Students are admitted to the MS degree in Genetics. For more information about the MS program, please email Cora Varas-Nelson (cora@email.arizona.edu, Nathan Ellis naellis@arizona.edu, or Keith Maggert kamaggert@arizona.edu
The purpose of the University of Arizona's GIDP in Genetics (also, the “Genetics Program”) is to train the next generation of geneticists. Our discipline integrates basic and applied life sciences, computational sciences, and physical sciences. Our faculty are homed in a wide variety of departments and centers, including Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences (Phoenix), Cancer Biology, Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Entomology, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Immunobiology, Mathematics, Medicine, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Natural Sciences and the Environment, Plant Sciences, Pediatrics, Pharmacy Practice, and Pharmacology and Toxicology. In addition to training the traditional biology student, the Genetics Program seeks to attract students from outside the life sciences and to train these students in genetics.
In summary, graduate students in the Genetics Program complete a series of courses, seminars and journal clubs, and research activities, to complete a masters research project with the input of, and assistance by, an advisor. The faculty of the Genetics Program serve as these advisors, instructing, mentoring, and directing the students’ education. For a list of GIDP in Genetics faculty, please see https://genetics.arizona.edu/faculty-members.
The Graduate College sponsors several Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs (GIDPs) in addition to the many interdisciplinary possibilities available through regular graduate degree programs. GIDPs transcend departmental boundaries by facilitating cutting edge teaching and research at the nexus of traditional disciplines. The high value placed on interdisciplinary research and education is indicative of The University of Arizona's enthusiasm and commitment to fostering innovation and creativity among its faculty and students.
Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs
The Graduate College sponsors several Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs (GIDPs) in addition to the many interdisciplinary possibilities available through regular graduate degree programs. GIDPs transcend departmental boundaries by facilitating cutting edge teaching and research at the nexus of traditional disciplines. The high value placed on interdisciplinary research and education is indicative of The University of Arizona's enthusiasm and commitment to fostering innovation and creativity among its faculty and students.
Graduate College/GIDP
University of Arizona - Main - Tucson
Applicants must complete at least a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent prior to enrollment in the Program. Examples of undergraduate majors that normally constitute satisfactory preparation for graduate work in Neuroscience include but are not limited to: Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, Neurobiology, Neuroscience and Psychology.
The Genetics GIDP program does not have absolute criteria for GPA or GRE scores, characteristics of a strong application will generally include:
The Graduate Admissions Committee evaluates the entire admissions file. Deficiencies in one or two of the areas described above should not discourage interested applicants from applying.
All required documents *must be* uploaded electronically; no paper copies will be accepted during the application process.
The following is a summary of all materials that should be prepared submitted online prior to the application deadline (December 1 for PhD) in order to complete your application:
It is recommended that you keep a hard-copy of all online forms, in case there are technical problems with online transmission.
If you are admitted, you will be required to submit 1 copy of your transcripts to:
Cora Varas-Nelson Genetics GIDP 1548 E. Drachman St. Tucson, AZ 85721-047 University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 8572-0476Problems submitting your application should be addressed to Cora Varas-Nelson, Program Coordinator, at cora@email.arizona.edu (520) 626-1452.
Personal Statement:
Your personal statement should be between 1000-1500 words long, and might include a discussion of your long-range goals; your reasons for pursuing an advanced degree; your interest in our program; information on your prior research experience or teaching (if any); and topics in genetics that are of particular interest to you and that might serve as the focus of your graduate program.
Letters of recommendation
All applicants must submit three letters of recommendation. These letters should be current or former advisors or instructors, and may address your previous research or laboratory experience, your academic qualification, your scientific potential, and your motivation for graduate work.
Required test(s):
If you have taken the Verbal/Quantitative/Analytical Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Scores from the advanced examinations (e.g. biology, chemistry, physics, psychology) may also be included in the application, but are not required.
International students are required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum TOEFL: a score of 550 (paper based) or 79 (iBT) or higher.
Financial Aid
The current funding package for masters students depends of the sources of funds of their faculty major advisor.
the Genetics GIDP Program makes every effort to provide financial support to our students throughout their academic careers.
Domestic Applicants:
International Applicants:
International applicants will not be considered for conditional admission by this program.
4832
ETS Major Field Code(s) for this program: 4832
32
Coursework. The Genetics GIDP requires 32 units of coursework, including
Required Coursework. At noted above, the Genetics Program has one required genetics course CMM 518 Fundamental Genetic Mechanisms. This three-credit course help in the fall semester covers a broad range of topics in science of heredity and genetics of DNA and chromosome transactions. Students learn to analyze and evaluate the primary literature, to solve complex problems in genetics, and to present oral communications of and to prepare written reports of old and new concepts in genetics.
Seminar. Students must attend and participate in the graduate seminar course GENE 670 Advances in Genetics for a minimum of four semesters. In this course, students learn to present their own work and the work of others to a broad audience of faculty and students on a regular basis. Students are also required to present in annual retreats of the Program, in the form of an oral presentation or a poster presentation.
Thesis units. 6 units of GENE 910 MS thesis credit.
Elective courses. Students chose from a wide range of genetics and other courses to fulfill their curricular needs. Program maintains a roster of potential elective courses in genetics, genomics and bioinformatics, and biochemistry on the Program website (https://genetics.arizona.edu/prospective-students/degree-requirements).
Course Description Units
CMM 518 Core requirement for Genetics GIDP 3 Units
GENE 670 Advances in Genetics, seminar 8 Units
GENE 910 Thesis 6 Units
Elective courses 15 Units
Elective Courses. Decided upon by student and Program ≥15 Elective courses. Students chose from a wide range of genetics and other courses to fulfill their curricular needs. Program maintains a roster of potential elective courses in genetics, genomics and bioinformatics, and biochemistry on the Program website (https://genetics.arizona.edu/prospective-students/degree-requirements).
Other courses. The inclusion of a new course offered by the University on one of the lists can be done by your advisor by contacting the Genetics Curriculum Committee, the Chair, or the Vice-Chair of the GIDP.
Grade requirements. The Graduate College expects students to maintain an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 (B). One semester < 3.0 and the student is on probation. Two semesters < 3.0 and the Graduate College will remove the student from the program. The Genetics Program has a more stringent requirement that students must not have more than two (2) grades of C in their coursework. Failure to achieve such a record can result in dismissal from the Program. In this case, the Program asks the Graduate College to remove the student.
Please refer to the Graduate Student Handbook for students who are pursuing this program of study.
Program-level Information | |
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Application Acceptance Rate | 100% |
Med. Time-to-degree (years) | n/a |
Department-level Information | |
Enrollment Percent Male | n/a |
Enrollment Percent Female | n/a |
Enrollment Percent International | n/a |
Enrollment Percent URM | n/a |