UNMC_Acronym_Vert_sm_4c
University of Nebraska Medical Center

PhD Requirements

The PhD degree is earned primarily through the pursuit of excellence in a field of scholarship that involves the conduct of independent research.

Credit hours and time limit

The limit on granting the PhD degree is seven years from the date of initial registration as a PhD-objective student. In cases where the Supervisory Committee determines that graduate credit that had been received is obsolete, the Supervisory Committee may recommend appropriate remedial action. However, it should be emphasized that neither the courses completed nor the time spent in study determine the granting of the degree. It is given primarily for high attainment in the field of scholarship and for demonstrated power of independent research in some area(s) of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Curriculum

The Supervisory Committee will determine the curriculum to be followed by the student. The following are required of all students:

  • Satisfactory completion of all courses with a minimum grade of C. More than one C on a student's transcript or a GPA of less than 3.0 may be grounds for dismissal from the program.
  • Registration for one credit of Biochemistry 970 (Seminar) and presentation in the departmental journal club each semester is required.

In addition, students with a PhD objective will be required to present a short talk during the Annual Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department Research Symposium during their third year of study and a formal research seminar in the departmental seminar series during their fourth year of study. Attendance at both the weekly departmental seminars and journal clubs is required all semesters of a student’s graduate career.