BIOP 401 (Intro to Biophysics) |
Must complete within 1st semester |
All students are required to take this course. |
First 32 hours of coursework |
Must complete by the end of first year fall, spring, summer |
Includes any biophysics course. Meet by registering full-time
all 3 terms. |
Computational Biology OR Lab Course |
Must complete by end of 3rd year |
If research is computational in nature, must take a lab course (BIOC 455, PHYS 598OM, PHYS 552 or equivalent). If research is experimental in nature, must take a computation course (BIOP 470, BIOP 586C or equivalent). |
500-level Biophysics coursework |
Must complete by end of 3rd year |
2 courses from pre-approved list. May petition to substitute 500-level
courses from other departments, but work must be biophysical in
main content, and courses must be pre-approved by Director before
registering. |
Additional 400- & 500-level coursework to bring science courses
to 2nd 32 hours of coursework |
Must complete prior to prelim |
Includes coursework in Biophysics & other science and engineering
departments. |
BIOP 581, 582, 583 (Lab Rotations) |
Must complete before end of 1st semester |
Each rotation = 2 hours (3 rotations required - 1 per rubric) |
BIOP 586 (Tutorials) |
Must complete by end of 3rd year |
Each tutorial = 1 hour (2 tutorials required) |
BIOP 590 (Individual Research) |
Must complete at least 1 semester before taking BIOP 599 |
After joining a lab, register for BIOP 590 with advisor. |
BIOP 595 A (Seminar) |
ALL 1st year and 2nd year students |
Must be taken for 4 semesters. 1 hour |
BIOP 595 B (Faculty Research Seminars) |
ALL 1st year students |
Available only in the Fall. 1 hour |
BIOP 599 (Thesis Research) |
Register every semester after passage of BQE/32 hours of coursework (generally after 2nd year) |
Graded DF until graduation. 0-12 hours per semester. Total of
32 hours of 599 required for graduation. |
Qualifying Exam (BQE) |
Must complete before end of 2nd year; offered spring semester
only after 2007. |
Passing based on: written exam, oral exam, total academic record, student's objectives and motivation, research potential, acceptance into research group (additionally, International students must pass SPEAK). |
Preliminary Exam |
By end of 3rd year in the program, after passing BQE
(If more than 5 years elapse between the prelim and final, a 2nd prelim must be passed before allowed to defend) |
20-30 minute oral exam to examine the validity of the research & test the student's fitness to carry out independent research, based on 20-30 pg proposal. Must also submit a 1- page project summary report to Biophysics office. |
Final Exam |
May not be taken sooner than 6 months after Prelim, but must be taken before end of 5 years after first registration |
Public presentation and defense of thesis work, usually 50 minute presentation, then Q&A session. |
Teaching |
Strongly suggested to complete by 2nd or 3rd year |
ALL students minimum of one semester. |
Ethics course |
Must be taken in 1st year |
All students in their first year minimum of one semester course
on ethics in science. MCB 580 is taught each spring semester and
meets the requirement. |
EPI test |
Must pass by end of 1st year
(UIUC allows students to attempt 3 times) |
International students are required to pass EPI test before can be a TA, and for passage of the BQE. |
Annual Review by faculty or Director |
To be conducted annually |
ALL students. Students should provide 2-page synopsis of work
completed/progress each year, if requested. |
Tutorials may NOT be taken on the same topic as a lab rotation and cannot be taken with advisor!!
Tutorials = Meet with professor to determine subject to research. Write
a 6-10 page paper on readings agreed upon by student and the professor.
Lab Rotations = Meet with professor weekly to determine research work and progress.