DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY REQUIREMENTS
The following is a brief outline of the Graduate School and the Biomedical Sciences (BMS) Graduate Program requirements for a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences. For additional information regarding Admission and Application Requirements; Advisory Committee and Plan of Study; General Doctoral Examination; and Final Examination go to the following web site: http://www.grad.auburn.edu . A minimum of sixty semester hours is required, with the content to be determined/approved by the students advisory committee. Of these, thirty or more must be graded (e.g., A, B or C) graduate level course work (6000-level and above) beyond the bachelors degree and at least 18 of thirty semester hours of course work may include the courses numbered 7970 and 8990. A maximum of four semester hours of 7990 (Research and Thesis) from a completed Masters program may also be counted.
All BMS Ph.D. students must take a minimum of twelve semester hours of core course work consisting of courses in at least two of the following four categories: biochemistry, statistics, biophysics and molecular biology. Of the twelve semester hours, no more than nine can be taken in any one category. It is the students responsibility to consult with their mentor, their committee, and ORGS to determine whether a particular course satisfies this core course requirement. This is usually accomplished when the students Plan of Study is approved by the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies.
All doctoral students must complete a minimum of 10 hours of VBMS 8990. Enrollment in 8990 may take place at any time the student and the advisory committee deem appropriate. During any one semester, the number of hours of 8990 in which the student enrolls should reflect the amount of time being spent on the dissertation and the degree to which university resources are being utilized. Students may enroll, during any one semester, for as few as one hour or as many as 16 hours of 8990. The requisite 10 hours of 8990 should be included in the Plan of Study.
All BMS Ph.D. students must fulfill a requirement of having written at least one grant proposal sometime during enrollment in the BMS program and of having the grant proposal subjected to peer review. The mechanism for satisfying this requirement is determined by the students advisor and advisory committee. A Grant Proposal Requirement Form ( www.vetmed.auburn.edu/uploads/images/3105/grantpro2.pdf ) documenting the procedure and format used for meeting the requirement and date fulfilled, should be submitted to the Office of the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for inclusion in the student's file. This form will serve to verify compliance in the process of clearance for graduation.
MINIMUM CORE COURSE HOURS: All BMS Ph.D. students must take a minimum of twelve semester hours of core course work consisting of courses in the following four categories: biochemistry, statistics, *biophysics and molecular biology. Of the twelve semester hours, no more than nine can be taken in any one category. It is the student’s responsibility to determine whether a particular course satisfies this core course requirement. This is usually accomplished when the student’s Plan of Study is approved by the Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies.
MINIMUM RESEARCH AND DISSERTATION HOURS: Students must register for a minimum of ten semester hours for “Research and Dissertation” (VBMS 8990). Students can register for 8990 at any time and may register for as few as one hour or as many as 16 hours of 8990 per semester.
MAXIMUM RESEARCH PROBLEMS HOURS: Up to twelve semester hours of VBMS 7970 “Research Problems”, which must be distinct from the student’s dissertation topic, may be counted toward meeting minimum degree requirements.
MAXIMUM SEMINAR HOURS: Up to six semester hours of graded seminar courses may be counted toward meeting minimum degree requirements.
DISSERTATION: A dissertation prepared according to “The Guide to the Presentation and Submission of Theses and Dissertations” is required. This guide is available at the University Bookstore and on the web at http://www.grad.auburn.edu/
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT: The student must complete a minimum of 18 semester hours of on-campus course work during two consecutive semesters following classification as a doctoral student. At least 9 of these 18 hours shall be in graded course work. During this residency year, the doctoral student shall enroll for a minimum of 9 hours each semester, no fewer than 3 hours of which shall be in graded course work. During a single summer, one 10-week term or its equivalent may count as one semester. Interruption of a student’s program for the summer semester does not constitute a break in continuity. The proposed schedule for accumulation of residency must be submitted to the Graduate School by the department prior to the initiation of the residence year. All graduate students must submit a Certification of Graduate Residency to the Graduate School.
GRANT WRITING REQUIREMENT: All BMS Ph.D. students whose initial enrollment in the BMS program was Spring Quarter 1996 or thereafter must fulfill a requirement of having written at least one grant proposal sometime during enrollment in the BMS program and of having the grant proposal subjected to peer review. The mechanism for satisfying this requirement is determined by the student’s advisor and advisory committee. A Grant Proposal Requirement Form, documenting the procedure and format used for meeting the requirement and date fulfilled, should be submitted to the Office of the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for inclusion in the student’s file. This form will serve to verify compliance in the process of clearance for graduation.
PRESENTATION REQUIREMENT: All BMS Ph.D. students whose initial enrollment in the BMS program was Fall semester, 2001 or thereafter must average at least two scholarly presentations per year during their graduate training program. This requirement can be satisfied in many ways, such as presentations in departmental seminars, final dissertation defense, and formal oral presentations at local, regional and national scientific meetings. The mechanisms for satisfying this requirement are determined by the student’s advisor and advisory committee. A Presentation Requirement Form documenting the presentations must be submitted to the Office of the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for inclusion in the student’s file. This form will serve to verify compliance in the process of clearance for graduation.
For further information, please write to the department of specific area of study or to the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies, 106 Greene Hall, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, AL 36849-5517, USA. Or phone: (334) 844-3700.
