During this year, students in the Department complete a series of required and elective courses while performing rotations in three laboratories. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Eukaryotes I, Molecular Biophysics and Microbial Molecular Genetics. A second elective is completed any time during the following year, for a total of six classes. Electives include Diffraction Analysis, NMR Analysis, Structure and Function of Nucleic Acids, Membrane Receptors and Transport Proteins, and an Advanced Biophysics course. These are each described in the special section on Departmental Courses .
Research is the central focus of all the subsequent years of graduate study.
After the qualifying exam is completed, students begin conducting research in the laboratory of their choice. The second year is concluded with a presentation of the thesis project to a panel of professors who may serve as advisors to the student for the duration of graduate study. Students typically complete their thesis project and obtain a Ph.D. within 5-7 years after beginning the program, which conforms to the national average. Because the major activity of graduate students is research, it is important to note that the Department fosters a remarkable degree of collaboration and interaction between research groups. Students learn not only from members of their own groups, but from individuals in other laboratories.