Biochemistry, Ph.D.

(PBCH)

The academic course plan for each student will be developed in consultation with and approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. The committee will include the student’s major advisor and at least two additional members of the graduate faculty such that the LSU Graduate School’s requirements for graduate committees are satisfied.

The degree is a dissertation degree requiring the publication of a novel research project. Fifteen hours of credit at the graduate level must be earned including a maximum of nine hours of credit for the dissertation. The curricular requirements include:

• At least 15 hours at the 7000 level or above, excluding independent research, dissertation research and directed readings.
• A primary area consisting of a minimum of nine hours of dissertation research hours and nine hours in a specified field of study.
• Biochemistry PhD students are required to take (or transfer credit in) specific courses as follows to fulfill part of the requirement for 15 hours of coursework:
• One course in Proteins: Choose either BIOL 7284  or BIOL 7285 .
• One course in nucleic acids biochemistry and molecular biology: BIOL 7280 .
• One course in lipids and membranes or carbohydrate biochemistry: Choose either BIOL 7288  or BIOL 7290  
• A minimum core requirement of seven credit hours in (BASC 7000  and six additional seminar hours distributed as two hours in BIOL 7921  and four hours in various topic-oriented seminars offered by the department (BIOL 7901 , BIOL 7902  or BIOL 7946 ). BIOL 7921  provides a forum by which students present their research prospectus and provide an update (exit seminar) on research progress. All faculty and students are invited to attend this course. Other seminar courses vary in content and style, and are designed to keep students abreast of recent developments in the biological sciences, expose students to specialized topics and give students experience in giving presentations.

Other specific degree requirements include passing a qualifying exam at the first year and a general exam prior to the end of the third year in the program. The general exam includes a written and oral component. Prior to scheduling the final examination and submission of the written dissertation, the student is required to have a first author publication in press in a peer-reviewed journal. As a component of professional development, all graduate students are required to teach in the undergraduate program at least one semester during their degree program.