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Requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Genetics

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is conferred on students in recognition of high attainment and productive scholarship in genetics.

In addition to the course requirements, the student must achieve:

  • A minimum grade point average of 3.
  • A minimum of 30 graduate credits, of which 20 must be from Penn State, and up to 10 credits of graduate work may be transferred from another institution.
  • At least 18 credits at the 500-600 level

The student is evaluated for breadth and depth of scholarship by means of two examinations, the Candidacy Examination and the Comprehensive Examination. All Ph.D. students are required to prepare and formally defend a thesis involving independent research. The following information details the various requirements and formats for examinations for Ph.D. students in the Genetics Program. A checklist is provided for following progress toward the degree.