Full-time students are required to register for 15 hours of study per semester, except for the summer semester when students must register for only 10 hours.

Students must maintain a B average.

All graduate students are required to attend and participate in the departmental seminar series. It gives the students a chance to interact with researchers from around the world and obtain research views from different perspectives.

The general course of study, on average, requires between four to six years of graduate work, depending upon individual background, remedial work, and experience.

Successful completion of the qualifying exam and dissertation are required.

What can I do with a Ph.D. degree in Cellular and Molecular Physiology?

     Many opportunities are available for those who obtain a Ph.D. degree in Physiology and Biophysics at UAB. Often, new Ph.D.s choose to continue their training through post-doctoral fellowships at other universities, in an industrial setting, or in government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health or the Federal Drug Administration. Such advanced training prepares Ph.D.s for full-time research and teaching in an academic, industrial, or government setting. In addition, alternative career paths are available to Ph.D.s. These include teaching at small colleges, obtaining a M.B.A. for administrative work in industry, or entering law school for a career in patent law.

Program of Study

    Upon entering the doctoral program, the student either chooses or is assigned a faculty adviser. This is a temporary arrangement until the student selects a specific area of research concentration. The student and the faculty adviser, in conjunction with a graduate committee, design a program of course work to meet the student's needs. Medical physiology, molecular and cell biology, seminar, and statistics courses must be included in the program. Additional requirements and needs for other tools of research are determined individually. Although students initially concentrate on course work, most are also encouraged to begin research early in the program. After passing the qualifying examinations given at the end of formal course work, candidates work full-time on research and writing. The degree is awarded following presentation and defense of the dissertation. The doctoral program usually requires a minimum of three academic years of full- time study.

Research Facilities

     The department is housed primarily on three floors of the McCallum Basic Health Sciences Building, located at 1918 University Boulevard. Well-equipped laboratories are provided for each of the faculty research programs. The library maintains subscriptions to more than 2,000 journals.