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Program Description
Degrees Offered
Applying for Admission
Financial Assistance
Program Comments
Graduate Program Policies and Procedures

Program Description

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology provides a highly individualized graduate student-oriented educational experience in which research is emphasized. The student to faculty ratio rarely exceeds 2:1. The small size of the department allows for extensive interaction among faculty and students, and a cohesive, collegial atmosphere. Students learn not only from their mentors, but also from each other.

First-year students are part of a larger cohort of students from other biomedical graduate programs. They participate in an interdisciplinary Cellular and Molecular Foundations in Biomedical Science course, a statistics course, a year-long research seminar series, and an annual Biomedical Science Retreat. Biochemistry students also take additional advanced courses offered by the Department. They begin research projects immediately, and by the end of their first year are established in the laboratory of their thesis advisor.

Prospective applicants should note the research interests of the faculty as found by clicking on the faculty tab. These opportunities include research in the Grand Forks Human Nutrition Laboratory, a United States Department of Agriculture facility. The names and research interests of the Adjunct Faculty who directly supervise research at the HNRC can be found under the faculty tab.

Students who have earned degrees from the UND Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology have gone on to excellent post-doctoral positions, continued their education in biomedically-related professional disciplines, taken positions in industry, or assumed teaching positions at four-year colleges.

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Degrees Offered

The requirements for each degree offered are outlined below.

MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.S.)

  1. A minimum of 30 credit hours including research and thesis.
  2. A grade of at least C in BIMD 500.
  3. Completion of BIMD 510, 513, 515 and 516.
  4. Completion of three credits of BMB533.
  5. Completion of 1 credit each of BMB 514 and 521.
  6. An overall GPA of at least 3.0.
  7. An acceptable thesis.
  8. Minimum Course Requirements as follows:
Course Number     Course Title    Credits
 
BIMD 500     Cellular & Molecular Foundations     7
BIMD 510     Basic Biomedical Statistics     2
BIMD 513     Seminar in Biomedical Sciences     1
BIMD 515     Steps to Success in Graduate School     1
BIMD 516     Responsible Conduct of Research     1
BMB 514     Current Literature     1
BMB 521     Seminar     1
BMB 533     Advanced Biochem. & Molec. Biol.     3
BMB 590 and 998     Research & Thesis     14
      Minimum Total Credits     30

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Ph.D.)

  1. Performance of original research suitable for publication in a refeered journal and the preparation of a dissertation.
  2. A minimum of 90 credit hours, including research and dissertation.
  3. A scholarly tool (normally met by taking BIMD 510 or its equivalent).
  4. A grade of at least B in BIMD 500.
  5. Completion of BIMD 510, 513, 515 and 516.
  6. Completion of six credits of BMB 533.
  7. Completion of two credits each of BMB 514 and 521.
  8. An overall GPA of at least 3.0.
  9. At least 6 credits of formal course work outside of the department.
  10. Passing performance on oral and written comprehensive examinations covering the course work in the major and related areas.
  11. Preparation and oral defense of a satisfactory dissertation.
  12. Minimum Course Requirements as follows:
Course Number     Course Title    Credits
 
BIMD 500     Cellular & Molecular Foundations     7
BIMD 510     Basic Biomedical Statistics     2
BIMD 513     Seminar in Biomedical Sciences     1
BIMD 515     Steps to Success in Graduate School     1
BIMD 516     Responsible Conduct of Research     1
BMB 514     Current Literature     2
BMB 521     Seminar     2
BMB 533     Advanced Biochem. & Molec. Biol.     6
Electives     6
BMB 590 and 999     Research & Dissertation     63
    Minimum Total Credits     90

DOCTOR OF MEDICINE/PHILOSOPHY (M.D./Ph.D.)

This program requires initial admission into UND's School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and completion of all requirements for both degrees. However, a number of didactic course credits apply to both degrees. Course and research work for the Ph.D. occurs between the second and third years of medical school, and requires a minimum of two to three years to complete. Students interested in pursuing a M.D./Ph.D. program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology should contact the Department as early as possible during their first year of medical studies.

  1. Performance of origninal research of a quality suitable for publication in a refereed, professional journal.
  2. Preparation and oral defense of a satisfactory dissertation.
  3. A minimum of 90 credit hours, including research and dissertation.
  4. Completion of BIMD 513, 515 and 516.
  5. Completion of one credit each of BMB 514 and 521.
  6. Completion of six credits of BMB 533.
  7. Completion of the first two years of the medical school curriculum, transferred as 44 credits toward the Ph.D.
  8. Successful completion of a scholarly tool (met by the statistics requirements of the PCL portion of the medical curriculum).
  9. An overall GPA of at least 3.0 for graduate level courses.
  10. Passing performance on oral and written comprehensive examinations covering the course work in the major and related areas.
  11. Minimum Course Requirements as follows:
Course Number     Course Title    Credits
 
PCL     Blocks 1-8     44
BIMD 513     Seminar in Biomedical Sciences     1
BIMD 515     Steps to Success in Graduate School     1
BIMD 516     Responsible Conduct of Research     1
BMB 514     Current Literature     1
BMB 521     Seminar     1
BMB 533     Advanced Biochem. & Molec. Biol.     6
BMB 590 and 999     Research & Dissertation     36
      Minimum Total Credits     90

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Applying for Admissionpresentation

Students may apply for admission to either the M.S. or Ph.D. Programs. Applicants must have a Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution with at least 20 semester credits in chemistry or chemistry plus biology. This should include at least 6 hours of organic chemistry with credits in analytical chemistry and biology being highly desirable. Applicants must present scores for the General Graduate Record Examination as part of their application. Submission of a GRE score in one of four subject areas (Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry or Biology) is recommended. Students may apply at any time.

International students for whom English is not their native language must have a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper-based test or 213 on the computer-based test. To be eligible for a graduate teaching assistantship, a minimal score of 50 on the TSE (Test of Spoken English) is required. In general, the Graduate School will not send an application packet until they receive the following by regular mail:

  1. General GRE scores
  2. TOEFL score
  3. TSE or SPEAK score, or at a minimum, declaration of intent to take this exam.

Information about procedures for admission to UND’s graduate programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology may be obtained by contacting:

Graduate School,

University of North Dakota, Box 8178

Grand Forks, ND  58202-8178

Phone:  (701) 777-2784

Web site: http://www.und.edu/dept/grad/index.html

Or

Dr. Kathy Sukalski,

Director of Education

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

School of Medicine and Health Sciences

University of North Dakota

Box 9037

Grand Forks, ND  58202-9037


Phone: (701) 777-3937 or (701) 777-2250
Web site: http://www.med.und.nodak.edu/depts/biochem/
Email: sukalski@medicine.nodak.edu

 

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Financial Assistance

Students that are accepted into the program are eligible for support by Graduate Teaching or Graduate Research Assistantships. The twelve month stipends for 2005/2006 are $14,892 (M.S.) and $ 21,120 (Ph.D.). Tuition waiver and personal health insurance are also provided.

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Program Comments

A student with excellent credentials may be admitted directly into the Ph.D. degreee program. After one calender year in the program, the faculty will review the progress of the student. To remain in the Ph.D. program, the student must meet the following requirements:

  • Accumulation of a minimum of 26 graduate credits with a GPA of 3.5 or greater.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in BIMD 500, 510, 512 and 513 and either BMB 531 or 532.
  • A minimum of 8 credits of BMB 590.

A student initially admitted to the Master's degree program may be allowed to proceed toward the Ph.D. degree without obtaining a M.S. in the Department. Advancement into the doctoral program requires approval by the student's Advisory Committee, the Dean of the Graduate School, and fulfillment of the following requirements:

  • Accumulation of a minimum of 26 graduate credits with a GPA of 3.5 or greater.
  • Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in BIMD 500, 510, 512 and 513 and either BMB 531 or 532.
  • A minimum of 8 credits of BMB 590.
  • Approval of change in program status by two-thirds of the faculty members in the department after review of the student's academic accomplishments, research performance and professional conduct.

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Graduate Program Policies and Procedures

Download a MS Word copy of the departmental Graduate Program Policies and Procedures.

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revised on April 3, 2008

 
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Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
University of North Dakota School of Medicine & Health Sciences
501 N. Columbia Rd
Grand Forks, ND 58202
PHONE: (701) 777-3937
FAX: (701) 777-2382