ZHI-CHUN LAI, Chair, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Cell and Developmental Biology
Ph. D., M.S.
The Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Cell and Developmental Biology (IGDP in CDB) prepares graduates for diverse opportunities in academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, private research foundations, governmental research and regulatory programs. The program includes faculty from 10 departments in the College of Agricultural Sciences, Engineering, Liberal Arts, and Eberly College of Science at the University Park campus and the College of Medicine at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. The IGDP in CDB is also supported by the Huck Institutes of Life Sciences which provides modern telecommunications facilities and sophisticated equipment for state-of-the-art research applications. Doctoral students not only receive education and training new principles and experimental approaches, but also practice communication skills in group discussions and informal seminars and explore various potential career opportunities before graduation. Two unique aspects are (1) optional dual mentors will provide students with a interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary training, stimulate scientific thinking using different perspectives, and prepare for a wide range of future career options; and (2) an optional internship will provide a mechanism for students to obtain practical experience in future professional settings or gain specialized training off campus.
Application deadline is January 10 for priority consideration.
The English Requirement for International students in IBIOS is that prescribed by the Graduate School. All entering international students, whose first language is not English, will be required to take a Test of Spoken English (TSE) which is administered by the University's Center for English as a Second Language (ESL). Exceptions may be made if the entering applicant received a baccalaureate or Master's from an institution which instructs in English.
Students with teaching responsibilities are required to take the American English Oral Communicative Proficiency Test (AEOCPT) prior to entering the classroom. The AEOCPT is given at the beginning of fall and spring semesters. All international students are required to pre-register for this test. The test scores from the AEOCPT (American English Oral Communicative Proficiency Test) are posted on the University's Administrative Information System (AIS) computer. Below is the course of action or the various TSE (Test of Spoken English) score ranges.
>250 approved for teaching and the ESL (English as a Second Language) requirement will be satisfied.
230-249 required to schedule and pass ESL 118G.
200-229 required to pass ESL 117G*. These students will not be permitted to teach in a classroom situation, and may instead be assigned to grading and/or proctoring duties.
* At the end of this course, students are re-tested. Based upon these test results, students are either approved for teaching, placed in a subsequent ESL course, or asked to retake the course.
For students who enroll at the Hershey Medical School who need to take one or more of the above English courses can fulfill the requirements on one of the following ways. First, take the course at UP. If the student needs to commute between the two campuses but does not have a car, the UP-HY shuttle service can potentially be used. Secondly, a student may take a similar course at Hershey or an area college, approved by the CDB program curriculum committee.
Students, who are required to enroll in ESL courses, must complete the ESL requirement by the end of the second semester of residency. Students who fail to satisfy this requirement may be terminated from the IBIOS program, at the discretion of the Co-Chairs.
For all master's degrees, a minimum of 30 graduate credits and a 3.0 overall GPA are required. At least 18 credits at the 500-level or above, combined, (with at least 6 credits of 500-level in professional master's programs) must be included in the program. If pursuing a Masters thesis option, up to 6 IBIOS 600 credits may be A-F graded and 12 credits need to be in the major at the 500 level (excluding IBIOS 600). IBIOS 595 (Internship) and 596 (Rotations) credits all count toward the 30 credits. All CDB graduate students must successfully complete required courses and/or electives (see below) during the first two years of their graduate education. If all course credits and requirements are met, students do not have to be registered for classes while writing and/or defending his/her work. The student selects a thesis committee (upon consultation with faculty advisor), writes a thesis, and defends his/her work. If pursuing a Masters non-thesis option, the student must have a first authored manuscript (based on his/her research) that has been either accepted and/or published in a peer reviewed journal. The manuscript is given to at least the faculty advisor and the IGDP Chair for evaluation.
Students must present their thesis in accordance with the Penn State guidelines as described in the THESIS GUIDE Requirements for the Preparation of Master's and Doctoral Theses. Current copies may be obtained from website: http://www.gradsch.psu.edu/current/thesis/guide.html (Opens New Window), or from the Thesis Office, 115 Kern Building, University Park, PA 16802; 814-865-5448.
Ph.D. students must have a minimum of 30 credits and a 3.0 overall GPA through out the program. The course requirements are essentially the same as that required for the M.S. degree listed above, with some discretion left to the student and advisor.
Grade Point Average/Unsatisfactory Scholarship: Students are required to have a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 through out the course of their training. Furthermore, the student must have a 3.0 to take the doctoral candidacy, the comprehensive and final oral examinations. One or more failing grades or a cumulative grade-point average below 3.0 may be considered evidence of unsatisfactory scholarship and be grounds for dismissal from the program.
English Competence: A candidate for Ph.D. in the CDB program is required to demonstrate high-level competence in the use of the English language, including reading, writing, and speaking, as part of the language and communication requirements. The CDB program has several required courses, all of which train students to develop and improve skills in reading, writing, and speaking in English. Students are required to make oral presentations and complete written assignments. The instructors of these courses will assist in evaluating the competence in using English and those students identified as being deficient in English will be required to take remedial activities, such as additional courses, writing assignments, and tutorials. International students are advised that the submission of minimum requirements for TOEFL does not constitute the fulfillment of the English competence requirement. English competence must be demonstrated before or at the candidacy exam.
Besides coursework, research, and teaching, IGDP in CDB doctoral students participate in the following:
Candidacy Exam: This exam should be taken by the end or during the student's third semester in the CDB Program. The student will be assigned one scientific papers from the primary literature to read and analyze for approximately one week. The papers will be selected based upon the students' background and coursework. The analysis should involve exploring the relevant literature as well as the fundamental issues in Cell and Developmental Biology. Following this independent research the student will take an oral exam. The oral exam will be administered by at least three members of the graduate program. The overall goal of the exam is to assure that the student has an intellectual foundation in Cell and Developmental Biology. The exam is designed to evaluate basic knowledge in Cell and Developmental Biology and related disciplines as well as the students' ability to integrate this understanding to effectively evaluate experimental design, results, and the conclusions drawn. In the event that the student does not pass this exam, the student's committee will make a recommendation as to whether to offer another opportunity or to terminate the student's enrollment in the program.
Comprehensive Examination: Evaluation via the Doctoral Committee to determine the feasibility of proposed research and the preparedness of the student. Students must be registered for classes (typically IBIOS 600) the semester they take this exam.
Doctoral Committee: Upon successful completion of the Candidacy Examination, the student in consultation with the mentors will, as soon as possible, select a doctoral committee. The committee will consist of three members of the IGDP in CDB and one faculty member who is not a member of the IGDP in CDB. One members of the committee must be from a different department from the home department(s) of the mentor(s). This committee is responsible for supervising the academic program and monitoring the progress of the student towards his/her degree. Doctoral Thesis Committee Composition is based on the Graduate Degree Programs Bulletin (http://bulletins.psu.edu/bulletins/whitebook/degree_requirements.cfm?section=degreeReq1) published by the Graduate School regarding Doctoral Committees and requires:
Ph.D. Defense: Evaluation via the Doctoral Committee of the thesis research.
Students must present their thesis in accordance with the Penn State guidelines as described in the THESIS GUIDE Requirements for the Preparation of Master's and Doctoral Theses. Current copies may be obtained from website: http://www.gradsch.psu.edu/current/thesis/guide.html (Opens New Window), or from the Thesis Office, 115 Kern Building, University Park, PA 16802; 814-865-5448.
Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 599 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.
Last Revised by the Department: Spring Semester 2007
Blue Sheet Item #: 35-04-247
Review Date: 1/16/07
Faculty updated: 2/19/13