Degree Programs
Students can pursue and M. S. or a Ph.D. degree through the PMCB program. All students complete core courses in Advanced Genetics, Advanced Molecular and Cellular Biology, Plant Metabolism, Plant Molecular Biology and Advanced Physical Biochemistry. In addition to the core classes, students can select from a variety of courses in biochemistry, molecular biology, physiology, breeding, genetics, evolution, microbiology, and plant pathology. A course or study is designed by each student’s graduate committee to reflect individual professional goals and research interests.
PMCB graduate students are encouraged to start their graduate studies with the ICBR short course Molecular Cloning and Protein Chemistry, where they gain hands-on experience in molecular biological and biochemical techniques. These course is offered through the Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (ICBR).
Each year, the program awards a limited number of rotation assistantships to students seeking a Ph.D. Students rotate through three different PMCB faculty laboratories and select a major professor by the end of the year. Non-rotating students must identify a major professor willing to supervise and support their program of study before gaining admission to the program. Ph.D. students must pass written and oral qualifying exams. Completion of the PMCB program is approximately five years for a Ph.D. or two to three years for a Masters degree.
