Degrees

The Path to the PhD At a Glance

The summer prior to Year 1, incoming students are assigned a graduate program academic advisor; this is one of ~10 faculty members on our Student Affairs & Advising Committee, whose job it is to monitor student progress and help them navigate program milestones. The advisor is not the same as the student's primary research mentor, who we refer to as the PI or major professor. 

In Year 1, students complete all of the core coursework requirements. Two 5-week rotations per quarter take place in fall and winter; students are generally expected to secure a thesis lab by the start of spring quarter, but spring rotations are not unheard of. The program will financially support students who need spring rotations, but that support can only be extended through a student's July 1st stipend payment. 

In Year 2, students complete their remaining degree requirements (electives, seminars, ethics), pass the Qualifying Examination (QE) in the spring or summer, and advance to candidacy. 

After advancing to candidacy, students conduct and complete their dissertation research under the direction of a research mentor who can be referred to in different university spaces as their major professor, advisor, or - as we say in the BMCDB community - their PI. A dissertation committee of at least three faculty approves the thesis, and the student delivers an exit seminar on this work to complete the degree. 

It takes an average of six years for BMCDB students to complete the PhD. 

See an example of a typical timeline to the PhD here. 

Read the full BMCDB degree requirements here.

Coursework Requirements

• BCB 210, Molecular Genetics and Genomics (fall)
• BCB 211, Macromolecular Structure and Interactions (fall)
• BCB 220L, Lab Rotations Course (fall and spring)
• BCB 212, Cell Biology (winter)
• BCB 213, Developmental Biology (winter)
• BCB 214, Molecular Biology (spring)
• BCB 215, Graduate Research Methods Course (spring)
• 6 units of graded electives
   

See descriptions of our courses here. 

Seminar Requirement

• For the duration of Year 1, we ask that students attend the Joint Seminars in Molecular Biology; this is recorded by registering for MCB 291.
• In Year 2, students are permitted to attend another seminar with their advisor's approval, as long as they can register for an associated course to record their participation.

Scientific Ethics Requirement

Students can satisfy this requirement in one of two ways.

• GGG 296: This course is offered every fall; current BMCDB students recommend taking it in Year 1, although Year 2 is an option as well. Students who earn awards and grants from the NIH are required to take this course.
• UC Davis Responsible Conduct of Research certificate series: This is an online course that is mostly completable on a student's own time, although attendance at some Zoom meetings is required. 

Teaching Requirement

All students must work as teaching assistants (TAs) at least once before they take the Qualifying Exam. 

Students who are T32 trainees, or who are financially supported by a UC Davis internal fellowship through the end of Year 2, are exempt from this requirement. 

Designated Emphases

A Designated Emphasis is the graduate equivalent of a minor. See more information on Designated Emphases here. 

The Qualifying Exam

A qualifying exam (QE) is required to determine a student's competence in the overall field and their chosen area of specialization. 

There are three possible outcomes of the examinations - pass, retake, and fail. Students are only allowed one retake, and students who fail the QE are dismissed from the program. Retakes are somewhat common, and failures are extremely rare. 

Advancing to Candidacy

This is generally completed as soon as possible upon passing the QE. The student is required to choose a dissertation committee consisting of at least three members. The major professor (PI) is the Chair of the dissertation committee. 

Once a student has advanced to candidacy, they are considered "ABD" ("all but dissertation") and are confirmed to have fulfilled all degree requirements other than the filing of the dissertation. This stage of independent research usually takes three to four years. 

The Doctoral Dissertation

The research conducted by the student must be of such character as to show ability to pursue independent research. The dissertation reports a scholarly piece of work of publishable quality that solves a significant scientific problem. It must be approved and signed by the dissertation committee before it is submitted to Graduate Studies for final approval of formatting. 

BMCDB does not have a publication requirement for the dissertation. 

The dissertation must be submitted to each member of the dissertation committee at least two weeks before the student expects it to be signed. Keeping the committee informed of progress as research proceeds helps committee members to read it in a timely fashion.

Exit Seminar

Each student must present a seminar on the dissertation research before the dissertation is signed and filed with Graduate Studies. Students are responsible for scheduling their own seminars, with help from their major professors as is necessary, and for sending advertisements and flyers to the graduate program coordinator.

It is common, but not necessary, for an exit seminar to take place as part of a broader seminar series (e.g., Cell Biology Work in Progress); students are responsible for contacting seminar coordinators. 

The exit seminar does not have to take place before the dissertation is filed. 

Typical Timeline to the Ph.D.

Year 1

• Fall
• BCB 210, Molecular Genetics and Genomics
  BCB 211, Macromolecular Structure and Interactions
  BCB 220L, Rotations Course
  MCB 291, Joint Seminars in Molecular Biology
  GGG 296, Ethics (optional, strongly recommended for students who plan to apply for NIH grants)
• Winter
• BCB 212, Cell Biology
  BCB 213, Developmental Biology
  BCB 220L, Rotations Course
  MCB 291, Joint Seminars in Molecular Biology
• Spring
• BCB 214, Molecular Biology
  BCB 215, Reading Course
  MCB 291, Joint Seminars in Molecular Biology
  BCB 299, Research Credits (your PI will be the instructor)
  Elective (if offered/needed)
  Complete the Student Progress Assessment

Year 2

• Fall
• BCB 299, Research Credits 
  BCB 290
  MCB 291, Joint Seminars in Molecular Biology (or seminar of your choice)
  GGG 296, Ethics (if not taken in Year 1)
  Elective (if offered/needed)
  Any coursework needed for a T32 or Designated Emphasis
  Complete Responsible Conduct of Research series IF you do not plan to take GGG 296
  Select 3/5 members of QE committee
• Winter
• BCB 299, Research Credits 
  MCB 291, Joint Seminars in Molecular Biology (or seminar of your choice)
  Elective (if offered/needed)
  Any coursework needed for a T32 or Designated Emphasis
  Accept or veto 2/5 members of QE committee, and start scheduling the exam once the committee is final
• Spring
• BCB 299, Research Credits 
  MCB 291, Joint Seminars in Molecular Biology (or seminar of your choice)
  Elective (if offered/needed)
  Any coursework needed for a T32 or Designated Emphasis
  Take the Qualifying Exam
  Complete the Student Progress Assessment

Years 3 and 4

• Fall
• BCB 299, Research Credits
• Winter
• BCB 299, Research Credits
• Spring
• BCB 299, Research Credits 
  Meet with the dissertation committee
  Complete the Student Progress Assessment

Year 5 and Beyond

• Fall
• BCB 299, Research Credits 
  Meet with the dissertation committee
• Winter
• BCB 299, Research Credits
• Spring
• BCB 299, Research Credits 
  Meet with the dissertation committee
  Complete the Student Progress Assessment