institution, the Advisor and the student's Advisory Committee must insure that the student's progress toward the degree can continue at this or another institution. If the Advisor goes on sabbatical or becomes incapacitated, another faculty member, designated as Vice-Chair, must assume the role of Acting Chair of the Advisory Committee.
III. GRADUATE CURRICULUM IN
INTERDISCIPLINARY DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
A. Research Requirement
All graduate students in Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences are required to conduct an original, independent research project under the supervision of their Advisor. The research project is a major component of the graduate curriculum. A dissertation reporting the results of the investigation in relation to the existing scientific knowledge must be written. The student will be expected to present portions of the dissertation research at regional, national or international scientific meetings, such as FASEB, Gordon Conferences, etc., in addition to the preparation of at least one manuscript which the student's Advisory Committee deems worthy of submission to a suitable refereed journal. Additional manuscripts or submissions may be required by the Advisor or Graduate Advisory Committee.
B. Course Requirements
Students in the Interdisciplinary
Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences must meet all requirements specified in
their approved program of study in order to obtain a degree. However, the
student's Graduate Advisory Committee can elect to alter the approved program
requirements when such changes are beneficial to the student. Recommended
changes in the program of study must be submitted in writing to the Program
Director for review and approval. A program of study must be prepared and
submitted to the Director by the beginning of the third semester of study.
Core Curriculum
for Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences
General Core (8
s.h.)
BISC 8815/BIOL 8815/CHEM 8815/ Seminar (1 s.h., taken 3X) 3 s.h.
HUMS 7004 Ethics and Research 2
s.h.
BIOS 6022 Biostatistics for Health Professionals
or PSYC
6430 Statistics and Research Design
or PHAR
7777 Biometry 3
s.h.
Molecular/Cellular
Core (3-4 s.h.) (students must choose at
least one of the following)
BIOC 7301 Biochemistry I 4
s.h.
BIOC 7310 Molecular Biochemistry 3
s.h.
BIOL 7870 Molecular Genetics 3
s.h.
BIOL 7480/7481 Cell Biology 4
s.h.
ANAT 7202/MCBI 7410 Cell Biology 4
s.h.
CHEM 7540 Biophysical Techniques for Studying Biological
Structure 3 s.h.
Research Core (25-
36 s.h.)
BISC 8810/BIOL 8810/CHEM 8810/NEUR 8810 Methods and
Techniques in
Experimental
Biology [Lab rotation] 3
s.h.
BISC 8830/ BIOL 8830/CHEM 8830/NEUR 8830 Introduction to
Research,
(a
minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 s.h.) 10-15
s.h.
Dissertation (a minimum of 12 and
a maximum of 18 s.h.) 12-18
s.h.
Biology Concentration
Required (7-8 s.h.)
1 Advanced course in statistics (choose one from the
following):
BIOS 5450 Applied Multivariate Analysis 3
s.h.
BIOS 5500 Nonparametric Statistical Methods 3
s.h.
BIOS 6501 Experimental Design I 3
s.h.
MATH 6802 Statistical Inference 3
s.h.
GEOG 6150 Quantitative Methods in Geography 3
s.h.
BIOL 7850* Biometry 3
s.h.
PHAR 7777 Biometry 3
s.h.
Advanced topics courses (choose two from of the
following):
BIOL 6030 Topics in Cell Biology 3
s.h.
BIOL 6120 Advances in Molecular Biology 2
s.h.
BIOL 6130 Advances in Developmental Biology 2
s.h.
BIOL 6220 Evolution: Topics for advanced students 3
s.h.
BIOL 6850 Advances in Ecology 2
s.h.
Electives (must complete 7-8 s.h. minimum
from the list)
BIOC 7301 Biochemistry I 4
s.h.
BIOL 6040 Animal Behavior 4
s.h.
BIOL 6082 Fundamentals of Vertebrate Endocrinology 3 s.h.
BIOL 6090 Experimental Embryology 4s.h.
BIOL 6210 Phylogenetic Theory 3
s.h.
BIOL 6700 Plant Physiological Ecology 2
s.h.
BIOL 6800 Population Ecology 3
s.h.
BIOL 6820 Systems Ecology 3
s.h.
BIOL 6900 Vertebrate Reproductive Biology 3
s.h.
BIOL 7010 Estuarine Ecology 3s.h.
BIOL 7020 Marine Biology 3
s.h.
BIOL 7170 Immunology 3
s.h.
BIOL 7215 Advanced Topics in Phylogenetic Theory 3
s.h.
BIOL 7360 Fisheries Management 3s.h.
BIOL 7370 Biological Effects of Radiation 3
s.h.
BIOL 7480 Cell Biology 4
s.h.
BIOL 7870 Molecular Genetics 3
s.h.
MCBI 7440 Advanced Molecular Genetics 4
s.h.
MCBI 7400 Immunology and Virology 4 s.h.
*pending
Biomedical Science Concentration
Required (13-14
s.h.) One of these will have been taken as part of
the core.
MCBI 7400 Immunology and Virology 4 s.h.
OR BIOL 7170
Immunology 3
s.h.
BISC 8810 Methods and Techniques 3
s.h. @
BIOC 7301 Biochemistry I 4
s.h
BIOC 7310 OR BIOL 7870Molecular Biology 3
s.h.
ANAT7202/MCBI 7410 Molecular Cell Biology OR BIOL 7480/1
Cell Biology 4 s.h.
Electives (Must complete at least four s.h.
from list excluding those for BISC 8820)
BISC 8820 Current Topics 2
s.h.
PATH 8800 Principles of Pathology 4
s.h.
PHLY 7701 Graduate Cellular Physiology 3
s.h.
PHLY 7702 Graduate Organ Systems Physiology 5
s.h.
PHLY 7704 Physiological Proteogenomics 4
s.h.
NEUR 7000 Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience 3
s.h.
NEUR 7001 Behavioral and Integrative Neuroscience 3
s.h.
MCBI 7440 Advanced Molecular Genetics 4
s.h.
MCBI 7450 Immunology 4
s.h.
BIOC 7345 Cell Motility 2
s.h.
BIOC 8320 Biochemistry II 4
s.h.
CMED 7100 Animal Research Methods 2 s.h.
PHAR 7609 Introduction to Pharmacology 3
s.h.
PHAR 7610 Basic Mechanisms of Drug Action 3
s.h.
@ may be repeated for credit
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Concentration
Required (9 s.h.)
CHEM 7520* Pharmaceutical Analysis 3
s.h. @
CHEM 7530* Medicinal Chemistry 3
s.h. @
CHEM 7541* Biomolecular Modeling
Techniques and Applications 3
s.h. @
Electives (must complete a minimum of 9 s.h.)
CHEM 7531* Natural Product Synthesis 3
s.h.
CHEM 7521* Current Good
Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) Methods 3
s.h.
CHEM 7993* Pharmaceutical Internship (maximum of 6 s.h.) 3 s.h. @
PHAR 7610 Basic Mechanism of Drug
Action 3
s.h.
BIOC 7301 Biochemistry I 4
s.h.
BIOL 7810 or BIOC 7310 Molecular
Biology 3
s.h.
CHEM 8820* Current Topics in
Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2
s.h.@
* pending
@ May be repeated for credit.
Dissertation Research,
PATH/BIOL/CHEM 9000, is required each semester from candidacy until the final
dissertation has been submitted. Credit is given for up to six repetitions of
PATH/BIOL/CHEM 9000 (18 units). The Ph.D. degree requires 58 units, 40 of which
must be completed by the end of the semester in which the student is admitted
to candidacy.
Graduate
students in the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences are
expected to develop a working knowledge of radiation safety and laboratory
safety. Students are also expected to acquire a working knowledge of the use of
micro computers and the principles of statistics. An individual student's
program of study must include either formal or informal studies to provide the
knowledge required. The
C. Teaching Responsibilities for Graduate Students
Each student will serve a minimum of two semesters as a Teaching Assistant, usually in the second year, subject to the availability of appropriate assignments. Teaching assignments are made by the Chairman of the Department responsible for the course in consultation with the student, Advisor and Graduate Advisory Committee. The course director will define the extent of the teaching experience, and the responsibilities of the students.
At the end of each teaching assignment, the Course Director will provide the Program Director with a written evaluation of the performance of each Teaching Assistant; the evaluation will be included in each student's file and a copy sent to the student's Advisor. Satisfactory completion of the teaching assignment is an important part of the student's academic development and will be a consideration in establishing the student's academic standing in the department.
D. Transfer of Graduate Coursework
Graduate work completed prior to the admission to the doctoral program will be evaluated by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee when the individual program of study is developed. Transfer credits from other institutions are generally limited to 20% of those required for a degree. Transfer of credit is subject to further approval by the Program Director, the Dean of the Graduate School, and the transfer credits committee. With the approval of the Program Director, the Program Committee, and the Graduate School one or both portions of the doctoral candidacy examination requirement may be waived for transfer students who have successfully passed an equivalent candidacy examination in their former graduate program. Credit may given for coursework taken as part of an M.S. degree at E.C.U.
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of Contents
IV.
ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY FOR THE DOCTORAL DEGREE
Doctoral students must successfully pass the doctoral candidacy examination. A student's eligibility for the examination will be determined by the Program Director upon receiving a recommendation from the student's Graduate Advisory Committee. Every effort should be made to complete the examination process by the end of the fifth semester (summer sessions excluded). The examination will be administered in two parts. The first part will be an individualized written examination prepared by the student's advisory committee. The second part will be a comprehensive preliminary examination which will address the student's originality and knowledge in the area of the proposed dissertation research. Upon passing both examinations the student will be recommended for admission to candidacy for the degree, Doctor of Philosophy.
A. Examination Part
1
The qualifying examination should be taken during the second year of study, usually in the spring or summer semester. Each member of the student's graduate advisory committee will prepare one or more written questions. The questions should be appropriate to the training coursework and potential field of study of the student. Each question should be graded by its author; but the student's performance on all questions should be considered by each member of the committee. Approval of the student's performance will be by a roll call vote of the Graduate Advisory Committee with no abstention. A passing vote consists of no more than one negative vote. Unsatisfactory performance twice will result in termination of the student's Doctoral program.
B. Comprehensive Preliminary Examination
Upon successfully completing the first part of the qualifying examination, the student will compose a grant application, prepared in the format of a National Institutes of Health or National Science Foundation grant application that describes the proposed dissertation research. Within one semester of completing the part 1 of the examination, the final version of the grant application will be submitted to the student's Graduate Advisory Committee for evaluation and then presented in a public seminar. Following the seminar, the Graduate Advisory Committee and student will meet in a session at which time the student will defend the grant application and the scientific principles upon which it is based.
Any faculty member may attend and participate in the grant application defense; however, the student's Graduate Advisory Committee is responsible for the administration and evaluation of this examination. Approval of the student's performance will be by a roll call vote of the Graduate Advisory Committee with no abstention. A passing vote consists of no more than one negative vote. The student's Graduate Advisory Committee Chair will be responsible for submitting the form: "DOCTORAL CANDIDACY EXAMINATION REPORT" (see Appendix) to the Program Director.
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of Contents
V. DOCTORAL
DISSERTATION
A. Dissertation
Requirements
Each Candidate shall prepare a
dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal should meet the guidelines
specified in The Graduate Catalog of East Carolina University, Section 7,
1) A review of the literature
pertinent to the research,
2) A short statement on the
nature of the project and the objectives of the proposed research,
3) An outline of a feasible
research program.
The dissertation proposal must be approved by (see IV.B.) and may be changed as needed by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee.
The dissertation must reflect original, independent research which contributes new knowledge to the candidate's major field. A high quality of experimental design, research technique, and communication must be demonstrated along with a clear perception of historical foundations, strengths, weaknesses, and implications of the results.
The student will write a
dissertation under the direction of his/her Advisor. The student will submit a
complete typed draft of the dissertation to each Graduate Advisory Committee
member. The Committee will have a minimum of 2 weeks to critique the
dissertation draft and return it to the student. Each committee member shall
convey to the student's Advisor his opinion of whether the dissertation
is of sufficient quality to schedule the oral defense. The student will prepare
and distribute a complete, revised draft that reflects consideration of the
Graduate Advisory Committee's critique. Simultaneously, the Advisor shall
inform the Program Director by letter that the dissertation is ready for
defense and submit an announcement of the date, time and location of the oral
defense. With the written approval of the Program Director, the announcement
will be distributed to all departments in the
Details pertaining to the preparation, binding, and distribution of the dissertation are specified in the Graduate Catalogue. Bound copies of the dissertation will be provided for the Advisor and the Department.
B. Dissertation Defense
The dissertation defense will consist of an oral presentation of the dissertation research in a publicly announced Seminar to which all interested persons are invited followed by a Graduate Advisory Committee meeting. The candidate should successfully defend the research findings by responding to all questions and criticism. If the presentation is unsatisfactory the defense will be re-scheduled. If the research findings contain major weaknesses, the candidate will be offered an opportunity to obtain additional data before re-scheduling a defense. Immediately following the seminar, the Graduate Advisory Committee will convene in private to ask additional questions if deemed necessary and to vote on the student's dissertation. The vote will be recorded. Voting shall be a roll call vote with no abstention. Successful defense requires no more than one negative vote. Recommendation to the Dean to award the degree will be made by the committee and the Program Director.
The doctoral degree program must be completed before the end of the six years following initial enrollment. If special circumstances require, a student may request an extension from the Program Director with endorsement from the Graduate Advisory Committee. The Program Director will review the request and will make a recommendation to the Graduate Advisory Committee. Only one extension of not more than two semesters will be approved.
The doctoral degree program is
considered complete when the dissertation has been successfully defended and a
copy of the signed, final version has been forwarded to the
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VI.
ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
A. Grade Point Average
Students in the doctoral program must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 for graduate courses. The GPA will be calculated by the Program Director based on courses in the student's program of study that do not exceed the maximum credits allowed for courses that may be repeated for credit (see III. B.). A cumulative departmental GPA of 3.0 is a prerequisite for the administration of the Doctoral Candidacy Examinations. Only graduate level courses with a grade of "B" or better may be used to satisfy the minimum 58 credit hours required for the Ph.D. degree. A student may earn a maximum of two "C" grades for courses in their program of study.
If a student receives a grade of "F" or two grades of "C" in required courses, the student must initiate a petition to continue his/her program. The petition must be approved by the student's Graduate Advisory Committee, the program director and the Program Committee for the student to continue in the program. If approved, the student must remediate the course and earn a grade of "B" or better before the dissertation defense. The course (credits and grade) can be counted only once for graduation.
B. Progress Evaluations
The program director annually reviews each student's progress. A written annual evaluation, signed by the student is required from the Dissertation advisor. The reviews will consider all aspects of a student's performance. Examples of unsatisfactory performance include poor grades, non-compliance with regulations, irresponsibility, insufficient effort on dissertation research, unsatisfactory progress on writing the dissertation, scientific misconduct, and unethical behavior. If the student's progress is unsatisfactory, the program director, in concert with the Advisor, may require remedial action or may request that the Program Committee remove the student from the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences.
C. Vacation Policy
Graduate students receive 20 working days of vacation a year. Prior to taking vacation leave, graduate students must complete a Graduate Student Absence form available from the program secretary and give the form to their Advisor for approval and then to the program director.
Modified and Approved: July 24,
2007
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Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences Page
For more information contact: hoffmand@mail.ecu.edu
Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biological Sciences
Department of Pathology and
Laboratory Medicine
East Carolina University
School of Medicine
600 Moye Boulevard
Greenville, North Carolina 27858-4354
Phone 252.744.2807 / Fax 252.744.3336