Course Requirements

• General Course Requirements
• Area Course Requirements
• Molecular Area Course Requirements
• Program Course Requirements
• Suggested Courses for First Year Students by Programs

General Course Requirements

The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston requires a minimum of 54 credit hours to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The 54 credit hour minimum includes: one credit hour of the Ethical Dimensions of the Biomedical Sciences (GS210051), 12 credit hours of Tutorial Research Experience (GS000514), and, effective Fall term 2011, two on-line ethics modules; four required GSBS area requirement courses; and a minimum of one year of registration for research which includes Research in Biomedical Sciences (GS000520) and Dissertation for Doctor of Philosophy (GS000920). Any exceptions to this minimum credit hour requirement must be approved by the Dean upon recommendation by the Academic Standards Committee. The majority of these 54 credit hours, plus the majority of any additional coursework required by the ASC or the student's Advisory or Supervisory Committees, must be taken at the UT GSBS at Houston, at other UTHSC schools, or at an institution with which we have consortium arrangements (i.e., Rice University, the University of Houston, or Baylor University).

The Graduate School does not prescribe a set of required courses for all students in a given area of research. Rather, each student's program is individualized and depends on the background and research interests of the student. Full-time students must register for at least 9 credit hours each fall and spring semester, and 6 in summer terms.

Additional courses necessary to complete the Ph.D. degree will be recommended by the student's Advisory Committee, which must be formed by the end of the third tutorial.

Tutorials

With the exception of students who are supported by particular faculty members, departments or programs, students may choose their tutorial instructors from the entire GSBS Faculty and are not limited to those in a specific area of research. Tutorials must be taken under the supervision of three different faculty members, and, if possible, one of the tutorials should be outside the student's major area of specialization.

For students who are not paid by GSBS, the following guidelines apply to the selection of tutorials:

• Students paid by an individual faculty member will complete one tutorial in that laboratory and choose instructors for the other two tutorials (which must be done in two other labs) in consultation with the sponsoring faculty member.

• Students paid by a group of faculty members will do their tutorials in the laboratories of those particular faculty members.

• Students paid by departments or Programs will complete tutorials in the laboratories of faculty members affiliated with the sponsoring units.

Breadth Requirement

To meet the breadth requirement, students take one of the approved courses in each of four areas, and again, the course selection will be determined by the student's background and interests.

The only exception to this requirement is made for students who are formally affiliated with one of four Programs which have their own required courses (Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Genes & Development, and Microbiology & Molecular Genetics). Students in those Programs take an alternate group of specific courses specified by the Programs and approved by the Faculty.

Time Limits

Students in the Ph.D. program are expected to complete three tutorials during their first two semesters of enrollment and to meet the breadth requirements, the complete Ethical Dimensions of the Biomedical Sciences (GS210051) and the two on-line ethics modules by the end of their second year.

Recognition of Previous Coursework/Research Experience

Students in the Ph.D. program who have had previous graduate-level coursework or extensive research experience may petition the Academic Standards Committee to substitute that work for one or more of the area courses or tutorials. For more details on the waiver process, see your Dean's Office Advisor.

Requirements for M.S. Degree

The requirements for students admitted to the M.S. program are thirty (30) semester hours (effective beginning with the 2006-2007 academic year) of coursework, including The Ethical Dimensions of the Biomedical Sciences (GS210051) and, effective Fall term 2011, the two on-line ethics modules, and a research thesis. Included in the thirty semester hour requirement are credit hours of Research in Biomedical Science (GS000520).  M.S. students are not required to do tutorials, although they may do a tutorial-like Special Project (GS000530) to help them find a thesis advisor. The required coursework in an M.S. program is determined by the student and his/her Advisory Committee, but, for students entering in the Fall term, 2010, must include at least 12 credit hours of didactic (graded A, B, C, F) courses. The majority of these 30 credit hours, plus the majority of any additional coursework required by the ASC or the student's Advisory or Supervisory Committees, must be taken at the UT GSBS at Houston, at other UTHSC schools, or at an institution with which we have consortium arrangements (i.e., Rice University, the University of Houston, or Baylor University).

Students in an M.S. degree program who have completed graduate courses in the general area of biomedical sciences at another institution may request that credit hours be used toward the 30 credit hour requirement at GSBS. While there is no limit to the number of hours for which you may be credited, no more than two courses may be used toward the GSBS requirement. You must have received at least a C (if the course had A,B,C... grades) or P (if the course was pass/fail) in the course to forward credit to GSBS. Contact the Office of Academic Affairs for more information about receiving credit for previous graduate coursework.