Graduate coursework
Thesis/dissertation research (Biochemistry 9090)
Prior to successfully completing the comprehensive examination, a student must complete nine credit hours per semester, or four per summer, to remain a full-time graduate student. Following successful completion of both parts of the comprehensive exam, each student should register for a minimum of two hours of thesis/dissertation research per semester (or one in summer) to maintain continuous enrollment. More than the minimum may be needed to obtain the 72 credit hours required by the MU Graduate School for completion of the PhD.
Core course work
All graduate students are required to earn a grade of B or better in both:
- Graduate Biochemistry I: Macromolecular Structure and Function (8240)
- Graduate Biochemistry II: Systems Biochemistry (8260)
Elective course work
Each PhD student is required to take two additional science courses at the 8000 or 9000-level (minimum of 3 hours each) approved by the student's doctoral program committee. Recommended and pre-approved courses include:
- Molecular Biology I (9430)
- Molecular Biology II (9432)
- Physical Biochemistry (8430)
- Enzymology/Metabolism (8432)
A student who earns a grade of C or lower in any of these courses must retake the course.
Ethics seminar
Completion of a one-hour seminar offered by Biological Sciences in ethical conduct of research (BioSci 8187) is required of all biochemistry graduate students.
Biochemistry 9087
Students should enroll in the first round of the one-hour seminar Biochemistry 9087 during the first semester. Biochemistry 9087 in the fall semester is designed to teach the fundamental techniques of oral presentation of scientific information, slide preparation, computer graphics, overhead preparation, etc., as well as research-compliance training. Students should complete three additional semesters of Biochemistry 9087 in winter semesters, for a total of four credit hours. A student’s first winter 9087 seminar is devoted to a presentation of the proposed dissertation research. The second should provide an update of research progress or a review of major journal papers in the student’s research area. The third should be a practice for the dissertation defense. The student’s thesis committee is expected to attend these presentations at the invitation of the student. A meeting with the doctoral program committee (DPC) can be arranged after the seminar presentation and may serve as the required annual meeting.
Department seminars
Students are expected to attend all department seminars.
Credit hours
The MU Graduate School requires a minimum of 15 credit hours of course work at the 8000 level or higher (exclusive of research, problems and independent-study experiences). The core courses fulfill 14 hours of this requirement, and Biochemistry 9087 covers the remainder. The student and his or her adviser, in consultation with the student’s doctoral program committee (DPC), may decide upon additional courses. A minimum of 72 credit hours beyond the baccalaureate degree is required for the PhD. Within the limits imposed by the Graduate School, the student’s DPC may recommend that up to six credit hours earned for graduate courses taken at MU or elsewhere be credited toward this requirement.
Residency
A least two nine-hour or three six-hour semesters must be completed in an 18-month period at MU to satisfy the residency requirement. All must be MU courses approved both by the Graduate School for graduate credit and by the student’s DPC.
Minimum enrollment and continuous registration
Graduate students must maintain full-time status until they have passed both portions of the comprehensive exam. Full-time status is achieved by enrolling for nine hours in fall and winter semesters and four hours during summer term. Students typically enroll in Biochemistry 9090 to complete the required hours. Completion of the comprehensive exam admits a student to candidacy for the PhD. After passing the comprehensive exam, each student must maintain continuous enrollment by registering in Biochemistry 9090 for at least two hours in fall or winter and one hour in the summer. However, in order to meet the requirement for 72 hours of post-baccalaureate credit required by the Graduate School, it is typical for students to continue to enroll for up to nine hours of Biochemistry 9090 per term until accumulating close to 72 hours. Students may enroll in other courses in addition to 9090 and reduce the total 9090 hours taken. Failure to enroll in any semester results in cancellation of candidacy.