Penn State Graduate Degree Programs - Genetics
The Department of Crop and Soil Sciences participates in this intercollege M.S. and Ph.D. degree program, which includes faculty from departments in the Colleges of Agriculture, Health and Human Development, the Liberal Arts, Medicine, and Science. A rotation program allows students to do three laboratory rotations with different faculty during the first semester. Current research presentations during the first semester will also serve to introduce students to the research of individual faculty members. At the end of the first semester, students choose their doctoral advisor in consultation with the faculty advisor and the chair of the Genetics Program. (Although most students accepted into the Genetics Program are admitted to the rotation program, some students may be admitted to receive training by a specific faculty member.) Applicants are encouraged to explore opportunities by contacting faculty who may be prospective advisers. Fields available for study include molecular, biochemical, physiological, cellular, behavioral, developmental, pharmacological, population, and evolutionary genetics; also applications in recombinant DNA technology, genetic engineering, breeding plants or animals, and genetic counseling of humans. Organisms that are subjects of research include viruses, bacteria, fungi, insects, fish, birds, rodents, trees, agricultural plants, domestic animals, and humans. Many types of modern equipment, laboratories, field installations, and collections of various organisms are available.
Requirements for the M.S. Degree
A committee appointed for each student, with the approval of the program chair, determines specific courses, communication skills, and research acceptable for satisfying M.S. degree requirements. Students must meet the M.S. degree requirements specified by the graduate school in the Graduate Bulletin. In addition, specific genetics course requirements include 12 credits selected from a list of approved genetics course, 3 credits in statistics, and 2 credits per year in genetics colloquium. A thesis is required.
Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree
The student's Ph.D. committee, appointed after a written and oral candidacy examination is passed, determines specific requirements for courses and research, and administers the comprehensive and final examinations. The Graduate School requires no specified number of credits for the attainment of the doctorate. However, the Genetics program requires 15 credits in approved genetics courses, 3 credits in statistics, and 2 credits per year in a genetics colloquium. The requirement in communication and foreign language skills is the same as that of the thesis adviser's department or program. All Ph.D. students are required to prepare and formally defend a thesis involving independent research.
Application materials are available on the Genetics Program Web site at http://www.genetics.psu.edu.
For more information contact:
Dr. Richard Ordway, Chair Intercollege Graduate Program in Genetics 208 Mueller Laboratory The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802E-mail: genetics@bio.psu.edu