The Pathobiology Graduate Program operates with a single standing Committee, the Graduate Program Committee (GPC), composed of 5-6 members. The GPC review applications, seek advice from the program faculty as needed, and vote to accept or deny admission to the Pathobiology Graduate Program. The GPC also evaluate coursework that a prospective student proposes to satisfy core requirements, or wishes to transfer from another institution in partial fulfillment of the credit requirements for an MS or PhD degree. A chair elected by the GPC will serve a 3 year term, renewable by agreement of both the faculty and the individual concerned. A Graduate Program Advisor elected from within the GPC will also serve a 3 year term, renewable by agreement of both the faculty and the individual concerned. The Graduate Program Advisor will serve as a central resource for students and, in conjunction with the Program Coordinator, will be responsible for monitoring student progress towards completion of degree requirements.
The Pathobiology Graduate Program provides post-graduate education in the subspecialties of the basic health sciences, including parasitology, microbiology, immunology, and pathology, allowing an integrative approach to science. Students in the program will develop a broad academic foundation and a sharp focus in at least one health science discipline, with a general focus on diseases of animals including humans, and specific emphasis on infectious disease and host responses. Scientists educated in this program will help to meet regional, national, and international needs in academic, government, and private institutions.
The faculty of the Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology constitute the core faculty of the Pathobiology Graduate Program. Membership in the graduate faculty in Pathobiology normally requires an appointment at the rank of assistant, associate, or full professor at The University of Arizona. Those without such appointments can formally request consideration by submitting a letter to the GPC. Applications will be reviewed by the GPC and the Department's Promotion and Tenure Committee (if appropriate), and then presented for approval by the Head of Department and the Dean of the Graduate College. Candidates for membership must have an ongoing, extramurally-funded research program and be able to communicate effectively with, and mentor students.
Admission to the Graduate College of The University of Arizona is open to qualified applicants who hold a bachelor's or higher degree. Application must be made to both the Graduate College, using the standard University application package, and to the Department, by way of a separate application packet. Standard application fees established by the University apply to this process. Students wishing an assessment of their acceptability to the program may contact the Program Secretary or any of the Program faculty. All departmental level application, and post-application materials and correspondence must be routed directly through the Program Secretary in the Program Office. How to apply to the Pathobiology Graduate Program.
The
following criteria will be used as a basis for evaluation of each applicant:
| 1. | Content of undergraduate transcripts, |
| 2. | Grade point average [GPA (must be at least 3.0 on scale of 4.0 for the last 60 undergraduate or 12 graduate credit hours, or include completion, as a nondegree student, of 12 h of at least 500 level coursework with GPA of 3.25 or better)], |
| 3. | Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores for the general test. The scores should be greater than the 50th percentile, or approximately 550 on each of the verbal and quantitative section, and approximately 4.5 for the analytical writing section, |
| 4. | Research experience, |
| 5. | At least three letters of recommendation, |
| 6. | A statement of intent declaring the applicant's career objectives, |
| 7. | Identification of a graduate faculty member to serve as mentor. |
For applicants not meeting these minimum standards, admission may be considered on an individual basis. If a student has completed the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) or Veterinary College Admission Test (VCAT), but not the GRE, the MCAT or VCAT scores may be judged to be a suitable substitute by the GPC.
The GPC requires that students have adequate preparation, specifically compatible with their objectives, in the basic sciences. If doubt exists as to the acceptability of courses taken elsewhere to those offered at The University of Arizona, the GPC reserves the right to require an examination to determine the adequacy of the student's knowledge in the subjects concerned. At the discretion of the GPC, a student may be admitted with deficiencies usually not exceeding 12 credit hours. Students admitted with deficiencies must remove them in their first year of graduate studies. Coursework taken to remove deficiencies may or may not (with a limit of 6 units) contribute to completion of degree requirements. Students admitted with deficiencies in excess of 12 h must complete enough credit hours (with a GPA of at least 3.0) to lower the number of deficiencies to at least 6 h before formally beginning major coursework. No specific undergraduate prerequisites are delineated, but it is assumed that applicants will have earned a BS degree (or equivalent) in a natural science and completed appropriate prerequisites (mathematics, including statistics, general and organic chemistry, and introductory biology) as requirements for entrance into those courses specified in the core (see below).
Students may be admitted with regular status or provisionally, in accordance with the policies of the Graduate College. Provisional admission will convert to regular status if a student completes their first 9 credit hours of graduate coursework with at least a 3.0 GPA, and makes up deficiencies, if any.
Foreign students must demonstrate English proficiency by earning a score of at least 550 on the TOEFL (at least 213 CAT), as prescribed by the Graduate College.
Departmental Research Assistantships or Microbiology Teaching Assistantships are awarded competitively, and the amount of stipends is specified by The University of Arizona. New applicants for assistantships will be rated on the basis of their application, letters of recommendation, GPAs, letter of intent, and scores on GRE and TOEFL (where appropriate). Recipients of assistantships must maintain a minimum GPA of at least 3.0 in all graded courses and a satisfactory rate of progress toward degree completion, as determined by the GPC.
Students must obtain a new student packet containing important guidelines, forms, and other program documents from the Program Coordinator upon admission. Students must also check with the Graduate College at least once a year for the most current versions of important Graduate College documents and guidelines as well as any new materials. Forms and other documents are available at the Graduate College website.
During the application process and following admission, a central file for each student will be established by the Program Secretary in the Program Office. All official records related to progress towards program milestones, completion of degree requirements by specified deadlines, and required documents referenced herein, will be maintained in the student's central file. At the end of each calendar year, the student and the major professor must complete the Annual Graduate Student Progress Report. This report is completed and returned to the GPC by December 15, of that year. Any additional correspondence pertaining to the student's candidacy (between program faculty, the Graduate College, etc…) should be copied to the Program Secretary for inclusion in the student's file.
A student seeking either the applied or traditional track MS will select, in cooperation with their major professor, a Graduate Advisory Committee of three faculty, to include no more than one member from outside the major department. A student seeking the PhD degree will select, in cooperation with their major professor, a Graduate Advisory Committee of at least five faculty, to include 1-2 member from the minor. Students will also need to determine the requirements for Graduate Advisory Committee membership with the minor Department. Each PhD student is encouraged to seek the appointment of one (and no more than two) Graduate Advisory Committee member from outside the department or program. Names of prospective Graduate Advisory Committee members are submitted for approval by the GPC. The Graduate Advisory Committee will serve as the examining body for comprehensive doctoral (PhD) and final oral (MS, PhD) examinations. Committees should be named as soon as possible, but not later than the end of the second semester for either MS or PhD candidates. The Graduate Advisory Committee will assist the student in developing their program, including coursework and choice of thesis/dissertation topic.
Typically, the first meeting of a student's Graduate Advisory Committee will be to set up a "contract" of coursework and other parts of the study program. Subsequent meetings will be to check progress and will be held at least twice annually. The proposed Plan of Study will be recorded on the Application to Candidacy form prescribed by the Graduate College, endorsed by the Graduate Advisory Committee, and presented to the GPC for approval. An approved written Plan of Study must be submitted to the Graduate College by the end of the second (MS students) or third (PhD students) semester. A copy will be placed in the student's file in the Program Office. A written summary of the twice annual Graduate Advisory Committee meetings will be prepared jointly by the student and mentor, within 7 days following each meeting. The written summary document will be approved by signature of each Graduate Advisory Committee member, and forwarded to the GPC for inclusion in the student's file. A GPA of at least 3.0 is required to remain in good standing.
Graduate Advisory Committee meetings are documented by completing the Pathobiology Graduate Advisory Committee Meeting Evaluation Form. Once completed, copies should be distributed to the student, Graduate Advisory Committee members and the GPC for inclusion in the student's file.
Allowable transfer credit for those seeking the MS degree may not exceed 20% of the minimum number required for the degree. No such specific limitations are placed upon those seeking the PhD degree, but, in keeping with Graduate College policy, those seeking a doctorate in Pathobiology must complete at least 30 h of credit in residence at The University of Arizona. Only coursework in which the student earned a grade of "A" or "B" will be transferable; grades from transferred coursework will not be included in computation of the overall GPA.
Pathobiology is not a discipline, per se, but rather takes an integrated perspective on many disciplines within the natural sciences. This is reflected in the diversity of research emphases of the faculty. Maximum flexibility in planning programs of study for MS and PhD candidates is desirable, and requiring a uniform core of coursework after admission to the program would limit flexibility. Thus, although completion of a uniform core of basic coursework will be required of all students, it may consist of appropriate courses taken at either the graduate or advanced undergraduate level.
Formal teaching experience, such as serving as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, is an important part of graduate student training. All Pathobiology graduate students in the traditional MS or PhD program must complete a minimum of one (MS) or two (PhD) semesters of formal teaching. The teaching requirement must be completed no later than the last semester the student is in residence as a Pathobiology graduate student, and preferably well before then. Students in the Applied MS track do not have a teaching requirements. For specific details, consult the Pathobiology Graduate Program Teaching Experience Requirements.
Updated
January 14, 2004
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