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The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science offers, for properly
qualified advanced students, the opportunities for research in visual
science. Students admitted to our graduate program must have appropriate
and broad education in multiple disciplines of the natural sciences. Our
students are encouraged to engage in study during their undergraduate
years of one year each of chemistry, physics, calculus and biology, and
to enroll in at least one course each in biochemistry, statistics and
genetics.
Admission is based on transcripts, GRE scores, and letters of recommendation.
Clinical work does not receive credit and although work towards a degree
can be done concurrently with residency or fellowship training, it is
separate and distinct from it. The curriculum is designed for individuals
who are interested in a career in research in vision and ophthalmology.
Degrees
Master of Science
While the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science offers a formal
master’s program, students are not generally admitted with the sole
purpose of seeking the Master of Science degree unless they already have,
or expect to receive a professional degree (M.D., O.D., D.O. or D.V.M.).
Conferral of the degree of Master of Science is possible after the following
have been achieved:
1. All candidates must have 18 courses from those in the department
and in related departments in consultation with the candidate’s
thesis committee. Credit for 9 courses is given for the M.D. or Ph.D.
degree. A minimum of three courses must be formal lecture-course work
and six courses must be 40000 level research.
2. The thesis will consist of a report of original work acceptable to
and approved by the candidate’s thesis committee. The thesis committee
will include at least three members of the Department of Ophthalmology
and Visual Sciences chosen by the student in consultation with the chairman
of the student’s advisory committee. The thesis should be of sufficient
merit to warrant publication. The candidate must pass a final oral examination.
Doctor of Philosophy Requirements
1. Six quarters of formal lecture course work during the first two
years with a grade of B or better (P is not acceptable). These should
include at least three courses in different areas of vision research
and should not include more than two courses from one area or from faculty
in a single laboratory (broadly defined). Credit for three quarters
of course work will be given to candidates who hold the M.D., O.D.,
D.O. or D.V.M. degree (or are enrolled in the University’s M.D./Ph.D.
program).
2. Two statistics courses with a grade of B or better (P is not acceptable).
The requirement is for one course at the introductory graduate level
plus one additional statistics course (e.g. Psychology 37300, Statistics
23000, 24400 or 24500). Students may select other statistics courses
or an advanced mathematics course as the second course if this would
be more appropriate for their research, but only with prior approval
of the faculty of the department.
3. Two neurobiology courses with a grade of B or better (P is acceptable
only for M.D./Ph.D. students). For example, students may select Neurobiology
30005 plus Neurobiology 30018, or Neurobiology 30018 plus one of Neurobiology
30019-30021.
4. One computer science course (e.g. Computer Science 105 or 115) with
a grade of C or better (P is acceptable).
5. Three quarters of research. Beginning in the second quarter, the
student must register for research with one of the faculty who becomes
the student’s sponsor to complete a research project. The aim of
this project is to present research which will be at the level of a
minor research project. There will be a required laboratory report which
includes the historical background, the research methods, results and
discussion. There will be an oral defense of the research project to
a committee of no fewer than three faculty of the department.
6. Divisional teaching requirement. The student must satisfy the teaching
requirement of the Division of the Biological Sciences. At present,
the division requires a student to be a teaching assistant in two courses.
The teaching assistantships (100 credits each) will be taken for credit
with pass/fail grades and must be passed to be admitted to candidacy
for the Ph.D. degree.
7. The faculty of the department shall then evaluate the student. Based
on course work, grades, the research project and the recommendation
of the student’s sponsor, the faculty will recommend the student
for the Master of Science degree or to continue to study for the Doctor
of Philosophy degree.
8. Doctor of Philosophy degree advisory committee. The Doctor of Philosophy
degree advisory committee shall be composed of no fewer than four members
(not including the outside reader), of whom three shall be members of
the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science. The committee will
include the student’s sponsor and a chairman who will not be the
student’s sponsor. The student and the student’s sponsor will
choose the chairman. The chairman and the student will then choose the
other members of the advisory committee. The advisory committee will
be kept informed by the student of the progress of the research.
9. The student will present a proposal for the dissertation research
to the advisory committee. At least six months must elapse between the
proposal hearing and presentation of the dissertation for the final
defense.
10. Final Doctor of Philosophy examination. At the time of the oral
defense of the dissertation, a reader who shall be an expert in the
area of the dissertation research shall be selected by the members of
the advisory committee. The reader may come from another department
of the University or may come from outside the University. The candidate
shall present the research to a public forum in a one-hour colloquium
format. The advisory committee and the reader will conduct the defense
following the presentation. Following the defense, the advisory committee
and the reader will meet in private to vote. Passing the examination
normally requires unanimous approval by all members of the advisory
committee and the reader but at the discretion of the chairman of the
advisory committee, one dissenting vote may be allowed.
General Student Supervision
1. Second year evaluation.
2. The role of the graduate student advisor (appointed by the chairman
of the department) includes knowledge of University regulations to ensure
that the student fulfills University and divisional requirements.
3. The role of the graduate student sponsor is to provide guidance and
an environment conducive to superior research.
4. The chairman of the advisory committee will ensure that the student
fulfills departmental requirements. The chairman of the advisory committee
will not be the student’s sponsor.
5. The Ph.D. advisory committee will have a major role at the proposal
hearing and the final defense. The student has the obligation to keep
the committee informed of the progress of the research.
6. The reader will assist the advisory committee at the final oral defense.
This text was last revised on 8/29/2003.
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