This page outlines the key steps in your Cell Biology graduate journey, with links to important paperwork.
Please note, the forms are linked here for your convenience, but the program administrator will be able to help obtaining these forms and processing them through the Docusign process.
You can check out full student information on the Handbook page.
- First year: Core courses and lab rotations
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The first year of a Cell biology PhD at Pitt encompasses a series of didactic courses covering the fundamentals of biomedical science and good research practice. This is accompanied by three 10-12 week rotation projects that can be completed in any lab within the Interdisciplinary umbrella.
At the end of the first year, you select a laboratory within the Cell Biology program that you have complete a rotation in to join for your thesis work. The graduate office assist you in completing the transfer Form.
- Years 2-3: CBMP program, core courses and research
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You will complete a mix of required (7 credits) and elective didactic courses encompassing advanced training in cell biology.
Together with your advisor, you will begin to develop your thesis project. Lab work focuses on generating initial experimental results and formulating specific research aims.
- Year 3: comprehensive exam
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Although there is no set timetable, students typically are ready to take the comprehensive exam and advance to PhD candidacy at the beginning of their third year.
The combination of research and coursework in the first two years will have equipped you with the general knowledge of cell biology, as well as the synthetic and reductive ability required to propose an advanced research project.
For your exam, you will develop a 7-page, NIH-style fellowship proposal detailing the background and significance of your thesis project, 2-3 specific questions your research will answer (the “specific aims”). You will also detail your proposed experimental approach.
Together with your advisor, you will assemble a committee of examiners from the program. That committee will read the proposal and then ask questions about the project during a 1-2 hour oral examination.
The committee then completes the Comprehensive Examination Report form that is submitted to the graduate studies office, documenting the examination and any recommendations for the student’s academic development.
- Years 3 onwards: admission to candidacy and thesis work
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After completion of the comprehensive exam, you will spend the majority of your time on your thesis research.
The first task with you advisor is to recruit a thesis committee, composed of yourself, your mentor, three faculty members from your program and an additional faculty member external to the program. The committee oversees your project and advises the student throughout the project. You formalize this committee by returning the Nomination of Dissertation Doctoral Advisory Committee form.
Once your advisory committee is recruited, you arrange your first committee meeting (within 6 months of completing the comprehensive examination). At this meeting, the planned thesis research is presented for feedback and approval by the committee. Specific suggestions are noted on the Thesis Committee Report Form. Successful completion of the meeting is reported to the graduate studies office via the Dissertation Overview/Prospectus form.
At this point, you are now an official PhD candidate! This must be reported to the graduate office via the Admission to Candidacy form.
As your progress with your research, you will convene thesis committees as needed (at a minimum, every 12 months) to discuss your progress and seek advice for overcoming problems or obstacles. Progress is noted via the Thesis Committee Report Form after each meeting.
Don't worry, you will still have time for thesis work between the paperwork!
- Finishing up: Thesis defense
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As soon as you have completed a research project, to the extent that it constitutes a significant, original contribution to knowledge, you are ready to write and defend your thesis!
What is a “significant, original contribution to knowledge”? In the Cell Biology program, we define this based on the work being deemed suitable for publication in a pubmed indexed, peer-reviewed scientific journal. Therefore, acceptance of a lead-author manuscript in such a Journal is a pre-requisite to submit and defend the thesis work.
Your committee will discuss with you when you are ready to begin writing your dissertation, and document this on your final Thesis Committee Report Form.
You will write your thesis, based largely around your published work, and submit the final document to the graduate studies office. You schedule a date for your defense and submit Dissertation Defense information at least 4 weeks prior to that date!
You can also apply to have a given name included on your thesis and diploma using the Diploma Name Request form.
On the day of the defense, a formal presentation of the project is given in the form of a public seminar, followed by a private oral examination by the thesis committee. At the end of the exam, assuming you met all the requirements, you will be a PhD! Congratulations – you made it, and the paperwork is nearly all done.
A Dissertation Defense report is signed by the committee and submitted to the graduate studies office.
An Electronic Thesis and Dissertation approval form must also be signed.
Any agreed upon changes or corrections to the final thesis document are then made by the student and this, along with a Dissertation Approval form, is submitted to the graduate studies office.