This page provides a brief overview of the structure of the program. For more detailed and up-to-date information, please see the Handbook.
Laboratory Rotations and Thesis Lab Selection
During program orientation, students are introduced to professors looking to recruit students into their labs. Students arrange, on their own, three rotations with professors they are interested in working with. Laboratory rotations occur during the first semester in the program, with each rotation period lasting approximately 4-5 weeks. After rotations are complete, students work with the professors they rotated with to join the lab they are most interested in.
Learn More About
Course Requirements
The Biophysics program has flexible course requirements that support the training and education of our interdisciplinary body of students. These include the core courses (Biophysical Chemistry and Biophysical Spectroscopy), the Biophysics seminar, Advanced Electives chose from different specialty areas, an Ethics course and optional Specialty courses
For more information, visit our Courses page.
Thesis Committee
The Thesis Committee comprises at least four members: the Thesis Advisor and at least three other faculty members selected by the student in consultation with the Thesis Advisor. The committee will help guide the student throughout their independent research until completion of the PhD Degree. Three of the four committee members must be trainers in the Biophysics Program. At least one of the three members must be in a different department than your advisor. If appropriate, one committee member can be an external expert in a field closely related to the thesis project and can be a faculty member at a different University in the United States or abroad, upon approval by the Biophysics Office. It is recommended that students start thinking about forming their Thesis Committee soon after their project is defined.
Preliminary Exam
The preliminary exam (prelim) exam is administered by the student thesis committee. It consists of a written research proposal and an oral defense. With the completion of the course requirements, passing the prelim promotes the student to dissertator status.
Thesis Defense
Successful completion of a research program culminates in the written and oral presentation of the work and its defense to the thesis committee. The average time to degree for a PhD in the Biophysics program is 5.2 years.
Doctoral Minors
The Biophysics program does not require a minor; however, many of our students have special interests and choose to pursue minors. Examples of minor options pursued by some Biophysics students include:
- Quantitative Biology for students interested in biophysics, systems biology, bioinformatics or biostatistics. This interdisciplinary minor includes coursework in quantitative methods, biological science, and integration of quantitative biology.
- Life Science Communication for students interested in the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging technologies or the future.
- Doctoral Business Minor for students who are interested in careers in biotechnology