Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Microbiology

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is granted for proven ability, independent investigation, and scholarly attainment in a special field. Although it is primarily a research degree and is not granted solely on the completion of a certain number of credits, there are specific course requirements that must be met. The training of a Ph.D.-level Microbiologist is based on a strong foundation in Mathematics, Chemistry, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry in addition to extensive coursework in the various disciplines within the field of Microbiology. This base is built upon advanced course work in the major sub-disciplines of Microbiology (Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Physiology, Genetics, Biotechnology, Virology, Industrial and Environmental Microbiology, and Medical Microbiology) as the student focuses his/her area of interest.

 Admission Requirements

Admission to the Ph.D. program in Microbiology is based on the following criteria:

1. 1. Availability of a suitable Faculty Advisor. Applicants must contact a potential advisor prior to applying and the faculty must agree to review. Communication with a faculty advisor is required prior to submitting your application but does not guarantee acceptance into the graduate program. The faculty advisor and graduate committee will review and rank all applications for admission.
   2. Completion of a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences or related field, or coursework commensurate with a degree in biological sciences.
   3. Cumulative GPA above 3.0 achieved in the most recent undergraduate or graduate degree.
   4. Curriculum vitae (CV) or academic resume summarizing the applicant’s educational background, leadership, awards/honors, research experiences (which may include scholarly research experiences from lab/field coursework), and research products (presentations, publications).
   5. Personal statement (2 page maximum) consisting of three sections:
      1. Section A - description of applicant’s motivations and goals for attending graduate school, career aspirations, and challenges faced in pursuing this career path;
      2. Section B - description of what the applicant learned from their previous research experiences which may include scholarly research experiences from lab/field coursework or employment, as well as impediments overcome during these experiences;
      3. Section C - description of how joining the lab of their proposed advisor would help them to achieve their goals and allow them to pursue their interests in biology.
   6. Letters of recommendation from three academic or professional references who can comment on the applicant’s ability to succeed in a biology graduate program.
   7. For international applicants who have not graduated from an accredited college or university in the United States and whose native language is not English, submission of a TOEFL score above 577 (paper-based), 233 (computer-based), or 90 (internet-based).
   8. Optional submission of supplemental documents, such as scholarly works, GRE test scores, or other materials that might be indicative of success in a graduate program.

To apply, complete the application to the Graduate School with the materials listed above, as well as transcripts from all institutions attended at the University or College level, which will demonstrate degree completion and GPA.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum GPA requirements may be admitted under "Classified (with performance requirements, w/PR)" status. The conditions of acceptance will be specified on the applicant's Approval for Admission to Graduate School form. Students under "Classified (w/PR)" status must petition the Graduate Programs Committee for transfer to "Classified" status after a year of graduate work. This petition will include a recommendation from the student's Advisory Committee signed by the research advisor. Continuation in the Microbiology Ph.D. program is contingent upon approval of transfer to "Classified" status. In rare cases, the Graduate Programs Committee may grant approval for a student to remain on "Classified (w/PR)" status for a second year. Any student with "Classified (w/PR)" status who has not been approved for transfer to "Classified" status by the end of his/her second year will be dismissed from the program. Acceptance into the Microbiology Ph.D. program must be approved by the Graduate Program Committee.

For applicants who hold only a Bachelor's degree, acceptance into the Microbiology Ph.D. program requires a minimum of a 3.0 GPA for all undergraduate work. 

 

Transfer from the M.S. to Ph.D. Program

Students in the Microbiology or Biology M.S. program may be permitted to change to the Microbiology Ph.D. program with the approval of the Graduate Program Committee. Transfer to the Ph.D. from the M.S. program normally must occur within the first year of the M.S. program.

Application for change must include:

1. A letter from the student explaining why they would like to transfer from the MS program and how the current research would be expanded to meet the requirements for the Ph.D. program. 
2. A letter of support from the research advisor and committee members.
3. A copy of the student’s current transcript.
4. Completed change of program form, available here.

 

Prerequisites

The following courses are recommended for the Microbiology Ph.D. program. It is expected that applicants to the program will have a broad background in Biology and will have completed coursework at the undergraduate level in the following areas:

• 1 semester of Calculus (Calculus through Multivariable Calculus recommended)
• 1 year of General Chemistry
• 1 year of Organic Chemistry
• 1 year of Physics
• 1 semester of Quantitative Analysis, Analytical Chemistry, or Inorganic Chemistry
• 1 semester of Statistics or equivalent
• Genetics
• General Microbiology

The Microbiology Ph.D. program will be tailored to the requirements of the student's program of study (as determined by the student's Advisory Committee) and will include coursework to rectify any deficiencies as determined by the Graduate Program Committee. Deficiencies will be made up in the first year of study.

 

Graduate Coursework in the Microbiology Ph.D. program

The intent of the Microbiology Ph.D. program is to produce scientists with a broad background in the major sub-disciplines of Microbiology while ensuring focused study in their major field of interest. The student's Graduate Advisory Committee will direct the student to specific course offerings within the Department and University to satisfy coursework guidelines. The three core areas in the Microbiology Ph.D. program are:

• Biochemistry, Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Physiology of Microorganisms
• Immunology, Virology, and Medical Microbiology
• Microbial Ecology and Applied, Industrial, and Environmental Microbiology

Students in the Microbiology Ph.D. program will take at least 42 credits of formal graduate coursework (at least 15 credits will be at the 6600 level).

Course number	Course title	Credits
BIOL 6690	Careers in Life Sciences (fall semester of the first year)	1
BIOL 6605	Biometry	4
BIOL 6691	Seminar (proposal, third semester)	1
BIOL 6648	Graduate Problems	9
BIOL 6695	Seminar in Microbiology (may be repeated up to 6 credits)	1-3
BIOL 8850	Doctoral Dissertation	6
Other coursework to be determined by committee approval		15
* Candidates who have already received an M.S. degree may transfer 9 credits of graduate-level work, providing grades of "B" or higher were earned. Transfer of credit is subject to approval by the Graduate Programs Committee.   Incoming Ph.D. students are required to take a diagnostic assessment to evaluate the breadth of their knowledge within multiple biological science disciplines and to help plan their Program of Study. The diagnostic assessment must be completed in the student's first semester as part of BIOL 6690.

 

Residency Requirements

The equivalent of at least four years of full-time study (minimum of 75 graduate credits) is required and the research upon which it is based should compose a substantial portion of the program and involve original work. Part of the work may be completed elsewhere with the approval of a student's Advisory Committee, but two consecutive regular semesters of full-time study must be taken in residence at this university.

 

Advisory Committee

The student's Advisory Committee will consist of the graduate research advisor and (at least) three additional members of the graduate faculty who are chosen by the student in consultation with the research advisor. It is the student's responsibility to contact members of the faculty to ascertain their willingness to serve. The Advisory Committee may include individuals from other departments or persons from outside the University who hold allied rank in the Department, with the approval of the Dean of the Graduate School, but the majority of any committee must consist of regular departmental faculty.

The Advisory Committee will consist of the major professor, at least three other members of the graduate faculty, and a Graduate Faculty Representative (GFR).  The Graduate School appoints the GFR after the faculty advisor finds and recommends a member of the Graduate Faculty. Because the primary role of the GFR is to serve as a representative of the Graduate Faculty, the GFR does not have to be identified during the first year of the student’s program. The Advisory Committee may include individuals from other departments or persons from outside the University who hold allied rank in the Department, but the majority of any committee must consist of regular departmental faculty

 

Comprehensive Examination and Research Proposal Seminar

Before submission of the final program of study, the student must pass a Comprehensive Examination intended to test his/her knowledge of the relevant sub-disciplines within the field of Microbiology that pertain to the dissertation research project(s). The student will be admitted to this examination when the student is considered by his/her Advisory Committee to be adequately prepared. This is to be interpreted as allowing the student to take the Comprehensive Exam, even though some courses remain to be taken for the completion of the student's program of study.

The Comprehensive Examination should be taken following the 2nd semester (or equivalent) of residence in the Microbiology Ph.D. program, and prior to the end of the student's 5th semester (or equivalent) in the program. Several months (3 to 6) prior to the intended date for examination, the student should meet with his/her Advisory Committee to seek approval to schedule the exam. If approval is given, the student may at that time ascertain from the committee which topical areas will be covered and which committee member will be responsible for each. Students should meet individually with committee members to determine more specifically what materials will be pertinent and how to prepare for the exam. The examination will consist of a written and an oral portion, which will be administered during a closed session following the student's public Research Proposal Seminar. Both portions must be passed satisfactorily in order to complete the comprehensive requirements.

The written portion of the Comprehensive Exam should not be less than 25 hours or more than 40 hours of actual writing time. Normally the written exams will be completed within the span of one week. The written portion of the Comprehensive Examination generally will involve the student applying the knowledge gained through graduate coursework and readings suggested by the Advisory Committee. The examination will consist of five sections, each meant to be answered by a five-hour essay. The specific topic areas covered will be determined by the student's Advisory Committee. Grading on the written portion will be on a Pass/Fail basis with four of the five sections graded satisfactory required for a Pass. If the student fails two or more sections of the written portion of the exam, the student's Advisory Committee will convene to determine if the student will be allowed to remain in the program. The student's Advisory Committee may recommend one of three options:

• dismissal from the program;
• transfer from the Microbiology Ph.D. program to the Microbiology M.S. program; or
• re-examination of the failed sections of the written exam.

Failed sections may be repeated once, at a time designated by the student's Advisory Committee, but within a year of the original examination. If a student has not passed all the written sections after repeating the failed sections once, that student will be dismissed from the program. The completed and graded written portion of the Comprehensive Exam is to be deposited in the student's department file.

Students pursuing the Microbiology Ph.D. are required to present a Seminar based on their Research Proposal to the Department of Biological Sciences prior to the end of their 5th semester (or equivalent) in the program. The seminar will be given during a scheduled meeting time of the Graduate Seminar in Microbiology (BIOL 6695) and will be considered part of the course requirements for that student. The purpose of the Research Proposal Seminar is to assess the student's potential for graduate study at the doctoral level, to determine areas in which the student shows strength or weakness, and to assess the student's ability to assimilate, evaluate, and synthesize subject matter. Immediately after the seminar, the student will meet in closed session with his/her Advisory Committee to review and critique the Research Proposal Seminar and the written portion of the Comprehensive Exam. This meeting will qualify as the oral portion of the Comprehensive Exam.

The purpose of the oral portion of the examination following the Research Proposal Seminar is to provide an opportunity to clarify and explore further implications of the written examination as well as to present the student with new questions in the same general subject areas as those covered by the written exams, but it can also cover other areas that are relevant to the student's graduate program. The oral portions should not be given until after the written examination has been evaluated by all of the committee members, but no later than four weeks after completion of the written portion. The student must pass the written portion of the Comprehensive Exam prior to taking the oral portion of the Comprehensive Exam. The oral exam must be passed by a simple majority vote of the Advisory Committee. Once a student has passed both the written and oral portions of the Comprehensive Exam, the student will be admitted to Candidacy in the Microbiology Ph.D. program. When the student has passed both written and oral portions of the Comprehensive Exam, the Advisory Committee should finalize and approve the student's Final Program of Study. The Advisory Committee may recommend additional coursework to strengthen the student's background in areas in which the student was considered weak. In case of failure, the student may be allowed to retake all or part of the oral examination at the discretion of his/her Advisory Committee. If a student fails the oral exam a second time, that student will be dismissed from the program

 

Doctoral Dissertation

Every student working toward the Microbiology Ph.D. degree must submit a dissertation embodying the results of original and creative research.

The dissertation must demonstrate the student's ability in independent investigation and must be a contribution to scientific knowledge. It must display mastery of the literature of the subject field and must demonstrate an organized, coherent development of ideas, with a clear exposition of results and a creative discussion of the conclusions. Students may register for dissertation credit only after completion of all formal course work. After the dissertation, in substantially final form, has been approved for format and content by the research advisor, and not later than two weeks before the date of the final examination, the student must personally deliver a copy of the dissertation to each member of the Advisory Committee.

Please refer to the manual, Instructions for Preparing Theses, Dissertations, Doctor of Arts Papers, and Professional Projects, for thesis clearance instructions. Click here for Thesis & Dissertation Manual.

 

Final Examination

The final examination of the dissertation will be conducted by the student's Advisory Committee including the GFR. Students are required to give a departmental seminar on the dissertation immediately preceding the final examination. The examination is concerned primarily with the student's research as embodied in the dissertation, but it may be broader and extend over fields of study related to the dissertation. Questions may be asked by committee members and those visitors specifically invited to do so by mutual agreement of the student's Advisory Committee and the Dean of the Graduate School. A majority of the examining committee must approve the dissertation and the final examination.