Requirements

First Year

• Follow ACCESS curriculum
• Rotate in three labs

Second Year

• Select a research mentor from MCDB faculty
• Thesis Research
• Complete the Departmental Written Qualifying Exam, which consists of:
• One mini proposal
• Constitution of doctoral committee
• Meeting with committee for the first time to present a short written proposal of dissertation research

Third Year

• Complete the Oral Qualifying Exam by January, and thus, Advance to Candidacy (ATC)
• Thesis research

Fourth Year and beyond

• Complete the midstream seminar* requirement to update the committee on research progress
• Thesis research
• Final Defense!

*The midstream seminar is meant to fall halfway between the Oral Qualifying Exam and the Final Defense. Students in the program longer than five years must meet with their committee once each year. The midstream seminar MUST take place before the beginning of the fifth year of doctoral study.