Degree requirements and curriculum

Overview

The Physiology training program combines exposure to the fundamentals of the discipline, provided by courses in the first two years, with focused research and scholarship in a student’s area of particular interest. To be awarded a PhD in Physiology, a student must successfully complete:

• Required courses. The first year curriculum includes courses in physiology, supplemented with courses in cellular, molecular and systems biology, and a course on professional development. The second year curriculum includes graduate seminars in physiology and courses in bioethics and biostatistics.
• Candidacy examination. Given at the end of the first year: a written paper tests a student’s ability to analyze the primary literature in physiology; an oral exam tests a student’s knowledge of physiology gained over the first year.
• Competency in English. The Graduate School requires that students demonstrate proficiency in written and oral English.
• Comprehensive examination. Usually taken before the start of the third year: consists of the student's thesis proposal and an oral defense.
• Research Project. An original investigation under the supervision of a Physiology program faculty advisor leading to a written dissertation.
• Thesis defense. A public presentation of a student's thesis research and oral examination by a student’s doctoral committee.

The time from admission to thesis defense is generally 5 years. Students must maintain a B average (3.0) or better in academic courses to be retained in the program and to continue to receive financial support.