BIOINFORMATICS PH.D TRACK CURRICULUM
Year 1 Ph.D. Students
Fall Semester (all are required)
(Note: "Current Problems and Research Approaches" abbreviated as 'CPRA' below)
n/a Introduction to Biomedical Research 0cr
BMSP 6340 CPRA in Genes and Genome 2cr
BIPG 5200 Statistical Methods in Bioinformatics 3cr
BIPG 5100 Funds of Bioinformatics and Proteomics/Genomics 3cr
BMSP 6390 Mentored Research (two 7-week lab rotations) 1cr
Fall Total- 9 credit hours
Spring (all are required)
BMSP 6390 Mentored Research (one or two 5-week lab rotation) 1cr
BIPG 6100 Bioinformatic Computation 3cr
BMSP 6350 CPRA in Cell Biology and Signaling 3cr
BIPG 6400 Applications of Bioinformatics 3cr (odd years)
OR: BRIM 6200 Biomarker Discovery, Validation & Implementation 3cr (even years)
Spring Total- 10 credit hours
*All students must pass BIPG '100 Question Preliminary Exam' by May 30th of their 1st year*
Summer (all are required)
BIPG 5400 Biodatabases 1cr
INDI6020 "On Being a Scientist" 1 cr
BIPG 6890 Independent Study in Bioinfo (Pre-Qualifying Exam) 1 cr
BIPG 7300 Transcriptomic Data Science 3cr
Summer Total- 6 credit hours
Year 2 Ph.D. Students
Fall (all are required)
BIPG 5300 Current Topics in BPG 1cr
BIPG 6890 Indep Study in BPG (Pre-Qualifying Exam) 3cr
BIPG 6300 Clinical Proteomics 2cr
BIPG 6200 Advanced Programming in Bioinformatics 3cr
Fall Total- 9 credit hours
All students must pass Qualifying Exam by the end of fall semester (December) of their
2nd year
Spring (all are required)
BIPG 9990 Dissertation Research in BIPG 2cr
BIPG 7350 Algorithms for Bioinformatics 3cr
BIPG 6500 Applied Statistics for Bioinformatics 3cr
BIPG 5300 Current Topics in BPG 1cr
Spring Total- 9 credit hours
Summer (all are required)
BIPG 9990 Dissertation Research in BIPG 6cr
Summer Total- 6 credit hours
Year 3 and 4 Ph.D. Students
Fall (all are required)
BIPG 9990 Dissertation Research in BIPG 8cr
BIPG 5300 Current Topics in BPG 1cr
Fall Total- 9 credit hours
Spring (all are required)
BIPG 9990 Dissertation Research in BIPG 8cr
BIPG 5300 Current Topics in BPG 1cr
Spring Total- 9 credit hours
Summer
BIPG 9990 Dissertation Research in BIPG 6cr
Summer Total- 6 credit hours
Year 5 and Beyond Ph.D. Students
Fall and Spring Semesters
BIPG5300 Current Topics in BPG 1cr (each in Fall and Spring)
Summer Semester
BIPG9990 Dissertation Research in BPG 1cr
Notes about BIPG PhD Program
The PhD Qualifying Exam is taken in the Fall semester of the second year. Prior to completing the exam, students should carry out their dissertation research under the course BIPG6890 Independent Study in Bioinformatics. After passing the Qualifying Exam, students conduct their research under the course Dissertation Research (BIPG9990). The minimum number of credits required for PhD is 90, with a minimum of 25 credits of didactic coursework (letter grade), and a minimum of 30 credits of dissertation research. The remaining credits are approved electives and independent study in the Bioinformatics track. Approved electives are taken when needed to supplement the student's knowledge in areas that the advisor and advisory committee agree are appropriate, and when sufficient progress on thesis research is being made. The Dissertation Research credits are reduced to make space for the elective credits.
The minimum number of credits required to obtain a Ph.D. is 90, with a minimum of 25 credits of didactic coursework (letter grade), and a minimum of 30 credits of dissertation research. The remainder of the credits are approved electives and research in the Bioinformatics track