 |
 |
Program Overview
MOCB: Molecular and Cell Biology Program
- The University
- Location
- General Description of the Program
- Facilities
- Support Through the Program
- Cost of Living
- Applying to the Program
The Molecular and Cell Biology Program (MOCB) offers study leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The training emphasizes research in the broad areas of cell biology, molecular biology, and related disciplines. More than sixty faculty members are affiliated with MOCB. The program is multidisciplinary and interdepartmental, supported by faculty from six departments in the Colleges of Life Sciences and Agriculture & Natural Resources at the University of Maryland; from two units in the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute; and from several institutes at the National Institutes of Health.
The Program's faculty members have a broad spectrum of expertise and represent some of the most outstanding investigators on campus. MOCB provides training opportunities in a wide variety of areas. These include molecular genetics, cell biology, regulation of gene expression, developmental biology, evolutionary-developmental biology, oncology, molecular virology, immunology, biochemistry, plant biology, signal transduction, host-parasite interactions, membrane transport & channels, protein/enzyme structure and function, and neurobiology.
The University
The University of Maryland is the flagship and largest campus of the eleven-institution statewide university system. The University of Maryland is organized into fourteen colleges and schools, encompassing more than 100 departments and campus-wide programs of study. These departments and programs rank among the best in the nation. Of the approximate 33,000 enrolled students, more than 8,000 are graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in 94 areas of study. The student body is composed of persons from every state in the U.S. and from sixty foreign countries.
Location
The University of Maryland is situated on 1300 acres in College Park, Prince George's County, Maryland. The campus is convenient to Washington, D.C. as well as Baltimore, Annapolis, the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore, and the pleasantly rural Maryland countryside. The availability of extensive cultural, historical, intellectual, and recreational opportunities in such a cosmopolitan area make the University of Maryland an excellent location for personal enrichment
General Description of the Program
We are a small, highly mentored program within a large and diverse University. Graduate training is individualized to meet the needs of our students with the goal of providing the most rigorous training and preparation for a career in biosciences. Incoming students are advised by a First Year Advisor and by the Director to set out appropriate goals and directions. To maintain high program standards, all first year students are required to take a set of core courses in the first year. This core curriculum consists of four lecture courses in molecular and cell biology and biochemistry and two seminar classes, one in Molecular Biology, in which students read and present papers from scientific journals, and one in Bioethics. At the same time, students rotate in two to three research laboratories during the first year. These lab rotations serve two puproses: First, to identify a laboratory in which the student will carry out his/her thesis work. This choice is a combined decision between student and mentor and the rotation helps to determine if there is a good fit between student and mentor with respect to both scientific interest and laboratory style. Second, these rotations provide an opportunity for students to learn about new areas of science and new ways of thinking that s/he may not have been exposed to prior to entering graduate school.
After the completion of the core requirements, and by the beginning of the second year, students are expected to have identified an advisor for dissertation research. At this point, the student and Thesis Mentor establish an Advisory Committee that helps to guide the student through the remainder of the graduate work. Beyond the first year, the student must take three semesters of advanced, second level courses in specialty areas and topical subjects tailored to the development and needs of individual students. A qualifying examination comprised of a Thesis Proposal with oral defense is presented early during the third year in the program. This serves to lay out and solidify plans for doctoral research, which the student will carry out during the remainder of his/her time in the program. A doctoral candidate must complete at least 30 hours of graduate academic credits with a minimum of 12 semester hours of MOCB 899 to be eligible for a Ph.D. At least 24 of the credit hours must be at the 600-level or above. Finally, the ability to do independent research must be demonstrated by an original dissertation which has to be successfully defended in order to meet the degree requirements. The members of the student's Advisory Committee usually would serve also on the Dissertation Examination Committee, with the research advisor serving as chair.
Detailed descriptions of the degree requirements are available in the MOCB Graduate Handbook and in the Graduate School Catalog.
Facilities
Excellent laboratory facilities are available for teaching and for our students to conduct state-of-the-art research. Individual research labs are located in a number of different buildings on campus, including the Microbiology Building, the Plant Sciences Building, H.J. Patterson Building and many labs will also be housed in the new Biosciences Building, which is presently under construction. Core facilities on campus provide extensive support for research. These include facilities for confocal microscopy, DNA sequencing, large scale fermentation, fluorescence microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, cell sorting, computer graphics for molecular modeling, NMR and X-ray diffraction.
Support Through the Program
All MOCB students are supported throughout their years in the program by a standard stipend. In addition, all students receive full coverage of tuition for required classes and access to subsizdized health insurance. During the first year, students are supported in part by a one-semester teaching assistantship, and may also serve as teaching assistants in later years. A small number of outstanding students receive special Fellowships from the College of Chemical and Life Sciences for one or more years. The expected stipend level for incoming students for the 2008-2009 academic year is $23,000.
Cost of Living
Monthly rents (including utilities) in College Park range from $800-$1100 for one bedroom (1 BR) apartments, $500-$700 for a room in a shared apartment, or $350-$480 for a room in a shared house. Many graduate students live in neighboring areas, some of which are on Shuttle-UM bus routes (http://www.transportation.umd.edu/alternatives/shuttle.htm) (http://www.cacs.umd.edu/pdf/och/ApartmentsonShutteUM.pdf). Greenbelt and Laurel are popular with graduate students for their cost, proximity and general ambience. Rents in Greenbelt range from ~$680 for a 1 BR and from $480-$550 for a room in a shared apartment. Rents in Laurel range from ~$800 for 1 BR and ~$480 for a room in a shared apartment. Other areas and typical rents for 1 BR apartments are: Hyattsville (~$700), Columbia (~$1200), Silver Spring (~$1000), Washington D.C. ($1200-$1600). Useful websites for information on apartment complexes in the area can be seen at http://www.apartments.com/ and http://www.apartmentratings.com/ The MOCB graduate office can also put you in contact with current graduate students if you have other questions.
Applying to the Program
Admission into the MOCB Program is competitive. The minimum requirement for admission is an earned Bachelors degree from an accredited institution and an overall grade point average of at least 3.0. GRE scores are expected to be in the range of 1300 for the combined Quantitative and Verbal tests and a subject test is recommended. Prior research experience is highly valued. Demonstration of successful research - as a Masters student, a research technician or in any other venue - is weighed very heavily in the application process and can compensate for lower test scores in many cases.
All applicants must submit a complete application form together with:
- Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic references
- Official college transcripts
- A statement of purpose for pursuing the degree, including goals and objectives for future work in the field
- Graduate Records Examinations (GRE) scores
- International applicants must also submit Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Spoken English scores.
All application materials should be submitted no later than January 7, for admission in the fall semester. Applicants are encouraged to visit the University to meet with members of the faculty and discuss their interests and possible courses of study.
For Correspondence and Additional Information Write to:
Director
Molecular and Cell Biology Program
The University of Maryland
Plant Sciences Building
Department of Entomology
College Park, Maryland 20742
Telephone: 301-405-3911
E-mail: dbrown14@umd.edu
http://www.life.umd.eduhttp://www.life.umd.edu/grad/mocb/faclist.html List of Faculty
http://www.life.umd.eduhttp://www.life.umd.edu/grad/mocb/res_areas.html Areas of Training
|
|
