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 requirements of the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate (CMB) Program.
The Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program expects applicants to have a degree in CMB or a similar area and have successfully completed at least one semester each of cell biology and molecular biology and one year each of calculus, organic chemistry and physics. Additional specialty courses and research experience in cell and molecular biology 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.
Timeline
The core first-year courses provide broad training in the fundamental skills necessary to conduct doctoral research in cellular and molecular biology. Students may then focus their area of study and complete specialized courses in seven distinct tracks:
- Bioinformatics & Computational Biology
- Cell & Developmental Biology
- Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery
- Molecular Genetics
- Neurobiology
- Biomolecular Structure and Function
- Plant Molecular Biology
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: | |
|---|---|
| MOL 395J | Genes, Genomes and Gene Expression |
| MOL 190C | Responsible Conduct of Research |
| MOL 290C | Introduction to Biostatistics and Computational Analysis |
| MOL 392 | Research Problems |
Spring
- Students join their permanent lab. Student employment or fellowship positions in permanent labs begin January 1.
- Students declare their specialized track of study.
- 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 394P | Bioinformatics |
| BCH 394 | Structure and Function of Proteins and Nucleic Acids |
| BIO 395G | Graduate Biochemistry |
| BIO 395M | Advanced Microbiology |
Students must take the following course in the spring of their first year:
- MOL 395H: Cell Biology
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours of Research in the spring of their first year:
- MOL 392: Research Problems
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours of Research in the summer:
- MOL 392: Research Problems
Second Year
Fall
Courses
| Students must enroll in 9 credit hours from the following courses in the fall of their second-year: | |
|---|---|
| BIO 391 | Grant Writing and Presentation Skills |
| Track Elective* | |
| MOL _92 392 : 3 credit hours 692: 6 credit hours |
Research Problems |
Spring
- Qualifying Exam
- Teaching Requirement: Teaching Assistant (TA) **
Courses
| Students must enroll in 9 credit hours in the spring: | |
|---|---|
| Track Elective(s)* | |
| MOL _92 392: 3 credit hours 692: 6 credit hours |
Research Problems |
Summer
- Construct Dissertation Committee and apply for admission to Candidacy
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours of Research in the summer:
- MOL 392: Research Problems
*CMB tracks typically require 1-2 elective courses. These courses can be taken anytime in the second or third year. An elective course must be three(3) credit hours and related to the student's chosen track. Please consult the CMB Student handbook section on tracks, the current course listing, and your track advisor to select an elective course.
**The CMB 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: | |
|---|---|
| MOL _99W 699W: 6 credit hours 999W: 9 credit hours |
Dissertation Hours (If you have entered candidacy) |
|
MOL _92 692: 6 credit hours |
Research Problems (If you have not entered candidacy) |
| Track 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: | |
|---|---|
| MOL _99W 699W: 6 credit hours 999W: 9 credit hours |
Dissertation Hours |
| Track Elective* | |
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- MOL 399W: Dissertation Hours
*CMB tracks typically require 1-2 elective courses. These courses can be taken anytime in the second or third year. An elective course must be three(3) credit hours and related to the student's chosen track. Please consult the CMB Student handbook section on tracks, the current course listing, and your track advisor to select an elective course.
**The CMB 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:
- MOL 399W: Dissertation Hours
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- MOL 399W: Dissertation Hours
**The CMB 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:
- MOL 399W: Dissertation Hours
Summer
Courses
Students must enroll in 3 credit hours in the summer:
- MOL 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 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 four 3-credit core courses, and six - nine additional credit hours (2-3 electives) of relevant graduate-level and track specific 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, post-docs, 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 Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, students are fully supported for five years through a Graduate Research Assistantship (GRA) with the Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (ILS) Graduate Programs or their lab, a Teaching Assistantship (TA), or Fellowships. Students receive a stipend at the annual rate of $40,000/year, full tuition and fees, and access to university health insurance.