Program Requirements

Applicants should have a strong undergraduate background and record of engagement in the biological sciences, including immunology, biochemistry, molecular genetics, and microbiology. Applicants are also expected to have undergraduate laboratory research experience. 

An official transcript of the student's undergraduate record is necessary, with three recommendation letters from faculty who can evaluate the academic and research potential of the student in a Ph.D. program in immunology and microbial pathogenesis. 

The application requires a personal statement describing the student's background and their specific interest in the Immunology & Microbial Pathogenesis program. Applicants are not required to take the General Graduate Record Examination. Applicants whose native language is not English are required to take the TOEFL examination. 

For more information about the application procedures, visit Apply Online. 

An individual program of study, comprising both required and elective course, is developed for each student based on the student's interest and prior experience. 

The IMP program places strong emphasis on scholarship. Beginning in the first year with course work in fundamental immunology and complemented by electives in Advanced Immunology courses with flexible topics, an Immunology Seminar Series highlighting the latest developments in the field presented by distinguished scientists, and a student-run “Research in Progress” forum for a critical discussion of thesis research and the open exchange of ideas.  

During the first year, each student also undertakes three rotations with different faculty members before choosing a major sponsor with whom to develop a research topic for the doctoral thesis. Each rotation lasts 10-12 weeks, and at the end of each, students present their work at the IMP Rotation Symposium. (Refer to the IMP Student Handbook for deadlines and written requirements associated with lab rotations.) 

Each IMP student, with the help of the mentor, must participate regularly in journal clubs throughout the graduate training. He/she may choose elective courses among all courses offered by the other programs of the Graduate School. A description of each course is provided under Curriculum.

The IMP annual retreat is an integral part of the program. This off-site meeting includes formal presentations by faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Graduate students, after admission to candidacy are required to present a poster with senior students giving oral presentations. Prizes are awarded for outstanding talks, posters, and publications. 

In the spring of year two, the student will qualify for PhD candidacy by passing the Admission to Doctoral Candidacy Examination (ACE). This proposal-based examination tests the students understanding of their project and the field of immunology and ability to generate and test a hypothesis. This exam requires both written and oral component. When a student passes the ACE, he/she is a candidate for the PhD degree. 

A Thesis Committee, comprising the major sponsor and two additional faculty members knowledgeable in the field of study advises the student in his or her research, meeting periodically to monitor progress, and to oversee the development of the thesis. 

During this time the student continues to participate in the other educational programs offered by the graduate program but works full time in the laboratory. 

The culmination of the student’s successful progression through the program is the successful Thesis Defense and certification by the Thesis Committee that the thesis satisfies the requirements of the Graduate School for the Ph.D. degree.