Biological and Biomedical Sciences
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Satisfactory Progress
Satisfactory progress is required for biological and biomedical sciences (BBS) students to continue enrollment in the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS). BBS determines progress by considering the following: performance in courses; performance on their preliminary qualifying examination; demonstration of adequate research ability and/or level of improvement; acceptable ethical conduct; participation in other scholarly activities of the student's program; completing work prescribed by the dissertation advisor; and required activities of the program.
Ordinarily, students are expected to complete their dissertation by the end of their sixth year. Under no circumstances will students be allowed to register beyond the 10th year at Harvard Griffin GSAS.
Required Coursework
The BBS curriculum is concentrated in the first and second graduate years (G1 & G2); required courses are dedicated to skills and conceptual knowledge that we believe to be essential for contemporary research scientists. BBS curriculum electives also allow students to tailor several of their course selections to suit their scientific interests and goals.
Students are required to take the following skills courses:
- BBS 230
- BBS 333r
- BBS 330qc
Students will also select two of our core concept courses. These courses provide an experimentally focused, graduate-level view of fundamental concepts critical for success in all areas of biological and biomedical research:
- GEN 201
- BCMP 200
- CB 201
Students will take 14 credits worth of electives of the student’s choosing to fill knowledge gaps and explore areas of interest in more detail.
Students in their G2 year will take Medical Sciences 300qc, a discussion-based course on ethics and the proper conduct of science. Students in their sixth year will take Medical Sciences 302qc.
In accordance with the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS), all degree candidates must maintain a grade point average equivalent to 3.0 or better to continue in the program. Satisfactory progress is reviewed annually and students who fall below the grade minimum will ordinarily be given one term to improve their grades.
Students are approved to participate in an internship under limited circumstances as outlined in HMS OGE PhD Program policies. If approved, students must enroll in Med-Sci 325 during the time of their internship participation.
Laboratory Rotations
Laboratory rotations provide an important opportunity for students to explore a variety of scientific environments to help them find the one that best fits their interests for pursuing dissertation research. Rotations offer a unique source of experiential training in different experimental models, approaches, and technologies. Additionally, students should try to identify the features of laboratory life they can enjoy and thrive in, such as mentorship style and lab culture.
BBS students carry out three 8–12 week rotations during their first year in HILS faculty labs. Following the rotations, students will select a suitable dissertation advisor by July 31 of a student’s first year as they rise into their G2 year
Advising
Advising of students is multilayered—distributed among advisors, committees, program heads, program administrators, the HMS Office for PhD Programs, and Harvard Griffin GSAS.
During their first academic year (G1), students will be advised by a BBS faculty member who will be assigned to serve as their academic program advisor. The program advisor (PA) serves as their guide to the program and the research environment at the medical school and beyond. PAs will advise students in choosing appropriate courses, rotation laboratories, and can also help solve problems that might arise as students adjust to life in graduate school. Many students continue to solicit advice and support from their BBS program advisor well beyond the first year.
This process continues until a student selects a dissertation laboratory and a dissertation advisory committee (DAC) is formed. In parallel with the dissertation advisor, the DAC monitors the student’s progress, offers assistance, and determines when the student can write and defend the dissertation.
Teaching
BBS encourages students to gain meaningful teaching experience as part of their graduate training. Each student is required to serve as a teaching fellow for one term during their G2 year. Teaching beyond the requirement requires prior approval from the student’s advisor(s), dissertation committee, and the BBS program.
Preliminary Qualifying Examinations
To advance to PhD candidacy, students are required to successfully complete the candidacy exam by June 30 of their G2 year. Continued enrollment for any student who has not attained a clear pass after a second examination, if one has been approved, will be determined by a committee of faculty from the student’s program and the HMS Dean for Graduate Education.
Dissertation
Selecting a Dissertation Advisor
When a student decides on, and is accepted by, a dissertation advisor, they initiate this process with a Dissertation Advisor Declaration form (DAD) which then must be approved by the BBS Program. The deadline to declare a dissertation advisor is July 1 of a student’s first year as they advance towards their second year.
Dissertation Advisory Committees (DAC)
Students must establish a dissertation advisory committee (DAC) to provide timely and considered advising. The DAC helps set logical goals for the completion of the dissertation and monitors progress toward completion of degree requirements.
The student’s DAC should be formed in consultation with the student and the student’s dissertation advisor. The committee should have three members, not including the advisor. The dissertation advisor serves as an ex officio member. The student should meet with their committee three to four months after the preliminary examination, and every nine months thereafter. Students in their fifth or sixth year must hold DAC meetings every six months and students in their seventh year and beyond must hold their DAC every three months. The dissertation advisory committee may decide to meet more frequently.
Students must have the final dissertation advisory committee report on file stating that the student may begin writing the dissertation with approval of the general outline and content of the dissertation prior to processing dissertation defense paperwork. After receiving approval and permission from the committee to write the dissertation, students should then defend their dissertation no later than six months from the date of permission to write.
Dissertation and Defense
The PhD dissertation is expected to contain a substantial amount of independent research work of publishable quality. In addition to chapters of research, each dissertation must contain introduction and conclusion chapters that present the themes of the dissertation and summarize the accomplishments. In some cases, the student has done all the work in the dissertation; more often, portions of the dissertation result from collaborative research. In all dissertations containing collaborative results, the dissertation should indicate concisely who contributed the work.
Students are expected to give a public seminar on their dissertation research. Granting of the degree requires the approval of the candidate’s defense committee members, who review the dissertation and examine the student on the contents of the dissertation.
Master’s in Passing
Students may apply for a non-terminal AM degree (also known as a master's in passing) en route to the PhD degree. Normally, this application is made after a student has passed the general examinations and fulfilled coursework requirements. A thesis is not required for the non-terminal AM degree in BBS. Students must additionally meet the minimum Harvard Griffin GSAS requirements for a master’s degree as it pertains to residency, credits, and GPA.
BBS offers PhD training and does not accept candidates for a master’s degree. Only under exceptional circumstances does the program award a terminal master’s degree. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis.