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Program of Study - Program of Study: General aspects of the program of study is given below. Each section has a link to a series of "tips" written by students in the Field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences. These articles are all a part of the CBS Graduate Student Handbook which can also be downloaded in its entirety. A general program timeline is available on the CVM Office of Graduate Education site. Year One Rotations: First-year students spend the year rotating in the laboratories of faculty in the Program (this includes not only faculty in the Field of CBS, but any of the Fields in the Program). The purpose of the rotations is to give the students a range of research experiences and techniques and to help them make an informed decision about their thesis laboratory. Rotations may also help to drive collaboration between faculty (students can include faculty from more than one Field on their Special Committee). Funding during this year comes from the Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program; in subsequent years, funding is provided by the faculty mentor or from outside resources secured by the student. All three rotations do not have to be set at the beginning of the academic year. Students generally set the first rotation with the help of the Director of Graduate Studies during the Orientation period. Subsequent rotations may be set with the help of the current rotation supervisor. The student should keep the Office of Graduate Education informed of the faculty mentors and the periods of each rotation using the form provided on the internal Office of Graduate Education site. At the end of each rotation, faculty
supervisors should go over the Rotation Evaluation form with the
student prior to submitting the form to the Office of Graduate Education.
The purpose of this form is to provide the student with constructive
feedback which will help them to be successful graduate students
and researchers.
Courses: There are no courses or credit hour requirements imposed by the Graduate School for the Field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences. Necessary coursework for a major and minor subject in the Field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences will be chosen by the student and the student's Special Committee. Courses are chosen by the student and the DGS (or temporary advisor) in the first year of study and, subsequently by the student and his/her Special Committee. The courses should be chosen with the goal of enhancing the student's ability to successfully complete his/her chosen research project. Grades below B- do not normally constitute satisfactory progress in courses taken by a student enrolled in the Graduate School.
Special Committee A student's Ph.D. degree program is developed and supervised by a Special Committee composed of members of the Graduate Field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences and other Fields chosen by the student to fit his or her particular needs and interests. The Special Committee of a doctoral student is composed of at least four faculty, as detailed below; additional members may be added if the student desires.
The student must file a Special Committee Selection form between the end of the second semester and end of the third semester of study. A copy of this form must be filed with the CVM Office of Graduate Education; the original must be taken to the Graduate School in Caldwell Hall. Students may change the members of their Special Committee if the circumstances warrant. A change of Committee must be reported on the Change of Special Committee form. A change in the Special Committee after the Admission to Candidacy Examination requires the approval of the General Committee of the Graduate School. The Field Appointed Member is not subject to change by the student in a manner comparable to other Committee members. If problems arise with respect to this individual, they should be brought for consideration before the Executive Committee of the Field. The members of the Special Committee direct the student's program and decide whether satisfactory progress toward the degree is being made. They conduct and report on oral examinations and approve or reject the thesis.
Annual Meeting of Special Committee: It is particularly important that the Special Committee be convened within 3 months of its formation to agree on the following:
This information will be recorded on the Special Committee Progress Report to be signed by members of the Committee, the student and the DGS and filed in the Office of Graduate Education. Subsequently, graduate students in the Field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences must hold meetings, other than those required for examinations, with his/her Special Committee at least once a year. An Annual Progress Report form must be filled out, signed by the DGS and filed with the CVM Office of Graduate Education. It is also the student's prerogative to call such meetings whenever he/she wishes. A student in a Ph.D. program may be changed to an M. S. candidate at any time by his/her Special Committee. If such action is taken, the Special Committee should inform the Graduate School Office and the Director of Graduate Studies. Residence Requirements and Time to Degree: The Graduate School requires a minimum of six Residence Units for a Ph.D. degree. One Residence Unit (RU) is defined as one semester of full-time study at an acceptable level at Cornell. A student for a Ph.D. program may earn no more than two Residence Units, for all work done in summer sessions, summer research, and the Division of Extramural Courses. A student must complete all the requirements for the Ph.D. degree in seven years from the date of first registration in the Graduate School, or petition the Graduate School for an extension. Post-baccalaureate D.V.M. students enrolled in the combined D.V.M./Ph.D. program may petition the Graduate School, with the approval of his/her special graduate committee, for transfer toward the Ph.D. residence requirement of two Residence Units earned during the D.V.M. degree program. The combined D.V.M./Ph.D. program can therefore be completed in six years provided the student has made substantial progress on Ph.D. thesis research during his/her D.V.M. program. In Absentia: A candidate for the degree of Ph.D. may, on prior petition, be permitted to earn residence units for study away from the University while regularly registered in the Graduate School, provided such an arrangement offers superior advantages for prosecution of the candidate's program. A candidate who has filed the In Absentia form and to whom this privilege has been granted shall continue to work under the general direction of his/her Special Committee. Whenever possible, the work should be under the immediate supervision of a competent director designated by the Committee and acting for it. The following limitations apply:
Exams: Two examinations are required for the doctoral degree. The comprehensive Admission to Candidacy Examination (commonly referred to as the A-exam), and the Final Examination (which is known as the B-exam). A candidate for either examination in the Field of Comparative Biomedical Sciences is required to submit to the DGS and CVM Office of Graduate Education a written notice of his or her examination schedule at least two weeks in advance of the scheduled exam date. A-Exam:The Admission to Candidacy Examination is required for formal admission to doctoral candidacy and may be taken after the student has earned at least two Residence Units. This examination must be passed before six Residence Units have been accrued, and at least two Units must be earned after completion of the examination. The 'A' exam tests the student's knowledge and understanding in his major and minor subjects (areas of concentration) and ideally should be taken soon after the students' course work has been completed. The format of this exam may be written or oral, or both; this decision is made by the Special Committee of the student. B-Exam:The B-exam is based on the content of the Ph.D. thesis. In addition, each Ph.D. degree candidate is required to present, prior to the final oral examination, a one-hour seminar on the results of his or her thesis research. Veterinary College staff and students will be notified of this seminar one-week in advance. Thesis: A thesis in a format acceptable to the Graduate School is required for a Ph.D. degree. A relatively polished draft of the thesis including all tables, figures, appendices and references must be presented to all members of the Special Committee at least one week before the Final Examination. |
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