Graduate Program: Cellular & Molecular Medicine (PHD)

General Information

Admissions Information

Admissions Requirements

The PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine does not accept applications and is being phased out and replaced by the Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine.

Applications for the Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine are submitted through the Arizona Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program (ABBS). Please visit the ABBS website for additional information and instructions for applying to the GPMM PhD program, along with their admissions requirements.

 

 

Standardized Tests

The PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine no longer accepts applications and is being phased out and replaced by the Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine.

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is not required for admissions for ABBS.

 

Funding Opportunities

Please visit the ABBS website for financial aid information for students in their first year of PhD study. 

 

Admissions Deadlines

The PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine no longer accepts applications and is being phased out and replaced by the Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine.

Applications for the Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine are submitted through the Arizona Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program (ABBS). Please visit the ABBS website for additional information and instructions for applying to the GPMM PhD program, along with their admissions requirements.

Application Deadline: December 1

 

International Conditional Admission

International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.

Other Information

The GRE Institution Code for The University of Arizona is 4832

Completion Requirements

Minimum Credit Units

63 

Core Coursework Requirements

The PhD in Cellular and Molecular Medicine is now the Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine.  Information about the core course requirements is below:

The Graduate Program in Molecular Medicine (GPMM) requires 36 credits of coursework (18 or more graded units, plus 9 credits for the minor, of which 5 must be graded) for the Doctorate of Philosophy degree, per the UA Graduate College.  All GPMM students will take a minimum of 8 core, required units of program courses. Students will then take at least 8 additional credits of emphasis track courses in one of three disciplines: Cell Biology, Immunobiology, or Medical Biophysics.

In addition to the credit breakdown above, GPMM students are required to take a minimum of 6 credits of Seminar, 6 credits of Student Seminar (dependent on track), and 6 credits of Journal Club - one per semester of enrollment.  Finally, 12 units of Research and 18 credits of Dissertation are required. With the approval of the graduate mentor, students may take additional courses beyond what is set forth for their emphasis track for credit.

 

Elective Coursework

Students will take at least 8 additional credits of emphasis track courses in one of three disciplines: Cell Biology, Immunobiology, or Medical Biophysics.  Cell Biology and Medical Biophysics, CMM's two typical emphasis tracks, are outlined below:

EMPHASIS TRACK: Cell Biology

Recommended Electives (pick 1) 

• CMM 605: Medical Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis (Fall) - 4 units
• IMB 521: Scientific Grantsmanship (Spring) - 2 units
• CMM 588: Principles of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology (Fall) - 4 units
• MCB 546: Genetics and Molecular Networks (Spring) - 4 units
• CMM 695D: Human Genetic Disease Colloquium (Spring) - 3 units

EMPHASIS TRACK: Medical Biophysics

Recommended Electives (pick 1; note, not all courses may be offered due to availability of instructors) 

• CMM 595H: Problems in Biology of Complex Diseases (Spring) - 2 units
• CPH 576B: Biostatistics of Research (Spring) 3
• BIOC 565: Proteins and Enzymes (Fall) - 3 units 
• BIOC 567: Computational Biophysics (Spring) - 3 units

 

Additional Requirements

• Molecular Medicine trainees take written and oral comprehensive examinations in the summer after their second year to advance to candidacy.
• PhD trainees must complete a final oral defense and submission of their written dissertation work to be granted their degrees.

 

Minor Requirements for Doctoral Students in this Program

The CMM minor is no longer being offered for incoming PhD students.  Students interested in minoring in Cellular & Molecular should choose GPMM as their minor, with the following notes:

• Students are encouraged to minor in Molecular Medicine, but this is not required. The Molecular Medicine minor is typically satisfied within the 36 course credits required by the department.
• Students may seek a minor in other departments with the approval of their graduate mentor and the GPMM Directors. Coursework requirements for a Minor in another department must be approved by the minor department.
  • If minoring outside of GPMM, one representative from the student's minor must sit on both the student's Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation Committees.
• The Graduate College requires 9 credit hours to satisfy the PhD minor, of which at least 5 units must be graded (A/B/C, not S/P/F or Pass/Fail). 

 

Student Handbook

Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.