Degree
Ph.D.
Length
5 - 6 years
Admission Requirements
To be considered for graduate admission to The University of Texas at Austin, candidates must meet both the minimum requirements set by the Graduate School and the requirements of the Biochemistry Graduate Program.
The Biochemistry Graduate Program expects applicants to have completed a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, chemistry or a similar area and have successfully completed courses in biochemistry and molecular biology (or equivalent) and have at least one year each of calculus, organic chemistry and physics. Additional specialty courses and research experience in biochemistry are highly encouraged. Students with any deficiencies in these areas should remedy them before applying to the program.
The University of Texas Graduate School recommends a minimum grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in upper-division (junior- and senior-level) coursework and in any graduate work already completed.
Learn more about the application process
Timeline
The core first-year courses provide training in the fundamental skills necessary to conduct doctoral research in biochemistry. Students may then focus their area of study through electives chosen to suit their specialized training needs.
Current students, additional information on many of these topics can be found in the Info for Current Students section of this website.
First Year
Summer
- Optional early rotation
Fall
- Three(3) Lab Rotations
- Mandatory lab safety trainings and UT employee trainings (online, no credit)
- Graduate Research Assistant positions with ILS run August 16-December 31.
Courses
| Students must enroll in the following courses in the fall of their first-year: | |
|---|---|
| BCH 395J | Genes, Genomes and Gene Expression |
| BCH 190C | Responsible Conduct of Research |
| BCH 290C | Introduction to Biostatistics and Computational Analysis |
| BCH 397c | Advanced Study & Research In Biochemistry |
Spring
- Students join their permanent lab. Student employment or fellowship positions in permanent labs begin January 1.
- ITA English Language Certification (international students only)
Courses
Students are required to take a total of 9 credit hours. One 3 credit hours class from each of the following three areas.
| Students must take one(1) of the following courses in the spring of their first-year: | |
|---|---|
| BCH 395G | Structure and Function of Proteins and Membranes |
| BCH 394 | Structure and Function of Proteins and Nucleic Acids |
| Students must take one(1) of the following courses in the spring of their first-year: | |
|---|---|
| BCH 394P | Bioinformatics |
| MOL 395H | Cell Biology |
| MIC 395M | Advanced Microbiology |
| Students must enroll in 3 credit hours of Research in the spring of their first-year: | |
|---|---|
| BCH 397c | Advanced Study & Research In Biochemistry |
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- BCH 397c: Advanced Study & Research In Biochemistry
Second Year
Fall
Courses
| Students must enroll in 9 credit hours from the following courses in the fall of their second-year: | |
|---|---|
| BCH 391 | Grant Writing and Presentation Skills |
| Biochemistry Elective* | |
| BCH _97c 397c : 3 credit hours 697c: 6 credit hours |
Advanced Study & Research In Biochemistry |
Spring
- Qualifying Exam
- Teaching Requirement: Teaching Assistant (TA) **
Courses
| Students must enroll in 9 credit hours in the spring: | |
|---|---|
| Biochemistry Elective* | |
| BCH _97c 697c: 6 credit hours 997c: 9 credit hours |
Advanced Study & Research In Biochemistry |
Summer
- Construct Dissertation Committee and apply for admission to Candidacy
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- BCH 397c: Advanced Study & Research In Biochemistry
*One(1) Biochemistry elective course is required, this course can be taken anytime in the second or third year. The elective course must be three(3) credit hours and related to biochemistry. Please consult the current course listing and your Graduate Advisor to select an elective course.
**The BCH Graduate Program requires that all students must be appointed as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for at least one semester in their second-fourth year. Students will be required to complete this before graduation, but not before admission to candidacy. This is to allow increased flexibility in scheduling without compromising the standard timetable for advancement to candidacy.
Third Year
Fall
- Teaching Requirement: Teaching Assistant (TA) **
Courses
| Students must enroll in 9 credit hours in the fall: | |
|---|---|
| BCH _99W 699W: 6 credit hours 999W: 9 credit hours |
Dissertation Hours (If you have entered candidacy) |
| BCH _97c 697c: 6 credit hours 997c: 9 credit hours |
Advanced Study & Research In Biochemistry (If you have not entered candidacy) |
| Biochemistry Elective* | |
Spring
- Teaching Requirement: Teaching Assistant (TA) **
- Annual Dissertation Committee Meeting (Meeting must be conducted within one year of passing the Qualifying Exam)
Courses
| Students must enroll in 9 credit hours in the spring: | |
|---|---|
| BCH _99W 699W: 6 credit hours 999W: 9 credit hours |
Dissertation Hours |
| Biochemistry Elective* | |
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- BCH 399W: Dissertation Hours
*One(1) Biochemistry elective course is required, this course can be taken anytime in the second or third year. The elective course must be three(3) credit hours and related to biochemistry. Please consult the current course listing and your Graduate Advisor to select an elective course.
**The BCH Graduate Program requires that all students must be appointed as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for at least one semester in their second-fourth year. Students will be required to complete this before graduation, but not before admission to candidacy. This is to allow increased flexibility in scheduling without compromising the standard timetable for advancement to candidacy.
Fourth Year
Fall & Spring
- Teaching Requirement: Teaching Assistant (TA) **
- Annual Dissertation Committee Meeting (One(1) meeting should be conducted each academic year prior to March 31.)
- 15-minute Research Seminar Presentation (One(1) research seminar presentation open to all ILS students and faculty)
Courses
Students must enroll in 9 credit hours in the fall and spring:
- BCH 999W: Dissertation Hours
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- BCH 399W: Dissertation Hours
**The BCH Graduate Program requires that all students must be appointed as a Teaching Assistant (TA) for at least one semester in their second-fourth year. Students will be required to complete this before graduation, but not before admission to candidacy. This is to allow increased flexibility in scheduling without compromising the standard timetable for advancement to candidacy.
Fifth year till Graduation
Fall & Spring
- Annual Dissertation Committee Meeting (One(1) meeting should be conducted each academic year prior to March 31.)
Courses
Students must enroll in 9 credit hours in the fall and spring:
- BCH 999W: Dissertation Hours
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- BCH 399W: Dissertation Hours
Your Final Semester
- Apply to Graduate by the Graduate School posted deadline
- Schedule Dissertation Defense with Dissertation Committee
- Complete all Graduate School and program-required forms
Program Components
-
1
Rotations: Students conduct rotations with three different labs during the first academic semester. These rotations provide opportunity to explore different research interests prior to the selection of a Ph.D. supervisor at the end of the first academic semester.
-
2
Coursework: All students are required to take five core courses (12 credit hours) and an additional one elective course (3 credit hours) of relevant graduate-level coursework throughout the course of their studies.
-
3
Weekly Seminar Series: A weekly seminar series gives students the opportunity to participate in discussions with faculty and peers about various topics and research problems. Students should regularly attend these free, extracurricular seminars.
-
4
Teaching: Students are required to hold a Teaching Assistant (TA) appointment for one long semester during their studies. Students may not hold a TA position during the first academic year and typically complete this requirement in their third or fourth year of study. A TA Training Workshop is offered annually and must be completed prior to the first TA-ship.
-
5
Qualifying Exam: To be admitted to candidacy for the doctoral degree, the student must complete the Qualifying Exam in the spring of their second year. The exam consists of presenting an NIH-style thesis proposal to a committee, which includes the design, writing and defending of the student’s dissertation research.
-
6
Annual retreat: The Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (ILS) Graduate Programs host an annual retreat at the start of every academic year. This event is an exciting opportunity for faculty, postdocs and graduate students to meet and discuss science in an informal setting. Attendance for first-year students is typically sponsored by the program.
-
7
Research: Independent, original research under the direction of a faculty member; the results of this research constitute the dissertation.
Financial Support
In the Biochemistry Graduate Program, students stipends are supported through a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) with the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (ILS) Graduate Programs or their lab, a Teaching Assistantship (TA), or Fellowships. ILS student stipend annual rate is $40,000/year, with in-instate tuition coverage, and access to university health insurance. Accepted/Admitted/Enrolled students; for information on continued funding throughout your graduate career, please refer to your offer letter or contact the program administrative team.