Course Requirements. During their first year, BIOMAPS
graduate students must take the three one-term background courses as
well as two core courses of their choice. Students with adequate
preparation may test out of one or more background courses and replace
them with an equivalent number of core or elective courses. During
their graduate career, BIOMAPS students must enroll in at least 12
credits of BIOMAPS courses (not including background courses or
replacements for background courses); at least 6 credits should be
earned from the list of special BIOMAPS core courses, and 3 credits
from biology courses/seminars offered by the consolidated graduate
programs in molecular biosciences. The remaining credits can be earned
in courses selected from any of the remaining BIOMAPS core courses;
BIOMAPS elective courses offered by BIOMAPS participating departments
including those offered under the molecular biosciences umbrella; or
seminar courses in computational molecular biology and structural
bioinformatics as well as the seminar course sponsored by the Center
for Molecular Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry. In addition,
students will be required to enroll in the joint Rutgers and
UMDNJ-RWJMS course: 16:115:556 Ethical Scientific Conduct (1 credit).
Research Rotations. BIOMAPS
graduate students will be required to complete three research rotations
(1 credit each) during the first academic year and/or the summer term
following their first year. Research rotations will consist of
two-month research projects in research laboratories/groups selected by
students, and will allow students to sample prospective dissertation
projects in different research environments.
Teaching Requirement. During
the second year, students will serve as teaching assistants for two
one-term courses, leading discussion sections associated with a lecture
course for at least one of the two terms. Teaching is included in the
program as part of our emphasis on training students to express
themselves clearly and communicate the results of their research
effectively. Teaching effectiveness will be evaluated by a faculty
member who is a teaching mentor as well as by the customary "teacher
evaluation" forms.
Examinations. Each student
will be required to pass two major oral qualifying examinations (exam
A, exam B). During the second year, each student will be required to
demonstrate an aptitude for independent research by presenting a
literature review or research talk before their faculty committee (exam
A). At the beginning of the third year, each student will be required
to submit and defend a proposal for dissertation research (exam B). In
addition to exams A and B, the student`s progress will be monitored
through annual oral progress reports in front of the student`s Ph.D.
committee. Finally, to complete the Ph.D. degree each student will be
required to submit and defend a dissertation.
