Curriculum

The Cancer Biology Graduate Program provides advanced courses, seminars, and supervised research based upon successful completion of the first-year Core Course in the Division of Basic Science. Each student entering the Program must successfully complete two advanced courses that provide a core of knowledge important to any cancer biologist: Cancer Biology I – Hallmarks of Cancer and Cancer Stem Cells; and Cancer Biology II – Advanced Concepts in Cancer Biology. In addition, students must enroll in 4.5 credit hours of course work offered by any of the graduate Programs in the Division of Basic Science. Finally, Cancer Biology students participate in an independent study course and must complete and pass a Cancer Biology Core Competency exam in the Fall of their second year in Graduate School. Passing the Core Competency exam and completion of Cancer Biology III – Cancer Biology Qualifying Exam and Hypothesis Driven Grant Writing are designed to prepare students for success in their qualifying exam, which will take place at the end of the second year of Graduate School. The qualifying exam consists of a written research proposal that is critiqued by and orally defended before an examination committee of Program faculty.

Successful completion of this examination is a prerequisite for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.

Degree Plan (.pdf)