Ph.D. Degree Requirements

The UVa Graduate Record is the official repository for current information regarding degree requirements and School of Medicine academic policies and procedures.  The information on this page is provided as a guide for your convenience.

Immediately preceding the first year of study, students typically enroll for Summer Session and complete a summer rotation between July 1 and August 15. During the first year of study, all Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) students are required to enroll in the Core Course in Integrative Biosciences (BIMS 6000), complete three lab rotations and an approved program of advanced course modules. The advanced course of study varies considerably among students, as it is based on the particular research interest of individual students.  All BIMS students select the dissertation lab and PhD course of study in February of the first year.

Summer

BIMS 8995: Topical Research (Rotation 1: July 1 – August 15)

Fall

BIMS 6000: Core Course in Integrative Bioscience (August – September)
BIMS 8995: Topical Research (Rotation 2: October – November)
     continue BIMS 6000: Core Course in Integrative Bioscience (November – December)

Spring

Transition to Cell Biology PhD in February
BIMS 7100 – Research Ethics (required)
BIMS 8995 – Topical Research (Rotation 3: January – February)
CELL 8101 – Introduction to Animal Development (required)
CELL 8301 – Advanced Topics in Cell Biology (required)
2 Elective Modules (to match scientific direction)

In the Spring semester of the second year, students who have elected to matriculate in the Cell Biology PhD program are required to write a dissertation research proposal and then successfully defend it as an oral illustrated (PPT) presentation, as qualification to advance to candidacy.

Fall

CELL 8450 – Effective science writing for grants and fellowships (required)

Recommended elective modules

CELL 8201 – Molecular Mechanisms of Animal Development (Fall)
CELL 8202 – Cellular Mechanisms of Animal Development (Fall)
CELL 8401 – The Essentials of Translational Science (Spring)
MICR 8382 – Introduction to Biomedical Data Science (requirement of training grant appts)
Alternative options

Required

Successful progression of dissertation research
Annual committee meetings
Publish at least one 1st author paper

Recommended

Present at national and international meetings/conferences as advised by mentor

Optional

Audit or co-teach one of the BIMS modules (with mentor or other faculty member(s))

Required

Apply for Graduation
Private Dissertation Defense
Public Dissertation Seminar