GRADUATE PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT
OF ONCOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Revised
08/06/07
Be sure to carefully read all sections marked in bold text.
After completing the first year of Graduate School in the Combined Programs of Molecular Biology or Biological Chemistry or the second year in the MD/PhD program, the student chooses a Thesis Advisor and formally joins the Department of Oncological Sciences. A Change of Status form will be filed with the Graduate School by the Combined Program or MD/PhD program office, and the student’s graduate records and personnel forms will be transferred to the Oncological Sciences Department office, Room 4344, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 585-7774.
The year the student joins the Combined Program is considered their first year. Length of time in the program is calculated from this date.
Information about the student will be entered into the Graduate Student database when they enter the Department. The database will assist monitoring progress through the Oncological Sciences program and aid in communication among department members. It should be updated throughout the student’s tenure in the department.
The Department of Oncological Sciences is committed to providing financial compensation to students throughout their tenure in the department. In addition to tuition benefits (for a required minimum number of credit hours and at least a 3.0 GPA) the faculty advisor pays a stipend to each student according to the Interdepartmental Programs recommended levels.
The student is expected to devote full effort toward graduate studies while enrolled in the program. It is not permissible for a student to work another job or be enrolled in another educational program. A variety of student loans are available to ameliorate cases of severe financial hardship.
To ensure appropriate medical insurance coverage,for graduate students and their families, the Department of Oncological Sciences will cover medical insurance one of several ways;
1. Single students are covered by payment of health insurance premiums by
the Department.
2. Married students whose spouses are covered through their employment may
be covered as above, or the student can be covered through the spouse's insurance.
3. Married students (with and without children) whose spouses (and families)
cannot be covered by outside employers can have their familes health insurance
covered through the department.
Note that this additional family policy is only a trial at this point, and we cannot guarantee it will be continued indefinitely. See Dee DalPonte in the Department office for enrollment information.
a. Courses Taken the first year [MB and BC students]
a). Required courses include the first year core courses of the Combined Programs in Molecular Biology or Biological Chemistry. If a grade of less than a B- is earned in a core course during the first year, the student is required to re-take the course during the second year. Students will not be advanced to Ph.D. candidacy without successful completion of the core courses.
b). One Journal Club/Grant Writing course offered by the Combined Program for first year students. If credit is not earned for this course, additional seminar courses will be required in later years.
b. Courses Taken years 2-5
a) Required courses in Oncological Sciences. Contact Department office (Dee DalPonte) for section numbers.
In general, students in years 2-5 need to take 9 credit hours to qualify for the Graduate School tuition benefit. (Exceptions include some students on training grants, students entering the programs with Master's degrees). If you have questions, see the Departmental Manager, Dee DalPonte. After students no longer qualify for the tuition benefit they usually only register for three credit hours.
i. All students need at least one credit hour of Thesis Research, ONCSC 7970
ii. Usually students should also register for one credit hour of Lab Research Conference, ONCSC 7720
iii. Usually students should also register for one credit hour of Research In Progress (RIP), ONCSC 7710
iv. Students must also register for and attend an ongoing general focused journal club, available options will be listed each semester for students to select from. ONCSC 7700
b) A minimum of one and one/half semester graduate level courses (5000 or above, not necessarily from Oncological Sciences) approved by the Graduate Committee. At least one/half semester course credit must be from a seminar course. In some cases, a relevant undergraduate course may be approved by the student’s Supervisory Committee. Katie Ullman is currently head of Curriculum for Oncological Sciences and questions can be addressed to her as well. Coursework MUST be completed prior to reaching 84 cumulative credit hours.
Some course listings are available at: http://www.bioscience.utah.edu/curriculum/index.html
c) Students are required to participate in the following activities throughout their association with the department:
Research in Progress (ONCSC 7710)
Invited Speaker Seminars (ongoing)
Journal Club (ONCSC 7700)
d) You must accumulate at least 20 credit hours of ONCSC 7970 (Ph.D. Thesis Research) to get your Ph.D.!
c. Summer course registration
In the summer, students usually register ONLY for 7970: see the departmental office for specifics each year.
a. Thesis Research
Credits
Students must always register for at least one credit of ONCSC 7970 (Thesis Research).
Students are also strongly encouraged where possible to sign up each semester for one credit of ONCSC 7720 (Lab Research Conference; informally known as lab meeting).
Registration for ONCSC 7710 Research in Progress gives a third credit hour.
All section numbers and permissions codes (if applicable) can be obtained from the department office HCI 4344, ext. 5-7774.
b. Tuition benefits
Students generally receive three semesters of tuition benefit per year for five years with an entry degree of BS or BA and for three years with an entry degree of MS. To qualify, students must maintain good standing in their Program, maintain a GPA of 3.0, and register for the minimum designated credit hours per semester with at least 3 credit hours of ONCSC 7970 (except in certain circumstances like training grant support; see elsewhere in document).
Tuition for non-residents is MUCH higher than tuition for Utah residents. The Department does not pay out of state rates.
To facilitate tuition payments, students will be required to report their registration to the Department office (Room 4344 Huntsman Cancer Institute) each semester.
c. Residency.
Students must apply for Utah State residency the semester after reaching a total of 60 cumulative Credit Hours (international students see next paragraph). Contact the Department Manager or the Admissions Office (Room 250 Student Services Building) if you are not a Utah resident.
For foreign students….from the University Catalog: "Foreign nationals who are present in the United States on visitor, student or other visas that have authorized only temporary presence in this country do not have the capacity to intend to reside in Utah for an indefinite period and therefore are classified as nonresidents for tuition purposes. Foreign nationals who have been granted legal immigrant or permanent U.S. resident status are classified for purposes of resident status according to the same criteria applicable to U.S. citizens."
d. Training Grants and Travel Funds
*Available Training Grants and Contacts:
-Cancer Training Grant / Kathy Christiansen (Kathy.christiansen@hci.utah.edu)
-Developmental Biology Training Grant / Kathy Christiansen (Kathy.christiansen@hci.utah.edu)
-Genetics Training Grant / Sara Ray (sara.ray@path.utah.edu)
-Hematology Training Grant / Debra Anderton (debra.anderton@hsc.utah.edu)
If you are on certain training grants or have a GPA of less than 3.0 or are in your sixth or greater year, you must register for only 3 credit hours, with all credit hours of ONCSC 7970.
Training grant recipients should maintain contact with both their training grant director and the Oncological Sciences Graduate Affairs director about their status. ALL documentation for training grant recipients needs to be copied to the department office for proper calculation of tuition benefits, coursework guidance and to ensure that full program mandated stipend coverage is administered through the appropriate channels.
Travel Funding Resources:
Graduate School
Applications for Graduate Student Travel Assistance are invited from currently enrolled University of Utah graduate students whose research or creative project has been accepted for presentation at a professional meeting. This assistance is contingent upon the applicant presenting at the meeting.
Applications must be received in the Graduate School prior to travel dates. Requests are considered up to a maximum of $400 and must be supported with a dollar-for-dollar match from university funds. Matching support must be from university funding sources, e.g., development, operation, service, research, etc. One award only will be made during each fiscal year (July 1-June 30) to any graduate student.
Student travel assistance funding can reimburse airfare, car mileage (in lieu of airfare), ground transportation fares such as shuttle or taxis, lodging, abstract fees and conference registration fees. The assistance will not reimburse food, per diem, society memberships, or poster preparation fees.
Because travel requests in recent years have far exceeded funds available, the Graduate School requests departments or research units that can afford to support graduate student travel entirely on their own funds do so.
The Graduate School will determine total funds available for each month; funding is granted on a first come, first served basis until funds for the month are exhausted. Those applications not supported will be put on a reserve list for each month to be used in the event those awarded funding cannot or do not use it. Applications can be submitted anytime before the travel dates but are only considered for funds available during the month of travel.
http://web.utah.edu/gradschool/GRSTA.pdf
*Department of Oncological Sciences
Applications for Department travel Assistance are invited from current department students in good standing whose research or creative project has been accepted for presentation at a professional meeting. This assistance is contingent upon the applicant presenting at the meeting.
Applications must be received in the Department office and approved by the Graduate Committee prior to travel dates. Requests are considered up to a maximum of $500.
The Department will determine total funds available for each month; funding is granted on a first come, first served basis until funds for the month are exhausted.
e. CHECKLIST FOR SEMESTER REGISTRATION AND FILE UPDATE
(i) Register via the World Wide Web. The URL for registration is:
https://gate.acs.utah.edu/psp/plpr/EMPLOYEE/EMPL/h/?tab=PAPP_GUEST
All section numbers and applicable permission codes for coursework will be available via the department office each semester.
(ii) Tuition payment will be handled by the department office. If you do not register for the minimum required credit hours for your status, tuition benefits will not be paid, and you will receive a bill from Income Accounting. Please bring this bill to the Department office immediately, and you will be advised on what steps to take to correct the problem.
If you do not increase your course-load by the end of the current semester, you or your advisor will be responsible for full tuition payment.
(iii) Student insurance and applicable documentation is also handled by the Department office.
(iv) A copy of your Graduate Student database file will be provided for you to update. This information is used in Thesis Committee meetings, and by the Graduate Committee to evaluate your progress.
(v) Grades are no longer mailed to students. They are available on the ACS student website.
https://gate.acs.utah.edu/psp/plpr/EMPLOYEE/EMPL/h/?tab=PAPP_GUEST
4. Thesis
Supervisory Committee
The Committee’s functions are to advise the student concerning thesis research both technically and philosophically, and to preside over the writing of the thesis.
a) Preliminary Examinations (to qualify for candidacy in the Ph.D. program) must be scheduled during the students’ second year in the program (See section 6. Preliminary Exam guidelines.)
b) The student and the Thesis Advisor (faculty mentor) should work together to choose the Supervisory Committee members (see University Rules). The committee consists of five members, with the Thesis Advisor as the Chair. At least three members, including the Chair, must be from Oncological Sciences, and at least one member must be from outside the department. The formation of the committee must be reported to and approved by the Graduate Committee and the Graduate School.
The student must file a Request for Supervisory Committee form http://web.utah.edu/gradschool/supervisory.pdf no later one month following the completion of their Qualifying Examination, or by the end of their second year, spring semester, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. This form and the Preliminary Exam report need to be delivered to Dee DalPonte in the department office for filing with the Graduate Records office.
c) The first formal meeting of the thesis advisor committee should be the semester following prelims, and must be scheduled no later than Fall Semester of the third year in the program.
d) The student must submit a written 5-7 page literature review on his/her chosen thesis project to the Supervisory Committee at the first meeting following the successful completion of the Preliminary Examination. This report should also include an outline of in-progress research objectives. This document should be prepared with the assistance of the Thesis Advisor.
e) The Supervisory Committee is required to meet with the student once a year, with additional meetings optional if either the student or advisor believes they would be useful. The student is responsible for scheduling the meetings. Be aware that faculty schedules are often full, especially toward the end of the semester. In addition, the student should notify the Supervisory Committee when they are scheduled to speak at RIP, however it is generally not useful to synchronize a committee meeting with RIP unless all committee members can attend the RIP presentation.
The student, with input from their thesis advisor, should prepare a meeting summary documenting the recent progress and future plans, as well as noting decisions reached by the Committee. The student is responsible for submitting the http://www.oncsci.utah.edu/ThesisMeetingReport.pdf once yearly to the Department office.
5. Teaching Assistantships and
Teaching Duties
a. All MB/BC students are required to teach one semester.
This requirement must be fulfilled by the end of the third or fourth year unless a specific waiver is sought. Please report all Teaching Assistant assignments to the Department office (Room 4344, Huntsman Cancer Institute, 585-7774). Names of students with unfulfilled teaching requirements will be submitted to the TA pool. The TA Coordinator will request information from students and faculty concerning their preferences.
b. International Students:
Before the Teaching assistantship, all international students are required to attend the ITA workshop (International Teaching Assistants) http://web.utah.edu/gradschool/ita.html . It is offered once a year at end of summer (pre-autumn semester). To sign up for the ITA workshop contact Diane Cotsonas, 5-6659 (cotsonas-d@ugs.utah.edu), at the Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence. Before you take the workshop, you need to pass the SPEAK test with a 50 or better. The TSE (test of spoken English) is offered by ETS and can substitute for the SPEAK test. The SPEAK test is offered weekly and should be taken in the first or second year, well before you wish to take the ITA workshop, at the testing center in the student services building (1-8733). (You will need a letter from the Department office and a purchase order to cover the $75 fee in order to take the SPEAK test).
c. Who to contact
c) Students should contact Shannon Nielsen in the Biology Department (581-5636) as early as possible to discuss participation in courses of particular interest.
General Philosophy and Purpose
• The student will demonstrate mastery of modern biology in general, as covered in the first year core curriculum.
• The student will master the literature in the defined proposal field, with a thorough understanding of the key experiments in that field. What is known already? What does the scientific literature say we need to know to understand the biological question? Point out the gaps and inconsistencies in the published data.
• The student will formulate relevant, important testable models or hypotheses based on the existing data. What is the question? Why is it worth doing? Why is this a biologically interesting question worthy of detailed study and how does it relate to the larger picture? What is your model? Consider multiple alternative models, discuss their strengths and weaknesses, and identify the model you feel is the strongest. Why did you pick it?
• The student will propose specific experiments to test the model. (How will you do it?)
• The student will defend the proposed hypothesis and experimental design, explain the experiments in detail, and predict the potential outcomes from those experiments. What do you think will happen? What else might happen? Why? Note that it is important to demonstrate consideration of plausible alternative outcomes. What results would obtain if your model is wrong?
• A clear and concise proposal will be written in standard scientific format.
[Examples of previous exams are available for review from the prelim exam chair]
• The student will demonstrate their ability to think on their feet as their proposal is discussed with the committee.
It is our expectation that students will demonstrate mastery of the basic principles and methods of modern biological science, as taught in the first year classes, journal clubs, and laboratory experiences. This demonstration of mastery will come during both the written, and importantly, during the oral part of the examination. The student must expect to be asked about all fundamental aspects of modern biology, including but not limited to protein structure, function and regulation; nucleic acid structure, function and regulation; and cell structure, function and regulation. We stress that the candidate must feel comfortable with all aspects of first year course material as a prerequisite to a satisfactory performance on the preliminary examination.
Time Schedule
•Preliminary exams will take no more than 8 weeks.
•Two abstracts will be submitted.
•There is a one week "abstract writing period." Potential projects should evolve from readings and discussions throughout the preceding months.
Day 1 - 7 Abstract writing period.
Day 8 The student will present the Examination Committee with abstracts of two potential proposals.
Days 10-12 The Examination Committee will meet with the student to select the one proposal topic; the meeting should be arranged well ahead of time by the student, and it should occur at the very earliest possible time after the abstracts are submitted to the committee members.
At this meeting the student will arrange (with the advice of the committee) for the fifth faculty member to participate in the exam.
Day 52 - The written proposal will be submitted to the Examination Committee
Days 56-59 The Oral Exam.
Specific Details
(a) After satisfactory completion of core courses and lab rotations, the student must pass the Preliminary Examination to qualify for Ph.D. candidacy. Students will choose an 8 week period, based on available exam dates (henceforth, the examination period) during spring semester of their second academic year in which to prepare to take the Preliminary Examination. It is expected that the student will not register for other courses, present in a journal club or be a teaching assistant during the examination period. In addition, the student will not be required to work in the laboratory during the examination period. However, attendance is expected at journal clubs, Departmental Research in Progress and group meetings.
( b) Composition of the Examination Committee. A committee comprised of three Oncological Sciences faculty members and one ad-hoc member will administer the preliminary examination. Typically the ad-hoc member will be from an outside department. Based on the abstract selected, the outside ad-hoc member will be chosen to add expertise to the committee. The thesis advisor may, and is encouraged to, attend the abstract meeting and the preliminary examination, but is a non-voting member of the committee. Research track faculty members may serve as members of the examination committee if they are not in the same laboratory group as the student and their advisor.
(c) OVERSIGHT FACULTY: The Department has designated a member of the department faculty to oversee the Preliminary Examinations. Oversight duties include ensuring advisors, and students entering their second year of graduate school, understand the operating rules of the Examination Committee. Oversight also includes receiving copies of abstracts and complete proposal, as well as a report from the chair of the committee at the conclusion of the examination. Copies of abstracts and proposal will be placed in the student’s departmental file.
(d) The general format of the exam is as follows:
(i). Two two-page abstracts will be submitted at the end of the first week of the examination period
(ii). A single scholarly research proposal will be written based on one of the two abstracts.
(iii). An oral examination conducted by the committee, for two purposes: a defense of the written proposal, and importantly, a test of general science knowledge.
(e) The proposal should not be on a topic directly related to the chosen field of Ph. D. research. The proposal topic must be approved by the examination committee. The proposal will be defended orally. During the preparation of the written proposal the student is encouraged to engage other scientists in discussion on the model to be tested, experimental ideas, technical questions, or questions on proposal format; success in the exam strongly correlates with exercising this right. In addition, each student is encouraged to consult with the chair of their preliminary examination committee to get guidance refining the proposal. Due to the large number of students who are taking prelim exams it is requested that each student seek guidance from only the chair of their committee. It is understood, however, that the experiments included in the proposal should originate from the student. Faculty members (including the thesis advisor) should not read the proposal until it has been submitted to the Examination Committee, and the thesis advisor should not play any role in the student's preparation of the proposal.
(f) The student’s performance will be judged at two stages. First, the committee must decide if the written proposal is acceptable. Recognizing that some candidates may have sub-optimal writing skills, a non-passable written proposal may, at the discretion of the committee, be used as a basis for an oral examination. Second, the committee must decide if the performance on the oral examination is satisfactory. There are three possible outcomes for the oral examination.
1. Pass - If a student receives a full pass the committee feels that they have performed well on all aspects of the exam and are qualified to work towards a doctorate.
2. Conditional Pass - If a student performs well overall, but exhibits a significant deficiency in one area, the committee may require remedial work in that particular area. This must take the form of a defined task with a defined method of evaluation, with completion resulting in a passing performance.
3. Fail - If a student fails the preliminary examination, the committee feels that they were severely deficient in one or more aspects of the exam. Under these circumstances the student has the option to retake the exam within a 4-6 week time frame. However, the University of Utah Graduate School rules state: "An examination or parts of an examination may be repeated only once and only at the discretion of the student's supervisory committee". As such, in cases of extreme deficiencies the option of retaking the exam will not be offered. At the time of the second examination the student may either receive a full pass or fail. If the student fails the second exam, the Examination Committee will recommend to the Graduate Committee for termination. This recommendation must be approved by a vote of the entire Graduate Committee. All appeals will be made to the entire Graduate Committee. Students who fail the exam the first time and are not offered option to retake the exam and students who fail the exam the second time may, with the recommendation of their advisor and approval of the examination committee, pursue a Master’s degree. In cases of extreme deficiencies, the option of pursuing a Master's degree may not be offered.
(g) The full written proposal should include the following sections:
Abstract: This section should concisely summarize the main points presented in more detail in all sections of the proposal.
Specific Aims: This section should concisely itemize the experimental objectives (i.e., what biological or biochemical hypothesis is being tested and how). A proposal should have at most 3 distinct specific aims. A small number of well-chosen specific aims addressing a carefully constructed model is recommended. Often, one well-conceived and fully-developed specific aim suggests one or two closely related ones.
Introduction: This section should provide sufficient background information to allow the reader to understand the planned experiments and their significance. References to the pertinent literature should be included.
Research Plans and Methods: This section must describe in detail the plan for attaining each specific aim. It should include the rationale for the experiment (what hypothesis the experiment will test and how the experiment is designed to test it), description of experimental procedures including detailed methods, possible pitfalls and alternative strategies, expected outcomes, conclusions, and future directions. For the purpose of proposing futureexperiments, a student can arbitrarily assume an outcome (but it must be a defensible assumption).
Literature Cited: Scholarly documentation of statements not considered common knowledge. For each paper cited, include last names & initials of all authors, full title, inclusive pagination. Cite references in the text not with numbers but in the format (Watson & Crick, 1953; White et al., 1995). See Cell articles for examples.
See format guidelines for additional information about proposal format. Sample abstracts and proposals can be obtained from Committee Chair.
(h) The Oral examination
The purpose of the oral exam is to determine how well the student is able (i) to demonstrate an understanding of both the theoretical and practical aspects of the methods and procedures in the proposal, (ii) to defend the rationale of his experimental design (iii) to demonstrate an understanding of the significance of his proposal with respect to the current state of knowledge in the field. In the oral part of the exam the student will briefly summarize the most pertinent background points of the written proposal and the experimental outline. Note that questions will not be limited to the written proposal but are likely to cover all aspects of modern biology at a level appropriate to a second year graduate education.
(i) Topic selection process - The Abstracts. At the end of the first week of the examination period, the student will present the Examination Committee and the oversight faculty member with written abstracts of two potential proposals. The 1-2 page abstracts should state the scientific problem and indicate potential approaches (examples of possible biochemical, genetic, molecular biological experiments). Each abstract should be built around a specific hypothesis to explain some very particular aspect of a biological problem. A thoughtfully constructed diagram is extremely useful. Key references with titles should be included.
The Examination Committee will meet with the student to select one proposal topic; the meeting should be arranged well ahead of time by the student, and it should occur at the very earliest possible time after the abstracts are submitted to the committee members. The student is expected to begin the topic selection process before the examination period. Potential topics should evolve from readings, discussions and seminars in the months proceeding the examination period. The student will prepare a presentation of each of the proposed topics lasting no more than 10-15 minutes, keeping in mind that the committee have just read the written material: present the logic of the model and the rationale of experimental approaches to be used to test the model; again, a drawing of the model is highly useful for focusing attention on critical aspects of the model. Following the meeting, the student – with help from his/her thesis advisor – should prepare a short document summarizing the decisions and suggestions of the committee regarding topic choice and approaches and potential pitfalls. This document should be circulated among the committee for feedback and acknowledgment that the decisions and suggestions were properly understood by the student (It is helpful for the student's mentor to keep detailed notes during the meeting).
(ii) In the week following designation of the proposal topic, the student will arrange for an ad-hoc faculty member to participate in the exam (see above).
(iii) The student should schedule the Exam as soon as possible to accommodate faculty schedules.
(iv) The written proposal will be submitted to the Examination Committee and the oversight faculty member by the end of the 7th week of the examination period.
(v) The Oral Exam will occur within 7 days of submission of the written proposal. Failure to arrange the date of the exam far in advance can lead to a delay into the next quarter, which is highly undesirable for all concerned.
Note: Scheduling of both the abstract meeting and the proposal defense is the sole responsibility of the student. Arranging meetings can be very time-consuming and frustrating. It is much easier to schedule meetings far in advance, when calendars are still relatively empty.
Format Guidelines for ONCSC Preliminary Examination Proposals
The text, excluding figures and references, MUST be under the maximum of 5000 words as counted in Microsoft Word. Documents over the limit may be returned with no further consideration. Alternatively, the committee may elect to examine the student on the first 5000 words which likely will not be sufficient to support the hypothesis and therefore pass the exam.
Microsoft Word electronic copy AND hard copy need to be submitted with a cover page noting word count, student name, time, date and location of exam. Text must be 12 point [Times, Arial or Palatino] 0.5 inch or greater margin. All pages must be numbered.
A Table of Contents is requested. This item should include titles and page numbers for all of the subject subheadings of your proposal (i.e. Imprinting; Cross-linking experiments), and the titles should be informative (not just "Specific Aim 1," for instance). This table of contents does not count toward the 5000 word limit.
Do not present a special separate section of techniques and methods. Instead, integrate the essential aspects of the experimental procedures into the description of the experiment, as is necessary to explain the way the experiment will generate the data you need to test your hypothesis. There is a length limit, and you should not waste precious space on trivial details, only to fail to communicate central ideas. Of course, you are assumed to understand all aspects of the experimental procedures you propose to employ, and questions may be directed to these during the oral exam.
Helpful Hints:
You are strongly advised to have your written proposal read critically by another student or postdoc, but beware the "friend" who only has good things to say: What you seek is constructive criticism, and the ability to provide constructive criticism is an acquired skill many of your peers may lack.
Be advised that a spell checker is an essential computer tool that you should employ for final editing of your document. A style/grammar checker may also be helpful. Typographical and grammatical errors suggest sloppy thinking.
Please consult writing and style guides regarding difficulties with word usage, grammar or punctuation. (recommended: Strunk and White, Elements of Style, 3rd Edition, MacMillan, NY, 1979). Avoid the use of lab jargon and shorthand.
The student is expected to prepare the typed document. If the student has poor computer or typing skills s/he should recognize and remedy the deficiencies before the Exam Quarter.
Most importantly - Find a mentor or guide to help you think through your ideas. Discuss the science over and over again; pick at the flaws in your hypotheses and experiments and correct them through successive iterations of presentation and critique. This process is best done with a faculty member who is willing to be critical (in the best sense of the word). This faculty member need not be a member of the Examination Committee. DO NOT prepare this proposal without input from experienced scientists. You need not go over the proposal in depth with multiple advisors (too many cooks...) but proposals prepared without significant input from others tend to fare poorly. You are welcome (in fact, advised) to call experts outside of the University who are working the in field. They are usually flattered and helpful. Remember, this is how real life science is done.
Review what you learned in the first year of graduate school. A thorough review of handouts and lecture notes will prepare you for the unexpected questions. Many students forget principles and facts they have not used, so review the basics of molecular biology. You will be asked many basic questions about principles and methods--be prepared!
a) Thesis Writing: The thesis must conform to University rules governing such matters, and the Thesis Committee will have discretion on other matters concerning content and form within University limits. The Thesis Editor (Christine Pickett), located in Building 44, is available for consultation. A publication from that office is available to assist you in preparation, and a web site offers helpful tips for writing your thesis. The University Copy Center provides expert copying, including reduction and reproduction of published manuscripts to thesis specifications.
b) After the thesis is written, the student will give an open one-hour seminar on the research carried out, after which the Thesis Committee and student will meet for the Report of the Final Examination. The results are recorded on the report of final oral examination and delivered to the department office..
c) The University requires that the candidate must be regularly enrolled for three or more credit hours during the semester in which the final oral examination is taken.
d) The Plan of Study form must be submitted to the Department office for filing with Graduate School the semester prior to the Final Exam.
8. 5th Year Student Review
The Department of Oncological Science conducts a formal review of graduate student progress during (and beyond) the fifth year of their thesis program. This review aims to help focus students and advisors on thesis completion. In addition, students and advisors should consider the Committee a resource to help resolve outstanding issues.
Important: All students in their 5th year or beyond must complete the review documents, unless they have already set a defense date during Fall 2007. Those students that have set a defense date require only a letter/email from their advisor stating their defense date and that the thesis committee is in agreement. Note that these students must file a "Program of Study" form no later than the beginning of the semester prior to thesis defense, and preferably far before then. Forms are available at the Graduate School website: http://www.utah.edu/graduate_school/forms.html and should be turned in to the Department office (Dee, HCI 4344) when completed.
All others must submit the following documents, in accordance with the Oncological Sciences Graduate Student Guidelines:
The student should prepare:
(1) A brief summary of your thesis research progress (less than 1 page). Be brief; we are not evaluating the science per se; list only the main discoveries and the main goals remaining. List any pre-doctoral fellowships received.
(2) A brief thesis outline, one sentence per chapter. Indicate the status/intention of each section by using the following simple criteria: published, in press, submitted, manuscript in prep, needs significant work before publishing, not intended for publication, issue not resolved. For chapters that represent papers that are published, in press, or submitted – simply provide the full citation.
(3) A proposed timetable for completing your thesis (1/2 page max). Please make realistic estimates of the time it will take to complete any remaining experimental work, write and revise your dissertation, and arrange for the thesis defense. Consult with your advisor on this section. Simply refer to the chapters above, and state how long you anticipate it will take to bring each to a conclusion.
(4) A signed Graduate Information Memo, which Dee will provide, stating course requirement status and TA completion.
(5) The date of your last committee meeting.
(6) Provide the above documents to your thesis advisor for review, and discuss before submitting.
(7) Optional: provide a confidential letter that details outstanding issues.
The thesis advisor should prepare a confidential letter (one page max.) which includes:
(1) A very brief progress report on the student's training and accomplishments.
(2) State that you have met with the student and discussed the above items, have reviewed the student’s documentation (listed above).
(3) Comment on the plan and timetable proposed. This letter remains confidential.
9. Time Limits
As required by the Graduate School, a time limit for full completion of the Ph.D. program is set. After seven full years in the program (since the first matriculation), the student is no longer permitted to continue in the Ph.D. program. A short extension (usually no more than one semester) can be recommended by the Graduate Committee for approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. Special cases involving Leaves of Absence and transfer students will be dealt with by the Graduate Committee.
Occasionally, for any number of reasons, students leave the program prior to completion of a doctoral thesis. Any student who has passed prelims has qualified for a master’s degree. A Thesis master’s is offered at the discretion of the advisor and advisory committee if there is sufficient data to warrant writing a master’s thesis.
University rules also govern the awarding of the M.S. degree. See the current University of Utah General Catalog for requirements. A student must have achieved a B or better grade in all core courses, have at least 20 hours of course work (semester system) AND pass a final oral examination administered by the supervisory committee. The format of this Masters examination is flexible but must be approved by the Graduate Education Committee.
When your Advisor moves to another Institution
Students who have passed their prelims in Utah can be awarded their degree from Utah; guidelines require annual thesis committee meetings in Utah and a formal thesis defense in Utah. These are handled on a "per case" basis with input from the supervisory and graduate committees.
ONCOLOGICAL SCIENCES GRADUATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
Several faculty members, including a designated chairperson, are appointed by the Chair of the Department of Oncological Sciences. The Chair of the Graduate Committee serves a term of four years. Tenure of other members is two years, staggered to maintain continuity. One student member is elected by the students for a one-year tenure.
Graduate Education Committee Members, 2007-20081. To monitor the functioning of the graduate program as described in this document.
2. Student Advisory Rolesa) To advise students in course work and TA assignments.
b) To consider requested exceptions to any of the above requirements.
Brad Cairns, Chair • HCI 4362 • 585-1822 • brad.cairns@hci.utah.edu
University and Department Policies and Procedures
Department Review of 5th-6th year student
Susan Mango • 4345 • 581-7633 susan.mango@hci.utah.edu
Department Preliminary Examinations
Katie Ullman • HCI 5345 • 585-7123 • katharine.ullman@hci.utah.edu
Curriculum Supervision
Steve Lessnick• HCI 45 • 585-7123 • stephen.lessnick@hci.utah.edu
At large member
TBN
Student Representative Team
• • •
Dee DalPonte • HCI 4344 • 585-7774 • dee.dalponte@hci.utah.edu
Department Manager in charge of Graduate Affairs