MCDB Graduate Student Handbook
Satisfactory completion of the Departmental Written Qualifying Examination (DWQE) is a University requirement for the Ph.D. and cannot be waived. In MCDB, the DWQE requirement is satisfied through completion of two discrete components.
The first component includes one written paper (three pages in length), in the form of a mini-research proposal.
- This paper must be generated in connection with a selected course or seminar and is separate from the formal course requirement. In other words, it does not form part of the course grade.
- Courses in which such a paper can be written include the following: Molecular Biology: M297, M298 MCD Biology: M234, 255, CM256, 278, 286, 289, 292, 295. (Other courses by permission of the instructor and the MCDB Faculty Graduate Advisor.)
- It is the responsibility of the student to arrange with the instructor at the beginning of a course to submit such a paper at the end of the course. If the student's thesis mentor is also the course instructor, the thesis mentor should suggest an appropriate faculty reviewer, and arrangements should be made with that reviewer before the student begins writing the paper.
- Students must submit their completed DWQE proposal to the MCDB Student Affairs Office, and not directly to the instructor, within three weeks of the end of the course.
- Instructors will then be given three weeks to read, grade, and return the proposal to the MCDB Student Affairs Office. The paper will be graded as "Pass," "Re-write," or "Fail." If a rewrite is required, the individual(s) grading the paper will supply specific criticism.
- For a proposal graded "re-write", an additional two weeks will be given for the student to revise the proposal and resubmit it to the MCDB Student Affairs Office. Instructors will then have two weeks to grade the re-write.
- The original graded proposal will go into the student's graduate file. A copy will be given to the student.
The second component of the DWQE is satisfied by the First Doctoral Committee Meeting.
- During Winter quarter of the second year, the student must nominate their Doctoral Committee.
- By the end of the Spring quarter of the second year, a student must have their first meeting with their Doctoral Committee. Satisfactory progress in courses (3.0 GPA) is required before the Doctoral Committee can be constituted. The purpose of the second year meeting with the Doctoral Committee is to discuss plans for the dissertation research.
- One week prior to the meeting the student must submit a short (no more than 3 pages, double-spaced, plus references and figures) proposal for the research project, emphasizing the background and rationale but also including a summary of proposed research.
- The meeting should be scheduled for 1.5 Ð 2 hours. It should consist of a brief presentation by the student (about 20-30 minutes) of planned research and an evaluation by the committee of the student's understanding of the rationale and background for the research. Data are not required for this meeting.
- The Department recommends not more than 2 weeks preparation time (1 week to prepare the proposal and 1 week to prepare the presentation).
- Students should be allowed to study full-time during the 2-week preparation time.
- At the meeting, the student should briefly leave at the beginning to allow the Dissertation Advisor to summarize the student's progress. Following the presentation and discussion, the student should again leave the room so that the faculty can discuss the presentation/progress. The student should then return for a final discussion of progress and plans. If particular problems or concerns are raised, the committee should formulate a plan to address such issues.
- Each committee member must fill out and sign an evaluation form, which will be turned in to the student affairs office and included in the student's file.
- Upon receipt of the signed evaluation form, the student affairs office will schedule a date for the student's doctoral oral qualifying examination and formally notify both the student and the doctoral committee members when the meeting is set.