Graduate Student Schedule

Graduate Student Yearly Schedule

Last updated 

First Year

1. Required Courses:
        Foundations of Modern Biology:
             Macromolecular Structure and Analysis (ME:100.709)
             Biochemical and Biophysical Principles (ME:100.710)
             Molecular Biology and Genomics (ME:260.709)
             Cell Structure and Dynamics (ME:110.728)
             Organic Mechanisms in Biology (ME:330.709)
             Pathways and Regulation (ME:360.728)
             Bioinformatics (ME:800.707)
        Mechanisms in Bio-Organic Chemistry (ME:330.710)
        Research (ME:330.801; Year)
        Topics in Pharmacology (ME:330.802; Weekly Seminar
        Series,Year)
        Primary Source Readings and Analysis (ME:330.708; Year)
   
   
2. Research rotations:  Two research rotations are required, three are recommended; the first begins in mid September, the second begins in early December, and the third begins in early April.  These experiences will familiarize you with research in the department and help you select a lab for your thesis research.
   
   
3. Primary Source Readings and Analysis (ME:330.708):  Also known as first year Journal Club.  First year students meet once weekly to critically review research papers related to the core courses.  These meetings are supervised by a faculty member and are intended to supplement material that is taught in the lecture courses.
   
   
4. Research in Progress Seminars: Upper level graduate students and postdoctoral fellows give 20 minute presentations of their research projects (2 students, twice per month). 
    
5. Research Rotation Presentations:  After the conclusion of the first two research rotations, first year students give a presentation of their project (format and dates to be announced).  This is generally done at a departmental dinner.
   
   
6. Selection of Faculty Preceptor:  At the end of the first year, students usually select a laboratory in which they wish to do their thesis research.  If, following the three scheduled research rotations, a student has not made a choice, it is possible to do additional research rotations as agreed upon by the student and faculty member(s) involved.
   
   
7. Commensurate with the curriculum changes effective with the class entering in 2003, THREE additional, approved elective courses must be taken prior to graduation.  One or more may be taken during March-May of the first year.  Students entering the program prior to 2003 are required to take TWO approved elective courses prior to graduation.

Second Year

1. Required Courses:
   Graduate Pharmacology (ME:330.707, Jan - May)
   Topics in Pharmacology (ME:330.802, Year, Weekly Seminar Series)
   Research (ME:330.801, Year)
   
   
2. Electives:  See #7 above.
   
   
3. Progress Meeting:  In June all second year students meet with the Graduate Program Steering Committee to discuss research progress and plans for taking the Graduate Board Examination. This is a brief informal session and does not require any preparation.
   
   
4. Graduate Board Examination:  This is a University requirement for all Ph.D. candidates.  The format of the exam in Pharmacology is called a "preliminary" exam and tests the "breadth and depth" of your scientific knowledge.  The exam is administered by a committee of five faculty members--two from Pharmacology and three from other Johns Hopkins departments, selected by the student, his/her preceptor, and the Graduate Program Director.  This examination will be scheduled for the spring/summer of the second year.
   
   
5. Thesis Proposal:  After completing the Graduate Board Examination, students prepare a written proposal (not more than 25 pages in length) describing their thesis project and research plan.  A Thesis Advisory Committee, selected by the student and faculty preceptor (generally 4 or 5 faculty members, including the thesis advisor), is then convened to evaluate and discuss the proposed research.  This committee will meet with the student yearly (or more often, if deemed useful) to provide guidance, help set research objectives and priorities, and to aid in determining when the student has fulfilled the Ph.D. thesis research requirement.
   
   
6. Research in Progress Seminars:  Continued participation in this monthly series is expected.
   

Subsequent Years

1. Required Courses:
   Research (ME:330.801, Year)
   Topics in Pharmacology (ME:330.802, Year)
   Elective courses, if not completed
   
   
2. Thesis Advisory Committee Meeting:  Students meet yearly, or more frequently if useful, with their Thesis Advisory Committee to update them on research progress and discuss specific aims for the coming year. The first of these meetings should occur no more than one year after the initial thesis proposal meeting.
   
   The progress of biomedical research is often unpredictable. Therefore, the time it takes each student to complete the doctoral degree will vary.  Each student’s research progress will be evaluated by the student’s preceptor on a day-to-day basis, and by their Thesis Advisory Committee on an annual or semi-annual basis.  The program expects most students to complete their degree within 6 years of entering the program.  At the end of their fifth full year in the program, and every year thereafter, the Director will request from each student a one-page list of doctoral research Specific Aims and progress on each aim (completed, near completion, in process, initiated, or planned), and a projected timetable for their completion, to be countersigned by the student’s preceptor and members of their thesis advisory committee.
   
   
3. Research in Progress Seminars:  Continued participation in this monthly series is expected.

Final Year

1. Final Meeting with Thesis Advisory Committee:  When the student and faculty preceptor feel that the thesis research project is nearing completion and it is time to begin writing the dissertation in preparation for graduation, a meeting of the Thesis Advisory Committee is held.  This meeting occurs at least six months before the student plans to submit the dissertation to the Graduate Board (due at end of March for May graduation).  At this meeting, the student, preceptor, and committee members agree to and specify any remaining experiments or conditions that must be completed to fulfill the Ph.D. research requirement.  Also at this meeting, the committee will decide whether a thesis defense meeting is required.
   
   
2. Write Dissertation:  Guidelines for the Ph.D. dissertation are provided by the Graduate Board of the Johns Hopkins University, and can be viewed at:
   
   http://librarycmstest.nts.jhu.edu/services/cbo/guidelines.html
   
   The document is a scholarly effort that describes the scientific question that your thesis research addressed, the approaches that you used to answer this question, the results that you obtained from your studies, and the conclusions that you drew from your work.  Students should discuss the style and format of their thesis with the program director prior to writing.
   
   
3. Thesis Review:  Once a complete draft of the dissertation is written, it must be submitted to the program director, who will determine whether it complies with style and format requirements.  Subsequently, two "readers" (one of whom may be the mentor) will provide a written critique of its contents.  Note, however, that each member of the thesis committee, “readers” and “non-readers” alike, must approve the thesis.   The program director, readers, and/or advisory committee members may require alterations in the text prior to acceptance.
   
   
4. Thesis Research Seminar:  After the thesis has been reviewed by the thesis advisory committee, the student presents a public seminar describing their thesis research.   
   
   
5. Thesis Submission: The final approved thesis must be delivered to the Commercial Binding Office at the Eisenhower Library (http://www.library.jhu.edu/services/cbo/index.html)
   

Academic & Scientific Review

1. The program director and Graduate Program Steering Committee will monitor the course performance and laboratory rotation evaluations of the first year students.
   
   
2. At the end of the second academic year, the Steering Committee will conduct a short informal interview with each student to help ensure that course work and laboratory work are on schedule.
   
   
3. By the end of the second academic year each student will take the Graduate Board Examination.
   
   
4. After the thesis proposal has been presented (generally at the beginning of the third year), scientific review, advice, and guidance are formally provided by the student's preceptor and thesis advisory committee.  The student meets with this committee at least once per year.
   
   
5. When the student has generated sufficient novel research findings to constitute a doctoral thesis, the student’s thesis advisory committee, at a regularly scheduled meeting, will advise the student that they may write and submit their doctoral thesis.  At that time, the committee will decide whether to assemble for a final “thesis defense meeting” or whether they prefer to forego that meeting and review the thesis individually.  In either case, the final thesis must be approved by all of the members of the student’s thesis advisory committee.