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Each student is required to take at least 30 hours of 8000 level courses, including 1 hour of GENE 8650 (Responsible Science), 3 hours of GENE 9300 (Doctoral Dissertation). Students must enroll in GENE 8880 every semester they are registered. In addition, molecular genetics students must take 4 hours of GENE 8600 (Genetics Seminar), and evolutionary genetics students must take GENE 8700 (Seminar in Population Genetics) every semester they are enrolled. All students must complete 3 lab rotations (sign up for GENE 8900) in the first year. All students must satisfy the "Research Skills" requirement, either by taking 6 credit hours of GENE 8900 (which cannot be included as part of the 30-hour requirement unless the research-skills requirement is met with other courses) or a combination of GENE 8900 and Statistics. Students will be expected to carry at least 9 hours a semester except for summers and the semester they graduate.  During those semesters they must take at least 6 hours. GENE 9000 (Doctoral Research) may be taken for up to 10 hours a semester. GENE 9300 (Doctoral Dissertation) should be taken only after admission to candidacy and for no more than 18 hours (usually 3-6 hrs). Students must be enrolled in GENE 9300 the semester they graduate. Students who have no prior teaching experience at the college level must enroll in GRSC 7770 (1 credit hour).

Molecular Genetics Track: Required Courses

Course number   Course name   Credit hours
GENE 8920   Nucleic Acids   3
GENE 8930   Advanced Molecular Genetics    3
GENE 8600   Genetics Seminar   1 x 4
GENE 8650   Responsible Science   1
GENE 8950 or GENE 6000*   Molecular Evolution or Advanced Evolutionary Genetics   3
GENE 8900   Research Techniques in Genetics   2 x 3
GENE 8880   Student Seminar   every semester
GSRC 7770**   Graduate Teaching Seminar   1
BCMB 8010   Advanced Biochemistry I   4
        Total Required= 25
*Students without a previous undergraduate evolution course should take GENE 3000 before taking GENE 6000 or GENE 8950.
**For any student without previous undergraduate teaching experience.

Molecular Genetics Electives: Choose two or more; at least one must be a GENE course. The subtotal of the hours of "didactic" courses (excluding GENE 9000 and 9300, but including the 25 hours above) must be at least 20. Absolute total number of hours (including GENE 9000 and 9300) must be at least 30.

Sample Program of Study for Molecular Genetics Students

Year
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Summer Semester
1
GENE 8920 (Nucleic Acids) (3)
OR GENE 6200 (Advanced Genetics) (3)
GENE 8930 (Advanced Molecular Genetics) (3)
GENE 8900 (Research Techniques in Genetics) (3) AND
GENE 9000* (Doctoral Research) (3)
1
BCMB 8010 (Advanced Biochemistry and Molecular Biology  I) (4)
GENE 8900 (Research Techniques in Genetics) (3)
  
1
GRSC 7770 (Graduate Teaching Seminar) (1) (or Spring Semester)
    
1
GENE 8600 (First Year Seminar) (1)
GENE 8650 (Responsible Science) (1)
  
1
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
  
1
GENE 8900 (Research Techniques in Genetics) (3)
Elective or GENE 9000 (Doctoral Research) (to make total of 9-12 hours)
  
       
2
Electives (2-5 hours)
GENE 8950 (Molecular Evolution) (3)
OR, in Fall semester, GENE 6000 (Advanced Evolutionary Biology) (3)
GENE 9000* (Doctoral Research)  (6)
2
GENE 8600 (1) (Seminar)
GENE 8600 (1) (Seminar)
  
2
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
  
2
GENE 8070** (1) (Research Seminar [lab meeting])
GENE 8070 (1) (Research Seminar [lab meeting])
  
2
GENE 8080** (1) (Current Literature [journal club])
GENE 8080 (1) (Current Literature [journal club])
  
2
GENE 9000 (to make total of 9-12 hours)
GENE 9000 (to make total of 9-12 hours)
  
       
3-5
GENE 8600 (Seminar), Electives, GENE 8070, GENE 8080, GENE 8880, and GENE 9300* as needed for Program of Study
GENE 8600 (Seminar), Electives, GENE 8070, GENE 8080, GENE 8880, and GENE 9300* as needed for Program of Study
GENE 9000* (Doctoral Research)  (6)

* Master’s students should take GENE 7000 and 7300 instead of GENE 9000 and 9300
** If applicable for student’s lab group
Evolutionary Genetics Track: Required Courses

Each student must meet the general Genetics course requirements as described above (GENE 8900, 6 credit hours of Research Techniques, or STAT; GENE 8600, Introduction to Faculty Research; and GENE 8650, Responsible Science).  Each student must also enroll in GENE 8700 (Seminar in Evolutionary Genetics) and GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) every fall and spring semester for which he/she is registered. Each student is expected to take at least one graduate level course in molecular genetics. There are no other specific course requirements; each student’s program of study is individually designed by the student and his/her advisory committee.

Sample Program of Study for Evolutionary Genetics Students

Year
Fall Semester
Spring Semester
Summer Semester
1
GENE 6000 (Advanced Evolutionary Biology) (3)
GENE 84XX (Graduate Evolution Elective) (2)
GENE 9000 (Doctoral Research) (6)
1
STAT 6710 (Introduction to Probability Theory I)(3)
ECOL 8320 (Population Ecology) (3)
  
1
GRSC 7770 (Graduate Teaching Seminar) (1) (or Spring Semester)
GENE 8700 (Seminar in Evolutionary Genetics) (1)
  
1
GENE 8600 (First Year Seminar) (1)
GENE 8650 (Responsible Science) (1)
  
1
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
  
1
GENE 8700 (Seminar in Evolutionary Genetics) (1)
GENE 8900 (Lab Rotations) (3)
  
1
GENE 8900 (Lab Rotations) (3)
    
       
2
GENE 8920 (Nucleic Acids) (3)
GENE 8840 (Graduate Evolution Elective) (2)
GENE 9000 (Doctoral Research)  (6)
2
GENE 8700 (Seminar in Evolutionary Genetics) (1)
GENE 8700 (Seminar in Evolutionary Genetics)(1)
  
2
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
GENE 8880 (Student Seminar) (1)
  
2
GENE 8070 (1) (Research Seminar [lab meeting])
GENE 8070 (1) (Research Seminar [lab meeting])
  
2
STAT 6310 (Statistical Analysis I) (3)
STAT 6320 (Statistical Analysis II) (3)
  
2
GENE 9000 (to make total of 9-12 hours)
GENE 9000 (to make total of 9-12 hours)
  
       
3-5
STAT 8200 (Experimental Design), GENE 8700, Electives, GENE 8070, GENE 8080, GENE 8880, and GENE 9300 as needed for Program of Study
STAT 8210 (Multivariate Theory and Methods), STAT 8090 (Statistical Analysis of Genetic Data), GENE 8700, Electives, GENE 8070, GENE 8080, GENE 8880, and GENE 9300 as needed for Program of Study
GENE 9000 (Doctoral Research)  (6) and GENE 9300 as needed for Program of Study