First Year

Advisory Committee

Send completed meeting forms to biophysics@umd.edu by the indicated deadlines:

• First Fall Meeting Form - due before the start of your first fall semester
• Late Fall Meeting Form - due before Thanksgiving break
• Spring Meeting Form - due March 31

Rotations

• Rotation Expectations
• Rotation Agreement

Registration

Pre-candidacy:

1. Complete the Progress Report Survey (sign in with your @UMD Google account). A copy of your response will be emailed to your advisor, the BIPH program co-directors, and the program coordinator.
2. Complete the Schedule Request Form, get your advisor's signature, and send the signed form to grad-ipst@umd.edu.
3. Once the coordinator informs you that your registration block has been cleared, visit testudo.umd.edu to register for courses.

Candidates:

1. Complete the Progress Report Survey (sign in with your @UMD Google account). A copy of your response will be emailed to your advisor, the BIPH program co-directors, and the program coordinator.
2. Ensure that you have paid any outstanding balances on your student account.
3. Send an email to grad-ipst@umd.edu if you do not see BIPH899 on your schedule (check via testudo.umd.edu) by one month prior to the start of the semester.

Candidacy

• BIPH Oral Qualifying Exam Form
• BIPH Research Proposal Cover Page
• BIPH Research Proposal Form
• Application for Admission to Candidacy

Graduation

• Guide to Graduating:
  • Spring 2025 **current semester**
  • Summer 2025

Timeline

Year 1: The student takes and passes CHEM684 and CHEM687, completes 3 laboratory rotations, and chooses the laboratory for his/her PhD research.

Year 2: In August/September, the student takes and passes the oral Qualifying Exam. The student embarks on obtaining preliminary results for his/her research project. 

Year 3: The student prepares a written research proposal and presents and defends it. The student advances to candidacy and focuses completely on his/her research.

Years 4-6: The student continues and completes his/her research, which resolves in a PhD defense. It is strongly recommended the student give a public seminar approximately 6 months before the defense.