Biochemistry, Ph.D.

Contact Information

John Cushman, Ph.D., Graduate Program Director
jcushman@unr.edu
(775) 784-1918

Mailing Address:

University of Nevada, Reno
Department of Biochemistry, Mail Stop 0330
1664 North Virginia Street
Reno, NV 89557-0330

Graduate Handbook *

Program Objectives/Student Learning Outcomes

The academic environment is lively and highly interactive, as represented by a series of diverse, interdisciplinary seminar programs sponsored in conjunction with other related departments.  The program of study includes lecture courses, laboratory rotations, journal club presentations and discussion groups, a qualifying written and oral examination, thesis or dissertation research, and one or more semesters of teaching experience. First-year students take a core curriculum and gain research experience by rotating through student-selected research laboratories. Laboratory rotations facilitate the choice of a dissertation adviser. Doctoral or master’s research projects are selected by the student in consultation with a major dissertation or thesis adviser and an advisory committee. The requirements for the Ph.D. can generally be completed in four or five years. The program, which is designed to prepare students for careers in research and/or teaching, emphasizes a cooperative, personal working environment between students and members of the faculty.

• Graduate students will exhibit timely progression through the Ph.D. program.
• Graduate students are expected to demonstrate an advanced level of competency in the general fields of biochemistry and molecular biology and in the specialized subject area of their research.
• Graduate students will demonstrate competence in oral and written communication skills including the ability to write and present independent research, write research grant proposals and journal articles suitable for publication, and read and critically evaluate relevant scientific literature in biochemistry and molecular biology.
• Graduate students must demonstrate the ability to complete laboratory-based research in their field of study, including the mastery of common and specialized techniques and instrumentation used in performing biochemical and molecular biology experimentation, the testing of a hypothesis or answering scientific questions formulated independently or in conjunction with the advisor and committee members.

Assessment information for the master’s and doctoral programs is available on the University Assessment site.

Admission Requirements

1. Candidates for admission to the program must meet the Graduate School’s admission criteria, as well as certain additional requirements in chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology. Students who have not taken courses in molecular biology, molecular biophysics, or metabolic regulation, but who meet the remaining requirements, might be admitted to the program with the expectation that such remedial coursework will be completed within the first year of graduate study (see program requirements below).
2. A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 or 3.0 is required for admission to the master’s or Ph.D. programs, respectively.
3. A combined Graduate Record Examination (GRE) test score of 300 or greater is also required as part of the application.
4. Interested students should submit copies of their official undergraduate and graduate school transcripts directly from the institutions previously attended to the University of Nevada, Reno.
5. For students for whom English is their second language, a competitive TOEFL® examination score is also required for admission (computer based = 180 or iBT® internet based = 79) and eligibility for graduate assistantships (computer based = 213 or iBT® internet based = 79). 
6. Applicants must also submit:

• GRE (and TOEFL) scores,
• three letters of recommendation, and a
• statement of purpose as part of the online application process.

All accepted students are automatically granted a graduate or teaching assistantship during the first year.

To ensure full consideration, applications for fall admission should be completed by December 15. There is a nonrefundable graduate program application fee of $60 for domestic applicants and $95 for international applicants. 

I. Program Requirements

II. Total Units (72 units)

Notes

1. First year Ph.D. students are required to enroll in BCH 701 and 702 (Experimental Biochemistry) and rotate through a minimum of two different laboratories. Research rotations are arranged in consultation with individual faculty mentors working within any molecular biosciences discipline.
2. Up to 24 credits from a completed Master’s degree and up to 9 credits from graduate level coursework can be transferred with the exception of research dissertation and seminar credits, which must be performed in residence. For timely program progression, graduate students are encouraged to form their advisory committee within the first year and take their qualifying examination before the end of their second year in the program.
3. * Curriculum requirements in the catalog supersede the Graduate handbook.

Undergraduate Prerequisites

The following courses are required for students who have not taken equivalent courses as an undergraduate: BCH 605 - Molecular Biology , BCH 613 - Molecular Biophysics  , and BCH 617 - Metabolic Regulation  .