Course Work

Within the Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program, considerable emphasis is placed on becoming an effective scientific investigator. However, during the first two years of the program, a substantial amount of time is spent in formal course work. During this time, students complete a core sequence of courses, as well as more advanced courses offered by the Microbiology and Immunology Graduate Program and other graduate programs. A more detailed description of the curriculum and a list of the required courses is available for viewing.

Students also make one Journal Club presentation each year. Graduate students (beginning in the second year), postdoctoral fellows, and faculty members present formal seminars annually to foster interactions among the members of different laboratories.

Research and Laboratory Rotations

The first-year research program is structured to enable students to become acquainted with, and learn research methods in different disciplines, work closely with individual investigators and members of their laboratories, and decide upon a permanent research advisor. During the first part of the Fall Semester, conferences are scheduled with each faculty member to introduce students to ongoing research in the department and opportunities available in each laboratory. Based on these conferences, the student, in consultation with the Graduate Program Committee, develops a schedule for laboratory rotations in the Fall and Spring Semesters. Four rotations are arranged to provide broadly-based experiences in different departmental laboratories. Following the Spring Semester, each student, in consultation with the Graduate Program Committee and the departmental chairman, chooses a permanent thesis advisor from among the members of the graduate program. Shortly thereafter, each student will form a doctoral committee that will assist the student and thesis advisor both in choosing an elective supplementary curriculum and developing an original research program leading to the Ph.D. thesis. Students are also required to make annual research presentations to their doctoral advisory committee. Students are encouraged to present their research findings at national meetings and to publish their research work in the scientific literature.

Teaching

After the first year, all students participate in the teaching of the Medical Microbiology Laboratory which includes seven sessions scheduled over a seven-week period early in the Spring Semester.

Academic Requirements

Students must maintain a 3.0 (B) average to remain in good academic standing. Students are evaluated for admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree at the end of the first year by consideration of their academic performance, acquired laboratory skills, and a formal written examination of their progress in reading and understanding the scientific literature. At the completion of substantially all course work, students will take the comprehensive examination which usually consists of a written research proposal and an oral defense of that proposal. After completion of the thesis research (usually five years), students defend their Ph.D. thesis at the final oral examination.

MD/PhD Program

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology participates in the Penn State University MD/PhD Program, which provides the opportunity for students interested in careers in academic medicine and research to obtain the necessary training in clinical and basic sciences in a seven year period. The dual degree provides the student with knowledge of the breadth of clinical science, plus the ability to design experiments and conduct biomedical research with modern technology. The research experience provides depth in fundamental disciplines.

Students in the program will take the graduate school core curriculum and a new integrated lecture and problem-based learning curriculum in medicine in the first year. The second year is spent primarily with the medical student class with some interactions with the chosen graduate program. Years 3 through 5 are concentrated in the graduate department to complete graduate school requirements and thesis-related research. Years 6 and 7 focus on clinical rotations.

Prospective students interested in earning a dual degree should apply through the MD program. For further information, visit the MD/PhD Program site.