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Genetics Student Handbook

Updated 8/18/2011

Table of Contents

Academic Matters

The Round Robin Degree Requirements Special Courses Course Loads Residence Requirements Preliminary Exams Thesis Final Exam Changing A Major Professor Master’s Degree ---------------------- Dept. Rules & Activities Training Grant Rules Money Administrative Matters List of Appendices Upon arriving in Madison, you should contact your “big sib,” Genetics Administrator (Kathy Zweifel), and the Student Services Coordinator (Jean Petersen). If you have questions or problems that they cannot resolve, see the Director of the Training Grant (Philip Anderson) or the Chairman of Genetics (Michael Culbertson). This handbook has been designed to help you acquaint yourself with some of the rules, requirements and procedures of the University of Wisconsin and the Laboratory of Genetics. It does not cover everything, so if you have any questions, just ask.

Academic Matters

The Round Robin

 

  1. Orientation: In your first semester here, you will visit the labs of three or four professors whose work interests you. One of these will probably become your major professor. Arranging these “round robin” lab rotations is, therefore, one of the most important things that you will do in your first year in Madison. How do you make these arrangements? A series of seminars is presented during the first two weeks of the semester by faculty who are trainers in the Genetics Program. The brief descriptions of research given in these talks should assist you in selecting the laboratories to visit. Expect to spend about three or four weeks in each lab during the first semester. The schedule for these talks will be given to you on your initial orientation with us.
  2. Rotation Schedule: Students are responsible for scheduling their own rotations. Feel free to consult the Graduate Program Administrator, Genetics Chair, or the Admissions Chairman if you need help in choosing labs to visit. To avoid disappointment, you should plan to do your rotations through the laboratories of Genetics Program trainers who have openings. It is suggested that three or four rotations be completed by the end of the fall semester. However, students can continue to rotate in the spring semester if circumstances prevent the selection of a trainer. Your schedule should be registered with the Student Services Coordinator, 1426 Genetics Biotechnology Center, as soon as it is established.
  3. Selection of a Major Professor: Normally you should decide on a major professor in mid-December. The exact time varies from year to year and is determined by the faculty of Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, and Genetics.
    1. A professor who holds an appointment in Genetics or Medical Genetics. This requires no special approval.
    2. A professor who is a trainer in the Genetics Training Program but who holds an appointment in a degree-granting department other than Genetics (e.g., Bacteriology or Biochemistry). This arrangement requires annual approval by the Genetics faculty and the Dean of the Graduate School. This option is not open to a student supported by a Department of Genetics Research Assistantship (as opposed to the Training Grant).

    4. You should indicate to the Program Administrator your first, second, and third preference for major professor. At the same time, each participating professor will indicate how many new students he/she can accept and which students are most appropriate. The Program Director will represent you in making final arrangements for a major professor. Be aware that students from Cellular & Molecular Biology and Biochemistry also rotate through labs of Genetics Trainers and will also be indicating their preferences for a major professor at this time. Therefore, if you know in which lab you would like to work, be sure to submit your choices before the deadline. A student majoring in Genetics may select:

Requirements for the Ph.D. Degree in Genetics

 

Advisory Committees

You will be assigned a temporary primary advisor upon entering the program, usually the chair of the Training Grant Advisory Committee (Philip Anderson). This temporary faculty advisor will advise you with respect to course requirements, the round robin, and other first-year activities. Following the round robin, when you have found a lab to work in and a major professor, that professor will assume the duties of primary advisor. At that time a PhD Advisory Committee will be formed consisting of three to five faculty members (ultimately it must be five) three of whom must be Genetics trainers, including two members of the Laboratory of Genetics faculty, and one minor advisor, if needed. The PhD Advisory Committee should be established no later than the end of the second semester. It is the responsibility of the major professor that this committee be established in a timely manner. Under normal circumstances, the committee membership will remain in effect for the entire tenure of the student's graduate career. The PhD Advisory Committee will advise you with regard to major and minor requirements, certification, teaching requirements, and research topic and execution. It will also act as your Prelim B Examination Committee and as the Final Oral PhD Examination Committee. After the major professor, this committee is the primary monitoring instrument to assure satisfactory progress toward the degree. It should also be constantly available for giving advice and counsel. The PhD Advisory Committee will meet with you at least once per year. During these annual meetings, anticipated timelines for progress of the thesis project should be discussed and concrete guidance should be given to each student about completing the thesis. The committee will file a short report to you, the major professor, and Chair no later than August 31 of each year, describing its assessment of your progress and outlining any recommendations or suggestions.

The Certification Procedure

“Certification” is a planning process in which you and a faculty committee decide the courses needed to prepare you for your chosen field. The process of certification should be completed as soon as possible. Most students schedule their certification meeting in the Spring semester of their first year. You and your major professor should agree upon the minor field or the minor option before presenting your proposal to your PhD Advisory Committee. It is your responsibility to contact the minor professor, if you choose minor option A. You and your PhD Advisory Committee will then participate in a certification meeting. Together, you will decide upon the specific course work necessary to ensure that your curriculum satisfies both the major and minor departmental and Graduate School requirements. A sample of the Genetics Certification Form and the Minor Agreement Form are included in the Appendix of this handbook. These forms can be obtained from the Departmental Administrator. Official copies are filed in the Genetics office after the appropriate signatures have been obtained. Note that the minor professor (option A) or departmental chair (option B) must also sign the form. At the certification committee meeting you should also submit a Minor Agreement Form listing the courses you think will satisfy the requirements of your minor. Prior to Prelim B, the Minor Agreement Form is reviewed, revised as necessary, and submitted to the Graduate School along with the Department's request for the Prelim B warrant.

The Major

  1. Course Requirements Fall Semester, 2011: All students take this course: Genetics 701, Advanced Genetics, 3 credits. Students choose between these two courses:  Bact/Genetics 607, Advanced Microbial Genetics, 3 credits or  Bact/Genetics 612, Prokaryotic Molecular Biology, 3 credits Spring Semester, 2012: All students take these courses: Genetics 708, Methods and Logic in Genetic Analysis, 3 credits; Biochemistry/Genetics 703, Topics in Eukaryotic Regulation, 2 credits  Spring Semester, 2013: All students take these courses: Medical Genetics 707, Genetic Analysis of Human Biology, 3 credits; Oncology 675, Appropriate Conduct in Science, 1 credit.
  2. Advanced Genetics Courses Other advanced courses may be taken for the minor requirement.Pay attention to announcements of advanced courses; new courses are developed regularly. Currently, some of the advanced courses available include:
    • Genetics 875 (special topic: Genomics/Proteomics)
    • Genetics 875 (special topic: Plant Genetics)
    • Genetics 677 (special topic: Genome Science)
    • Genetics 677 (special topic: Genetics and Evolution of Form)
    • Plant Pathology/Genetics 655 (Biology and Genetics of Filamentous Fungi)
    • Biochemistry 620 (Eukaryotic Molecular Biology)
    • Bacteriology 726 (Regulation of Gene Expression in Prokaryotes)
    • Pathology 750 (Cellular and Molecular Biology)
    • Genetics 561 (Cytogenetics)
    • Genetics 565 (Human Genetics)
  3. Four credits in Seminar Courses Seminar courses place special emphasis in helping students improve their lecture skills. This requirement is fulfilled by taking seminar courses and presenting four seminars, minimally. Two of these seminar courses must be Genetics courses. You should talk to your fellow graduate students about the seminar courses that might be especially useful to you. You must present a departmental seminar talk on your thesis.
  4. Yearly Graduate Student Talks Each year, during the summer months, a series of departmental gatherings will be scheduled for the regular Colloquium hour during which each graduate student who has completed Prelim A will present to the entire faculty and graduate student body a talk describing research progress to date. As with Genetics Colloquium, attendance is mandatory for all faculty and students. You need to submit a “Seminar Record” (see Appendix) for each seminar you present to the Genetics Office.
  5. Teaching Requirements Ph.D. students must have teaching experience in at least one semester as part of the training for a Ph.D. Normally, the requirement for teaching experience will be satisfied by teaching at least two discussion sections in Genetics 160, or at least two discussion sections in Genetics 466. Teaching in 466 is an excellent preparation for Prelim A. A departmental TA Workshop is offered during the summer to prepare students for this assignment.
  6. Successful Completion of Prelim A by the Middle of the Second Year It is required that you take Prelim A by the middle of the second year. The exam can be retaken the following year. This written prelim will test your knowledge of genetics and your ability to solve problems using that knowledge. It is based, in part, on the material in your course work and in part on your general reading in genetics. See the “Preliminary Examinations” section for more details.
  7. Successful Completion of Prelim B by the Middle of the Third Year This exam is an oral defense of a research proposal and should be taken as soon as possible after passing Prelim A. If you do not pass the Prelim B the first time, you must retake it after an interval determined by your exam committee.
  8. Successful Oral Defense of Your Ph.D. Thesis

The Minor

It is a requirement of both the Laboratory of Genetics and the Graduate School that you satisfy the requirements for a minor. The Graduate School identifies two options for completing the minor requirement. OPTION A: This is referred to as an External Minor. You are required to complete a minor field consisting of a minimum of 10 graduate credits in a single department. The courses are prescribed by the minor department, which administers the qualifying examination if such an exam is required. Completion of the Option A Minor is certified by the chairman of the minor department or the minor professor. OPTION B: This is generally referred to as a Distributed Minor. This minor requires a minimum of 10 credits in one or more departments and can include course work in the major department. Selection of this option requires the approval your PhD Advisory Committee and the Department Chair.

Evaluation of Performance

Your continuation in Graduate School depends on satisfactory performance. The Graduate School requires an average of B (3.0) or better in all work taken as a graduate student. However, the Laboratory of Genetics considers anything less than B in any course in your major as unsatisfactory. (Note that a B average in your minor courses will satisfy Genetics Department, as well as Graduate School, requirements.) A grade of S (Satisfactory) is considered equivalent to B. A grade of P in research means “progress” and must be changed to a letter grade before you can receive your degree. (If you switch from one major professor to another, you must make sure that your last semester's research under the “old” professor is given a letter grade. If you receive a P for that semester, it will be considered an unsatisfactory grade on your record and will interfere with the completion of your degree.) Grades of Incomplete are unsatisfactory if they are not removed during the next semester of residence. In special cases, the Graduate School may permit a student who does not meet these standards to continue on probation upon recommendation of the department and with the agreement of the major professor.

Special Courses

Be alert to the wide variety of intensive one-credit “mini-courses” offered at irregular intervals by many different departments. These are among the most up-to-date courses available to you. Some of these may be suitable for genetics credits and can be used to satisfy the requirement for three credits of advanced genetics if they are cross-listed with the Laboratory of Genetics. If you wish to take any of these courses you must obtain your advisor's approval.

Course Loads

 

 

Semester

The normal full-time program is 8 to 12 graduate credits. You may not register for more than a total of 12 credits, even if some of your courses do not carry graduate credit. Problems can arise, for example, if you try to take a 5 credit undergraduate course, because you cannot register for 8 credits of graduate work and 5 credits of undergraduate work (total load exceeds 12 credits). Courses numbered 300-599 may be taken for graduate credit, but the majority of courses in a graduate program should be in the 600-999 range. Pass/fail courses (except research and seminars) will not count for graduate residence or course credit. Audit courses do not confer credit of any sort and also do not count in determining minimum or maximum credits permitted in each term. Students who have completed the residence requirements, satisfied all of the requirements for the major and minor, and passed preliminary exams are called “dissertators”. These students must enroll for 3 “dissertator credits” per semester. Dissertator credits are less expensive than ordinary credits.

Summer Session

The normal full-time program is 2 credits for the eight-week summer session. Dissertators must enroll for 3 credits.

Residence Requirements

Before you receive any graduate degree from the UW-Madison, The Graduate School requires a minimum of 32 graduate level courses be satisfactorily completed while in residence at UW-Madison. Only courses numbered 300 or above are counted, and research credits may now be included. Grades of BC, C or lower are not considered satisfactory.

Preliminary Examinations

General Information

It is a requirement of both the Graduate School and the Laboratory of Genetics that you pass a comprehensive preliminary examination. The preliminary exam in the Laboratory of Genetics consists of two parts. It is required that you take the written part (A) of this examination no later than two years and the oral part (B) no later than three years after beginning your graduate work. A six-month extension of the prelim B deadline will be granted if a student fails prelim A at the end of the second year, or changes advisers after the second year. You will be officially admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree when you have:

    • Passed the preliminary examination (both parts);
    • Met the minor requirements;
    • Presented the title or special field of your proposed thesis, as approved by the major professor.

Prior to taking prelim B, you must ask the Departmental Administrator to request a preliminary examination warrant from the Graduate School. If the residence requirement has been met and all unsatisfactory grades have been cleared or compensated, the warrant is issued. After you have passed prelim B, have the warrant signed by the members of your prelim committee and submit to the Departmental Administrator for the Chair's signature for filing. If your records are in order, you are formally admitted as a candidate for the Ph.D. degree. You must maintain continuous registration from the time of admission to candidacy until all degree requirement have been completed, even if you should leave campus. (You may register for a reduced load if you are not a resident on campus.) A candidate for the Ph.D. degree who fails to take the final oral examination within five years of submitting the signed warrant may be required to take another preliminary examination to be admitted to candidacy a second time.

Format

The preliminary examination in the Laboratory of Genetics consists of two parts:

Prelim A

Prelim A is a written take-home examination. The purpose of the Preliminary A Examination is to test the student's general knowledge in genetics and his/her ability to read original literature and to formulate experimental solutions to genetic problems. The Preliminary Examination Committee will issue a Topics List/Reading List. This list will serve as a guide both for those taking the examination and those writing it. The list will comprise a general list of topics, and possibly suggested readings, that may be included on the examination. The Genetics Colloquium is fertile ground for material for Prelim A. The Preliminary A Examination is meant to be a relatively open-ended examination, covering the breadth of modern genetics. It is not to be a super-final for courses taken and a specific set of courses taken in the first two years should not be sufficient preparation for this exam. Students will, of course, study intensively for it in the months just preceding the exam, but to do really well, a student will need to have carried out a program of regular reading of the current and older literature in genetics over his/her first two years of graduate studies.

If a student fails to pass the Preliminary A Examination on the first try, a second chance is automatically granted. A second failure results in dismissal from the Program. Any dismissal decision may be appealed by the student to a faculty committee appointed by the Executive Committee of the Laboratory of Genetics.

The Preliminary A Examination Committee is a standing committee of six faculty and two graduate students of advanced standing. The faculty members serve staggered 3 year terms to provide continuity. It is the responsibility of this committee to produce the Preliminary A Examination each year and to publish the Topics List/Reading List each year. The minor department is responsible for testing you in your minor (option A).

Prelim B

Each student will take the Preliminary B Examination within one year of completing the Preliminary A Examination. It is recommended that students should meet with their full committee (5 members) after their first summer colloquium (if not before) in order to set a timeline for Prelim B. Should a student fail the Preliminary A Examination on the first try, the Preliminary B Examination may be taken before retaking the Preliminary A Examination at the discretion of the student's PhD Advisory Committee. Satisfactory completion of the Prelim B, along with relevant course, teaching, and minor requirements, is necessary for a student to acquire dissertator status.

The Prelim B Examination determines each student’s future in the training program. Three outcomes are possible:

1) the student is given a pass and admitted into candidacy for the Ph.D. degree

2) the student is given a deferred decision with a further meeting with the Prelim B Committee within six months to determine pass or fail.

3) the student fails the exam outright and plans are formulated for early withdrawal from the program, usually with a Masters degree instead of a Ph.D.

Preparation of Research

Proposals for Prelim B examination

The purpose of the following outline is to provide some guidance for students as to the form and function of Prelim B proposals. The scaled down model for the particular version used below is the NIH plan for Public Health Service grants. As in the case of a “full-scale” grant proposal, your goal should be to persuade a reviewing group that your goals are interesting and important, that you have chosen a plan of experimentation that is highly likely to return interesting and interpretable results in a reasonable time frame, and that you have the background and understanding to bring this plan to fruition. In any such proposal, clarity is the key. The people who review the proposal will not all be experts in your field and you must therefore provide significant information to document the above goals to this group. In line with this idea, you should avoid unnecessary arguments and information, since they will distract from the essential arguments. Begin the overall outline of the proposal well before the fact and discuss the goals and approaches with others before writing the proposal. Your are therefore strongly encouraged to obtain input from other students and colleagues, and particularly from your advisor, prior to distribution of the proposal to your committee. The proposal description below contains information about the overall structure of the proposal as well as suggestions about each of the individual sections. If you have further questions concerning the proposal, contact either your research advisor or the Program Director.

Abstract:

This is the critical initial contact with the reader. Distill the necessary parts of your proposal down to one-half page or less, stating the problem and what you intend to do about it. Make it understandable to the intelligent, but inexpert, reader.

Specific Aims:

Under the Major Goal of your proposed thesis, list the specific questions in your research and the specific approaches that will be used to address each of those questions. This is typically done in an outline form of no more than one-half page. It should also provide the framework for the Experimental Design section, so its organization is key to the entire proposal. Try to be realistic and propose an amount of work that you are likely to accomplish in the next 2-3 years; excessively optimistic proposals suggest a lack of critical thought. Like all research proposals, Prelim B should not be viewed as a contract; the successful dissertator may pursue other related topics/aims for completion of the Ph.D. The purpose of Pelim B is to demonstrate the ability to synthesize in writing a reasonable and coherent research plan and to discuss it intelligently with one’s faculty committee. It is often advisable to divide the following sections into subsections with titles to orient the reader.

Background and Significance:

This section should be several pages long and contain enough information to make subsequent sections understandable to the reader. It should also give the reader an understanding of the state of the field before your participation. It should therefore cite any critical information that is either published, or known to your thought personal communication. Your accomplishments will be described in the following sections, but it may be necessary to allude to some of your results in this sections for clarity or argument. Results from others in your laboratory should also be described in this section. This section should also serve to convince the reader that the general question chosen is an important one.

Your Results To Date (Previous Results):

Describe the progress you personally have made while in the lab. The goal of this section is to convince the reader that you have made some progress and/or that you have developed laboratory and analytical skills that will be necessary to complete the proposed work.

Experimental Design:

Typically the sections in this part will follow in the order laid out in the Specific Aims. The goal here is to show that the approach you have chosen will yield interpretable results and that you really understand those approaches. If there are intermediate goals that are absolutely critical to the whole project, either defend why your single approach must work, or propose alternative “backup” approaches. Provide enough information to make it clear that you understand each technique; this does not mean an abundance of detail, but a terse description of potential problems and shortfalls in the experiment or its analysis. It there are obvious experiments that will not be done, briefly say why. Throughout this section, make your priorities clear; not every experiment is equally important, and some approaches will be pursued only under certain circumstances. Continually orient the reader by explaining how each intermediate goal fits into the overall plan.

Timetable:

This short section should be a realistic estimate of when the critical intermediate goals in the proposal will be accomplished. It should also make clear when the primary approaches will be dropped and the alternatives adopted. You wish to show that, no matter what happens, you will return with an investigation suitable for a thesis in a reasonable time period, no matter how the “cards fall”.

Literature Cited:

Using a standard format (authors’ names and journal citation including titles), list the references cited throughout the proposal. This should not only document your understanding of the current state of information, but also that you know the critical sources of information on the methods you have proposed to use.

Overall Format:

Keep the proposal, including figures and tables, but not the literature cited, to no more than 15 double-spaced pages. This is the scale permitted in a laboratory-scale research proposal. Thus, your single-investigator proposal can be developed deeply. Use 1-inch margins, 12-point type, and page numbers throughout the proposal.

Preliminary Examination Results

  1. A decision on the outcome of the prelim will be made as soon as possible after the prelim has been completed. Decisions may take any of the following forms:
    • Pass: This means that your overall performance was satisfactory or better and that there is no question in the minds of the Committee members that you are capable of earning the Ph.D.
    • Partial Pass: This infrequently used grade means that you performed in a satisfactory manner in all but one or two areas. However, the Committee believes that you are capable of earning a Ph.D. in Genetics. You will be required to take another examination in those areas in which your performance was unsatisfactory.
    • Failure: This means that your overall performance was unsatisfactory.
  2. You must pass Part A and Part B to pass the preliminary examination.
  3. If you fail Part A or Part B you may make a second attempt to pass the part(s) that you failed.
  4. If you fail Part A or Part B twice you may not be a Ph.D. candidate in the Laboratory of Genetics.

Annual Committee Meetings

In order to implement the requirement to submit a yearly report on student progress, the following administrative requirements have been put in place. After passing Prelim B, each PhD candidate is required to meet with his/her PhD committee annually. The first meeting must take place in time to submit the August 31 progress report. Each student is required to submit to his/her committee at least one week prior to the yearly committee meeting a written report, no more than three pages in length, outlining research progress of the previous year as well as plans for the completion of the dissertation. Subsequent to the committee meeting, the major professor will write up the committee’s conclusions and recommendations regarding the student’s progress. The report, prepared by the major professor, will then be reviewed by the whole committee. Once the whole committee has signed off on the report, copies will be provided to the student, all committee members, and the administrative office of the Laboratory of Genetics no later than August 31. A copy of the form that will be used for submitting the committee report to the Chair is in the appendix. Addenda may be attached. Forms are available from the Genetics Administrator in 1438 Genetics Biotechnology Center or from the Student Services Coordinator in 1426 Genetics Biotechnology Center. The summer student colloquium may be used by the committee in whatever manner it chooses, but is not to be a substitute for the yearly committee meeting.

Thesis

Your thesis must be submitted to your Final Oral Examination Committee members no later than two weeks before the date of the examination. Prior to taking the final oral examination, you must file with the Graduate School a completed, signed “Ph.D. Final Oral Exam Committee Form” (available in the departmental office, see Appendix E) and obtain a packet of materials on thesis preparation and the final examination process. These are available from the Ph.D. Degrees Examiner, Graduate School Office. Included in this packet are complete instructions for formatting, copyrighting, binding and microfilming the thesis. The Examiner will also critique a sample of your thesis in advance and make suggestions for corrections.

Final Examination

The Ph.D. Final Examination Committee must consist of at least five current graduate faculty members (UW-Madison) of professorial rank with at least one of the five from outside the major department, this is usually the minor professor (option A). At least two members must be Laboratory of Genetics faculty. Three members, including the major professor, are designated as reading members and have editorial responsibility for the thesis. With permission of the candidate, other faculty members might be invited to participate in the examination.

 

 

 

 

 

Before the Final Exam

You should check at the Graduate School Office to confirm that residence requirements have been completed; any unsatisfactory (or incomplete) grades have been cleared or compensated; the minor professor has signed the prelim warrant; and you have continuously registered since passing the prelim. You should also check with the departmental office to make sure that all departmental requirements have been completed. The preliminary examination must have been passed at least two semesters, but not more than five years, before this time. You must then arrange with the department for final thesis approval and the final oral examination, and then present the signed “Ph.D. Oral Exam Committee Form” to the departmental office. The departmental office will forward this form to the Graduate School.

After the Final Exam

You must submit to the Graduate School a completed and approved library copy of your thesis and appropriate additional documents, and pay the required fee for microfilming and binding the thesis. With the appropriate receipts, you then submit your thesis to the Memorial Library. You must also submit a final bond copy of your thesis to the department for the Genetics Reading Room, as well as a copy to your major professor.

Additional Fees

If you are not registered for the semester in which the degree is to be conferred, there is an additional fee. There is also an optional fee for copyrighting the thesis. If you have taken a leave of absence after passing prelims and then wish to re-enroll, tuition for your first semester will be increased. This increase is to compensate for the time that your major professor devoted to your thesis during your absence.

Changing Your Major Professor

You are not committed irreversibly to a particular laboratory or professor; in fact, changes from one professor to another are not uncommon. Intradepartmental and interdepartmental changes are negotiated by the student and the professors involved. If you are sponsored by the training grant, you can be maintained on that grant if the new professor is also a participating faculty member. If you are supported by your first professor's research grant (as a research assistant), you must be sure that the new professor can arrange support for you. The more advanced you are in course work and research, the more difficult it is to make these changes. If you change radically the field in which you are doing your thesis research, you should be prepared to spend one or two semesters making up any course deficiencies. It is also possible to change departments, as long as you meet the admission requirements of the department you are seeking to enter. Once the professors involved agree to the change, it must be approved by the Admissions Committee of your new department and the appropriate form must be filed with the Admissions Office of the Graduate School. Once departmental approval is granted, the change can become effective immediately. There is no particular problem in transferring from a department in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to one in the College of Letters and Science, or in the Medical School. If you are considering a change of professors, and you would like advice, you should contact your major professor, Program Director, or Genetics Chair.

Master’s Degree

Research students in the Laboratory of Genetics normally earn a Ph.D. degree. Normally we do not accept students for graduate study in Genetics if they plan to stop at the M.S. level. However, under certain circumstances, a Master's degree in Genetics may be granted. You may elect to receive a Master's degree when you pass the Ph.D. preliminary examination (parts A and B) provided that the course requirements for a Master's degree have been satisfied. If you expect a Master's degree following the Ph.D. preliminary examination, you must obtain both the Master's and Prelim warrants prior to taking the exam (see Warrants). You must inform the Departmental Administrator in advance if you want your preliminary examination to double as a Master's examination. The Departmental Administrator will arrange with the Graduate School for the preparation of the warrants. If you fail the Ph.D. preliminary examination and do not choose to retake it, or fail the examination twice, or for other reasons choose not to be a Ph.D. candidate, you may still earn a Master's degree provided that you complete the requirements.

 

 

List of Requirements

  1. Course Work
    1. Background courses (see Certification Form, Appendix A)
    2. Required courses (see course requirements for the major)
    3. Successful completion of Prelim A
    4. Two seminar credits: at least one in genetics; and presentation of one seminar.
  2. Teaching (one semester)
  3. 32 graduate credits at UW-Madison (see requirements for Ph.D.)
  4. Thesis or research report covering original research, or a literature review, the topic of which is subject to approval by the major professor.
  5. Oral or written examination covering general genetics and the thesis or research report.

It is your responsibility to notify the Genetics Departmental Office when you would like to receive a Master’s degree.

Warrant

Prior to the final examination for a Master's degree, you must ask the department to request a Master's warrant from the Graduate School. If the course requirements have been met and all unsatisfactory grades have been cleared or compensated, the warrant is issued. If you are not registered, you will be required to pay a fee. A packet of information is sent along with the warrant and includes instructions for the preparation of the thesis (if required). It is your responsibility to arrange with the department for your final examination. When the examination has been passed and the thesis (or report) has been approved, the warrant must be signed (indicating that all departmental requirements have been completed) and returned to the Departmental Administrator for submission to the Graduate School. If for some reason, the Master's degree is not to be conferred as planned, the reason must be indicated and the warrant filed with the Graduate School. If you do not pass the exam, you may try a second time.

Miscellaneous Information

Some Departmental Rules & Activities

 

Satisfying a Course Requirement (For Majors)

You may be considered to have satisfied a course requirement if you:

  • Have previously passed a similar course equivalent in depth and sophistication to the course in question; or
  • Take and pass a comprehensive examination of the course administered and graded by the professor teaching the course; or
  • Pass the course with a grade of B or better.

It is up to your Ph.D. Advisory Committee and the Graduate School in consultation with the professor teaching the course to decide whether a previously completed course is “equivalent” and whether the grade on the examination is satisfactory.

Retroactive Changes in Requirements

You are bound by only those departmental requirements which were in effect when you entered Graduate School. If subsequent changes are made, you have the option of completing either the old or the new requirements. Changes enacted by the Graduate School are accompanied by instructions for students enrolled previous to the time of the change.

Annual Town Meetings

The entire department will have one town meeting per year to discuss the undergraduate and graduate programs, to decide on policy, and to formulate improvements.

Open Meetings

Departmental meetings are open meetings under State law. The agenda for each meeting is available from the Departmental Administrator.

Departmental Retreat

The department has an annual retreat. This is a one-day meeting and a good way to meet our faculty and learn about their research interests. Further information will be forwarded as the date approaches. Students in our program are required to attend and strongly encouraged to present a poster.

Student Network (GRADNET)

GRADNET is a group of Genetics graduate students who meet to discuss issues of importance to students, and who organize a variety of student activities. GRADNET is open to all Genetics students and to interested postdocs. If you would like more information, contact the GRADNET Coordinator.

Big Sibs

All new graduate students are assigned a “big sib”; i.e., an older graduate student who can help you with any questions about the Genetics Department or about life in Madison (banks, beaches, shops, housing, etc.).

Departmental Committees

Genetics graduate students serve on the following departmental committees: Admissions, Curriculum, Summer Colloquium, Retreat and Prelim A Drafting. Students interested in serving on committees should leave their names with the Departmental Administrator. Students will also be recruited to serve on these committees.

Training Grant Rules

Listed below are the policies on suspension, termination, reinstatement, leaves of absence, and duration of Training Grant support.

 

  1. Genetics trainees must maintain satisfactory grade point averages and must make satisfactory progress in research. A trainee's grade point average must be at least 3.0 at the end of the first two semesters of graduate study, or Training Grant Support will be suspended. Similarly, a student who reaches the end of the second year of graduate study with a cumulative grade point average lower than 3.0 will face suspension of support. Suspension of Training Grant support is not suspension of graduate status. The student who has lost Training Grant support may continue in Graduate School (presumably on probation), provided that the Graduate School Dean's Office and the student's major professor approve.
  2. A student whose Training Grant support has been suspended because of unsatisfactory grades may be reinstated if the grade point is brought up to the required level (3.0).Training Grant support will resume at the beginning of the semester following the attainment of satisfactory grades, provided that a Training Grant slot is available. Otherwise, reinstatement will occur at the beginning of the next grant year (July 1). A student whose Training Grant support has been suspended for unsatisfactory research performance will be considered for reinstatement upon the recommendation of the major professor. Resumption of support will begin when funds are available, as described above.
  3. Duration of Training Grant Support. Flexible training funds like those available through the NIH Training Grant are limited, and becoming more limited all the time. A new student will ordinarily be supported from one to two years on such funds; then the major professor is expected to assume responsibility for support. Only in the most exceptional circumstances will a student be supported for more than two years on flexible funds. Training Grant funds will be provided only as a last resort after the trainer has exhausted such possibilities as the Graduate School Research Committee, Biomedical Research Support Grant (BRSG), WARF fellowships, etc. The faculty Training Grant Committee will decide on any such extensions of Training Grant Support.
  4. Leaves of Absence. Trainees occasionally ask for leaves of absence. Written application for a leave of absence, explaining the reasons for the request, should be sent to the Director of the Training Grant. After review by the Director, the student may be granted a one-year leave of absence. A student will not automatically be granted a second year of leave, but must make written application to have the leave extended. The applicant must explain the reasons for requesting an extension, summarize his/her activities during the first year of leave, and list the factors that will determine whether or not he/she will request re-admission at the end of the second year's leave. Applications for such extensions will be due in February of the first year of leave. Decisions on extensions of leaves of absence will be made by the Admissions Committee.
  5. Vacations. NIH rules allow no student “vacations”, but do allow “normal student holidays” amounting to 22 working days per year. The Laboratory of Genetics allows students to trade “normal holidays” for other days, as dictated by the needs of their research projects. Holiday schedules must be approved by your major professor or supervisor, who will also keep an account of your time off. Paid terminal vacations at the end of the training period are specifically forbidden by NIH rules and will not be allowed by the Laboratory of Genetics.

Money

 

Tuition

Research and project assistants, as well as fellowship students, have their tuition remitted, but must pay segregated fees. These are due by the end of the second week of classes each semester. Some fellowships will pay both the fees and the tuition. Some fellowships will also pay the fees, as well as the tuition. The names of such eligible students should be on file in the Bursar's Office. If you have such an appointment, but your name has not been entered in the appropriate file, contact the Departmental Administrator immediately. Trainees supported on the Training Grant have their tuition and fees paid from the departmental training grant.

Short-Term Personal Loan

Short-term personal loans for graduate students are available through the UW Credit Union in the form of salary advances. Payback is usually done through payroll deduction. If you feel you need such an advance, you must obtain a letter from the departmental office certifying your appointment and salary, and you must make an appointment with the Loan Counselor at the Credit Union.

Your First Paycheck

All new graduate students will receive there first paycheck October 1. See the Payroll Coordinator as soon as you arrive.

Insurance Information

During your first orientation meeting, you will get a copy of “Group Health Insurance Plans & Provisions”, learn about health insurance options, and sign up for the plan that meets your needs. Your health insurance will be in effect on September 1, provided that you sign up on the first day of orientation.

Various Administrative Matters

 

Office Space for New Students

Office space for entering graduate students is available in 1421 Genetics Biotechnology Center until you have chosen a major professor and can be given office space close to his or her laboratory. Steenbock Library is located within an easy walk from the Genetics Biotechnology Center and you may find this to be a convenient place to study.

Building Access

You will be issued keys for laboratory rooms, if needed, and 1421 Genetics Biotechnology Center. Your student ID card will allow you entrance into the building after hours by electronic swipe of your card. Please see Marj Haanstad (1432 Genetics Biotechnology Center) to obtain the keys and for building access authorization. You will also need a building pass. The pass is good for one year. It is your responsibility to obtain a new pass from Marj when the year expires.

Mail

The mailroom is 1422 Genetics Biotechnology Center. All new graduate students’ mail will be in the box labeled “New Grads”. Until you select a major professor you will be assigned to 1421 Genetics Biotechnology Center.

Parking Permits

Because parking spaces on the Madison campus are limited, they are assigned through a system that is based upon the applicant’s rank, seniority, and other factors. Many applicants are disappointed each year. If you wish to park your car on campus you must apply for a permit online. Temporary parking permits may be purchased at the Parking Office, 610 N. Walnut Street (The WARF building), if spaces are available. Parking in many lots is unrestricted in evenings and on weekends. Check the signs for details. Lot 20 (immediately adjacent to the Genetics Biotechnology Center) is open for parking each evening after 4:30pm. Parking in restricted areas without an appropriate parking sticker will result in a ticket.

Departmental Personnel

The Laboratory of Genetics is staffed with qualified and dedicated individuals to assist the staff and students. Your familiarity with them and their duties enhances their ability to serve you. Contacting the correct person and following the established procedures guarantees rapid, accurate processing of your request. As a result, you receive the items or services you need, when you need them. The Departmental Administrator (1438 Genetics Biotechnology Center), can provide invaluable help and information concerning the operation of the department and answer many questions you may have concerning the graduate program. In addition, the staff, graduate students and lab technicians are excellent sources of information concerning areas of their research. It is to your advantage to talk to them and learn from their experiences. In this way, you can avoid costly, time-consuming errors. The Genetics Office personnel are:

Kathy Zweifel Department Administrator, PhD Program Administrator, Assistant to the Chair, supervisor of office staff 1438 Genetics Biotechnology Center 262-3112 kazweife@wisc.edu

Beth Rettenmund Program Assistant: Purchase orders (CALS), out of state travel requests, telephone charges, building keys 1434 Genetics-Biotechnology Center 262-3345 brettenm@wisc.edu

Anna Campbell Financial Specialist: Purchase orders (Medical School), out of state travel requests, machine maintenance, telephone charges 1430 Genetics-Biotechnology Center 261-1909 alcampbe@wisc.edu

Marj Haanstad Admissions Secretary & Payroll Coordinator 1432 Genetics Biotechnology Center 262-7729 haanstad@wisc.edu

Mara McDonald Assistant Administrator 1426 Genetics-Biotechnology Center 263-8941 mamcdona@wisc.edu

Kathy Rand Program Assistant, Receptionist 1420 Genetics-Biotechnology Center 262-1069 kmrand@wisc.edu

Jean Petersen Senior Student Services Coordinator 1426 Genetics-Biotechnology Center 265-9285 jmpeter2@wisc.edu

Robert Moldenhauer IT Specialist 1424 Genetics-Biotechnology Center 262-0260 rcmoldenhaue@wisc.edu

Academic Calendar

The official UW-Madison Academic Calendar is available online. Calendars (available from the University Bookstore) list important dates you should be aware of. Some examples are:

  • Registration
  • Instruction Begins
  • Last Day to Add Courses
  • Last Day to Drop Courses
  • Holidays
  • Final Exam Week

List of Appendices

The following forms are available in PDF format: