Graduates will receive the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Basic Medical Sciences with academic specialization in one of the following disciplines: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cancer Biology, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Microbiology and Immunology, Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, Physiology. A combined program leading to the awarding of both the Ph.D. and M.D. degree is available to highly qualified applicants.

Matriculation is contingent upon review and recommendation by the Admissions Committee of the Graduate Program in Basic Medical Sciences. After acceptance by the Dean of the Graduate School, the student must maintain satisfactory performance in course work in progress between acceptance and matriculation.

Application forms and information about the Graduate Program in Basic Medical Sciences should be requested from the Director of the Graduate Program in Basic Medical Sciences, 251 CSAB, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36688-0002; Telephone: (251) 460-6153; Fax:(251)460-6071;

Email: bmsdirector@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

To be considered for review by the Admissions Committee, an applicant must submit the following:

1. A completed admissions application form for the Graduate Program in the Basic Medical Sciences.
   
2. One complete certified transcript submitted from each college or university attended, with all scholastic records of completed work.
   
3. An official report of all scores of standardized achievement examinations (GRE, TOEFL), that have been taken.
   
4. Three letters of recommendation from instructors, advisors, or other persons qualified to evaluate the student’s academic performance and potential in graduate school.
   
5. There is no application fee, but upon acceptance students must file a graduate school admissions application with the $25.00 processing fee.

All documents for admission review (transcripts, test scores and letters of recommendation) must be official, i.e., mailed from the home institution or testing agency directly to the Graduate Program in Basic Medical Sciences at the address above, and become the property of the University of South Alabama.

By the end of the first year, the student should have selected a major professor. The major professor has the primary responsibility for designing a future course of study in consultation with the chair of the department and the student’s advisory committee. The student is required to complete 40 credits of formal course work. The selection of these courses is based on the requirements of the department and the recommendations of the advisory committee. The student will also develop communication skills by presentation of formal lectures and seminars and the completion and approval of a written research proposal.

Dissertation Committee
Typically, by the end of one and a half years of study, the student will consult with their major professor, departmental Chair, and the Director of the Graduate Program to select at least four additional graduate faculty members to serve on the Dissertation Committee. Two of the four shall be selected from the major department and at least two from other Basic Medical Science departments at the University of South Alabama. In special situations, one member may be selected from another institution with the recommendation of the departmental chair and the Director of the Graduate Program and approval of the Dean of the Graduate School. The Dissertation Committee shall be recommended by the departmental Chair and the Director of the Graduate Program, and appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School. The student shall convene the first committee meeting no later than six months following the selection of the Dissertation Committee.

After the selection of potential committee members, each designated member shall signify a willingness to serve by signing a Dissertation Committee petition which is forwarded to the Director’s office for approval and inclusion in the student’s graduate training record.

The purpose and duties of the Dissertation Committee are:

1. To establish a suitable academic and research training program for each student according to the student’s interests, strengths and weaknesses, and requirements of the discipline.
   
2. To counsel the student throughout the academic and research experience on professional development.
   
3. To administer and judge a proper defense of the dissertation at the end of a student’s training program.
   
4. To assist the student in gaining superior scientific training and to accept responsibility for helping the graduate obtain opportunities for postdoctoral positions.

The student, in consultation with the major professor, shall prepare and submit for approval to the Dissertation Committee a research project description prior to enrolling for Research Dissertation credit. The research description must be submitted no later than the end of one and a half years of study.

The Dissertation Committee shall meet with the student and consider the feasibility, originality, logic, and research approach of the proposed project. After approval of the student’s research project description by the Dissertation Committee, a copy shall be submitted by the student for approval to the Chair of the appropriate department, the Director of the Graduate Program, and the Dean of the Graduate School.

The Dissertation Committee shall meet with the student at six-month intervals to review progress. At each meeting, the student shall make an oral presentation of the progress being made on the project in an orderly and professional manner and discuss any significant problems which have arisen with a view toward gaining constructive criticism from the committee. At the conclusion of each of these reviews, the Dissertation Committee shall meet in executive session to discuss the acceptability of the student’s progress. The major professor shall report the student’s progress to the Director of the Graduate Program on the required form, indicating which Committee members were present.

A student whose progress is found to be unsatisfactory by a majority of the committee members at two such successive meetings shall be placed on probation. If the student’s progress is then found to continue to be unsatisfactory, the Director of the Graduate Program (in consultation with the Dissertation Committee, the Student Evaluation and Promotions Committee, and the departmental Chair in the student’s area of specialization) may take necessary action up to and including a recommendation to the Dean of the Graduate School for academic dismissal of the student.

Changes in the composition of an established Dissertation Committee may be initiated by either the chair of the Dissertation Committee or by the student with the consent of the Chair of the Dissertation Committee. Changes in committee composition must be recommended by the Chair of the student’s department and the Director of the Graduate Program, and approved by the Dean of the Graduate School.

Qualifying Examination
The student must complete a Qualifying Examination consisting of written and oral portions prior to the Admission to Candidacy for the Ph.D. degree. The Qualifying Examination is given to assess the student’s knowledge in the area of specialization and to assess the student’s ability to relate this knowledge to a specific research problem. Successful completion is a prerequisite for continuing in the program.

These examinations usually will be given near the end of the second year of study. If the exam is not taken by that time, then the student must obtain approval from their dissertation advisor, department Chair, and Director of Graduate Program to delay the exam. If approval is granted for a delay, then the student will be required to take the exam no later than the end of the third year of study. The oral portion of the Qualifying Examination will be given within 90 days of satisfactory completion of the written examination. A grade (Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory) by a majority vote of the Examining Committee must be reported to the Director of the Graduate Program.

If a student fails either the written or oral Qualifying Examination, the student may petition the Chair of the department to retake the examination a second time within 60 days. Following departmental review of the student’s petition, the Chair of the department shall forward the decision to either grant or deny the petition for reexamination to the Director of the Graduate Program. A student will not be allowed to repeat an examination more than one time.

All requirements for the Ph.D. degree should normally be completed within four to five years from the date of matriculation, and must be completed within seven years. A student who has not satisfactorily completed a dissertation in a seven-year period must apply for a defined extension to complete the degree. This request must be approved by the major professor, the Chair of the department, the Director of the Graduate Program, and the Dean of the Graduate School.

If the student does not complete the degree requirements in the defined extension period, the Director of the Graduate Program, with the advice of the Graduate Executive Committee, may recommend to the Dean of the Graduate School appropriate action up to and including dismissal.