The Department of Structural and Cellular Biology (SCB) offers programs of graduate study leading to the Ph.D. and under special circumstances, to the M.S. degree.  This Ph.D. program at Tulane University is intended to train outstanding research scientists with a broad background in anatomy who are qualified to embark on careers as investigators and teachers.

The student entering the Ph.D. program in SCB may choose from among three tracks depending upon the areas of interest for both research and teaching.  These tracks are [1] gross anatomy [2] histology/cell biology and [3] neuroanatomy.

Research apprenticeship with several faculty members is important.  Students are introduced to a variety of research approaches in their first year by a series of rotations through faculty laboratories of the student’s choosing.  Students are to identify a research laboratory and form a research committee early in their second year.  At the end of the second year, students take a qualifying examination consisting of two parts: (1) an NIH-style research proposal prepared by the student in an area chosen by the student and their research committee and (2) an oral examination (defense) of the written research proposal.  Upon successful completion of the qualifying exam and subsequent approval of the research prospectus the student is admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.  Upon completion of a written dissertation the student presents a defense in the form of an open seminar and a closed discussion with the research committee and faculty follows.

These Graduate Student Guidelines are intended to assist students in following the regulations of the Graduate School and the Department of SCB as they pursue their degrees.  It is the responsibility of each student to meet the requirements and the deadlines established by the Graduate School.  These can be found in the Tulane University Graduate School Bulletin.  It is the hope of the SCB faculty that this training program will challenge each student to attain their full potential as a biomedical scientist and educator.

For easy access to the following information, click the outline links below to be directed to that section of the guidelines.

III. Qualifying Examination

I.   DEGREE PROGRAMS

The Department of SCB offers the following degree programs:

A. Ph.D. in Structural and Cellular Biology

The basic pattern of training in SCB conforms to the regulations of the Graduate School, with certain requirements superimposed by the Department.  The minimum requirements of the Graduate School include 48 hours of formal coursework and an individual research program under faculty supervision, culminating in a dissertation.  The program leading to the Ph.D. degree is composed of coursework, teaching, a “qualifying” exam, and research.  It is designed to provide depth and sophistication of knowledge and technique in a research area of interest to each student.

B. M.D., Ph.D. - Application to this program may be made only after acceptance into the School of Medicine.

C. M.S., M.D. - Application to this program may be made only after acceptance into the School of Medicine.

Note: The guidelines were prepared to assist students working toward the Ph.D. in SCB.  Except for the double degree programs (M.S., M.D. and M.D., Ph.D.), the SCB Department will not approve the enrollment of their graduate students into another program (viz., Medical School) prior to the successful completion of the Ph.D.

II. CURRICULUM

A. Coursework

The minimum number of required course hours, excluding research, is 48 semester hours.  A maximum of 24 semester credit hours earned in post-graduate study at this and/or other institutions, or from courses leading toward and M.D. degree, may be applied towards the Ph.D. degree.  These credits are transferable only at the discretion of the SCB faculty.  Any student who lacks formal graduate coursework in an area, but feels that their previous training or background is sufficient, may petition for an examination to be given by the SCB faculty as a means of exemption.  If this examination is passed and the student is judged competent by the faculty, then they may be excused from taking all or part of the departmental coursework in that subject.

B. Core Curriculum

Courses required for all three tracks (19hr):

Graduate Biochemistry (GBCH 601) - 4hr
Advanced Cell Biology (MCBP 607) - 3hr
Statistics: Introductory Biostatistics (BIOS 603) - 3hr
Signal Transduction and Hormone Action (GPSO 756) - 3hr
Seminar (ANAT 741) - 2hr
Journal Club (Neuroscience 604 or MCB 710) - 1hr
Preceptorship (ANAT 702) - 2hr
Ethics (ANAT spec topics) - 1hr

Courses depending on track:

Gross Anatomy (15hr):

Medical Gross Anatomy - 8hr
Teaching Gross Anatomy (1 block) - 5hr
Histology (Block 1) - 2hr

Electives - 14hr

Histology (9hr):

Histology (3 blocks) - 5hr
Teaching Histology (2 blocks) - 4hr

Electives - 20hr

Neuroanatomy (14hr):

Graduate Neuroscience (NSIP 711, 712) - 6hr
Teaching Methods or Histology labs - 2hr
Neuroscience Methods (NSIP 701, 702) - 4hr
Histology (Block 1) - 2 hr

Electives - 15hr

In the case of the M.D./Ph.D. program, Medical Biochemistry can be substituted for Graduate Biochemistry 601.

C. Elective Courses

Courses will be tailored to the student’s needs in consultation with the graduate advisor (see Section II.B.).  These courses may be transferred from previous graduate work.

D. Journal Review

Each student will attend the journal club for either the Molecular and Cellular Biology or Neuroscience Program.  The student will enroll for credit only one semester, but will attend and participate throughout graduate training.

E. Preceptorships

Structural and Cellular Biology Department (SCBD) 702 is a rotating preceptorship required of all students.  During the first semester after entering the program, each student should interview each member of the SCB faculty about research efforts of their laboratory.  By the end of the first semester, each new student will choose 3 laboratories in which to perform preceptorships.  The graduate advisor will then assist students in determining the order in which they will do these “rotations.”  Normally, all students do 3 laboratory rotations; exceptions may be made for those students who indicate in writing, prior to matriculation, that they wish to work with a particular advisor.  Once a student has chosen a major advisor, written notification is given to the graduate student advisor.

The suggested schedule for the three laboratory rotations is as follows:

1. The first rotation will begin approximately 1 February and continue until 1 April.
2. The second rotation will be 1 April through 1 June.
3. The third rotation will be 1 June through 1 August. Those students who have previously identified the laboratory in which they will do their dissertation research should choose this laboratory for their final rotation.

During each rotation, the number of hours and days in the laboratory will be determined by the student and the professor.  In special cases in which a student or faculty mentor realizes very early during a rotation that the rotation choice was an error, that student should consult with the graduate advisor to establish a new rotation.

Faculty Research Advisors:  The student should select a faculty research advisor or co-advisor as soon as the preceptorships have been completed.  At least one of these must be a member of the SCB Department.

F. Teaching Responsibilities

All candidates must complete successfully one of the following teaching options:

1. Teaching Gross Anatomy (5 credit hours)
   Gross Anatomy (one block of the course)
2. Teaching Histology (4 credit hours)
   Histology (2 blocks)
3. Teaching Neuroscience (2 credit hours)
   Neuroscience Methods laboratory (1 semester)

In each of the above courses, the student will act as a Teaching Assistant, assistingthe faculty in demonstration, laboratory teaching, small group presentations, conferences, tutorial sessions, and/or lectures, at the course director’s discretion.

G. Tracking Progress

1. Academic Performance
The Department adheres to the grading scale outlined in the Graduate School Bulletin.

A = Outstanding
A- = Excellent
B+ = Above Average
B = Satisfactory
B- = Weak but passing (see following paragraph)
C+/below = Unsatisfactory
I = Incomplete (will automatically become an F unless completed within 30 days after the end of the semester)
R = Research in progress (will be used to indicate failure to complete research work which cannot be completed within 30 days after the close of the semester)
IP = In progress (reserved for year-long courses and not applicable to Anatomy courses except in extraordinary cases)

Graduate students must complete all SCB courses with a grade of B or better, and all other coursework with a minimum of B-.  A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be maintained.

Academic Probation and Dismissal: A grade of B- is cause for consideration of academic probation.  A second grade of B- or lower will be cause for automatic academic probation and consideration for dismissal by the Dean of the Graduate School in consultation with the Department.  A grade of B- in any SCB course is considered a deficiency and must be corrected prior to taking the Qualifying Exam.

Students with unsatisfactory academic performance will be considered for academic probation or dismissal.  The Chair of SCB will appoint a committee that will include the graduate advisor to determine if the student should be allowed to continue with graduate work and will recommend appropriate measures to be taken.  If dismissal is recommended, the student will be supplied with a written statement of the reasons for the action and will be given the opportunity to appeal prior to the next departmental faculty meeting.  If the SCB faculty sustains the student’s dismissal, a formal notification of the dismissal will be sent to the Dean of the Graduate School.  Students may also appeal to the Graduate School.

2. Review of Progress of Graduate Students

At the end of each semester, the faculty shall review the progress of all students in the Department.  This review will focus on the progress of first year students, and will include an assessment of the individual’s achievement in coursework and his/her potential for research.  At the end of the student’s first year, the faculty shall advise each student as to the evaluation and recommend either continuance in the program in full or probationary status, or dismissal from the Department.

III. QUALIFYING EXAMINATION

The qualifying exam shall consist of two sections, written and oral.

A. Written Exam

The student should choose a research topic which is different from any research topic proposed in grant applications of the student’s research advisor.  The topic must be approved by the Examination Committee.  This is best achieved by presenting several topics in a meeting with the Examination Committee.  The student will write an NIH- style grant application on the chosen topic, following guidelines for the Abstract and Research Plan sections of form PHS398.  The Research Plan should include subsections: A.  Specific Aims, B.  Background and Significance, C.  Preliminary Data (if any), D. Experimental Design and Methods, F. Animal Use (if any), and I. Literature Cited.  This application will be submitted to the examination committee at least two weeks prior to the oral exam.

B. Oral Exam

The oral portion of the exam should be conducted approximately 6 weeks from the time of the topic approval by the examination committee.  The student will present a 30- minute synopsis of the research proposal.  This will be followed by questions from the Examination Committee and any other faculty present.  The questions will be focused on, but are not limited to, the research proposal.  The oral exam is not intended to be a review of coursework.

C. Examination Committee

The committee will be composed of thestudent’s research advisor and the student’s research committee.

D. In the even that a student does not pass

In the even that a student does not pass, the Examination Committee will have the option to recommend dismissal from the program, remedial work, or retesting at a later date. If the student is to be retested, the retest should take place no later than 3 months from the previous examination.

IV. ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

A. Research Prospectus

Each student must prepare an outline of the research they intend to do for their dissertation; viz., a “Prospectus” of the research project.  The Prospectus must be circulated to the student’s Research Committee a minimum of two weeks prior to the date of the “Prospectus Review,” and a copy should be placed in the departmental office for review by interested faculty members.  The Research Committee must approve at least the three-page Prospectus that is required by the Graduate School.

The Prospectus Review will be administered by the student’s Research Committee and will consist of a short presentation followed by discussion of the proposed research project as outlined in the Prospectus.  Discussion will focus primarily on the relevant literature, research techniques, feasibility and significance of the research project.  The Prospectus Review is not strictly an examination, but rather is an attempt to agree upon a research project.  For approval of the Prospectus, the student must receive no more than one dissenting vote from the Research Committee.  If the Prospectus is not approved, the Research Committee will recommend to the student an appropriate course of action.  The Prospectus Review should occur by 1 July of the student’s third academic year.  The Prospectus should be approved at least one year in advance of the dissertation defense.

After completion of course requirements, Qualifying Examination, and approval of the Prospectus, students are recommended to the Graduate School for admission to candidacy, according to the regulations further detailed in the Graduate School Bulletin.  After approval of the Prospectus, students will proceed, under the supervision of their faculty research advisors, to carry out the research as outlined in the Prospectus.

B. Research Guidelines

If, during the course of the research, the student finds that it is necessary to deviate from the approved research plan, the faculty research advisor(s) must call a meeting of the student’s research committee to discuss and approve the desired changes.  A written report of the research committee’s decision must be entered in the student’s departmental file.  During the dissertation research or writing, the student is encouraged to approach any member of the research committee or others for advice, and in the event of   a major problem, may, with the approval of the advisor(s), call a meeting of the committee to discuss the problem.

During the course of the dissertation research, the student will meet with the research committee at least once every six months and present a progress report.  At this time, the committee members can evaluate the research and may offer constructive advice.

After completion of dissertation research, and before or during the early part of the dissertation preparation, the student will present their findings to the SCB faculty and other graduate students at departmental seminars.

C. Dissertation

All students will prepare a dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.  The student’s Faculty Research Advisor(s) will monitor the writing of the dissertation and advise the student.  When the dissertation is submitted to the Research Committee, the organization, content, wording, grammar, and bibliography should be in essentially completed form.

Copies of the dissertation must be in circulated to the committee members at least two weeks prior to the date of the Final Examination to allow the committee members to become familiar with the dissertation prior to the Examination and to correct any errors overlooked by the student and advisor(s).  A copy of the dissertation should also be made available in the departmental office for evaluation by the rest of the departmental faculty, who may submit comments to the Research Committee.

After successful completion of the Final Exam (Dissertation Defense), appropriate changes, as recommended by the research committee, will be made in the dissertation and a final copy prepared as specified in the Graduate School Bulletin.  University regulations regarding dissertation format are available from the Graduate School; however, presentation of data should conform to acceptable scientific standards.  A bound copy of the finished dissertation must be filed with the Department.  Other copies must be provided as specified in the Graduate School Bulletin.

D. Final Examination (Dissertation Defense)

This exam will be conducted by the student’s Research Committee and is a defense of the dissertation.  The candidate will be expected to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of their research area and related topics during the defense of the dissertation.  To pass this examination, a student must receive no more than one dissenting vote from the examining committee.  The defense of the dissertation should not be considered less that one year following the prospectus defense.

V. GRADUATE ADVISORS AND COMMITTEES

A. Graduate Student Advisor (Director of the Graduate Program)

The Graduate Student Advisor is appointed from the SCB faculty by the department chair and serves as the general academic advisor to incoming graduate students until they have chosen a permanent faculty research advisor.

B. Faculty Research Advisor

The faculty research advisor is chosen by the student based on the student’s research interests after completion of preceptorship rotations.  This individual will guide the phase of the graduate student’s research training. If the student’s research interests overlap two research fields, then co-advisors may be appointed.  The student’s faculty research advisor or co-advisor must be a member of the SCB faculty.  The responsibilities of the faculty research advisor are as follows:  (1) to provide guidance as to academic programs of study, (2) to guide the student during their dissertation research and (3) to serve as chairperson of the student’s research committee.

C. Research Committee

The committee will consist of a minimum of five faculty members and must include the student’s Faculty Research Advisor(s), at least 2 other SCB faculty members and at least onemember of a department other than SCB.  One of the committee members may be from outside Tulane University.  The primary duties of this committee are to administer the Qualifying Exam, approve the Prospectus and Dissertation, and to give assistance to the student during research.

D. Department Chairperson

The Chairperson of SCB makes final approval on all matters concerning the graduate program.

VI. RESIDENCY

Each student must complete their degree program within a reasonable period of time, not to exceed seven years.  A year of residence is defined as 11 months of full-time study/research activity.  Each year a student is entitled to a maximum 4 weeks of vacation.  Students are required to file “Leave Forms” with the SCB Office prior to leaving for vacation or scientific meetings.  The minimal residency requirement for students with other graduate or specialized training will be determined by SCB with approval by the Dean of the Graduate School.

VII. FINAL STATEMENT

Any exceptions to the regulations set forth in these Guidelines must be submitted in writing for consideration and approval by the SCB faculty.  Also, any amendments or revisions to the guidelines must be approved by a majority of the SCB faculty.