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APMB
A multi-disciplinary training program |
| The Ph.D. program in Molecular and Cell Biology (MOCB) combines the substantial faculty resources and research facilities of several departments oof the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering at UMBC to offer an interdisciplinary, state-of-the-art educational experience for those desiring advanced training in molecular and cell biology. The program provides participants with the conceptual and technical background to investigate basic or applied problems at the molecular and cellular levels, in the life, biomedical and bioengineering sciences. |
Program Philosophy |
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The Biological Sciences continue to change rapidly as we enter the 21st century. Biology in the 20th century evolved from a highly descriptive 19th century science into an incisive experimental science aimed at answering difficult questions about the nature of living things. Perhaps the most important discovery of the 20th century was the idea that organisms were defined by the information content of their nucleic acids. |
| Much of biology in the latter half of the 20th century had to do with understanding how the structures we see in living things could be encoded in nucleic acid sequences. Many of the advances in understanding how that happens came from discoveries using the twin disciplines of Molecular and Cell Biology. The techniques that were developed by Cell and Molecular Biologists remain some of the most powerful tools we have to understand living things, and have been adopted by biologists working in all areas of Biological Science. |
| The intent of the MOCB program is to provide an intensive, innovative but broadly-based training in Molecular and Cell Biology. To assure that students have a proper grounding the program prescribes a set of advanced graduate classes in Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (prokaryotic and eukaryotic). In addition, students get specific training in some aspect of Molecular and Cell Biology by participating in at least one 3 credit graduate seminar and by continued participation in research seminars (or journal clubs) in their area of concentration. |
| Students who have completed this course of study have gone on to postdoctoral positions in highly regarded research universities around the country. Many graduates are now faculty themselves, while most have chosen a career in research outside of academia. |
| Many participating faculy members have chosen to use model systems for their work rather than more biomedically relevant systems. These model systems were developed to allow facile attack on fundamental problems. Those faculty members using model systems do so partly because the facility of the systems allows students to develop more quickly the intellectual and technical skills important for their future development as scientists. |
Applying for Admission |
| We are now considered applications for admission for the 2004-2005 class. To apply visit the Graduate School web site where you will find two alternative methods to make your application. |
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| We encourage anyone interested in our programs to fill out the online pre-application. The information submitted is posted directly to the department's Graduate Admission committee. Even if you are submitting a formal application to the Graduate School, we will be able to more rapidly consider your application if you have used the online pre-application. |
Participating Departments |
| The program involves participating faculty from three Departments at UMBC: |
Faculty in each department bring diverse intellectual and research interests to the program. The opportunity for cross-disciplinary training is one of the strengths of this program. |
Degree Requirements |
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The degree requirements includes a total of 8 graduate level courses and completion of 12 credits of research: |
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| Beginning with the second year, students are required to participate in a Research Seminar (Journal Club) every semester and to take one credit of Research Seminar (Journal Club) each year |
| In addition, students who complete the degree will have completed |
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Most importantly, the student will complete original research under the direction of their faculty mentor and overseen by a committee knowledgeable in the student's area of specialization. |
| See an example of a curriculum of courses that would satisfy the requirements of this degree. |
