Program Overview

Introduction to the PhD in Molecular Biosciences

The PhD program in Molecular Biosciences is designed to provide advanced training for a research-based career. The program focuses on clinically related fields such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, immunology and infectious disease, oncology, and other chronic health conditions.

Program Prerequisites

• BS, MS, or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university
• GRE scores of at least 148 on quantitative reasoning and at least 150 on verbal reasoning
• An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Written statement of goals and objectives that identifies research and curriculum interests
• Current resume and three letters of recommendation
• If English is not the first language, the University requires a paper-based TOEFL score of at least 570, or at least 90 on the Internet-based TOEFL, or 6.5 on the IELTS

Curriculum

The Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Biosciences requires a minimum of 43 credits, including 9 credits of dissertation. The program is designed to be completed in 4 to 5 years.

Required Courses (37 credits)

• MMSC800 Preparing Research Proposals (2 cr)
• MMSC650 Medical Biochemistry (4 cr)
• MMSC691 Human Medical Genetics (3 cr)
• MMSC868 Research (12 cr)
• MMSC603 Research Design (3 cr)
• MMSC803/804 Seminar (4 cr)
• MMSC969 Dissertation (9 cr)

Science Core Elective Courses (6 credits)

Electives can be graduate-level courses offered throughout the University.

Exams

• A preliminary exam is taken at the end of year 1, testing the student's general knowledge base in Molecular Biosciences and their ability to critically evaluate scientific literature.
• A candidacy exam is taken at the end of year 2, where the student prepares a written and oral proposal for dissertation research.

Dissertation

When the dissertation research is complete, all Medical Sciences faculty and students will be invited to attend the oral dissertation defense meetings. Each student is expected to publish a minimum of one first-author, peer-reviewed research paper based on their own research findings prior to scheduling a defense date.

Tuition Rates

The UD graduate student tuition rate is $1,116 per credit hour. Research Assistant awards and Teaching Assistant awards are available, and students can also apply for internal funding or pre-doctoral support from external funding agencies.

Applications Deadlines

• Fall: June 1 (International), August 1 (Domestic)
• Spring: January 1

Additional Information

The program is selective and competitive, based on the number of available positions in the department laboratories and available faculty and facilities. Program educational goals and courses can be viewed in the Course Catalog.