Degree Offered
PhD
Program Description
The PhD program in Oral and Experimental Pathology (Department of Oncology and Diagnostic Sciences in the School of Dentistry) provides broad training in oral and experimental pathology and requires some degree of specialization. Students admitted to the program have obtained at least a dental degree. During the first two years, the students participate in didactic courses in the basic and clinical sciences. They also are introduced to the department’s clinical practice and research endeavors. For two semesters, the students function as prosectors and residents in surgical and anatomic pathology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Students entering with marginal preparation may need additional coursework. The remaining two years include mastery of surgical oral pathology and research leading to a PhD dissertation. By the end of the third year, students should have completed all requirements for admission to candidacy for the PhD and obtain their PhD about one to two years later.
Program Admissions
Students admitted to the PhD program generally have a strong undergraduate background in the biological sciences and chemistry. Applicants lacking prerequisites will be required to correct these deficiencies by enrolling in undergraduate-level courses.
Minimum standards for admission to graduate programs at the University of Maryland, Baltimore are specified in the Graduate School catalog. The department requires an undergraduate grade-point average of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, and grades of A or B in science courses are expected. Applicants are expected to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Students who hold degrees from foreign colleges or universities — or whose native language or language of the home is not English — must submit acceptable scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language or the International English Language Testing System exam. A supplementary course in English may be recommended for some students. Foreign students eligible for admission must comply with all requirements of the Department of Homeland Security. Interviews are not required; however, the Graduate Program Committee may invite some applicants for an interview to discuss their career goals and research interests.
Degree Requirements and Advisory System
Each new student is assigned to a faculty advisory committee until they have selected a dissertation advisor. The advisory committee helps the student prepare a tentative doctoral program, advises the student and recommends for faculty approval a dissertation advisor, and provides continuing evaluation of the student’s progress. This committee is replaced by the dissertation advisor when one is selected. With few exceptions, all students enrolled in the PhD program must take the following:
- GPLS 601 — Mechanisms in Biomedical Sciences: From Genes to Disease (8 credits)
- DPAT 618 — Seminar (1 credit)
Also, a total of 12 hours of dissertation research is required by the Graduate School. The student also will do rotations of about eight to 10 weeks in faculty research laboratories. First-year students select the laboratories in which they will work at after consulting the departmental file on opportunities and their faculty advisory committee. Additional laboratory rotations may be done at the student’s request.
Students will be expected to have basic knowledge of cell biology, biostatistics, and computer use in addition to the above subject areas. Students must take at least 36 credit hours of coursework beyond the 12 required credits of dissertation research. Courses covering areas of special interest will be selected by the student in consultation with, and with the concurrence of, the faculty advisory committee or the dissertation advisor.
Students are expected to earn grades of B or better in all courses. Those who fail to maintain a B average are subject to the rules of the Graduate School, which are published in this catalog. Competence for progression is judged on the basis of the preliminary examination. This assessment is designed to test the student’s mastery of a broad field of knowledge including the integration of their coursework with their research area. Upon completion of the dissertation research, a student shall present their results in the form of a dissertation. A PhD student is expected to publish (or receive acceptance for publication of) a significant part of their PhD dissertation findings in peer-reviewed journals of the corresponding field of research before graduation. A dissertation defense is required. Students may attempt to defend a dissertation no more than twice. Financial aid in the form of Graduate School fellowships and graduate assistantships is available to qualified students. Applications for Graduate School fellowships may be obtained directly from the Graduate School. They require three letters of recommendation and the filing of a financial aid form. While the latter is necessary to complete the application procedure, preference for the fellowship is based primarily on past academic performance. The fellowships generally provide a small stipend and remission of tuition and are renewable on a yearly basis.
Required Courses
| GPLS 601 | MECHANISMS IN BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES: FROM GENES TO DISEASE | 8 |
| DPAT 618 | SEMINAR | 1 |
| DPAT 898 | PRE-CANDIDACY RESEARCH | 1 TO 8 |
| DPAT 899 | DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH | 1 TO 12 |
Available Courses