Dept. of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, page 2

Dept. of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, page 2
School of Medicine

Graduate Programs

Admissions

An applicant to the graduate program in molecular microbiology and immunology must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in science -- usually biology, chemistry or physics. The applicant must have demonstrated strength in science or mathematics. Undergraduate course work should have included at least one year of biology, chemistry through organic chemistry, mathematics through calculus, physics and physical chemistry. Deficiencies may be made up early in the predoctoral program.

The department encourages applicants to contact its office prior to making formal application. Each applicant must pass satisfactorily the general and advanced (biochemistry, cell and molecular biology or biology, chemistry or physics) portions of the Graduate Record Examinations, and must also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be written. In addition, the applicant must provide a one-page statement of career objectives, including the general area of research interest. This statement is intended to facilitate selection of those students who will most benefit from the department's graduate program. A personal interview is strongly recommended but not required.

Applicants who have attended graduate school at another university may be admitted to advanced standing upon recommendation of the department.

Training Grants and Fellowships

Incoming domestic students are supported by a departmental training grant or by a research grant to a specific faculty mentor during their first year; subsequently, students are supported by research grants awarded to individual faculty members. Foreign students are supported by research assistantships.

Master of Science

Students are not admitted to the department for the degree objective of M.S. Students admitted for studies leading to the Ph.D. may request a change in degree objective to the M.S. with the permission of the faculty. The requirements for the M.S. are: 24 units of graduate level, graded, scientific course work approved by the Graduate Committee; six units of research (MICB 590 and 790, combined); a passing score in the written screening examination administered in the first year of study; and a short report summarizing the student's research findings.

Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
David Henriquez
univpub@stuaff.usc.edu