Learning Outcomes
The Ph.D. in genetics will:
- develop students' ability to learn relevant literature, and to design and complete successful experiments with rigor and reproducibility;
- develop students' ability to communicate concepts, present and publish scientific data, and interact with diverse audiences;
- facilitate students as they acquire teaching skills and develop teaching effectiveness in the classroom and in the laboratory; and
- prepare students for diverse careers in the discipline.
The Doctor of Philosophy program in genetics requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Students must maintain a cumulative g.p.a. of 3.00. The program is designed to promote collaborative investigation and intellectual interaction among students and faculty participants affiliated with several different departments.
Students who enroll in the Ph.D. program are encouraged to obtain a broad background in genetics, including molecular, population, and human genetics. Within this context, course requirements are flexible enough to permit students to tailor their formal coursework to their individual needs. All students are required to do some teaching as part of their development as future scientists and faculty members.
Students have the option to declare a Ph.D. emphasis in computational genetics.
All students enrolled in the program are required to take the following courses.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| GENE:6150 | Genetic Analysis of Biological Systems | 3 |
| GENE:6200 | Special Topics in Genetics (seminar) | 1 |
| GENE:6210 | Seminars in Genetics | 1 |
| GENE:6234 | Basic Biostatistical Methods with Genetics Applications | 1 |
| BMED:5207 | Principles of Molecular and Cellular Biology | 3 |
| One of these: | ||
| GENE:7191 | Human Molecular Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL:3172 | Evolution | 4 |
| BIOL:3713 | Molecular Genetics | 4 |
| BIOL:4333 | Genes and Development | 3 |
| All of these: | ||
| BMED:7270 | Scholarly Integrity/Responsible Conduct of Research I | 0 |
| BMED:7271 | Scholarly Integrity/Responsible Conduct of Research II | 0 |
| Elective coursework in molecular and microbial genetics, cell and development genetics, human genetics, or computational genetics | 8 | |
| Seminar courses approved by the program | 5 | |
Even more important than formal coursework is the opportunity to do significant research in genetics. Research interests of the participating faculty include virtually all areas of genetics, ranging from bacteriophage genetics to human medical genetics. In each area of genetics, there is a group of faculty members who have closely related interests.
The University is strong in several related disciplines, including microbial physiology, enzymology, virology, protein biochemistry and molecular biology, computational genetics, and developmental and cell biology, all of which contribute significantly to the overall training program.
In addition to completing research and coursework, students must pass a comprehensive examination, usually at the end of their second year in the program.
Associated Courses
Credit earned in the following courses may be counted toward the Ph.D. in genetics. Not all courses are offered every year.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GENE:4213 | Bioinformatics | 4 |
| BIOS:6720 | Statistical Machine Learning for Biomedical and Public Health Data | 3 |
| BIOS:7330 | Advanced Biostatistical Computing | 3 |
| BMB:3310 | Practical Data Science and Bioinformatics | 3 |
| BMB:4310 | Computational Biochemistry | 3 |
| BMB:5243 | Biophysical Chemistry I, Module I | 1 |
| CS:5430 | Machine Learning | 3 |
| EPID:5241 | Statistical Methods in Epidemiology | 4 |
| EPID:6250 | Genetics and Epidemiology | 3 |
| FRRB:7001 | Molecular and Cellular Biology of Cancer | 3 |
| IGPI:6480 | Knowledge Discovery | 3 |
| MICR:6268 | Biology and Pathogenesis of Viruses | 2 |
| MMED:6220 | Mechanisms of Cellular Organization | 3 |
| MMED:6226 | Cell Cycle Control | 1 |
| MMED:6227 | Cell Fate Decisions | 1 |
| NSCI:7235 | Neurobiology of Disease | 3 |
| PCOL:6225 | Growth Factor Receptor Signaling | 1 |
| STAT:4580 | Data Visualization and Data Technologies | 3 |
Ph.D. and Dental Scientist Training Program
Ph.D. students in genetics who have earned a D.D.S. degree may be candidates for advanced training programs in dentistry. For information, contact the College of Dentistry.
Ph.D./M.D.
Students may work toward the Doctor of Medicine degree and a Ph.D. in genetics in a combined degree program offered by the Carver College of Medicine and the Graduate College. Applicants must be admitted to both programs before they may be admitted to the combined degree program. See the Medical Scientist Training Program (Carver College of Medicine) in the Catalog.
Prospective students should have a strong undergraduate science background and a strong commitment to research in genetics. Previous coursework should include general genetics, biochemistry, organic chemistry, and introductory physics and mathematics. However, deficiencies can be rectified during the first year as a graduate student.
Students who want to apply online should view the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics website. For additional information, see the program website.
Students generally begin graduate work in the fall semester.
Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.
All students receive a financial stipend of $31,500 plus tuition for the 2022-23 academic year. Financial support comes from training grants, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, scholarships, individual research grants, or other departmental or college funds. All students are required to teach as part of their development as future scientists and faculty members.
See Financial Assistance on the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics website and Cost and Funding on the Graduate Admissions website for more information.