BIO-PHD - Biology (PhD)

Students who completed graduate coursework at another institution are strongly encouraged to begin the process of transferring course units in winter quarter of their first year of doctoral study. The Directors of Graduate Studies for the student's respective subplan will evaluate transfer of units on a course-by-course basis. Graduate work accepted for transfer of residency does not automatically exempt a student from having to complete a course requirement for the degree.

The Department of Biology is committed to providing academic advising in support of graduate student scholarly and professional development. When most effective, this advising relationship entails collaborative and sustained engagement by both the advisor and the advisee.

Graduate students are expected to select a thesis advisor before the start of spring quarter. Students are encouraged to work collaboratively with their advisors to establish a dissertation project and form a Dissertation Reading Committee.

Graduate students are expected to meet with advisors at least once each year to discuss and help develop the students' Individual Development Plans (IDP). Additionally, advisers and students should meet on a regular basis throughout the year to discuss the student's professional development in key areas such as selecting courses, designing and conducting research, developing teaching pedagogy, navigating policies and degree requirements, and exploring academic opportunities and professional pathways.

Graduate students are active contributors to the advising relationship. They should proactively seek academic and professional guidance and take responsibility for informing themselves of policies and degree requirements for the Biology PhD program.

Advising expectations should be periodically discussed and reviewed to ensure mutual understanding. Both the advisor and the advisee are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity. Graduate students are expected to meet certain standards of professional behavior. These standards include being present on campus to meet the academic and research expectations of the School or Department, communicating in a timely, respectful, and professional manner, complying with institutional policies and procedures, and participating appropriately in the program’s community. Failure to meet these standards may be grounds for dismissal.

Academic progress and student completion of program requirements and milestones are monitored by the program director and staff, and are discussed by faculty at an annual meeting devoted to assessing graduate student progress. A detailed description of the program's requirements, milestones, and advising expectations are listed in the Biology PhD Student Handbook, found on the program website.

The directors of graduate studies (DGSs) are available by appointment. In addition, each year the DGSs meets with each cohort of graduate students to discuss what aspects of the PhD program areas warrant improvement.

Students must meet with their PhD advising committee in the autumn quarter each year (years 2-4), and both spring and autumn quarter thereafter (years 5+). In second year, the autumn quarter meeting will be the qualifying exam. Once the qualifying exam is passed, subsequent meetings are ‘regular’ committee meetings. Before regular committee meetings students are required to submit a shorter written progress report (~3 page, double-spaced, not including figures or references, Arial 11-point font) to their committee at least seven days before each meeting.