Additional Elective Courses
In addition to the courses listed above, students are expected to select, in consultation with their academic advisor and research mentor, additional courses appropriate for their areas of concentration. In addition, a student’s Dissertation Committee may require that a student register for elective courses within or outside the Department of Human Genetics to gain knowledge in an area relevant to the student’s area of concentration. Furthermore, students who are not fluent in English are strongly recommended to take a University course in conversational English.
Other Requirements
Preliminary (Qualifying) Evaluation
The qualifying exam comprises two parts. The first part is a written exam covering the foundational knowledge in the field, which takes place after completion of the introductory courses (HUGEN 2010, HUGEN 2020, HUGEN 2040, HUGEN 2060, EPIDEM 2110, BIOST 2041 ), usually after then first year of study. The second part is a presentation and oral exam that assesses the transfer of foundational knowledge to the interpretation of research from the primary literature and evaluates intellectual profundity and capacity for doctoral-level depth of thought. The presentation and oral exam occurs in the same semester following successful completion of the written exam. Satisfactory performance in both parts is required to pass the qualifying exam. The PhD qualifying exam follows a format similar to the MS Comprehensive Examination but uses different criteria and applies more rigorous grading standards.
Comprehensive Exam & Overview/Prospectus Meeting
The comprehensive exam and prospectus take place concurrently, usually after completion of the required coursework and after development of the dissertation research project. The format of the example is a written research proposal followed by a presentation and oral examination.
Admission to Candidacy
To qualify for admission to candidacy, students must:
- be in full graduate status
- have satisfied the requirement of the preliminary evaluation
- have completed formal coursework with a minimum grade point average of 3.00
- have passed the comprehensive examination
- received approval of the proposed subject and plan of the dissertation from the doctoral committee following the overview/prospectus meeting
Final Oral Examination - Dissertation Defense
The dissertation defense takes place when the student has completed the mentored research project and submitted the written document to the dissertation committee for review. The defense comprises a public seminar presenting the research followed by a closed-door oral examination with the dissertation committee.
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