The Department of Human Genetics

The Department of Human Genetics offers training in the fields of human genetics such as human disease, classical genetics, complex trait genetics population/evolutionary genetics, cytogenetics, chromosomal biology, neurogenetics and developmental human genetics. This coursework is intended for graduate students who plan to pursue research careers and teaching in the emerging areas of modern biology, medical students, and undergraduate and graduate students in other departments. Programs for the Ph.D. degree place great emphasis on sound preparation in human genetics, cell biology, and molecular biology.

Application

The department is sympathetic to the needs of students with unusual backgrounds and such students are encouraged to apply. All applicants to the department must take the verbal, quantitative, and analytical portions of the Graduate Record Examination. For further information about the Department of Human Genetics, the program of study, degree requirements, and the research interests of the faculty, please contact: Graduate Program Administrator, Department of Human Genetics (HG), Cummings Life Science Center, 920 East 58th Street, Room 507, Chicago, IL 60637, telephone: (773) 834-0525.

The Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

A Ph.D. candidate must fulfill certain formal coursework requirements, pass one preliminary and one qualifying examination, and present a satisfactory dissertation describing the results of original research.

The department expects a knowledge of and proficiency in human genetics. This requirement will normally be met by fulfilling the formal coursework described here, but detailed degree programs are flexible. Courses taken at other institutions, in other departments, or as part of the Medical School curriculum may substitute for HG courses with approval of the Student Affairs Committee. To fulfill the requirements for a Ph.D. nine graded courses are required. In the Department of Human Genetics, a student must take the following three required courses: General Principles of Genetic Analysis (MGCB 31400), Mechanisms of Human Disease (HG 47000) and Human Variation and Disease (HG 46900). We also strongly recommend that students take the following courses to make up the remaining six required courses, depending on interest: Introductory Statistical Genetics (HG 47100), Genetic Mechanisms (MGCB 31500), Developmental Genetics of Model Systems (DevBio 35500), Statistical Genetics (Stat 35500). Four of the six electives are selected by the student and must be approved by the student affairs committee. These courses and many more, are designed to develop greater proficiency in your particular sub-discipline.

A student is also required to do two laboratory rotations before selecting an advisor and laboratory to pursue a Ph.D. dissertation. These rotations will be graded and together will be equivalent to one elective. Students are encouraged to enroll in the summer quarter of the year they are accepted in order to participate in a laboratory rotation prior to the start of coursework in the autumn quarter. All students are required to serve as teaching assistants for two quarters. When possible, one quarter should be taught at the undergraduate level and one at the graduate level.

During the second year, students select a thesis advisor and begin laboratory research. To complete the Ph.D. degree, they must prepare, under the general direction of an appointed doctoral committee, a dissertation based upon their original research. A public seminar describing the results of the dissertation research must be presented and the dissertation must be successfully defended before the doctoral committee.

This text was last revised on 9/08/2003.