mit biology phd application

Welcome to the MIT Computational and Systems Biology PhD Program (CSB)

The Ph.D. program seeks to train a new breed of quantitative biologists who can take advantage of technologies at the leading edge of science and engineering to tackle fundamental and applied problems in biology. Our students acquire: (i) a background in modern molecular/cell biology; (ii) a foundation in quantitative/engineering disciplines to enable them to create new technologies as well as apply existing methods; and (iii) exposure to subjects emphasizing the application of quantitative approaches to biological problems.  Our program and courses emphasize the logic of scientific discovery rather than mastering a specific set of skills or facts.  The program includes teaching experience during one semester of the second year.  It prepares students with the tools needed to succeed in a variety of academic and non-academic careers.

The program is highly selective with typical class sizes 8 to 10 students. About half of our graduate students are women, about one-quarter are international students, and about 10% are under-represented minorities.

Students complete most coursework during the first year, while exploring research opportunities through 1- or 2-month research rotations.  A faculty academic advisor assigned in the first year provides guidance and advice. Students choose a research advisor in spring or early summer of year 1 and develop a Ph.D. research project in with their advisor and input from a thesis committee chosen by the student.

Average time to graduation is 5½ years. 

The Program in CSB is committed to increasing opportunities for under-represented minority graduate students and students who have experienced financial hardship or disability.

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Csb thesis defense: sameed siddiqui (sabeti/collins lab).

CSB PhD Candidate : Sameed Siddiqui 

CSB Thesis Defense: Cameron Flower (White Lab)

CSB PhD Candidate : Cameron Flower

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The MIT Microbiology Graduate PhD Program is an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary program representing all aspects of microbiological research. There are over 50 faculty from various MIT departments and divisions who study or use microbes in significant ways in their research.

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Upcoming Events

Microbiology Ph.D. Thesis Defense- Cassandra Vondrak (Lamason Lab) Monday July 29, 2024 12:30 PM Room 68-181

PhD Candidate: Cassandra Vondrak Advisor: Prof. Becky Lamason ( Biology) Monday July 29, 2024 Time: 12:30PM Room: 68-181 Title: The rickettsial effector Sca4 has a conserved interaction with host clathrin and a tick cell specific role in infection

MIT Integrative Microbiology Initiative Seminar May 06, 2024 Monday May 6, 2024 Room 68-181 4:00-5:00 PM

Please join us for the MIT Integrative Microbiology Initiative Seminar! Friday May 06, 2024, 4:00 - 5:00 Pm 68-181 Pizza and drinks provided Professor Sunny Shin University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine

Quick Links

Microbiology at MIT Learn more about the microbiology program, research areas, and our impact on life sciences, energy, and more!

Graduate Program The Microbiology Graduate PhD Program is an MIT-wide program that is designed to provide students with broad exposure to modern areas of microbiology and depth in the chosen area of thesis work.

Faculty & Research There are more than 50 participating faculty in the MIT Microbiology graduate program, from several different science and engineering departments and divisions.

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Microbiology Graduate Program

Doctoral program in microbial science and engineering.

The Microbiology Graduate Program —an interdepartmental and interdisciplinary initiative at MIT—integrates educational resources across the participating departments to build connections among faculty with shared interests and to build an educational community for training students in the study of microbial systems.

The study of microbes has been critical in our current understanding of basic biological processes, evolution, and the functions of the biosphere, and has contributed to numerous fields of engineering. Microbes have the amazing ability to grow in extreme conditions, to grow slowly or rapidly, and to readily exchange DNA. They are essential for life as we know it, but can also be agents of disease. They are instrumental in shaping the environment, in evolution, and in modern biotechnology. Microbes are amenable to virtually all modern approaches in science and engineering. As such, they provide natural engineering laboratories for creating new capabilities for industry (e.g., pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy) and are the foundation of pioneering efforts in synthetic biology, i.e., building life from its component parts. Effective study of microbes and their applications demands multiple interdisciplinary approaches that cross all scales of biological organization, from molecules to vast ecosystems.

Research in microbiology takes place throughout MIT and involves more than 50 faculty. These faculty are from several departments in both the Schools of Science and Engineering, including Biology; Biological Engineering; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science; Materials Sciences and Engineering; and Physics. Many labs take multiple approaches to studying and manipulating microbial systems and the expertise and research covers a wide range of areas, including biochemistry, biofuels, biotechnology, cell and molecular biology, chemical and biological engineering, computational biology, ecology, environmental biology, evolutionary biology, genetics, genomics, geobiology, immunology, pathogenesis, structural biology, synthetic biology, systems biology, and virology.

Interdisciplinary training in microbiology is in increasing demand in both public and private sectors. This program provides a broad exposure to underlying elements of modern microbiological research and engineering as well as in-depth research experience in specific areas of microbiology. Program graduates will be prepared to work in a range of fields in microbial science and engineering, and will have excellent career options in academia, industry, and government.

The major components of the training program are required coursework, elective coursework, rotations and thesis research, teaching, training in the ethical conduct of research, and qualifying exams.

Required Subjects

Elective Subjects

Students must take three elective subjects, totaling 36 units, from the following list. Electives can be chosen to provide depth in a specific area of interest or additional breadth in training. Subjects from some other areas may also fulfill the requirement, with the approval of the Graduate Education committee.

Rotations and Thesis Research

During the first year, students will rotate through three labs of MIT faculty that participate in the Microbiology Graduate Program. These rotations will help provide students broad exposure to microbiology research and will be used to select a lab for their thesis research by the end of the first year. Given the interdisciplinary nature of the program and many research programs, students may be able to work jointly with more than one research supervisor.

Teaching Experience

Learning to effectively communicate scientific ideas is an important skill. Students in the Microbiology program will have an opportunity to improve their communication skills through teaching. Each student will serve as a teaching assistant for one term in an undergraduate or graduate subject related to microbiology. This will typically take place in the second year.

Training in the Ethical Conduct of Research

All students will participate in a course on the ethical conduct of research. 

Qualifying Exams

Students will proceed to PhD candidacy after successful completion of a qualifying exam, typically during the second year. Students will submit a written research proposal in the style of a grant or fellowship application based on their planned thesis project. Students will then present and discuss the research proposal with a small committee of faculty.

Student Advising

In the first year, students will be advised by members of the graduate committee. Once students join a thesis lab, the research mentor will be the primary advisor. Early in the second year, students will form a thesis committee and meet at least annually. The committee will consist of faculty with expertise in the student's area of research and collectively provide the breadth expected by the program. The thesis committee will primarily provide advice on research. In addition, in students' early years the thesis committee will also provide advice on coursework to ensure that students have the appropriate breadth and depth for their educational program. In later years, the graduate and thesis committees will also provide students with advice on career options.

Financial Support and Fellowships

Students in the program will be financially supported throughout their training. This support includes tuition, stipend or salary, and health insurance. All students in the program will receive a stipend or salary that is sufficient to support living in the Cambridge/Boston area. The stipend or salary will be approximately the same as for graduate students in other MIT departments.

During the first year, students are supported by the Microbiology program. In subsequent years, students will be supported as research assistants in their thesis lab.

Although students will be supported, they are strongly encouraged to apply for fellowships.

For further information, email the Microbiology Graduate Program , Room 68-230A.

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The graduate program in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences is designed to prepare individuals to do original research and to teach. BCS graduate students gain expertise in specific research areas and become well educated in the broader fields of brain or cognitive science. Students specialize in molecular and cellular neuroscience, systems neuroscience, cognitive science, computation, or in a fifth track called cognitive neuroscience for students whose research interests encompass more than one discipline. [email protected]

The Department of Biology graduate program is designed to teach students the research and communications skills required for a successful career as an independent scientist. The majority of Biology graduates go on to careers in universities, research institutions, or the biotechnology industry, and a growing number choose areas such as consulting, science writing, technology transfer, and patent law. The department’s efforts in neurobiology are geared toward understanding how the remarkable diversity in neuronal cell types and their connections underlie learning and memory. [email protected]

Graduate students may receive appointments as Research Assistants on PCLM projects through their academic department.

MIT Department of Biological Engineering

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BE Application Assistance Program

The Biological Engineering (BE) Department is committed to advancing a respectful and caring community that enables all of our students to succeed at MIT. We are looking for applicants who bring a diversity of thought and experience to our student body, including students from groups underrepresented in STEM, students with non-traditional academic backgrounds, and students from academic institutions which have not historically sent many students to MIT. We recognize that applicants receive disparate degrees of support during the graduate admission process, and encourage applicants with less support to use the BE Application Assistance Program (BEAAP) .

BEAAP is a volunteer-based, student-run program which provides assistance to BE applicants from underrepresented groups. Applicants are paired with a graduate student who can answer questions about BE and MIT, provide feedback on materials to create a stronger application, and guide applicants through the BE application process. BEAAP is supported by the BE Graduate Admissions Committee and the BE Graduate Student Board. BEAAP mentors are trained by a faculty member on the Graduate Admissions Committee on BE's admissions criteria and by the Communication Lab on providing feedback for application materials. This support is by no means a guarantee of admission as the MIT BE admissions process is completely separate from BEAAP. Participation in BEAAP is not considered by the Graduate Admissions Committee during application evaluation. 

The BE Department is excited that you are considering us in your application process! The application to participate in BEAAP for the 2023 application cycle is now open. To join the program, please fill out a short application here . After we receive your application, we will contact you for more information and pair you with a volunteer graduate student mentor. Mentor pairing occurs on a rolling basis beginning in early October. You can email us with questions related to BEAAP at [email protected] . For questions about the BE graduate program in general you can email  [email protected] .

Please note that BEAAP is purely volunteer-based: graduate students are offering their time to support prospective applicants, and this support is not considered as part of the admission process. BEAAP will accept requests until December 1 in order to provide assistance before the December 15 BE application deadline. We encourage applicants to connect with BEAAP early, as we may not be able to guarantee a mentor match late in the application season.

In the fall of 2022, BEAAP held webinars on October and November 2022 to help answer common questions and to support those who may not need one-on-one mentorship. The webinars included an overview of the PhD application process as well as a student panel. Recordings of the 2022 webinars can be found on the BE Graduate Students website. BEAAP is holding a webinar on November 6th from 11:30-1PM ET. Registration is required and now open.

Not sure if BE is the right fit for you, but still want support? If you are considering applying to other graduate programs at MIT (including Biology, Computational and Systems Biology, and Brain and Cognitive Sciences), check out this list of other Graduate Application Assistance Programs from the Office of Graduate Education.

Statements of support

The Biological Engineering (BE) Graduate Admissions Committee enthusiastically supports the BE Application Assistance Program (BEAAP). Our department is committed to advancing a respectful and caring community that enables all of our students to succeed at MIT. We value applicants who bring a diversity of thought and experience, and recognize that many of these applicants have not had the same support in the graduate admission process as other students. We are excited for BEAAP to help fill that gap and have made ourselves available to the graduate student leaders and volunteers in support of BEAAP.

Christopher A. Voigt Biological Engineering Department Head Paul Blainey Biological Engineering Graduate Admissions Committee Chair

The Biological Engineering (BE) Graduate Student Board is excited to support the BE Application Assistance Program (BEAAP). The Board values and actively supports diversity among our graduate community, and we are committed to promoting a collegial and respectful environment for all graduate students. We look forward to assisting BEAAP in its goal to support applicants from underrepresented groups.

Viraat Goel Abigail McShane Biological Engineering Graduate Board Coordinators

ACADEMICS DEGREES

Definition of "bio & engineering" terms from the mit biological engineering division:.

Bioengineering (BioE) -- an APPLIED FIELD of engineering in biological materials and systems.

Biomedical Engineering (BME) -- an APPLIED FIELD of engineering in medicine and biomedicine, generally inter-disciplinary in nature.

Biological Engineering (BE) -- a new engineering DISCIPLINE grounded in biology, particularly mechanistic biology at the molecular and cellular levels, with novel applications to biomedicine as well as biotechnology; it also enables new approaches to fundamental discoveries in bioscience.

BE vs. BME at MIT -- The crucial distinction is that Biological Engineering (BE) is a new engineering discipline, distinguished by having biology (particularly molecular cell biology) as its foundation science, just as how Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, for example, have theirs in physics and chemistry. Biomedical Engineering (BME) and Bioengineering (BioE), on the other hand, are application fields for any engineering disciplines. This is why MIT will be offering a MAJOR in BE, but only a MINOR in BME for students majoring in other departmental disciplines.

The Biomedical Engineering Minor

• Minor Program in Biomedical Engineering
• Minor Program in Toxicology and Environmental Health

The Biological Engineering Major

Biological Engineering launched the new BE SB degree in the 2005-2006 Academic Year. The curriculum for the degree was developed by the BE Undergraduate Programs Committee and was approved by a unanimous vote of the MIT faculty in February, 2005 as the first new major course of study in 39 years. The curriculum for the new SB comprises nine new core subjects that define Biological Engineering as a discipline at the undergraduate level. Most of these subjects may also be taken as part of the BME Minor degree. Detailed information regarding the program is available on the MIT Biological Engineering Division website , including course description and requirements, and enrollment procedure.

Master of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering (MEBE)

Biological Engineering offers an MEng Program in Biological Engineering as well as the Leaders for Global Operations Program (an S.M. in Biological Engineering and a MBA or S.M in Management from MIT Sloan).

Ph.D. Program in Bioengineering

The Biological Engineering (BE) Division offers a Ph.D. program with two tracks: Bioengineering Track and Applied Biosciences Track .

2024-2025 Graduate Program Guide

Table of contents.

• General Information
• Biology Program Overview
• MS in Biology Requirements
• PhD in Biology Requirements
• Program and Research Areas
• Administrative Resources
• University Policies & Procedures
• Health Resources
• Student Life & University Resources

1. General Information

1.1 Department of Biology Administration 1.2 Boston University Diversity Statement 1.3 Facilities 1.4 Building Hours 1.5 Emergencies

1.1 Department of Biology Administration

Chair Pamela Templer

Associate Chairs Cell and Molecular Biology – Cyndi Bradham Neurobiology – Jen-Wei Lin Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution – John Finnerty

Director of Graduate Studies Francisco Naya

Director of Master’s Studies Kim McCall

Graduate Committee Chair – Ian Davison Cell & Molecular – Trevor Siggers Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution – Jeffrey Marlow Neurobiology – Ian Davison

Graduate Program Specialists Jen Correia Eliza Givens

Biology Department Staff

Top of Section Table of Contents

1.2 Boston University Diversity Statement

Boston University’s founders opened its doors to all students without regard to religion, race, or gender. Building and sustaining a vibrant community of scholars, students, and staff remains essential to our mission of contributing to, and preparing students to thrive in, an increasingly interconnected world.

We strive to create environments for learning, working, and living that are enriched by racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. We seek to cultivate an atmosphere of respect for individual differences in life experience, sexual orientation, and religious belief, and we aspire to be free of intellectual parochialism, barriers to access, and ethnocentrism.

Success in a competitive, global milieu depends upon our ongoing commitment to welcome and engage the wisdom, creativity, and aspirations of all peoples. The excellence we seek emerges from the contributions and talents of every member of the Boston University community.

1.3 Facilities

All Charles River Campus Buildings are Non-Smoking!

Biology Research Building (BRB), 5 Cummington Mall

This building houses departmental administrative offices, research laboratories, and offices of faculty primarily in the Ecology, Behavior & Evolution (EBE) and Marine Biology (BUMP) programs. It also houses departmental common facilities, including the Aquarium Room, Stable Isotope Laboratory, DNA Sequencing and Molecular Biology Facility, Workshop, Instrument Rooms, Environmental Rooms, a graduate student lounge, seminar rooms, and two classrooms.

Biological Science Center (BSC), 2 Cummington Mall

This building houses research laboratories, and offices for faculty and graduate students in Cell & Molecular Biology (CM).

Life Sciences & Engineering Building (LSE), 24 Cummington Mall

This building houses a centralized stockroom, the offices and laboratories of faculty members in Cell & Molecular Biology (CM) and Neurobiology (NEURO) as well as departmental common facilities, including instrument rooms and environmental rooms. It also houses departmental common facilities, including the Electron Microscope and Confocal Imaging Facility and the Biology Media Center.

Metcalf Center for Science & Engineering (SCI), 590 Commonwealth Avenue

This building houses the administrative offices for Introductory Biology and the departmental teaching laboratories. Laboratories for Introductory Biology are located on the third floor (west side). The fourth floor houses upper-division teaching laboratories. This building also houses the University-wide Laboratory Animal Care Facility, and public lounges, as well as the teaching laboratories, offices, and research laboratories of the Departments of Chemistry and Physics.

Science & Engineering Library (SEL), 38 Cummington Mall

This library contains most of the University’s holdings in the areas of Science & Engineering. More general holdings are located in Mugar Library at 775 Commonwealth Avenue. On-line catalogue and journal access is available at both libraries, as well as any departmental computer terminal.

1.4 Building Hours

Main doors to 2, 5, Cummington Mall and 590 Commonwealth Avenue will generally be unlocked from 7:30 AM to 10:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Admittance is possible 24 hours a day (including weekends). For after hour access, contact the Front Desk Staff in BRB 101. Main doors to 24 Cummington Mall will be unlocked from 7:30 AM to 9 PM, Monday through Friday. After hour access at 24 Cummington Mall is coordinated by Peter Castellano in LSE 602.

At 5 Cummington Mall, your office key will open most common spaces. At 2, 5 and 24 Cummington Mall, as well as 590 Commonwealth Avenue, there is a swipe card reader to open the front door after hours. All keys for BSC, BRB, and SCI are distributed by Front Desk Staff in BRB 101. Check the number on the door locks/cores. All keys for LSE are distributed by Peter Castellano in LSE 602 or the Sourcing/Facilities Manager in LSE 107. Please return keys when you graduate.

All persons using departmental facilities must arrange for their use through the staff or faculty member responsible for the facility. Persons using the facility must be checked out before use by the responsible staff member and must familiarize themselves with the regulations governing its use and maintenance.

1.5 Emergencies

In case of emergencies at 5 Cummington Mall building services (heat, electricity, water, refrigeration, air-conditioning, etc.), call the Facilities/Purchasing Manger, at 617-353-2467. If they are unavailable call the building supervisor Dennis Batista 617-358-4282. If Dennis is not available, call the Buildings & Grounds Emergency number 617-353-2105. In case of emergencies at 2 and 24 Cummington Mall, contact Dennis Batista 358-4282. If Dennis is not available, contact Peter Castellano 617-353-8736.

In case of emergencies posing threat to health or safety (chemical spills, etc.), contact Director of Environmental Health and Safety, at 617-353-9734, or for immediate assistance, contact Campus Police at 617-353-2121.

In case of a medical emergency, Student Health Services and/or the University Police will help in managing the emergency quickly and effectively. Call the Boston University Police at 617- 353-2121 (3-2121 on a campus phone) or 911 if you have a life-threatening emergency. True medical emergencies are transported by ambulance to local hospital emergency departments.

Boston University Student Health Services will call to follow up on your emergency and will help in arranging additional care when needed. Later you should contact Joe Hebert in the Biology Office to file the required Accident Report Form.

• Emergency: 617-353-2121 BU Police, 911 if life-threatening
• Student Health Services 617-353-3575
• Sexual Assault 617-353-SARP (7277)
• Behavioral Medicine 617-353-3569
• Poison Control Center 617-232-2120
• Boston Area Rape Crisis Center 617-492-RAPE (1-800-841-8371)

Visit http://www.bu.edu/ehs/comm/ for more detailed information regarding emergencies.

2. Biology Graduate Program Overview

2.1 Biology Graduate Program Overview 2.2 Grades and Academic Standing for Graduate Students 2.3 Transfer Credits 2.4 Biology Courses Approved for Graduate Credit 2.5 Recommended List of Quantitative Courses 2.6 Directed Studies in Biology 2.7 Financial Assistance

2.1 Biology Graduate Program Overview

The goal of the Biology Department at Boston University is to train students at the highest level in one of three broad sub-fields within modern Biology. Upon completion of the M.S. or Ph.D., students should be prepared for post-graduate training and on track to assume teaching and/or research positions in academia, industry, government agencies or non-government organizations.

The Director of Graduate Studies oversees academic programs and policies at the graduate level in the Department of Biology. In addition, there is a Graduate Committee, consisting of the Chair of the Committee and department faculty representing the three programmatic areas in the Department (Ecology, Behavior and Evolution; Cell & Molecular Biology; Neurobiology). The Committee Chair and members of the Committee are appointed by the Chair of the Department. The Graduate Committee is responsible for the programs of continuing students, allocating Department Travel and Research Grants, and maintaining overall standards in the Graduate programs.

2.2 Grades and Academic Standing for Graduate Students

Student responsibilities:

As outlined in the Graduate School Bulletin, the Graduate School and the Biology Department require grades of at least a B- and a 3.0 GPA to remain in good academic standing and to be eligible to complete the graduate degree. Teaching grades are not included in calculating the GPA. A student receiving a grade lower than B- in a graduate course will be counseled by their faculty advisor and the appropriate member of the Graduate Committee. A student who receives a second grade lower than B- will be counseled by the Director of Graduate Studies, and will lose good academic standing in the Biology Department. Grades below a B- do not count towards a student’s graduate degree. In rare cases, a student can petition the Director of Graduate Studies to have a grade below a B- count towards their degree. All Departmental guarantees including financial support guarantees are dependent on being in good academic standing.

The Director of Graduate Studies will advise any student on academic probation of the specific time frame (generally within two semesters) during which the student must reestablish a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and, thus, regain good academic standing. Failure to meet these requirements within the specified time, or receipt of a third grade lower than B- will result in a recommendation to the graduate school of termination of the student’s enrollment at the University. Appeals of the decision to recommend termination may be made to the Graduate Committee.

The Graduate School’s policy on grades and satisfactory academic progress can be found here .

Faculty responsibilities:

The faculty advisor and the Director of Graduate Studies are responsible for monitoring the academic performance of each graduate student each semester. These individuals generally notify the Graduate Committee of any student who receives a grade below B-. The Director of Graduate Studies will inform the Graduate Committee of the requirements for regaining good academic standing for any student placed on academic probation. The Graduate Committee will serve as the venue for student appeals.

2.3 Transfer Credits

Students may make the request for transfer credit through the online Transfer of Credit Request Form from GRS. There are three specific steps for requesting transfer credit:

• Review the transfer credit procedures outlined on the Graduate Student Resources page. If you are a PhD student, complete the appropriate coursework transfer credit plan.
• Submit the online GRS form for the credits you are looking to transfer. The form first goes to GRS Records to check if the courses are eligible to be transferred in accordance with GRS policy.
• If the courses are eligible, GRS will forward the request via email to the Director of Graduate Studies (copying the administrator) for review and approval. GRS staff will never apply credits to a student’s record without approval from the program

Important Links:

• GRS Transfer Credit Policy

2.4 Biology Courses Approved for Graduate Credit

All Biology courses numbered 500 and above are approved for graduate credit. A current list of Biology courses can be found here . In addition, the following courses are also approved for graduate credit:

• CAS BB522 Molecular Biology Laboratory
• GRS MB721/722 Graduate Biochemistry

Please note that specific programs maintain a separate list of courses that count toward their specific research area. More information can be found under Program and Research Areas .

2.5 Recommended List of Quantitative Courses

CAS AN597 Special Topics in Biological Anthropology CAS BI519 Theoretical Evolutionary Ecology CAS CN510 Principles & Methods Cognitive and Neural Modeling CAS CN530 Neural and Computational Models of Vision CAS CS542 Machine Learning CAS EE507 Dynamical Oceanography CAS EE509 Applied Environmental Statistics CAS EE516 Multivariate Analysis for Geographers CAS EE585 Ecological Forecasting and Informatics CAS MA565 Mathematical Models in the Life Sciences CAS MA581 Probability ENG BE517 Optical Microscopy of Biological Materials ENG BE700 Advanced Topics in Biomedical Engineering ENG BF527 Applications in Bioinformatics ENG BF571 Dynamics & Evolution of Biological Networks ENG BF 768 Biological Database Analysis GRS BI708 Systems Developmental Biology GRS MA665-666 Modeling and Data Analysis in Neuroscience GRS MA681 Accelerated Introduction to Statistical Methods for Quantitative Research GRS MA770 Math and Stat Methods of Bioinformatics SPH BS 704 Introduction to Biostatistics SPH BS723 Introduction to Statistical Computing SPH BS730 Introduction to R SPH BS805 Intermediate Statistical Computation & Applied Regression SPH BS860 Statistical Genetics II

2.6 Directed Studies in Biology

Students are expected to complete all coursework requirements by taking existing lecture, laboratory, and seminar courses offered through BU. If there is a specific reason why a student needs to complete a directed study, they may submit a request via this form . All directed studies must be approved by the student’s advisor, the directed study faculty, the appropriate Associate Chair, and the Director of Graduate/Master’s Studies. If the directed study is approved, a Graduate Program Specialist will register the student for BI597 and confirm registration with the student.

2.7 Financial Assistance

The GRS policy is that financial aid awarded by Boston University may be used only for courses required by the degree program. It may be used for courses taken as co-requisites or prerequisites by special permission from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences. It may not be used for PDP (Physical Development Program) courses, Sports Pass, subway/bus passes, library fines or late fees. For Ph.D. students, tuition for an audited course will be covered by scholarship if the course is approved by the Director of Graduate Studies. This course must be related to the dissertation research, or be considered as background or preparation for the dissertation research or topic. 900-level courses may not be audited. Financial Aid may not exceed the cost of required tuition, fees and living expenses.

Direct Deposit: All students are encouraged to set up Direct Deposit by going to the MyBU Student Portal under the My Job & Career tab. Students who have not set up Direct Deposit before the first payroll run in mid-September will have to pick up their stipend checks at the Student Payroll Office, 881 Commonwealth Ave, 2nd Floor.

M.S. Students

Master’s students are expected to pay their own tuition. On occasion when teaching positions for the Department of Biology are available, Master’s students may apply within the department for a Teaching Assistantship (TA). These positions consist of a 20-hour per week commitment on average and provide $6,000 per semester paid on a weekly basis. Students involved in active research should speak to their advisor before accepting a TA position. If interested in potential TA opportunities, please send your CV – including courses taken – to the Biology Graduate Program Specialist.

In addition to potential TA positions, the following options may help assist Master’s students in financing their graduate education:

• The Student Employment Office
• Federal Work Study
• Federal Stafford Loans
• Credit Based Loans (Federal PLUS & Private)

Please contact [email protected] for questions about financial aid options for Master’s students.

Ph.D. Students

Ph.D. students are guaranteed 12 months a year of stipend support and tuition for 5 years provided they make satisfactory progress towards their degree and remain in good academic standing. In an extremely rare case, a student failing to meet these requirements and at risk of losing funding will be notified well in advance.

Ph.D. students are encouraged to apply for fellowships and grants at funding agencies. All eligible students should apply for NSF Graduate Research Fellowships in the Fall semester of their first or second year.

Dean’s Fellowships: These are non-service fellowships allocated to first-year Ph.D. students that do not have immediate teaching requirements. These are paid monthly on the 4th Friday of the month. Domestic students on non-service fellowships will not have taxes withheld by the University; however, students are still required to report their stipend to the IRS and pay taxes, if applicable. International students will be taxed at a rate of 14% unless their government has a tax treaty with the U.S. For more information on tax exemption for international students, refer to the Student Employment Office website.

Teaching Fellowships (TF): These provide a stipend plus full tuition and fees for up to four full courses per semester. Teaching responsibilities usually require approximately 20 hours per week. Full or partial awards may be given.

Doctoral Research Fellowships (RF): These awards are given to students who assist individual faculty with specific areas of research and the stipend is funded by faculty research grants. There are a substantial number of graduate student research positions in Biology, which are funded through faculty research grants. These Research Fellowships provide the stipend and full tuition. The supervising faculty member determines the specific duties of the Research Fellow. Consult your faculty advisor.

Biology Department Awards: Several competitive awards are available to graduate students in the Department of Biology. These include:

• The Thomas H. Kunz Award – summer stipend support for EBE Ph.D. candidates who have completed the qualifying exam, with a preference for those conducting field research in the award
• The Charles Terner Award – summer stipend support for CM or MCBB Ph.D. candidates who have completed the qualifying exam and who have made significant contributions to their
• The Brenton Lutz Award – summer stipend support for Neurobiology or GPN Ph.D. candidates who have who have completed the qualifying exam and made significant contributions to their field.
• Marion R. Kramer Scholarship – summer stipend support for female Biology Ph.D. candidates who are committed to excellence in scientific research.
• The Alden Macchi Award – support to be used to attend a conference for Biology Ph.D. candidates who have completed the qualifying exam in the fields of endocrinology and/or regulatory biology.
• Warren McLeod Fellowships – provides either a summer stipend support or a single year of support for D. candidates who have completed the qualifying exam and are conducting research in marine science.
• Dana Wright Fellowship – provides support for S. and Ph.D. students in Marine Biology. It may be used for stipend support (up to 4 months), research supplies, and/or travel expenses related to research.

Training Grants: Opportunities for support through this avenue exist. Consult your faculty advisor.

Work Study Aid: All eligible graduate students can apply for summer and academic year awards. Applications can be obtained from the Graduate School. Students receiving work-study aid will be expected to provide service to the Department (teaching) or in the laboratory of their major professor (research). Master’s candidates are eligible for federal work-study funding.

National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Fellowships: Graduate students in either their first- or second-year are encouraged to apply for these prestigious three-year fellowships. NSF Fellowship applications are due in November of each year. For applications and instructions can be found here .

Department Graduate Travel Grants: Travel Grants may be available to assist students in their travel to professional scientific meetings. Students presenting papers or posters on their research will receive first consideration. [Link to awards page] Further questions should be directed to the Graduate Committee.

Other sources: Students should see their faculty advisors for other potential sources of financial support, or check the small reference library at the Associate Dean’s Office, Graduate School, Room 115. Additionally, the Proposal Development Specialist in the Biology Department maintains a database of graduate student funding opportunities.

3. MS in Biology Requirements

3. 1 Time Limits 3.2 Faculty Advisors 3.3 Course Requirements 3.4 Types of MS Degrees 3.5 GRS MS Graduation Deadlines

* Note: Individual program requirements may be more specific. 

**Note: The BA/MS program has separate requirements. More information about the BA/MS degree can be found here .

3.1 Time Limits

Officially, Master’s degree requirements must be completed within three years from the date of first registration. However, students may apply to the Graduate School for extensions past the three-year deadline. M.S. degrees are conferred in May, August, or January, as specified in the Graduate School Bulletin .

3.2 Faculty Advisors

Each graduate student admitted to the M.S. Degree program is assigned a faculty advisor. For coursework tracks, this advisor will be your primary point of contact for course selection. For Research or Scholarly Literature-Based paper tracks, your advisor should help with coursework advising as above, and be your primary advisor for your thesis or scholarly-paper. The appropriate Research or Scholarly Literature-Based Paper committee of the student should be formed no later than the first year of full-time graduate study.

3.3 Course Requirements

Courses will vary depending on program discipline. All Master’s students must complete at least 32 credits of graduate work (as detailed below for each type of Master’s degree in Biology). Two courses (8 credits) may be transferred to BU from another university upon approval of the Director of Graduate Studies and GRS.

3.4 Types of MS Degrees

MS with Coursework Track

Coursework: The student must complete 32 credits of graduate level course work. These courses will be selected under the mentorship of the faculty member who is serving as the student’s primary advisor.

MS with Research Thesis Track

Coursework: The student must complete at least 32 credits of graduate level work. At least 20 of these graduate level credits must come from formal course work (i.e., cannot include credits from a research course). Outside of formal coursework, up to 12 of these credits can be Readings in Biology (BI 701/702), Seminar courses (BI583/584) or Master’s Research in Biology (BI 595).

Research Thesis: The student must write a thesis detailing original research that was conducted under the sponsoring faculty member. The thesis will generally include the following sections: Abstract, Introduction, Materials & Methods, Results, Discussion, References, and figures and/or tables summarizing research. The thesis must be read and approved by a committee of three faculty members that includes at least two faculty members from the Biology Department; one committee member must be the faculty member who acted as the Major Professor for the student’s research. Ordinarily the student will receive written comments from all committee members that must be incorporated into a final version of the thesis. Upon satisfactory completion of revisions, the readers must sign and approve the signature page of the final version of the thesis. The thesis title must be approved by the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences and a properly formatted draft of the thesis must be submitted by email to [email protected] for format review at least three weeks before the thesis is due. The final reader-approved thesis must be submitted to the Electronics Thesis and Dissertations (ETD) Administrator for final approval by the graduate school before the date posted on the GRS submission calendar. The final electronic version will be reviewed by GRS, and then forwarded to the Mugar Library ETD Administrator for the final format review, before its submission to ProQuest/UMI Administrator. Additionally, a copy should be given to all committee members, the Department, and one copy should be kept by the student. An oral defense is recommended, but not required, so students should discuss this with their advisor and reach a mutual agreement. Details on thesis submission dates can be found at: https://www.bu.edu/cas/academics/ma-ms-academics/graduation-information/

MS with Scholarly Paper Track

Coursework: The student must complete 32 credits of graduate level course work. Ordinarily, these courses will be selected under the mentorship of the faculty member who is serving as the student’s primary scholarly literature-based paper reader (see below). At least 28 of these graduate level credits must come from formal course work (i.e., cannot include credits from a research course). On this track, however, up to 4 credits can be Readings in Biology (BI 701/702).

Scholarly Literature-Based Paper: The student must write a scholarly literature-based paper on a selected topic in Biology. This paper will generally be a document of 30-80 pages on a selected research topic in current Biology and will usually include several chapters and extensive literature references. This paper will be written in consultation with a faculty member from the Biology Department who will serve as the primary reader. The final version of the document must be read and approved by at least two faculty members (i.e., the primary reader and one other faculty member) from the Biology Department. A final copy must be given to all committee members, the Department, and one copy should be kept by the student. The scholarly literature-based paper is not submitted to GRS.

M.S. for Ph.D. students (Two options)

• A Ph.D. student who has advanced to candidacy (as demonstrated by passing the Ph.D. qualifying exam), and has completed 32 credits of graduate level course work (not including research) may apply to the Graduate School for a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Biology. This must be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies within the Biology Department. The student’s major professor will receive notification of this application process.
• A Ph.D. student who has taken, but has not advanced to candidacy based on the Ph.D. qualifying examination may still receive a Master’s degree. This student may receive a Coursework M.S. degree provided they have completed 32 credits of course work (not including research credits). Alternatively, this student may receive a Scholarly Paper or Research Thesis M.S. degree if the written portion of the qualifying examination is adapted to ensure it is of sufficiently high quality for a M.S. degree, and approved by a majority of the qualifying exam committee and the Director of Graduate Studies.

3.5 GRS MS Graduation Deadlines

Below is a table with GRS deadlines. Complete graduation information can be found here .

* August 2025 graduation dates are tentative. Please check the GRS website for the most current deadlines.

Graduation Deadlines (with Biology Program deadlines)

4. PhD in Biology Requirements

4.1 Time Limits 4.2 Teaching Requirement 4.3 Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) 4.4 Course Requirements 4.5 Laboratory Rotations (CM and Neuro only) 4.6 Research Credits 4.7 Faculty Advisory Committee 4.8 Qualifying Exam 4.9 Dissertation 4.10 GRS PhD Graduation Deadlines

4.1 Time Limits

Officially, the Ph.D. must be completed within seven years after the first registration for doctoral study. Ph.D. degrees are conferred in either May, August, or January, as specified in the Graduate School Bulletin . In addition, the Ph.D. candidacy expires after the fifth anniversary of passing the Qualifying Examination. Petitions to extend this deadline are possible at the discretion of the Director of Graduate Studies, the Department Chair, and the Dean of the Graduate School.

PhD Extension Petition

4.2 Teaching Requirement

The department requires a minimum of two semesters of teaching during a student’s graduate career as part of the Ph.D. degree. These semesters do not need to be completed consecutively. During the first semester of teaching, students are required to enroll in our first year seminar course, BI697. The course provides guidance and training on pedagogy and other aspects of graduate school.

4.3 Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR)

All Biology Ph.D. students are required to begin the Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR) training during their first year, and complete it within four years of entering the program. RCR is offered through the Provost’s Office and involves online modules and a one-credit course covering topics such as proper data acquisition and management, research collaboration ethics, publication do’s and don’ts, social responsibility in research, research that involves human subjects, and research that involves animals. More information can be found on the RCR website or on the RCR Cheat Sheet .

4.4 Course Requirements

Students must complete 64 credits; at least 32 of these credits must be accrued from lecture, laboratory, or seminar courses; the remaining credits can come from research credits:

• Two semesters of Progress in Research Seminars
• One semester of grant writing
• One semester pedagogy course
• One quantitative course
• Two semesters of lab rotation credits (not required for EBE students)
• Additional required courses and electives vary depending on program discipline
• GRS BI 699 courses (for which all teaching fellows register) does not count toward these requirements; credits for this course are not tallied as part of the total credit Teaching Fellows no longer need to be registered for BI 699. This has been discontinued effective September 1, 2020.

  Note: A maximum of 8 courses (32 credits) may be transferred to BU from other institutions. At least 16 credits must come from formal courses taken at BU.

4.5 Laboratory Rotations

First-year students in the Cell & Molecular and Neurobiology programs are expected to complete three laboratory rotations during their first academic year. Students are expected to rotate in labs within Biology and each rotation lasts about eight weeks. In special cases students can request to complete a rotation with a faculty member outside of Biology, but it is subject to Associate Chair approval. After the third rotation, students provide their respective Associate Chair with a rank-ordered list of faculty mentors with whom they would like to carry out their Ph.D. dissertation research. The Associate Chairs then match students with major dissertation advisors and notify students. In some cases, students do additional rotations in order to find a laboratory for their Ph.D. research.  A guide to laboratory rotations can be found here .

4.6 Research Credits

Consult your advisor for the specific number of research credits that you should register for each semester. The following can be used as a guide however it is important to review the course credit requirements for your program and your individual academic progress and funding in consultation with your advisor:

• Only registering for research credits (not teaching) – register for 6 credits of research
• Only registering for research credits (and teaching) – register for 4 credits of research
• Registering for courses and research credits (not teaching) – register for 4 credits of research
• Registering for courses and research credits (and teaching) – register for up to 2 credits of research

4.7 Faculty Advisory Committee

All Biology graduate students are paired with a primary research advisor (major professor), who is a member of the Biology faculty and who serves as first reader on the student’s thesis. All students admitted to the CM and Neurobiology Ph.D. program are assigned a temporary faculty advisor. By the end of the second semester of the first year a permanent major advisor should be selected. In some instances, the research performed towards the student’s thesis requires co-advisors. One of these co-advisors will be designated as first reader (see Dissertation section).

PhD students are required to establish two faculty committees: the Qualifying Exam Committee and the Dissertation Committee . The composition of these two committees is not required to be identical, but they often are.

For the Qualifying Exam Committee : No later than the end of the second year, the student, in consultation with the major advisor, should have selected a Qualifying Exam Committee consisting of at least four people. The Qualifying Exam Committee shall include the research advisor and at least two other faculty members from the Department of Biology, one of whom will serve as the Chair of the Committee for the qualifying examination. Three faculty on the Qualifying Exam Committee must be from Biology; specific research programs (CM, EBE, and Neuro) may have additional requirements. Please see “Program and Research Areas” below for more information. Additional members of the Qualifying Exam Committee for Biology students may be chosen from other faculty of Boston University or from other institutions. Please see here for details about the Dissertation Committee.

Once each subsequent year, the student and their major professor must jointly convene the Faculty Advisory Committee to evaluate the progress of the student. It is recommended that this meeting coincide with the annual research presentation at the student seminar. The student should be prepared to present a written and/or oral report on research progress to the committee. Deficiencies in course work, research activity, etc. should be noted, and recommendations, if needed, should be made to the student and included in their annual report. Students failing to comply with these recommendations may be subject to probation and loss of financial support from the Department. Generally, the composition of the Faculty Advisory Committee remains the same for the duration of the student’s graduate program. Changes in committee membership can be made by mutual agreement among those involved, but the final dissertation committee must meet the membership requirements listed above.

4.8 Qualifying Exam

A Ph.D. student is required to complete a written and oral qualifying examination in their field of specialization and related fields as defined by the Faculty. The Faculty Advisory Committee will prepare and administer each phase of the examination. This examination must be passed within the first three years of residence at Boston University. Failure of any part of the examination constitutes failure to advance to candidacy. A student has two chances to pass the examination. A second failure generally results in dismissal of the student from the graduate program. Individual graduate programs within the Biology Department may have more specific guidelines for candidacy and the qualifying examination.

4.9 Dissertation

Responsibility for the successful completion of the dissertation lies with the candidate, who, through insight, initiative, and resourcefulness, shall make a definitive contribution to the knowledge of his or her specialized field. A timetable for the preparation and defense of the dissertation can be found at the end of this section.

Preparation and Submission of a Biology Ph.D. Dissertation Conferral of the Ph.D. degree in Biology requires the successful preparation and defense of a Ph.D. dissertation on original research conducted by the student. A precise timetable for completion of essential steps in submission of a Ph.D. dissertation can be obtained from the Graduate School website . Those steps and Biology Department requirements and guidelines are summarized briefly here.

• A student must have a Dissertation Committee that includes at least four faculty members.  This committee must include at least three full time faculty members from the Biology Department. One Biology Department member of the Dissertation Committee will be the student’s research advisor, who will generally be the first reader of the dissertation. A second member of the committee will serve as the second reader. A third Biology Department member of the committee will serve as Chair of the Dissertation Defense (see below). Neither first nor second readers may be the chair of the committee. In cases where there are research co-advisors, these faculty members will serve as first and second readers, respectively. The co-advisors and student will determine which co-advisor will serve as the first reader.
• Approximately one year prior to the proposed graduation date, a formal Dissertation Prospectus must be submitted to the Department. This document should be prepared in consultation with and with approval of the first and second thesis readers and the Director of Graduate It is recommended that the student discuss the prospectus at an annual committee meeting prior to submission, or otherwise email the committee for approval. The prospectus generally provides an outline of the major chapters and subheadings to be included in the Ph.D. dissertation. Each chapter listed in the prospectus should include an abstract that describes what problem will be investigated, what results will be shown and what conclusions will be drawn in the chapter. The abstract should then be followed by a number of points, outlining the major specific results (or lists of figures and tables) that will be presented in that chapter in the final dissertation. The formal Prospectus will generally be approximately 5 to 10 typed, double spaced pages, but no more than 20. Dissertation prospectus examples can be requested from the Graduate Program Specialist. Prospectus Approval Form
• Approximately two months before the defense, the student and the first reader should meet with the Director of Graduate Studies and the Biology Department Graduate Program Specialist to review the timeline and requirements for graduation.
• An Abstract of the dissertation and Schedule of Final Oral Examination form must be submitted to the Graduate Program Specialist. This Abstract (maximum of 350 words) must be approved by the first and second A schedule of the Final Oral Examination (time, place and list of Dissertation Committee members) must be submitted to the Graduate Program Specialist, along with a copy of the approved Dissertation Abstract.
• Submit draft of dissertation to [email protected] by attaching the draft to an email.  You will be notified if the format is approved. Because the formatting of the dissertation can be time consuming; it is advised that all formatting issues be resolved before you defend your dissertation. Following your defense, you should allow ample time to complete all corrections and content revisions that are required by your committee; students are advised to allow at least 3 weeks for revisions.
• Helpful Links: Videos via BUniverse Dissertation Formatting Guide Example Preliminary Pages
•  For faculty outside of BU, a “Special Service Appointment” must be filled out, including a copy of the proposed committee member’s curriculum vitae, and submitted to the Graduate Program Specialist for Director of Graduate Studies and Graduate School approval.
• At least two weeks prior to the Dissertation Defense, all work that comprises the dissertation, which is prepared as described below and approved by both readers must be distributed to all members of the Dissertation Committee. The student should prepare the dissertation in close consultation with the first and second Ordinarily the dissertation will go through several revisions by the first reader, followed by one or more revisions by second reader. The Graduate Program Specialist will email a formal announcement to the Chair of the Dissertation Committee and include important paperwork needed at the defense.
• A formal announcement of the Dissertation Seminar and Defense should be made in several ways.  It is the responsibility of the student to see that the following matters are taken care of: A booklet containing an announcement of the Dissertation Seminar and Defense, the Dissertation Abstract, and a brief CV of the candidate must be distributed to all Biology Faculty. This must be prepared by the student and can be given to the Graduate Program Specialist for printing and distribution. A template for the flyer is provided by the Graduate Program Specialist. Usually the Dissertation Seminar is also publicized by informal posters and e-mail (arranged with the Graduate Program Specialist).
• A formal Biology Department Dissertation Seminar, for which all four Dissertation Committee members are present, must be given by the Ph.D. candidate. This electronic graphics (e.g., PowerPoint) presentation on the dissertation research will ordinarily last 45- 50 minutes and is open to the public. This seminar is usually given immediately before the dissertation defense, but under unusual circumstances may be schedule independently of the defense, by prior arrangement with the Committee and the Director of Graduate Studies.
• The student must also pass a private Dissertation Defense in front of the Dissertation Committee (at least four members must be present) . By prior arrangement, up to one committee member, who is not the chair or the first reader, can attend the final oral examination with interactive video and audio and without a proxy. A proxy must be in attendance for any additional committee members who attend via audio/visual communication. The Dissertation Defense is ordinarily a time where committee members ensure that the research has been completed by and is understood by the candidate, and will voice any concerns over data or the preparation of the dissertation. The Dissertation Defense usually lasts 1-2 hours. More than one failing vote on the Dissertation Defense will constitute a failure. Because the signature of the First Reader is required on the dissertation (see below), the First Reader must be one of the committee members passing the student on the Ph.D. Dissertation Defense.
• Following the defense and when all corrections and revisions required by your committee have been completed, the final approved dissertation is submitted electronically to the ETD Administrator . Ordinarily the student receives written comments from all committee members that they are required to incorporate, in consultation with the first and second readers, into a final version of the dissertation. Upon satisfactory completion of revisions, the first and second readers must sign and approve the final version of the dissertation. The final electronic version will be reviewed by GRS, and then forwarded to the Mugar Library ETD Administrator for the final format review, before its submission to ProQuest/UMI Administrator. If the student does not want their dissertation or thesis to be available from ProQuest or the Digital Common immediately after it is submitted an embargo can be requested. For any time period (6 months, one year, or two years), you must submit a letter requesting a restriction along with the PDF of the thesis or dissertation through GRS Records. The letter must explain the compelling reason for the restriction, the time limit desired, an address where you can be contacted when the time limit expires, and the signed approval of both you and your major advisor. These letters are reviewed and if appropriate approved by the associate dean. The restriction will start from the date on the letter. Learn more on the GRS website. Please note: If either office notifies you of necessary corrections or changes, they must be made immediately. A quick response will avoid your registering for another semester, a delay in verifying the completion of your degree requirements, and the issuing of the diploma. It may take some time before the final library review is complete.
•   The student should also give final copies to the first and second readers (and, when requested, other members of the Dissertation Committee), the Graduate Program Specialist, and should retain at least one final copy for themselves. Some committee members may prefer PDF copies of the dissertation.

Organization of the Biology Ph.D. Dissertation A set of rules concerning page sizes, page numbering, etc., of the dissertation can be obtained on the Graduate School website under Final Oral Exam and Dissertation Draft . The Graduate School rules must be strictly followed. Below are the guidelines, which are generally applicable to Biology Ph.D. dissertations. The format of the complete dissertation document submitted at the time of the defense should meet the specifications of the Graduate School for final submission of the dissertation as well as these guidelines that follow. In general, the dissertation is organized in one of two formats. The exact format to be followed is usually decided by the student and the first and second readers.

1. Comprehensive Dissertation

This type of dissertation normally includes, in order, the following sections: Title Page, Approval Signature Page, Acknowledgments, Abstract, Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables, List of Abbreviations, several Chapters, and a comprehensive Reference List. The comprehensive dissertation should have a consistent style format in all chapters. For example, Materials & Methods from multiple papers can be combined into a single consistent Materials & Methods chapter, References should be cited consistently throughout the dissertation, and there should be a single Introduction, Discussion, and Reference List.

Chapter One usually provides a general and specific Introduction to the dissertation. This will include an overview of the importance of the work, a specific introduction to the field, and a statement of the dissertation goals.

Chapter Two usually details the Materials & Methods used in the dissertation work.

Chapter Three (and more) describes the Results obtained from the dissertation work. These chapters include figures, tables and descriptions of original work. Often these chapters have short introductions to provide a framework for the results that will follow. Figures and tables must have appropriate legends.

The final Chapter should include a specific and general Discussion of the dissertation work in light of other work in the field.

2. Partitioned Dissertation

This type of dissertation normally includes, in order, the following sections: Title Page, Approval Signature Page, Acknowledgments, Abstract, Table of Contents, List of Figures, List of Tables, List of Abbreviations, several Chapters, and a comprehensive Reference List.

Chapter One usually provides a general and specific Introduction to the dissertation. This includes an overview of the importance of the work, a specific introduction to the field, and a statement of the dissertation goals.

Chapter Two (and more) presents the Results of the dissertation research organized in a research paper format. That is, each chapter includes the following material as pertinent to the research included in the given chapter: Introduction: Materials & Methods, Results, Discussion and Specific Reference List.

The final Chapter presents a summary of the original research accomplished in the thesis work, and its relevance to the large field, and perspective for future work.

To be consistent with Graduate School rules, the partitioned dissertation must also include a comprehensive Reference List.

Specific Guidelines for Presentation of Research and Data

In all cases, details for the presentation of original data should be worked out between the student and the first and second readers. However, the following can be used as guidelines:

• Large parts of the written dissertation may be taken or adapted from material already published by the student.   However, published papers cannot be simply digitally pasted together. In addition, care must be taken to appropriately identify work done by others in such papers.
• In general, all data relevant to the dissertation should be included in the dissertation. It is usually not acceptable to list primary, relevant data as “data not shown” or refer to the student’s data published in another source.
• It is recognized that all figures within the dissertation may not be in a consistent format.  For example, figures may have been taken from published articles in journals with different format requirements. In general, it is not necessary to remake figures for the dissertation. Any work done by others, such as co-authors, must be strictly attributed to them if it needs to be included in the student’s dissertation.

Specific Guidelines for Scholarship and Citation

References must be listed and cited according to a standard and consistent journal format. The full title of each journal referenced must be included unless the reference list is preceded by a list of all journal abbreviations used.

• The Reference List must include authors, year published, title of article, journal, volume and inclusive pages. The following provides examples of a suggested format for references:Gilmore TD, White DW, Sarkar S & Sif S (1995) Malignant transformation of cells by the v Rel oncoprotein. In, The DNA Provirus: Howard Temin’s Scientific Legacy (Cooper GM, Greenberg Temin R & Sugden B, eds), American Society for Microbiology, Washington DC, pp 109 128White DW & Gilmore TD (1993) Temperature sensitive transforming mutants of the v rel oncogene. Journal of Virology 67: 6876 6881White DW, Roy A & Gilmore TD (1995) The v Rel oncoprotein blocks apoptosis and proteolysis of IκB-α in transformed chicken spleen cells. Oncogene 10: 857 868References should be ordered alphabetically in the final Reference List. Journal name abbreviations may only be used if the Reference List is preceded by a list of these abbreviations along with the full name of each journal. If a given first author has multiple citations, these should be ordered chronologically in the list (starting with the earliest publication). If a given first author has multiple papers in a single year, they should be designated by “a” and “b” (e.g., Doe et al., 1988a; Doe et al., 1988b), etc.All references included in the final Reference List must be cited at least once within the text of the dissertation, and all references cited within the text must be included in the final Reference List.
• Citations within text should provide author(s) and date, and be provided in parenthesis.  If two authors, use Doe & Smith; if more than two authors, use Doe et al. If multiple citations are given, they are to be separated by semicolons, and ordered by year. That is, the above references would be cited in the text as (Pauling, 1960; Monod et al., 1962; Smith & Borgeat, 1985; Pirani et. al., 2004). If one discusses a specific study within the text, include only the year in parentheses; for example, “Monod et al. (1962) showed that…”

4.10 GRS PhD Graduation Deadlines

5. Program and Research Areas

5.1 Overview 5.1 Cell & Molecular Biology (CM) 5.2 Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution (EBE) – includes Marine Biology 5.3 Neurobiology

5.1 Overview

The Department has three graduate program areas: Ecology, Behavior & Evolution (EBE, including Marine Biology); Neurobiology (Neuro); and Cell & Molecular Biology (CM). Each program area has unique strengths and suggested curricula. The department offers both Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Biology that emphasize independent research on the part of the student, and a non-research Master’s degree. Many Biology faculty members participate in inter-departmental programs that offer graduate degrees. These affiliated programs include the following: Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry (MCBB); Graduate Program in Neuroscience (GPN); and Bioinformatics (BF).

Various Biology Department programs include faculty active in research in the areas listed below.

• Behavioral ecology and sociobiology
• Cancer biology
• Biochemistry
• Biogeochemistry
• Cell and molecular neurobiology
• Cell signaling and gene regulation
• Developmental biology
• Ecology and conservation biology
• Endocrinology and reproductive biology
• Evolutionary Biology Genetics and genomics
• Marine biology
• Microbiology
• Molecular ecology and evolution
• Neural systems and behavior
• Systems biology
• Tropical ecology

5.2 Cell & Molecular Biology (CM)

The Program in Cell & Molecular Biology offers courses and research opportunities in developmental biology, cell signaling, gene regulation, cancer biology, genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology, systems biology, and membrane structure and function. Associated programs include the interdisciplinary program in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry (MCBB), and the Bioinformatics program.

Requirements for Cell & Molecular Biology (CM) Candidates in the PhD Program

Coursework (36 credits)

List of Elective Courses

Below is a list of recommended elective courses, although any Biology course can be taken as long as it is approved by the CM Associate Chair and Director of Graduate Studies. One course among those denoted with a “*” symbol can be taken by MS students to satisfy the cell biology requirement.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology BB 522 Molecular Biology Lab (4 cr)*

Biology BI 527 Biochemistry I Laboratory (2 cr) BI 528 Biochemistry II Laboratory (2 cr) BI 545 Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior (4 cr) BI 551 Biology of Stem Cells (4 cr)* BI 553 Molecular Biology II (4 cr, for MS students) BI 559 Quantitative Microbiology (4 cr) BI 560 Systems Biology (4 cr)* BI 565 Functional Genomics (4 cr) BI 566 DNA Dynamics in Disease (4 cr) BI 572 Advanced Genetics (4 cr)* BI 576 Carcinogenesis (4 cr)* BI 581/582 Seminar in Biology (various topics) (2cr/2 cr) BI 594 Topics in Biology (various topics) BI 610 Developmental Biology (4 cr)* BI 645 Cellular and Molecular Neurophysiology (4 cr) BI 655 Developmental Neurobiology (4 cr) BI 681 Molecular Biology of the Neuron (4 cr)* BI 708 Systems Developmental Biology (4 cr)* BI 753 Advanced Molecular Biology (4 cr.)*

Chemistry CH 525 Physical Biochemistry (4 cr) CH 541 Natural Products Chemistry (4 cr) CH 612 Separation Methods in Chemistry and Biochemistry (4 cr) CH 721 Enzyme Kinetics and Mechanisms (4 cr) CH 722 Protein Chemistry (4 cr)

Biomedical Engineering BE 561 DNA and Protein Sequence Analysis (4 cr) BE 700 Advanced Topics in Biomedical Engineering (var cr)

Bioinformatics BF 527 Applications in Bioinformatics (4 cr) BF 768 Biological Database Analysis (4 cr)

Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry (MCBB) MB 722 Advanced Biochemistry (4 cr)

School of Public Health SPH BS 704 Introduction to Biostatistics (3 cr)

All Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, and MCBB course descriptions may be found in the graduate bulletin available on the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences website at http://www.bu.edu/academics/grs/ courses. Engineering course descriptions can be found at http://www.bu.edu/bme/graduate/courses/

Grant Writing Seminar

Students take a grant writing seminar course (BI581, 2 credits). For that course, students are expected to write an NSF GRFP proposal, which is usually submitted for a deadline in mid- October to early November. Students write this proposal in consultation with the course instructor and their first rotation advisor. Students who do not meet the criteria for submitting an NSF GRFP application are also expected to write this proposal in order to develop grant writing skills.

Research Seminars

Students participate in the CM/MCBB seminar program that consists of two required weekly seminars: BI583/584, described above (meets at ~noon on Fridays) and the Biology Departmental Seminar Series (meets at ~noon on Mondays).

Lab Rotations

Students are required to register for lab rotation credits (BI791/792) and perform three laboratory rotations with Biology faculty during their first academic year (6-8 weeks each).

Examinations/Defenses

• Written Proposal: The student in consultation with the major professor submits a WRITTEN proposal of the intended dissertation research. The academic code of conduct applies, and the written document should be from the student’s own hand, not just cutting and pasting old grant proposals, papers, etc. The major professor and the examination committee may have input in the form of suggestions on content and organization but should not directly edit the document. This proposal should include an extensive introduction complete with appropriately cited literature, a list of specific aims, and a description of the intended experiments. The proposal should be approximately 15-20 pages long, double-spaced. The written proposal must be submitted to and approved by the Chair of the qualifying examination committee at least two weeks prior to the scheduled examination.
• Oral Exam: At this examination, the student gives an oral presentation of the proposal. Students should plan for ~45 min presentation, but with questions the exam will go longer. The committee poses questions related to the intended research, background information (including basic knowledge in cell biology, molecular biology, and biochemistry), and the field of the work. The committee chair ensures that the questions are appropriate (e.g. not too far afield) and that each committee member has a more-or-less equal opportunity to question the student. While this proposal and oral defense is normally on the research that the student has proposed to carry out, it is not a thesis defense. There is no requirement for preliminary data and the eventual dissertation work may change considerably over time.
• Advancing to  Candidacy: The student’s Qualifying Examination Committee is responsible for grading the written proposal and oral defense. More than one failing vote, or a failing vote by the major professor, on the qualifying examination constitutes a failure. Any student failing the Qualifying Exam has the opportunity to take it again, but at least three months must elapse before a student is allowed to retake the exam. Failure of the second examination is grounds for automatic dismissal from the Ph.D. program and the loss of further financial aid from the Biology Department, although the student may still be eligible for the M.S. degree provided that those degree requirements are met.
• Dissertation Defense: After advancing to candidacy for the Ph.D., the student and the major professor must jointly convene a Dissertation Committee, which meets at least once a year. Ph.D. students should present either a written or oral report on research progress to the thesis committee. The committee meeting date and synopsis must be included on the annual report. The Dissertation Committee consists of no less than four faculty members, at least two of whom must be members of the CM program. The Dissertation Committee shall consist of a Chair, a First Reader (the major advisor in CM-Biology), a Second Reader, and at least one other member (a third reader is optional). Please note that for the Qualifying Exam Committee we require three faculty members to be from the CM program, but for the Dissertation Committee only two faculty members must be from CM.
• The dissertation is “defended” at the Final Dissertation Committee meeting at a time agreed on by the student and the Dissertation Committee. At least two weeks prior to the defense, all work that comprises the dissertation and the written dissertation, which meets the specification, described above and has been approved by all readers, must be distributed to the committee. At the Final Dissertation Committee meeting the committee agrees on the adequacy of the body of work and written thesis for the Ph.D. degree. Finally, there is a required public seminar, which is normally given before the defense.

Requirements for Cell & Molecular Biology (CM) M.S. Students

**See above for the list of elective courses (except BI 527), under Ph.D. requirements. Those denoted by “*“ in the list are acceptable for cell biology course. For those doing a research master’s, 12 credits of electives can come from “research” (BI 595) courses. For those doing a scholarly paper, 4 credits of electives can come from “Readings in Biology (BI 701/702)” courses.

M.S. students are not required to participate in the CM seminar program, but they are encouraged to register for BI 583/584 and attend both of the following required weekly seminars for the Ph.D. students:

• Mondays at approximately 12:20pm, Biology Departmental Seminar Series (Outside speakers for Biology and MCBB).
• Fridays at 12:20pm, CM/MCBB Student Seminar

6.3 Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution (EBE) – includes Marine Biology

The Graduate Program in Ecology, Behavior, & Evolution (EBE) trains students to address fundamental basic and applied questions about organisms and their environments. Students investigate marine or terrestrial systems using an interdisciplinary approach that can span multiple levels of biological organization, from genomes to ecosystems. Coursework and research opportunities include behavioral ecology and sociobiology, ecological and evolutionary genomics, evolutionary biology, molecular ecology, population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and biogeochemistry. A broad perspective encompassing molecular, organismal, population, community, and ecosystem levels of biological organization is emphasized.

Requirements for the Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution Candidates in the Ph.D. Program

The goal of the Ph.D. program in EBE is to produce comprehensively trained professionals who excel in their individual research and possess a deep and broad understanding of Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution. Each degree candidate’s ability, preparation, and needs will vary; however, a general guide to the stages of the PhD program is useful for both the student and their advisor(s) to track progress.

The following guidelines have been developed as an aid to planning a student’s graduate career. Because the department guarantees financial support for five years only, students are encouraged to be cognizant of timelines for completing requirements and work efficiently and productively.

Grant writing seminar

In the first semester of the first year, students enroll in the Grant Writing Seminar (BI671 or BI581, 2 credits) that counts towards elective credit. Students prepare an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) proposal to be submitted in early November, or a proposal to be submitted to another agency appropriate to their funding eligibility. Students develop this proposal in consultation with their advisor.

Students participate in the EBE seminar program that consists of two seminars per week. These include the EBE Chalk Talk series (BI 579/580; Wednesdays at 12:00pm) and the Biology Departmental Seminar Series (Mondays at 12:20pm).

Coursework (34-35 credits required)

Faculty Committees

With the input of their research advisor, each student will organize two faculty committees: the Qualifying Exam Committee and the Dissertation Committee. The student’s research advisor will serve on both committees, but otherwise the composition of the committees may vary (although it is recommended that students maintain the composition of their committees as much as possible).

The Qualifying Exam Committee will help the student prepare for the qualifying exam and will administer the exam by the end of the student’s fourth or fifth semester. The student must pass the exam to advance to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree (see Qualifying Exam and Advancing to Candidacy). It is recommended that the student organize their Qualifying Exam Committee as early as possible (most students do it at the beginning of their third semester) and arrange to take courses or directed readings with the faculty members.

The Dissertation Committee is the group ultimately responsible for overseeing the student’s dissertation research. The Dissertation Committee will advise the student during the course of their research and ultimately evaluate the dissertation, so it is critically important that the student keep them informed of research progress and plans through the annual committee meetings as well as one-on-one consultations with committee members.

Each student is responsible for organizing annual meetings with the Dissertation committee that will advise and oversee their Ph.D. program. The annual committee meeting with the committee is critically important. During these meetings the student will receive advice and guidance in their professional development and will have the undivided attention of several faculty members simultaneously.

NOTE: Faculty members are often under severe time constraints . Students should organize their committees and meetings well in advance of the dates for the qualifying exam, thesis defense, etc.

EBE Ph.D. Program

The following is an example of how a student might organize their graduate studies. The nature and schedule of research in different EBE labs varies, and students should consult closely with their advisors to develop an appropriate individualized plan for their progression through the PhD.

For Current Students Beyond Their First Year in the Ph.D. program

Students beginning their second year should establish their Qualifying Exam Committee, meet with their committee members early in the academic year, and prepare for Qualifying Exam in the spring semester. It is expected that by the end of the academic year all second year students will have passed the Qualifying Exam and be on track with the schedule outlined above.

Third-year students, if they have not already done so, should establish their Dissertation Committee immediately, develop and distribute their dissertation prospectus, and schedule a seminar and committee meeting to present and discuss the prospectus. All third-year students should have passed their Qualifying Exam and presented their dissertation prospectus by the end of the Fall semester. We also encourage third-year students to actively pursue grant funding for their dissertation work.

Students who are beyond the third year should already be well on track to complete their dissertation by the end of the fifth year. If they have not done so they should submit a dissertation prospectus to their committee members for feedback.

The Qualifying Exam and Advancing to Candidacy

• Written Exam (a closed-book exam taking 8 hours spread, over two days): Students answer 1-2 questions provided by each member of their committees and collated by the committee Chair. The committee members individually read and grade the student’s response as pass/fail. In the case of either grade, the committee may recommend remedial or additional readings to increase a student’s knowledge in certain subject areas.
• Oral Exam (one week after the Written Exam, 2-3 hours): The oral exam is an opportunity to probe the student for more detail in the case of inadequate responses to questions on the written exam and/or to ask more general questions. At the start of this exam, the student will be asked to briefly leave the room and the faculty will discuss the student’s performance on the written portion of the exam. Upon being invited back to the examination room, the student will give a ~15 minute presentation on their planned dissertation research with the purpose of (1) creating a collegial environment for the exam and helping students feel at ease by discussing a topic in their area of strength and (2) allowing committee members to critically evaluate the student’s proposed research and develop constructive exam questions relevant to the student’s work. Faculty will often interrupt the student during this presentation to ask questions.

Advancing to Candidacy: The student’s Qualifying Exam Committee is responsible for grading the exam. The committee will deliberate on the results of the ballot as necessary. The committee makes specific recommendations in the case of either a pass or fail vote. A pass vote enables a student to proceed with the Ph.D. program. A student failing the oral examination has the opportunity to take the exam again; at least three months must elapse before a student is allowed to retake the exam. Failure on the second exam is grounds for automatic dismissal from the Ph.D. program and the loss of any further financial aid. The student may still be eligible for the M.S. degree provided that those degree requirements are met.

Requirements for Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution Students in the M.S. Program

Students, in consultation with their advisor, develop a plan of coursework and research. Students are required to take a minimum of 32 credits. For those doing a research master’s, 12 credits can come from “research” (BI 595) courses. For those doing a scholarly paper, 4 credits can come from “Readings in Biology” (BI 701/702) courses. It is recommended but not required that MS students in the Research Track in EBE take BI 671 in their first year but is not required. MS students in EBE are required to attend BI 579/580 throughout their time at Boston University and are encouraged to register for at least one semester during their first year.

List of Recommended Elective Courses

Below is a list of recommended elective courses for M.S. and Ph.D. EBE/Marine students.

Anthropology AN 552 Primate Evolution & Anatomy (4 cr) AN 553 Human Uniqueness (4 cr) AN 556 The Evolution of the Human Diet (4 cr) AN 559 Evolutionary Endocrinology (4 cr) AN 588 Project Design and Statistics in Biological Anthropology (4 cr) AN 595 Methods in Biological Anthropology (4 cr) AN 597/598 Topics in Biological Anthropology (4 cr) AN 735 The Ape Within (4 cr) AN 736 Primate Evolutionary Ecology (4 cr) AN 739 Primate Biomechanics (4 cr)

Biology BI 501 Insect Biology (4 cr) BI 504 Advanced Evolutionary Analysis (4 cr) BI 506 Phenotypic Plasticity (4 cr) BI 507 Diversity of Sex (4 cr) BI 508 Behavioral Ecology (4 cr) BI 510 Institutional Racism in Health and Science (4 cr) BI 515 Population Genetics (4 cr) BI 519 Theoretical Evolutionary Ecology (4 cr) BI 520 Sensory Physiology (4 cr) BI 530 Forest Ecology (4 cr) BI 542 Neuroethology (4 cr) BI 543 Global Ecology (4 cr) BI 550 Marine Genomics BI 581 Seminar in Biology (2 cr) BI 607 Animal Behavior (4 cr) BI 610 Developmental Biology (4 cr) BI 611 Microbiome (4 cr) BI 613 Microbial Biology (4 cr) BI 614 Ornithology (4 cr) BI 623 Marine Biogeochemistry (4 cr) BI 643 Terrestrial Biogeochemistry (4 cr) BI 648 Biodiversity & Conservation Bio (4 cr) BI 675 Urban Ecology (4 cr) BI 719 Colloq. Terrestrial Biogeoscience (2 cr) BI 720 Pract. Terrestrial Biogeoscience (2 cr)

Marine Semester BI 511 Ecology of Coral Reef Fisheries (4 cr) BI 523 Marine Urban Ecology (4 cr) BI 531 Ichthyology (4 cr) BI 539 Coral Reef Dynamics (4 cr) BI 541 Coral Reef Resilience & Restoration (4 cr) BI 546 Marine Megafaunal Ecology (4 cr) BI 548 Marine Microbe Microscopy (4 cr) BI/EE 562 Tropical Seagrass Ecology (4 cr) BI 569 Tropical Marine Invertebrates (4 cr) BI 578 Marine Geographic Information Science (4 cr) BI/EE 591 Bio-Optical Oceanography (4 cr) BI/EE 593 Marine Physiology & Climate Change (4 cr) EE 543 Estuaries & Nearshore Systems (4 cr) EE 544 Coastal Sedimentology (4 cr) EE 557 Oceanography of Stellwagen Bank (4 cr) EE 558 Coastal Biogeochemistry (4 cr) MR5** Ecology of the Rocky Intertidal Zone (4 cr) MR 521 Quantitative Fisheries Analysis (4 cr) MR 529 Tropical Marine Fisheries (4 cr) MR 533 Scientific Diving (4 cr)

Earth & Environment ES/EE 507 Dynamical Oceanography (4 cr) EE 516 Multivariate Stats for Geographers (4 cr) EE 525 Plant Physiological Ecology (4 cr) EE 529 Modeling & Monitoring Terr. Ecosys. (4 cr) EE 656 Terr. Ecosys. & the Carbon Cycle (4 cr) EE 675 Urban Ecology (4 cr)

Public Health SPH BS 704 Intro to Biostatistics (3 cr)

Psychology and Brain Science (Brain, Behavior, and Cognition) – courses relevant to students working in behavior PS/NE 521 Animal Models in Behavioral Neuroscience PS/NE 525 – Cognitive Science

Bioinformatics ENG BF 527 Applications in Bioinformatics

5.4 Neurobiology

The Program in Neurobiology offers courses and research opportunities in areas of contemporary neurobiology, including neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity, molecular neurobiology, neural development, sensory and sensorimotor systems, circuits underlying natural behaviors, neuroimmunology, and neurobiology of disease. The organisms under investigation include crayfish, lobster, mosquito, rat, and mouse. Biology faculty members also participate in several other interdepartmental centers and training programs, including the Center for Systems Neuroscience, the BU Neurophotonics Center, the Ph.D. Graduate Program in Neuroscience (GPN) and the Molecular Biology, Cell Biology & Biochemistry Program (MCBB).

Requirements for Neurobiology (Neuro) Candidates in the Ph.D. Program

Coursework (32 credits)

*RCR = Responsible Conduct of Research

**The elective courses should be chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor. It is STRONGLY recommended that at least one of the elective courses be a relevant graduate laboratory course.

Students are required to take a minimum of 32 credits of coursework . The remainder of the credits should be research. It is expected that the 32 credits of coursework are completed by the end of Year 2 in the program. The coursework curriculum can be tailored based on students’ needs and prior background. Below are two examples for how coursework could be structured.  

Example Curriculum 1. This curriculum provides a moderate courseload for lecture courses spread across Years 1 and 2. This provides flexibility in deciding on relevant elective courses after students have joined their PhD laboratory. Elective courses can be chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor. It is STRONGLY recommended that at least one of the elective courses be a relevant graduate laboratory course.  For those interested in submitting an NSF graduate research proposal, it is recommended to take BI 581 in Fall Semester of Year 1.

Example Curriculum 2. This curriculum provides an accelerated courseload in which lecture courses can be completed in the first year. This may be preferred for students with well-defined research plans who wish to dedicate more time in the laboratory in Year 2. For those that are ineligible to submit an NSF graduate research proposal, it is recommended to take BI 581 in Fall Semester of Year 2.

Students must participate in the weekly Biology seminar program (BI 533/BI 534) that meets at 12:30 PM on Tuesdays, and several optional Biology departmental lectures and colloquia.

First-year students are expected to complete three laboratory rotations during the first academic year. (Two of the rotations should be done in faculty labs within the Dept. of Biology, approval by Associate Chair in Neurobiology is required if two of the rotations are outside of Biology). After the third rotation, students will provide a rank-ordered list of faculty mentors with whom they would like to carry out their Ph.D. dissertation research to the Associate Chair in Neurobiology. The Associate Chair will then match students with major dissertation advisors and notify students. In some cases, students do additional rotations in order to find a laboratory for their Ph.D. research.

Qualifying Examinations: A Ph.D. student is required to complete a written and oral qualifying examination. We recommend students beginning their second year should establish their Qualifying Exam Committee (total of three faculty members, at least two of whom must be members of the Neurobiology faculty), meet with their committee members early in the academic year, and prepare for their Qualifying Exam. We expect that by the end of the second academic year all students will have passed their Qualifying Exam. The qualifying examination must be passed for the Ph.D. degree. Once the student has passed this exam, she/he is formally a candidate for the Ph.D. in the NEURO program. The qualifying examination consists of two parts; a written research proposal and the oral defense of this research proposal.

• Written Proposal: The student, in consultation with the research advisor and other parties, submits a WRITTEN proposal of the intended dissertation research. The academic code of conduct applies, and the written document should be from the student’s own hand, rather than assembling materials from their PI’s grant proposals, papers, etc. The major professor may provide input in the form of suggestions on content and organization, but should not directly edit the document. This proposal should be written in the general form of an NRSA F31 NIH grant proposal, (see examples at here ), and it should include a list of specific aims, an extensive introduction, rationale and approach that includes an outline of the intended experiments with optional preliminary data, complete with appropriately cited literature. The proposal should be approximately 10-15 double-spaced pages long. The written proposal must be given to and approved by the qualifying examination committee at least two weeks prior to the scheduled oral examination.
• Oral Exam: At the examination, the student gives an oral presentation of the proposal, including optional preliminary results. The committee then poses questions related to their graduate coursework, intended research, background information, and the field of the work. The committee chair ensures that the questions are relevant and appropriate and that each committee member has a more-or-less equal opportunity to question the student.

While the written proposal and oral defense is normally based on research the student plans to carry out, it is not a thesis defense. Thus, the eventual dissertation work may change considerably over time.

Advancing to Candidacy: The student’s Qualifying Examination Committee is responsible for grading the exam. More than one failing vote, or a failing vote by the major professor, on the qualifying examination constitutes a failure. Any student failing the Qualifying Exam has the opportunity to take it again, but only after a period of at least three months. Failure of the second examination is grounds for automatic dismissal from the Ph.D. program and the loss of further financial aid from the Biology Department, although the student may still be eligible for the M.S. degree provided that those degree requirements are met.

Dissertation Defense: After advancing to candidacy for the Ph.D., the student and major professor must jointly convene a Dissertation Committee, which meets at least once per year. Ph.D. students should present either an oral report on research progress to the thesis committee. The committee meeting date and synopsis must be included on the annual report. The Dissertation Committee consists of no less than four faculty members, at least two of whom must be members of the Neurobiology faculty. The Dissertation Committee shall consist of a Chair, a First Reader (the major advisor in Neurobiology), a Second Reader, and at least one other member (a third reader is optional). The dissertation is “defended” at the Final Dissertation Committee meeting at a time agreed on by the student and the Dissertation Committee. At least two weeks prior to the defense, all work that comprises the dissertation and the written dissertation, which meets the specification, described above and has been approved by all readers, must be distributed to the committee. At the Final Dissertation Committee meeting the committee agrees on the adequacy of the body of work and written thesis for the Ph.D. degree. Finally, there is a required public seminar, which is normally given before the defense.

Requirements for Neurobiology (Neuro) M.S. Students

**The elective courses should be chosen in consultation with the faculty advisor. It is STRONGLY recommended that at least one of the elective courses be a relevant graduate laboratory course. For those doing a research master’s, 12 credits can come from research courses. For those doing a research master’s, 12 credits of electives can come from “research (BI 595)” courses. For those doing a scholarly paper, 4 credits of electives can come from “Readings in Biology (BI 701/702)” courses.

Below is a list of recommended elective courses for MS and PhD neurobiology students.

BI 503 Neuroimmonology (4 cr) BI 520 Sensory Neurobiology (4 cr) BI 525 Biology of Neurodegeneration (4 cr) BI 535 Translational Research in Alzheimer’s Disease (4 cr) BI 542 Neuroethology (4 cr) BI 545 Neurobiology of Motivated Behavior (4 cr) BI 556 Drug Discovery in Neurosciences (4 cr) BI561 Proteostasis in the Biology of Neurodegenerative Disease (4 cr) BI 581 Seminar in Biology: Neurobiology of Brain Disorders (2 cr) BI 589 Neural Impacts on Tumorigenesis BI 598 Neurobiology of Neural Circuits (4 cr) BI 599 Synapse (4 cr) BI 645 Neurophysiology (4 cr) BI 649 Neuro Design Lab (4 cr) BI 655 Developmental Neurobiology (4 cr) BI 681 Molecular Biology of the Neuron (4 cr) BI 741 Neural Systems (4 cr) BI 755 Cellular and Systems Neuroscience (4 cr)

List of Neuro Quantitative Elective Courses

Below is a list of neuro quantitative courses, although the full list of quantitative courses approved for Biology students can be found on here . All course descriptions may be found in the graduate bulletin available on the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences website at http://www.bu.edu/academics/grs/courses.

CN 510 Principles & Methods – Cognitive & Neural Modeling I (4 cr) CN 530 Neural & Computational Models of Vision (4 cr) BE 517 Optical Microscopy of Biological Material (4 cr) MA665 Introduction to modeling and data analysis in neuro (2 cr) MA666 Advanced modeling and data analysis in neuro (2 cr)

6. Biology Department Administrative Resources

6.1 BU Alert 6.2 BU Email Account 6.3 The Biology Media Center 6.4 Computers 6.5 Departmental Laser Printer 6.6 Email Aliases 6.7 Fax 6.8 Hear My Name 6.9 Internet 6.10 Mail 6.11 Memos and Announcements 6.12 Photocopying Procedures & Policies 6.13 Reimbursements & Travel

6.1 BU Alert

BU Alert is an emergency notification system that will help ensure rapid and reliable mass communication to students, faculty, and staff. The BU Alert system is designed to communicate with cell phones (text and voice messages), landlines, e-mail systems, and pagers during a crisis or time-sensitive situation on the Boston University Charles River and Medical campuses.

Students are required to provide an emergency number as part of their registration and can update their contact preferences on the MyBU Student Portal. Questions concerning enrollment in the BU Alert program may be addressed to the Admissions Office (617-353-2300).

6.2 BU Email Account

All new students will be given a BU Google Apps account and can log in to it at www.bu.edu/webmail. You can enable this account by following the instructions on www.bu.edu/tech/support/google/enable/. If you have an existing email account that you prefer to use, you can forward your BU email using the Settings menu within BU Google Mail. Please note that all departmental communication will be sent to your BU email address.

6.3 The Biology Media Center

The Biology Media Center in room 627 of 24 Cummington Mall provides a range of media services to the department for little or no cost. Available services are flatbed scanning, slide scanning, color laser printing, di-sub printing (photo-like prints) and large format poster printing. These facilities operate on both Mac and Windows platforms in order to handle the varied media formats. Due to the popularity of the media center, there is a “reservation” policy. If you need to use the media center services, you should contact Peter Castellano via email at [email protected], or telephone at 353-8736 to reserve a time to use the equipment. To facilitate the availability of these graphics resources, the associated computers are to be used only for departmental-related purposes and not for general use or e-mail.

6.4 Computers

Many students choose to bring their own personal computers into their office or labs. A lock for a laptop is highly recommended. Boston University’s Information Services & Technology (IS&T) designed and maintains a number of computer labs, both physical and virtual, including the University’s primary PC lab in the BU Common @ Mugar and the Linux Virtual Lab. Links for computing resources on campus, as well as information on where to obtain support for your personal computer can be found at www.bu.edu/tech. The College of Arts & Sciences offers a file server (casfsb.bu.edu) to all faculty, staff, and students to back up and share their data. To establish a folder on this server, go to http://www.bu.edu/casit/ click on “File Services” and follow the instructions.

6.5 Departmental Laser Printer

There are several networked printers throughout the various biology buildings. For information on how to connect to these printers, see the front office in Biology for printers in 5 Cummington Mall, or Peter Castellano for access to printers in 24 Cummington Mall. The main networked printer in 5 Cummington Mall is a “HP LaserJet 4050 Series”, located in BRB 101C. You can connect to this printer via its IP address, 128.197.80.190

6.6 Email Aliases

Once you have an email account, you will automatically be added to the all-department alias (“[email protected]”) and the graduate student alias ([email protected]) for the Biology Department as well as the alias for your specific program ([email protected], [email protected], [email protected])

The Department has a FAX machine (617-353-6340) located in BRB 101 that is available for general departmental use. FAX machines are quite simple to use; nevertheless, see Front Desk Staff for assistance if you need any help. Since FAX machines operate over telephone wires, all charges associated with its use will appear on a phone statement. The Department covers the cost of all local Fax’s. All long-distance Fax’s must be charged to your professor’s telephone code. You must make your own arrangements with your advisor about using his or her telephone code to make these calls. Your incoming FAX messages will be placed in your mailbox.

6.8 Hear My Name

Students are able to record  an eight second or less version of their name on a dedicated, public-facing URL/website link. That link can be used on email signatures  (see help)  or on public sites, such as  BU Profiles    and other BU websites. BU anticipates allowing individuals the option to link to their recorded name in the  BU Directory    in the near future. Record your name  here . 

6.9 Internet

There are limited Ethernet connections within the department for Internet access. Check with your advisor for more information about ethernet port availability in your office. Wireless on campus is available in most academic buildings, but signal strength can vary floor to floor and building to building. To join the BU wireless network, join eduroam with your user login and kerberos password. For more information on how to join the wireless network can be found here or stop by one of the IT Help centers at Mugar Library.

Graduate student mailboxes are located in the corridor outside BRB 101. They are set up alphabetically, and students will receive mail in their advisor’s mailbox. The combinations and box number assignments can be obtained from Front Desk Staff in BRB 101. The Boston University Postal Service picks up federal and interdepartmental mail from the mailroom once a day. The BU Postal Service sorts this mail into interdepartmental and U.S. Mail, so please make sure that interdepartmental mail is in manila envelopes and clearly marked. If you must use a white envelope for interdepartmental mail it should be clearly marked or it will be sorted into the US Mail and charged back to the Department. It will also take a long time for this mail to arrive at its destination as it will be sent outside the University and then returned to go once again through the BU Postal Service. This is intended for Department and University business and not for personal mail. Any personal mail must have a postage stamp affixed before being placed in this bin.

6.11 Memos and Announcements

Memos and announcements are routinely sent to graduate students via email. Also check the easel outside of BRB 101 for announcements.

6.12 Photocopying Procedures & Policies

There are copying machines within the Department available for general use. In 5 Cummington Mall, BRB 101C, there is a large Canon copier. This room can be accessed from the corridor at any time. The key that opens all common spaces also opens this room.

Please keep in mind:

• To avoid conflict with routine office staff, large copying jobs should not be carried out between 9 AM and 5 PM, Monday through Friday
• Faculty and staff have priority at the copying machines
• If you have questions about how to use the machines please see Front Desk Staff in BRB 101

6.13 Reimbursements & Travel

Reimbursements

All purchases (supply, computer equipment & Amazon) must be approved by your direct supervisor before purchasing. All purchases for course and research should be submitted to Sourcing/Facilities Manager for processing. All out of pocket purchases must be approved by the Business Manager before purchasing.

**Amazon purchases must be made through the University’s ARIBA system. Amazon purchases will not be reimbursed when items are paid for out of pocket.

Travel and Airfare

Please speak to your supervisor about your travel plans before making reservations. The university has strict policies and procedures regarding travel, purchasing airline tickets, and renting vehicles. Please review the BU Travel policy website at www.bu.edu/travel before traveling.

Travel Advances

The University does not allow travel advances except on a limited exception basis. University travel cards are to be requested via the Department Business Manager. These cards are usually for full time faculty and staff only. Students should ask their PI for more information regarding travel.

Travel Reimbursement

All travel reimbursements should be submitted within 10 days after the trip is completed via this form . Any questions should be directed to the Senior Financial Analyst.

**The use of a personal car can only be reimbursed for the mileage at the University mileage reimbursement rate. Receipts for gasoline purchase are accepted for car rentals or a University vehicle, but not for personal car use

Travel Services Helpful Link – www.bu.edu/travel

7. University Policies & Procedures

7.1 Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation for Full-Time PhD Students 7.2 Compliance 7.3 COVID-19 Guidance 7.4 Research Ownership 7.5 Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Guidelines

7.1 Childbirth and Adoption Accommodation for Full-Time PhD Students

Please find the official University policy here :

The childbirth and adoption accommodation policy for full-time or certified full-time Ph.D. students in good academic standing provides for extensions for academic coursework and other requirements to the primary caregiver of an infant or adopted child. It also provides for a continuation of stipend support for funded students during the accommodation period.

A GRS full-time or certified full-time Ph.D. student taking an accommodation due to the birth of a child should notify the relevant department Chair or Program Director in writing no later than30 days prior to the start of the semester during which the birth is expected using the procedures described below. In the case of adoption, notification should be made once the student becomes reasonably certain of the expected dates of adoption.

Please complete the notification form here .

7.2 Compliance

Each student, admitted to the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, is responsible for becoming familiar with the general regulations of the Graduate School as stated in the “Policies” section of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Bulletin and with the more specific requirements stated in the individual section on each department, division, or program which may go beyond, or supplement, the Graduate School standards.

If necessary, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences staff is available to interpret or clarify any rule or regulation.

Boston University does not permit a student to enroll simultaneously in more than one graduate program either within Boston University or at another institution, unless those programs have been previously approved by the Trustees of Boston University as a combined degree program.

In order to register:

• Boston University requires all students studying on Massachusetts campuses to provide a BUAlert phone number.
• Boston University requires all students to settle their financial obligation each
• Massachusetts law requires that all full-time and many part-time students be immunized against a number of diseases in order to attend a university in the
• Boston University requires all students complete the Sexual Misconduct Prevention
• The Massachusetts Motor Vehicle Law requires that all out-of-state students sign an acknowledgment that they have been informed of the (Compliance required in the Fall semester only)

Check the MyBU Student Portal to ensure you have met these requirements. Students not in compliance will be unable to register for future semesters.

7.3 COVID-19 Guidance

Updated information about the University’s COVID-19 policies can be found  here .

7.4 Research Ownership

All M.S. and Ph.D. students should be aware that Boston University serves as the guardian of research conducted at Boston University, including research supported by all Government agencies and most private foundations. This has several implications.

• Patents that arise from research conducted at Boston University are the property of Boston University, as outlined in the Faculty
• Students are required to leave all original data and notebooks at Boston University upon completion of their Students may take copies of their original research data and notes.

7.5 Sexual Misconduct/Title IX Guidelines

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs and activities. Sex-based discrimination includes sexual harassment and sexual violence, such as rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, and sexual coercion. The law covers sex-based discrimination against students, faculty, and staff. The BU Policy can be found online by visiting https://www.bu.edu/policies/sexual-misconduct-title-ix-hr/

Persons seeking to file a complaint should contact:

• Danielle Cane , Deputy Title IX Coordinator for the College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) | [email protected] | 617-353-2401Dean of Students Office | 617-353-4126
• Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (“SARP”) | 617-353-7277 | https://wbu.edu/eoo/sexual-misconduct-title-ix/
• Boston University Police Department | 617-353-2121

The Department of Biology expects that the learning and work environment will be free from all forms of sexual misconduct which includes sexual harassment, sex/gender discrimination, sexual assault, rape, stalking, and relationship violence. Such behavior is unacceptable, and serves as a barrier to the educational, scholarly, and research goals of the University.

• “Affiliates” as defined by Boston University includes faculty, graduate and professional students, postdoctoral fellows and associates, teaching assistants, graders and University staff and volunteers who supervise Affiliates should not instruct, evaluate, supervise (directly or indirectly) a student’s academic work or participation in University programs, housing, activities, or employment for any student with whom the affiliate has had a romantic or sexual relationship in the past or entering into a romantic or sexual relationship with any student over whom the affiliate reasonably expects to exercise supervisory authority in the future.
• All affiliates who are not students (enrolled in any and all education training programs of the University) should avoid entering into romantic or sexual relationships with undergraduate students, regardless of whether or not they exercise supervision over a particular student.
• Professors should avoid dating members of their laboratory (i.e., graduate students, technicians, or postdoctoral fellows). If such a relationship exists, the member of the lab should consider and/or be advised to change If the student remains in the lab, the professor must excuse him or herself as an official member of all evaluating committees (e.g., qualifying and defense committees) for the student, and can only serve as an ad hoc non- voting member of the committees. Remember that although both parties may initially consent to this relationship, it is only the professor, by virtue of their special responsibility, who is held accountable for unprofessional behavior.
• A professor dating a graduate student from another laboratory must excuse him or herself from all evaluating committees (e.g., qualifying and defense committees) for the student
• Do not touch a student, technician, or postdoctoral fellow except with the universally accepted Hugs, kisses, high-fives, or slaps on different regions of the body may be acceptable in American culture, but may be interpreted in unintended ways by students of other cultures.
• When meeting alone with a student, keep your door open if possible.
• Do not invite a student to your home when you and the student would be Try to include more than one member of the class or lab in all social occasions.
• Inappropriate sexual comments and humor and jokes about sex or gender-specific traits in classrooms, laboratory sessions, or discussion sessions are not acceptable. Inappropriate messages may be subtle and even unintentional, but nevertheless these comments compromise the learning experience of the student.
• When hanging material on doors or walls, be sensitive to other people’s feelings.

Boston University recognizes that sexual assault, harassment, discrimination and other forms of sexual misconduct can have a profound impact on a person’s personal, academic, and work life. The University encourages anyone coping with such a situation to seek help and support. Students who are uncertain of their options or simply need help should call the Sexual Assault Response & Prevention Center (“SARP”) at (617) 353-7277.

Any University employee, including student employees whose duties include supervision or teaching of other students (e.g. Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, etc.), who receives a complaint or otherwise learns about a possible incident of sexual misconduct involving a member of the Boston University community as complainant or alleged perpetrator must complete a Sexual Misconduct Report Form with the University’s Title IX Coordinator.

8. Health Resources

8.1 Student Health Services 8.2 Dental Care 8.3 Mental Health Care Information & Resources 8.4 Additional Resources

8.1 Student Health Services

881 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-353-3575

Center that meets student health care needs while at Boston University. Includes Primary Care, Sports Medicine, and Behavioral Medicine service by appointment or on an emergency basis, and Crisis Intervention Counselors. Department of Wellness & Prevention Services, which includes Alcohol and Other Drug evaluation and education, as well as general health education. The Athletic Training Services Department at Boston University is a part of the SHS family. SHS is here to help address immediate and ongoing health care needs.

You may use Student Health Services if you meet one of the following criteria:

• A full-time BU student, regardless of your insurance
• A student who participates in at least 9 credit
• Any student with the Student Health Insurance
• A summer student or a participant in one of the high school summer

8.2 Dental Care

Students in need of dental care are referred by Student Health Services to qualified local dentists. Students are responsible for dental charges. Students may enroll in a preventive dental plan available from the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine by calling 617-638-4700. In addition, Aetna Student Health offers a Dental Discount Program to Boston University students.

8.3 Mental Health Care Information and Resources

The Department of Biology is committed to the well-being of our graduate students. All full-time graduate students, on- or off-campus, have access to mental health services provided by Behavioral Medicine through Student Health Services. However, if students are conducting work out- of-state, including research conducted internationally, and require mental health care, they need to take a few additional steps to obtain this important health care service. Generally, students should reach out Students Health Services ( https://www.bu.edu/shs/ ) for assistance in identifying out-of-state mental health providers. You will need to specify whether your out-of-state work is domestic or international.

Domestic U.S. resources –

If graduate students are conducting academic work out-of-state (domestic U.S.) the following links with additional information may be useful:

This document summarizes some national resources that are available (not necessarily to BU students, but more in general). Additionally, students can utilize the provider tool on the AETNA website identifies providers in your local area that accepts Boston University insurance.

International resources –

There is a Massachusetts state law limiting therapy while performing academic work outside of the U.S. Therefore, the above resources do not apply to those students who wish to receive new medical service or continue treatment from their regular therapist. There are two options, however, for graduate students conducting work out of the country:

• Go to geobluestudents.com
• Scroll down to box to enter the self-enrollment code: KZG-38057
• Follow instructions to pay by credit card
• Refer to the GeoBlue Student Member Guide for instructions on how to submit a claim
• An alternative option is to check the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) documentation, which allows student to submit claims for medical services The SHIP states that out-of- country claims should be submitted with medical service and payment information. It is important to note that services are considered at the in-network level of benefits. Students can submit for reimbursement through AETNA if they can secure a mental health provider out of the country.

8.4 Additional Resources

The Danielsen Institute 185 Bay State Road | 617-353-3047

The Danielsen Institute offers a variety of psychological services, including individual, group, family, and couples therapy, as well as psychological testing and assessment for adults, adolescents, and children. Many insurance plans, including Boston University’s Aetna Student Health Plan, can be used to cover a portion of applicable fees, and a sliding fee scale is also available.

The Center for Anxiety & Related Disorders (CARD) 648 Beacon Street, 6th Floor | 617-353-9610

The Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) is an internationally known clinical and research center dedicated to advancing knowledge and providing care for anxiety, mood, eating, sleep, and related disorders. At CARD, expert clinical care is provided and, at the same time, research is ongoing to expand the range and style of successful treatment options for patients in need. Individuals seeking care at CARD will have the direct benefits of clinical care that is informed by previous research, and likewise will have opportunities to participate in ongoing research designed to further advance what is known about the nature and treatment of anxiety and related disorders. Fees are based on a sliding scale, and some treatment associated with research studies may be free of charge.

9. Student Life & University Resources

9.1 Graduate Student Groups 9.2 BU BUS 9.3 BU Police Department 9.4 The Center for Gender, Sexuality and Activism 9.5 Center for Career Development (CCD) 9.6 Chaplains 9.7 Dean of Students 9.8 Disability Services 9.9 Educational Resource Center 9.10 Environmental Health & Safety 9.11 Fitness & Recreation Center 9.12 The Howard Thurman Center 9.13 The Newbury Center 9.14 International Students & Scholars Office (ISSO) 9.15 Judicial Affairs 9.16 Office of Family Resources 9.17 Office of the University Ombuds 9.18 Parking & Transportation Services 9.19 Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs (PDPA) 9.20 University Service Center 9.21 Additional Career Resources

9.1 Graduate Student Groups

Biology Graduate Student Association (BGSA): An organization comprised of graduate students within the Department of Biology and MCBB programs dedicated to increasing the level of academic, scientific, and professional integration between the four program areas in the Department of Biology through academic and recreational activities. These four program areas are: Cell and Molecular Biology (CM/MCBB), Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution (EBE), Marine Biology (BUMP), Neurobiology (NEURO). [email protected]

Graduate Student Organization (GSO): The GSO is the official representative body of the graduate students in the Arts and Sciences at Boston University. http://www.bu.edu/gso/

Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (GWISE): A community to support and promote women in science, technology, engineering, and math fields. Through professional development seminars and workshops, social events, mentoring, and outreach, GWISE fosters interaction across disciplines at Boston University and connects graduate students to post- docs, faculty, and broader networks in Boston and beyond. GWISE is open to men and women. Groups within GWISE consist of accountability groups for thesis writing, book club, coffee groups, intramural sports, mothers’ group, yoga and WISE guys, a program to increase the participation and engagement of men in GWISE. http://www.bu.edu/gwise/

Minority and International Scientists Organization (MISO): The mission of the Minority and International Scientists Organization is to provide a supportive and enriched environment to the diverse population of Boston University scientists via various social and academic events.

oSTEM: Queer and LGBTQIAPP+ folks are an underrepresented population in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. oSTEM is a national student society, dedicated to increasing the participation of queer people in disciplines related to these STEM fields and lines of work. We aim to provide social, networking, educational, and career-building opportunities for queer students, staff, faculty, and allies in the sciences.

Underrepresented Graduate Student Organization (UGSO): The UGSO is the only university-wide group for underrepresented minority students, and is open to all students that identify underrepresented in higher education

Find more information about Graduate Student Groups at https://www.bu.edu/grad/

The Boston University Shuttle (the BUS), is an inter-campus shuttle service with 11 stops between the Charles River Campus and the BU Medical Campus. BU ID is needed to board. During the academic year, the BUS operates every 15 minutes (7AM – 10AM & 4PM – 7PM) Mondays – Thursdays, and every 20 minutes on Fridays. The BUS provides 30-minute off-peak service from 7AM until 11PM. During the summer, the BUS runs every 30 minutes between 7AM and 11PM. More information about the BUS service is available online. Evening & Weekend Shuttle provides service 7 days a week during the evening and early morning hours. The shuttle, which runs until 2:00AM Sunday-Wednesday and 4:00AM Thursday-Saturday, is intended to provide the Boston University community with convenient transportation exclusively throughout the Charles River Campus.

9.3 Boston University Police Department

32 Harry Agganis Way | 617-353-2121

Anonymous Tip Line: Text the BUPD at tip411 (847411) and type BU <space> your message The Boston University Police Department is a full-time, professional law enforcement agency that also provides a wide variety of public services, including emergency medical response, Rape Aggression Defense classes, and laptop and bicycle registration. Through the community policing program, officers are assigned to various areas of campus to work closely with the community in addressing crime and crime prevention, as well as social issues, which directly affect the quality of life at Boston University.

9.4 The Center for Gender, Sexuality and Activism

775 Commonwealth Avenue, Lower Level | 617-358-5575 | [email protected]

The Center for Gender, Sexuality and Activism (CGSA) strives to be a safe space for people of all genders and sexualities. Using a social justice framework, the CGSA aims to end gender oppression and violence, and advocates for the full equality and inclusion of women, queer and trans students. This dynamic community fosters challenging and open discourse, promotes student activism, and provides resources and education for the Boston University Community.

9.5 Center for Career Development

100 Bay State Road, 6th Floor | 617-353-3590 | [email protected]

The Center for Career Development can assist students in choosing a major, finding an internship, or preparing for their post-college job search. Services include workshops, job and internship fairs, résumé review, mock interviews, and career assessment tools.

Top of Section                   Table of Contents

9.6 Chaplains

735 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-353-3560 | [email protected]

A variety of chaplains are available to all students, regardless of religious affiliation. Appointments can be scheduled, or students can visit the chapel office on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m.

9.7 Dean of Students

775 Commonwealth Avenue, 3rd Floor | 617-353-4126 | [email protected]

The mission of the Dean of Students office and the Division of Student Affairs is to enhance the quality, character, and perspectives of our students. Through its many orientation, mentoring, and counseling programs, the division promotes an environment that encourages intellectual exchange and individual expression. The dean of students has an open-door policy and is available to all students by appointment.

9.8 Disability Services

19 Deerfield Street, 2nd Floor | 617-353-3658 | [email protected]

Disability Services provides services and support to ensure that students with disabilities are able to access and participate in the opportunities available at Boston University. Disability Services also employs students as note-takers, readers, and in other positions assisting disabled students.

9.9 Educational Resource Center

100 Bay State Road, 6th Floor | 617-353-7077 | Contact

The Educational Resource Center provides academic support programs to the University community, including peer tutoring, the Writing Center, Language Link conversation groups, and various workshops. These services are available free of charge.

9.10 Environmental Health & Safety

704 Commonwealth Avenue, 2nd Floor | 617-353-4094 | [email protected]

Environmental Health & Safety provides a full range of environmental, health, and safety services to the University community. These services include, but are not limited to, fire and life safety programs and support of the University’s recycling program.

9.11 Fitness & Recreation Center | Physical Education, Recreation & Dance

915 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-353-2748 | [email protected]

All full-time graduate students receive free membership to the FitRec. The Fitness & Recreation Center offers a variety of state-of-the-art facilities, including an 18,000-square-foot weight and cardio room, two swimming pools, racquetball and squash courts, two multi-use gymnasiums, an elevated jogging track, a 35’ climbing wall, a Pro Shop, and the Healthy Blends Café. Physical Education, Recreation & Dance offers for-credit and non-credit classes in everything from fitness to climbing to martial arts. The department also coordinates all intramural and club sports programs.

9.12 The Howard Thurman Center

808 Commonwealth Avenue, Lower Level | 617-353-4745 | [email protected]

The Howard Thurman Center is Boston University’s center for cultural learning and collaboration. Through a variety of workshops, programs, and celebrations, the Howard Thurman Center aims to build community by eliminating barriers of divisiveness that separate individuals, groups, races, cultures, religions, and ethnicities.

9.13 The Newbury Center

755 Commonwealth Avenue, Suite B18 | 617-353-3400 | [email protected]

The Newbury Center is Boston University’s center for first-generation students with the goal of fostering the holistic success of first-generation students at Boston University. The Center supports students navigating the financial aid system, connects students to on-campus resources, and fosters a sense of belonging through mentorship programs.

9.14 International Students and Scholars Office

888 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-353-3565 | [email protected]

The International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) is a resource for professional expertise on immigration and employment, and help ensure student, scholar, and institutional compliance with federal regulations. ISSO staff are available to guide students and scholars through the often complicated requirements for foreign nationals studying and working in the United States.

9.15 Judicial Affairs

25 Buick Street, Suite 150 | 617-358-0700 | [email protected]

The Judicial Affairs office and student safety programs serve as the primary administrators of the Code of Student Responsibilities and also provide information and resources to the University community regarding personal safety on and off campus.

9.16 Office of Family Resources

985 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-353-5954 | [email protected]

The Office of Family Resources is committed to helping families manage the challenges of work life and family life and provides many resources and services to support families of the Boston University community.

Resources and services available include:

• Referral service and resource materials for parents seeking childcare
• Information about how to find Boston University students interested in babysitting
• Educational programs co-sponsored with the Faculty/Staff Assistance Office
• School vacation programs for children in Kindergarten through fourth grade during the February and April school vacation weeks
• Recreational summer camp program for children entering Kindergarten through fourth grade during summer school vacation weeks
• Elder care resource materials

9.17 Office of the University Ombuds

19 Deerfield Street, Suite 203 | (617) 358-5960 | [email protected]

The Boston University Office of the Ombuds is an independent, impartial, informal, and confidential resource available to all members of the Boston University community. Confidentiality, one of the fundamental principles of the office, is essential to Ombuds practice. The Office provides a safe place to have off-the-record conversations about any kind of problem related to life at BU. Talking to the Ombuds can be a good first step to resolving problems, especially if you are concerned about confidentiality or don’t know where to turn for assistance.

9.18 Parking and Transportation Services

1019 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-353-2160 | [email protected]

Boston University Parking & Transportation office provides students, staff, and faculty information on various ways to travel in and around Boston. This office provides information on: Parking permits, parking lots and locations, parking regulations and towing, weather related emergencies, the BU Bus, rideshare, bike safety, zip car, and MBTA (the “T”) passes and transportation.

9.19 Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs (PDPA)

Professional Development & Postdoctoral Affairs offers an expanding professional development curriculum for Boston University doctoral students built around seven Core Capacities, and provides programming, workshops, and trainings in areas of project management, leadership, communication, self-awareness, and career development.

9.20 The University Service Center (USC)

881 Commonwealth Avenue | 617-358-1818 | [email protected]

The USC is an excellent starting point for anyone unsure of where to turn for help. The staff will point you in the right direction, or—if your concern is complex, multilayered, or involves multiple offices—help you figure out the best way to address the situation. Top of Section Table of Contents

9.21 Additional Career Resources

BU Broadening Experiences in Scientific Training (BEST) Twitter @BUs_BEST

Supported by the National Institutes of Health, BU’s BEST facilitates biomedical career development curriculum for PhD and postdoctoral trainees in a way that explores careers both in and outside of standard academic research. BU’s BEST program is open to all biomedical graduate and postdoctoral trainees at Boston University.

Propel Careers Lauren Celano, Co-founder and CEO

Propel Careers is a Boston based life sciences search and career development firm dedicated to networking, mentoring and career development. Propel focuses on placement into full time, project based, and internship roles in areas including research, clinical, regulatory, commercial, informatics, finance, business, development, legal, and operations. Ms. Celano is available to meet bi-weekly in BRB 117.

Connect with Jen Correia on LinkedIn to interact with our alumni community. There are over 120 alumni available for informational interviews and general networking questions.

Other useful links for job-seekers:

www.nature.com/naturejobs

www.higheredjobs.com

sciencecareers.sciencemag.us

www.bu.edu/careers

ecoevojobs.net

Degree programs

Mit offers a wide range of degrees and programs..

All graduate students, whether or not they are participating in an interdepartmental program, must have a primary affiliation with and be registered in a single department. Every applicant accepted by MIT is admitted through one of the graduate departments. MIT has a number of established interdepartmental programs, and there are many more opportunities for students to arrange interdepartmental programs with interested faculty members.

All MIT graduate degree programs have residency requirements, which reflect academic terms (excluding summer). Some degrees also require completion of an acceptable thesis prepared in residence at MIT, unless special permission is granted for part of the thesis work to be accomplished elsewhere. Other degrees require a pro-seminar or capstone experience.

Applicants interested in graduate education should apply to the department or graduate program conducting research in the area of interest. Below is an alphabetical list of all the available departments and programs that offer a graduate-level degree.

Interested in reading first-hand accounts of MIT graduate students from a variety of programs? Visit the Grad Blog . Prospective students who want to talk with a current student can reach out to their department(s) of interest for connections or, if they are interested in the MIT experience for diverse communities, can reach out to a GradDiversity Ambassador .

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The Fall 2024 admissions cycle is currently closed. The application will reopen in September 2024 for Fall 2025. The graduate application completion deadline of December 1st at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time, US) for admission the following fall semester (we do not offer spring admission). We offer on line applications only , do not email the department with attachments for us to review. If you have questions regarding AeroAstro graduate admissions that are not answered below, or the Covid-19 and GRE statements below, please email  [email protected] .

As of June 1, 2020, AeroAstro no longer requires or accepts the GRE as part of the admissions process for our SM and PhD programs. If you are applying to the LGO Program , please refer to their application process.

Statement on Graduate Admissions with regard to Covid-19

Each year, we receive a large number of excellent applications from prospective students, and we strive to be as fair as possible when evaluating them for admission into our graduate program. We understand that the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has caused many schools —including MIT — to implement some version of pass/no record or pass/fail academic grading at this time. Admission to our graduate program is done on a holistic basis, and in accordance with our values and mission. We want to assure you that we will take into account the circumstances surrounding the pandemic as we evaluate your candidacy in our graduate program — we will not hold this unprecedented situation against you when considering your application.

Graduate Program Information Sessions

During the open graduate application cycle, AeroAstro hosts graduate information sessions for prospective students to learn more about our faculty, research, program offerings, and our graduate school application process! The current 2024 cycle has closed. Information sessions will be next offered during the Fall 2024 term.

Admissions Criteria

All graduate applicants to MIT apply to their individual departments , rather than to the Institute as a whole. AeroAstro uses a department-specific online graduate application . For more information on graduate admissions in general, please visit the central MIT Graduate Admissions website . There’s no special formula or secret that guarantees an offer of admission from MIT AeroAstro. The selection process is competitive and follows a holistic approach. Below are some of the metrics used in evaluating graduate admission applications specifically within our department.

Prior Degrees

Students applying with a bachelor’s degree are eligible for admission to our Master’s program. Once accepted to our Master’s program, students can undergo in their second year the Field Evaluations. These evaluations serve as admission to our Ph.D. program. Having passed the Field Evaluations, the students can commence their doctoral studies once their Master’s is completed. Students who already hold a Master’s degree may apply for direct acceptance to our Ph.D. program but still must pass the Field Evaluation to become doctoral candidates. Your undergraduate and graduate degrees need not be in aeronautics or astronautics.

Preparation

Applicants are expected to have a strong background in mathematical and physical sciences and/or engineering. If you are changing fields, you should address your reasons and preparedness for doing so in your Statement of Objectives, a very important part of your graduate application. We ask that you upload your transcripts from each institution from which you have received or will receive a degree. We examine these documents for academic and research/project performance and general grade trends following a holistic approach.

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION

You are required to submit three letters of recommendation as part of your application. We recommend that all or at least two of these come from faculty members with whom you’ve worked closely, especially in a research capacity. Your research and/or project experience plays an important role in the overall assessment. If you’ve recently completed an internship or have been out of school and working for over one year, you may wish to include an industry recommendation. You may not submit more than three letters, and these letters must be submitted using our online application system.

English as a Foreign Language Testing Requirements

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit official TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English Qualification scores with their application. Please note that AeroAstro will accept the TOEFL “at-home” IBT. Unofficial or self-reported scores are required for submission of the application however official scores must be received by MIT for your application to be evaluated. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure official score reports are sent to MIT Graduate Admissions. On the TOEFL, you must score a minimum of 100 on the internet-based exam. On the IELTS you must score a minimum of 7.0 total. On the Cambridge English Qualification, you must score a minimum of 185. Applicants who do not meet or exceed these minimums are not eligible for admission. To be eligible for Fall admission, this exam must be taken on or by November 15, so that your score report will reach us by the application completion deadline of December 1 . You can request a waiver in the application if you meet one of the following criteria: 1) Applicant’s main language of instruction was English in their primary and secondary schools (i.e., from age 6 through age 18). 2) Applicant has been residing in the U.S. (or country where English is an official language) for a minimum of three years  and  has earned a degree from an accredited institution where English is the main language of instruction. For further details about  applying as an international student , please visit the Graduate Admissions website.  

Objective Statements

The objective statements are broken up into three main sections: Research & Technical, Professional Experience & Objectives, and Personal Background. Please give your reasons for wishing to do graduate work in the field you have chosen. Prepare your statements and goals in whatever form clearly presents your views. Include as far as you can, your particular interests, be they experimental, theoretical, or issue-oriented. We are interested in your vision of how you want to contribute to the future of aerospace engineering and how your background and MIT’s programs support your perspectives. The statements could be much like a proposal for graduate studies, in the more specific context of your professional objectives. You should set forth the issues and problems you wish to address. Explain your long-term professional goals. The Admissions Committee will welcome any factors you wish to bring to its attention concerning your academic and work experience to date.

ADVISOR AVAILABILITY

Even if you have an outstanding record, vitae, recommendations, and the potential to excel in AeroAstro, we may not be able to offer you admission. We will not admit more students than our faculty can effectively advise. This number varies term-to-term, and specialty-to-specialty, depending on the composition of our applicant pool and our current graduate student population. Learn more about our principal investigators and their research interests.

Admissions Checklist

To apply to the AeroAstro graduate program all of the following items must be received no later than December 1, our application completion deadline.

• Online graduate application and admissions fee
• Required Objective Statements addressing your past research and academic experience, your areas of interest in our department and how they can help you realize your goals
• Transcripts for each school from which you received or will receive a degree, scanned and uploaded to our electronic application where asked – official transcripts preferred, but unofficial are acceptable. (Admitted students will be required to submit hard copies in the spring)
• Three recommendation letters, submitted via the online application

Additional Item for International students:

• TOEFL, IELTS, or Cambridge English Qualification official score report, sent directly from ETS or IELTS (unless all schooling since primary school has been completed in English – see Admissions Criteria policy above) *Please note that AeroAstro will accept the TOEFL “at-home” IBT and the IELTS Indicator Test.

Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP)

The AeroAstro Graduate Application Assistance Program (GAAP) aims to increase the representation of underrepresented students pursuing graduate study in engineering. Specifically, GAAP strives to increase the diversity of the applicant pool by providing support and mentorship to applicants from underrepresented backgrounds as they navigate the graduate school application process. GAAP mentors, who are current graduate students in AeroAstro, will work with assigned mentees to provide synchronous (e.g., going through an outline of the mentee’s Statement of Objectives) as well as asynchronous (e.g., reading mentee’s drafts off-line) feedback on their application materials. No matter what stage of the application process you’re in, if you think you could benefit from talking through your application with a current grad student at MIT, please submit an application! GAAP applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and our aim is to accept as many eligible applicants as we have mentors for (we’ll assign mentors periodically throughout the fall term, so there’s still a chance of getting a match if you apply by the November deadline). Our application form is mainly to give us an idea of how we can best help your application, so don’t worry about polishing your responses. Please send any questions to the GAAP student executive team at [email protected] . The application form will open in September 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. when is my application due may i submit it late where can i access the application what other materials are due.

A. The graduate application deadline for September admission is  December 1 a t 11:59 PM (Eastern Time, US). Late applications will not be accepted, nor will late application materials. You must complete your graduate admissions application online. Please note that once you create a login and password for your electronic application, it must be completed for  that  admissions cycle – it will not be accessible during subsequent cycles (e.g. If you start your application in September 2021, it would  only  be usable for the Fall 2022 application cycle, not the Fall 2023 cycle). All supplemental materials, such as transcripts, test scores, and recommendations must also be received by  December 1 at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time, US)  – application materials will not be accepted beyond that date, and our committee is not obligated to review incomplete or late applications. To find out exactly what is needed to apply, please review our Graduate Admissions Checklist above. Please be sure that your recommenders are aware of this hard deadline. If you cannot get your materials in by this date, you are not eligible for admission review. We do not make exceptions to this deadline.

Q. What advice would you give prospective applicants?

A. There are several pieces of advice that we give prospective applicants to our graduate program. 1. Be organized. The admissions cycle starts again fresh every year and things may have changed since you last looked into the application requirements and admission checklist. This also includes knowing when the deadline is and communicating that deadline to your recommenders as this is often the last thing to come in with your application. 2. Do not wait until the last minute to ask questions or start your application. Our application is open for three months. This gives you time to collect the information you need and get started on your application. It is best to make sure your application is where you want it well before the deadline so you do not run into any issues upon submission. 3. Read instructions carefully. There is no reason to rush through your application. We provide resources and clear instructions at every stage, is it important that you read these and follow them carefully to avoid irreversible mistakes in your application.

Q. The status of my English Language Exam says “waived” or “awaiting” but I sent my score report to MIT. Did you receive it?

A. The graduate programs at MIT receive tens of thousands of applications each cycle. In AeroAstro, if an English Language Proficiency exam is required of you in the application, please self-report your most up to date score. When you start your application, it is best to send the official score report as soon as you are able following the completion of your exam. Please follow the instructions laid out for you on the Office of Graduate Education’s website. If you already sent your score and it is still not marked as “verified” in your application, that means we have not yet processed it and matched the score to your application. Due to the high volume of applications MIT receives, this does take time and we implore patience in this process. We will move forward with your application review if it is otherwise complete but will not release a decision if this item remains outstanding.

Q. I made an error in my application, what do I do?

A. Mistakes happen. The best thing to do is not to panic. Most, if not everything, is editable in your application prior to submission. When in doubt, you can email [email protected] and we will help troubleshoot any issues you may have encountered with the application system. DO NOT start a brand new application within your existing account or a new account, this may cause you issues when it is time to submit that we want to avoid.

Q. May I apply using the paper application, and send paper materials?

 No. There is no paper version of our application available. Our system for reviewing applications is completely online, so we must receive all application materials electronically using our electronic application and recommendation service. Emailed materials will also not be accepted nor considered.

Q. May I apply for a fee waiver?

A. Yes. Please visit MIT’s  graduate fee waiver application  site for more information. They are granted on a case-by-case basis. Please submit this well in advance of the application deadline as it can take 5 days or more for Graduate Admissions to review and respond to your request for a fee waiver.

Q. How should I submit my transcripts?

A. Transcripts must be uploaded to your electronic application. You must include one for each college or university you have received or will receive a degree from. Official transcripts are preferred, but unofficial will be accepted as well. Upon admission to our graduate program, you are required to submit an official digital copy of your transcript directly to the AeroAstro Student Services Office at  [email protected] , using the digital delivery system your school provides. If your school does not provide this type of service, please contact us at the email above and we will work with you to get it submitted.

Q. May I apply when my current degree is in progress?

A. Most applicants are in this situation – still finishing up a degree when the December 1 deadline comes. You are still eligible to apply as long as you will be done with your current degree by the September that you are applying to enroll for. Regarding your transcript, you’ll simply upload the most complete version that is available on or by December 1.

Q. May I submit more than three letters of recommendation?

A. No. Please submit only three letters of recommendation using the electronic recommendation service that is part of our online application. Our online service will only allow for the submission of three letters, and our committee will not accept additional letters of recommendations.

Q. I can’t afford the tuition. Is it worth my time to fill out the application?

A. Applicants’ financial resources are not considered as part of admission decisions. Your financial situation will have no bearing on your application.

Q. Will documents that I have published improve my chances?

A. Faculty members do not have the time required to read applicants’ publications – please do not include them with your application. Your Statement of Objectives is much more critical to the review process. Be sure to be clear and concise about your research goals and how they relate to the MIT Aero Astro.

Q. Do you accept transfer credit from another university?

A. No, we do not accept transfer credit from other universities at the graduate level. If you have completed graduate coursework elsewhere, those credits cannot be counted toward your degree at MIT. If you have previously completed graduate level coursework at MIT that do not count toward another degree (with the exception of the SM in AeroAstro), those units may be considered toward your graduate degree in AeroAstro.

Q. What is the average GPA of accepted graduate students?

Because students from all over the world apply to our graduate program, we deal with many different GPA scales and systems. Because of this, we do not keep an official average GPA for accepted students on file. 

Q. Is the application process different for International Students?

The application process for international students is largely the same. The main difference is that some international students from non-English speaking countries must sit for the TOEFL or IELTS exam.   If required to take this exam, you must do so by November 15. You must at least score a 100 on the internet-based TOEFL in order to be eligible to apply to our program. If you choose to take the IELTS, you must score at least a 7 total to be eligible. Students who score below these minimum scores are not eligible to apply to our graduate program.  Please note that AeroAstro will accept the TOEFL “at-home” IBT. If an applicant has been residing in the U.S. (or country where English is an official language) for a minimum of three years  and  has earned a degree from an accredited institution where English is the main language of instruction, this requirement may be waived. Students where this applies must still must submit the waiver form in the application and obtain approval to waive this requirement from the application process. International students, once admitted, must complete the visa process in order to be eligible to study in the US, but this takes place after the admissions process has been completed and a decision has been received.

Q. Do you offer interviews as part of the admissions process?

No. We do not hold interviews as part of the admissions process.

Q. Do you require or consider the GRE exam?

No, we do not require or consider GRE scores are part of our graduate application.

Q. Are students able to participate and complete the graduate program remotely?

No. Students will need to be on campus for their entire graduate study.

Q. Can students complete the program part-time?

No. The graduate program is full-time.

Q. May I call or email the AeroAstro Department to check the status of my application materials?

A. If you wish to check your application material status, please use the online application portal to do so. However, if you have not submitted your application yet, we ask that instead of contacting us to see if we’ve received your supplemental materials, please go ahead and submit your application instead. Please note that you are free to submit your application before all of your recommendations have been received. If you have any questions regarding graduate admission to AeroAstro that aren’t addressed on our site, please email us at  [email protected] .

For Admitted Students

Once you’re admitted to the Aeronautics and Astronautics Graduate Program, there are some important things to think about to ensure a smooth transition into your studies and life at MIT. We recommend, in addition to reading the material on this page, that you visit the  MIT Incoming Student Resources  website.

Transcripts

Upon admission to our graduate program, you are required to submit an official digital copy of your transcript directly to the AeroAstro Student Services Office at  [email protected] , using the digital delivery system your school provides. If your school does not provide this type of service, please contact us at the email above and we will work with you to get it submitted.

Graduate Open House

Students admitted to our graduate program will receive an invitation to attend the Graduate Open House for AeroAstro, an annual event that takes place during the spring semester, typically in March. This event is invitation-only.

Faculty Profiles and Advising Statements

If you’re eager to learn more about your admitting advisor and other faculty members within AeroAstro, you can visit their faculty profiles to review their Advising Philosophy Statements, which will give you better insight into how it would be to work with them on research.

Many of our graduate students choose to live on campus. To procure on-campus housing, you must participate in the Graduate Housing Assignments Allocation Process. There are five graduate residences for single students and two that accommodate families. To begin the process of procuring housing, visit the MIT  Graduate Housing Web site . You may only begin this process after April 15. Should you choose to live off-campus, you’ll find the MIT  Off-Campus Housing Office  is a helpful resource.

International Students

All new MIT international students must work with the  International Students Office  in order to start the visa process. You’ll also have to schedule an appointment with the ISO for clearance once you arrive on campus, or you won’t be able to register.

English Evaluation Test

Entering graduate students whose native language is not English must take the  English Evaluation Exam , which is administered the in August prior to classes starting.

Medical Report

MIT requires all incoming students to submit a medical history, have a physical examination, and document immunity against certain infectious diseases. You must submit MIT Medical Report Forms to the MIT Medical Center before registering for classes. Visit  MIT Medical  to download these forms and learn more, including information on student health insurance requirements.

Computing at MIT

During the spring you’ll receive information that will help you set up a secure MIT Athena access (Athena is MIT’s computing environment), which includes creating your official MIT email address and password. You will also need to download  MIT Certificates  to your computer to access certain secure areas of the MIT Web site. For other general MIT computer information, visit  MIT IS&T . If you have questions specifically about AeroAstro Department computing, you can email  [email protected] .

Parking and Transportation

MIT campus parking is available for a fee. There are free MIT shuttle buses connecting most areas of the campus, and a fee-based shuttle to Logan Airport just before the Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring breaks. There’s also an excellent  public transportation pass program , which MIT subsidizes. You can find information on all transportation options at the  MIT Parking and Transportation Web site .

Graduate Writing Exam

AeroAstro requires that all entering graduate students, including those who completed their bachelor’s degree at MIT, demonstrate satisfactory English writing ability by taking the  Graduate Writing Examination  administered by Comparative Media Studies & Writing. The exam is administered once each year electronically, usually in June or July. If you do not pass the exam, will be required to take a writing workshop for credit during your first January IAP period.

Registration

Registration takes place the day before classes begin. There’s no pre-registration for incoming master’s and doctoral students. Once you arrive on campus, you need to arrange a meeting with your academic advisor (who was assigned to you in your acceptance email) between the AeroAstro orientation and the following week. The process of contacting your advisor will be explained during orientation. You and your advisor will decide which subjects you should take, depending on your research and funding situation. Please note that while there are graduate program requirements, there is no specific set of classes graduate students must take.

Graduate Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics (GA^3)

The  Graduate Association of Aeronautics and Astronautics , or GA^3, as it is called, is the AeroAstro Department graduate student organization. It represents our grads within the department, as well as within the Institute. There are a number of other AeroAstro  student groups  that you are welcome to join. If you have questions regarding student life in AeroAstro at MIT, or even in Cambridge/Boston in general, our students are happy to answer your questions! You can contact them at  [email protected] .