Following the third year talk students advance to candidacy for the PhD degree. In addition to completing the core course, qualifying exam and third year talk, doctoral students must also pass two of the many elective courses designed for upper-level graduate students. The Graduate Advisory Committee may also require additional course work depending on the individual needs of the student. As part of the PhD requirements all students must teach for three quarters as teaching assistants in biology courses. Following consultation with the thesis committee, students write a dissertation on their own original thesis work.
Students defend their thesis work in a public departmental seminar.
In recent years the average time to completion of degree requirements in the MCD program has been 6.5 years.