GENE-PHD - Genetics (PhD)
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Program Overview
Genetics and genomics are undergoing an unparalleled revolution: our mission is to continue leading this revolution to better understand biology and human health.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
Degree Requirements
To fulfill the PhD requirements in Genetics, students must complete a minimum of 28 units from the required departmental courses.
In addition, Stanford University mandates that students earn a total of 135 units for the PhD degree.
This total can be achieved by completing the 28 units of required courses, along with research credits, which include supervised study or independent research conducted under the mentorship of a faculty advisor.
Additionally, students are encouraged to take elective courses to meet the remaining unit requirement and to enhance their overall academic experience.
This approach ensures that students not only meet the minimum requirements but also gain valuable research experience and a comprehensive education.
- 2132971
- 2033361
OR 2244901
OR 2010471 - 2139101
- 2140691
- 2012731
- 1273222
- 2216961
- 1277951
Students may petition the Graduate Program Director for approval for any courses, including statistics, that have been completed elsewhere and may substitute for required Genetics courses. All such petitions must be submitted no later than Friday of the second week of classes during the quarter in which the course that is the subject of the petition is taught.
Statistics Substitutions are quite commonly made and can be done so with the consent of the Graduate Program Director, if you have taken and passed an equivalent course previously, for example in your undergraduate studies.
All Genetics PhD students should gain a basic familiarity with programming/bioinformatics. We are willing to accept any prior coursework or experience to satisfy this requirement. For example, one of the following courses could fulfill this requirement. Or, previous undergraduate or online classes that include programming would also satisfy this requirement, for example in your undergraduate studies.
- 2185141
- 2189671
- 2228962
- 1056441
- 1410303
- 2047312
- 2129641
If a student has taken a computational course in the past then that is one less course they need to take. Their total course load would be 10 classes.
- 2039251
- 2012622
- 1119332
- 2103682
- 1056451
- 2156861
- 1057501
- 2198851
- 1273491
- 2238031
- 2188332
- 2244281
- 2248421
- 2066792
- 2232481
- 2239511
- 2222891
- 2204162
- 1120203
- 2238421
- 2150031
- 2134011
Electives are not limited to this list. Elective courses need to be substantial scientific courses that are two to three units. Mini-courses are counted toward the elective requirement.
All students are required to submit a first author paper by the time they graduate.
All students must pass their qualifying exam in the autumn quarter of their second year.
Six months after passing the Qualifying Exam, students must assemble their thesis reading committee and hold their first meeting by spring quarter of their second year. In years two to four, committee meetings must be held every 12 months. Fifth year and above, committee meetings need to happen every six months.
Complete 60 hours of community service.
All courses can be taken for pass/fail. No letter grades required.