Policies

A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater to remain in good academic standing.

Students who completed graduate coursework at another institution are encouraged to transfer course units in winter quarter of their first year of doctoral study. Up to 24 transfer units are allowable from other graduate programs. The Director of Graduate Studies will evaluate the transfer of units on a course-by-course basis. Graduate work accepted for transfer of residency does not automatically exempt a student from having to complete a course requirement for the degree. University policies related to the transfer of credit for graduate work done elsewhere can be found here.

The PhD program requires 135 units; 43 of those units should be formal coursework (classroom-based courses, not research units).

In the first year, at least two research rotations are required.

Doctoral students generally advance to PhD candidacy after passing the qualifying exam, which takes place by the end of the second year of training. A student’s academic advisor is primarily responsible for the program’s adequacy, which the Biomedical Data Science Executive Committee regularly reviews. The student must fulfill these requirements and apply for admission to candidacy for the PhD by the beginning of the third year.

During the third year of training, each doctoral student must give a thesis pre-proposal seminar that describes evolving research plans.

Students are expected to participate regularly in the Biomedical Data Science Student Seminar and a research colloquium which is listed as BMDS 201A, B and C in fall/winter/spring quarters. Regardless of their enrollment, they should attend all meetings throughout their graduate training and a research colloquium appropriate to their interests.