Microbiology Doctoral Training Program Guidelines

Departments of Bacteriology and Medical Microbiology & Immunology

University of Wisconsin-Madison
(Updated 03/27/08)

I. Name, Scope, and Implementation of the Program

II. Administrative Structure of the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program

III. Course Requirements for the Microbiology Ph.D. Degree

IV. Initiation of Graduate Study

V. Completion of Graduate Studies

MDTP Teaching Practicum Evaluation Form

I. Name, Scope, and Implementation of the Program

A. Name and Scope

The Program is called the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program. The Program oversees students training for a Ph.D. degree at UW-Madison in one of the areas of Microbiology historically represented in the Ph.D. training programs of the Department of Bacteriology, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (Bact.) and the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School (MMI). These include but are not limited to biotechnology, environmental microbiology, host-symbiont or parasite interactions, immunology, medical microbiology, metabolic diversity and regulation, microbial pathogenesis, microbial ecology, regulation of microbial gene expression, and virology.

B. Implementation

The Microbiology Doctoral Training Program replaces the existing departmental Ph.D. programs in Bact. and MMI. Faculty trainers will consist initially of all faculty and graduate trainers in the existing departmental programs.

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II. Administrative Structure of the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program

A. Governance

The Steering Committee will be responsible for making necessary program policy changes. Proposals for significant policy changes in the program require majority vote of both Bact. and MMI faculties separately. Proposals for policy changes will be initially considered by the Steering Committee and will require majority vote of the Steering Committee before further action. The Steering Committee will schedule program wide meetings (faculty and trainers, or faculty, trainers, and students) to discuss or vote on issues it decides warrant such a meeting. Votes taken in these meetings will be binding, subject to ratification by the Bact. and MMI faculties.

B. Role of Trainers

Trainers in the Microbiology program will be tenure track faculty at the UW-Madison who are qualified to offer outstanding doctoral training in Microbiology or one of its subdisciplines. Newly hired faculty in Bact and MMI will automatically be granted trainer status at the outset of their faculty positions. Other eligible faculty who apply to become Trainers will be screened for addition to the program by the Steering Committee. In addition to being eligible to serve as thesis advisers, within their first two years in the program, trainers are required to participate in the MDTP core course by presenting at least two guest lectures and are expected to assist in recruiting and serve on program committees. The Steering Committee will review each trainer in the program at least once every five years. This review will consider participation in the MDTP core course, other courses pertinent to Microbiology graduate students, student seminars and MDTP committees.

C. Financial Responsibility for the Program and for Support of Trainees

Financial authority for the program will reside with the chairpersons of Bact. and MMI in consultation with the Steering Committee. Financial responsibility for support of trainees will reside with the thesis adviser once a thesis lab has been chosen. The trainer chosen for thesis study will be responsible for support of the student during the rotation period in that trainer's lab. If the student is supported by a training grant or fellowship, the trainer wil be financially responsible for any necessary supplements. If a student on a training grant or fellowship rotates beyond February 21, the rotation lab will be financially responsible for any necessary supplements.

D. Program Director

The Program Director will be a member of the Bact. or MMI departments and will be selected annually by these departments' chairs. Either department's faculty may request a change in the director by vote. The Steering Committee also will select a Vice Director from among its members. The Vice Director will assume the duties and responsibilities of the Director when the Director is unavailable or unable to execute the Director's duties and responsibilities.

E. Faculty Committees

Departmental representatives will be selected by their respective departments. Outside trainers (trainers not primary faculty in Bact. or MMI) and student representatives will be selected by the Steering Committee with the advice of departmental faculty and chairpersons, and, for student representatives, students in the Program.

1. Steering Committee

a. Composition
3 Bact. faculty
3 MMI faculty
3 outside trainers
3 students (nonvoting members).
b. Responsibilities
i. Oversee program and policy.
ii. Enforce program requirements.
iii. Develop programmatic initiatives that will foster interaction among faculty in the program and among students in the program. These could include faculty lunches to hear about each other's research, joint faculty meetings, joint seminar programs, a combined departmental student seminar, joint student hosted seminars, and student run journal clubs.
iv. Develop criteria for a set of proficiencies in microbiology that students in the Program should master to qualify for a degree and implement curriculum changes, if necessary, to ensure adequate instruction in these proficiencies.
v. In consultation with trainers in the Program, propose additional mechanisms and possible changes that will broaden trainer participation in and responsibility for the Program.
vi. Review and approve new trainers and review exisiting trainers.
Approval of new trainers will require majority vote of the Bact. and MMI faculties.
vii. Develop new funding initiatives for the Program.
viii. Handle all other issues related to the program that are not dealt with by other committees.

2. Admissions Committee

a. Composition
1 chair (rotating from among the 6-9 below each year)
2-3 Bact. faculty
2-3 MMI faculty
2-3 outside trainers
b. Responsibilities
i. review files for admissions / make admissions decisions.
ii. contact applicants to make offers and urge acceptance.

a. Composition
Admissions Committee with different chair
4 students
b. Responsibilities
i. development and implementation of recruitment strategies.
ii. supervision of recruits' visits to campus during Feb-Apr.
iii. delegation of recruiting functions to faculty and students in the program.

4. Advising Committee

a. Composition
1 Bact. faculty
1 MMI faculty (chair from among the three faculty)
1 outside trainer
2 students
b. Responsibilities
i. supervise orientation activities.
ii. advise students prior to selection of thesis adviser and thesis committee.
iii. ensure students are effectively tracked through program for timely completion of requirements and of the program.
iv. In advising students on course selection, the advising and thesis committees should ensure that each student has adequate instruction in the core disciplines of microbiology. In addition, to the extent consistent with optimal research training for each student, the advising and thesis committees should encourage cross disciplinary training of students.

5. Seminar and Curriculum Committee

a. Composition
Committee chair
at least one trainer from each department and one trainer not in Bact. or MMI
at least one student from each department and one student not in Bact. or MMI
b. Responsibilities
i. Develop criteria for a set of proficiencies in microbiology that students in the Program should master to qualify for a degree and propose curriculum changes, if necessary, to ensure adequate instruction in these proficiencies.
ii. Oversee and assist students in inviting and hosting student sponsored seminars.

III. Course Requirements for the Microbiology Ph.D. Degree

A. Background Course Requirements

To qualify for graduate study in Microbiology a student generally must have a BS or BA degree with the following course work:

Biology: two semesters (can be microbiology)
Genetics: one semester
Chemistry: four semesters including two semesters of organic chemistry
Biochemistry: one semester
Physics: two semesters
Mathematics: two semesters of calculus or one semester of calculus and one semester of statistics.

Deficiencies should be made up as soon as possible. Deficiencies in excess of 6 semester credits must be removed prior to registration in the program as a graduate student. All deficiencies must be made up before completion of the second year in the program.

B. Program Course Requirements

1. Graduate School Regulations.

The general regulations of the Graduate School must be satisfied.

2. Minimum Program Requirements
a. Major Course Requirements

Ten credits are required for the major. All students are required to take two semesters of the 1 credit course, Current Issuesin Microbiology (MMI 810 & Micro 811). These 2 credits may be used for either the major or the minor, with the approval of the thesis committee. At least three courses must come from the following list. With the approval of their thesis committees and mentors, students may petitin the Steering Committee to use alternative courses toward their major requirements. The Steering Committee also will consider these alternative courses for permanent inclusion in the major course list.

*Temporary course number; will change.

The remaining credits may come from other Bacteriology (Micro) or MMI courses approved by the Advising Committee or the Thesis Committee, excluding Micro. 731/MMI 901, MMI 900, and Micro. or MMI 699 and 990, or any other research, directed study, seminar or journal club course except as approved by the Steering Committee

b. Minor Course Requirements (See also the Graduate Catalog for Bacteriology and Medical Microbiology and Immunology)

Option A. 10 credit hours from a degree program outside the major.

Option B. 10 credit hours distributed among courses from any department related to the individual training emphasis area. This can include Bacteriology (Micro) or MMI courses or credits that are not used for the major. The following courses will not count toward minor course requirements: Micro. 731/MMI 901, MMI 900, and Micro. or MMI 699 and 990, or any other research, directed study, seminar or journal club course except as approved by the Steering Committee.

c. Grade Requirement

A student must maintain a B average in all courses taken to meet degree requirements. Grades of P and S are considered to be satisfactory; grades of incomplete must be removed during the following semester of residence or they will be converted to F. A student taking minor option A must satisfy the grade requirements of the minor department.

d. Student Seminars

Students must enroll and participate in Micro 731/ MMI 901 Student Seminar during their first three academic years. Students are encouraged to attend and participate in Micro 731/ MMI 901 Student Seminar throughout their matriculation in the program. Students are required to make two seminar presentation in Micro 731/MMI 901 during the course of their degree. Throughout their matriculation students are stongly encouraged to present at least one annual seminar in an appropriate venue.

C. Joint Degrees and Transfers

1. Joint Degrees

Students may complete a joint Ph.D. degree in MDTP and another program on campus under the following conditions. The student must apply for admission to MDTP by the program's yearly deadline and be admitted using the same criteria applied to other applicants. The student must complete all requirements of the MDTP program in addition to the requirements for the other program sponsoring the joint degree. The student must pass a different preliminary examination in each program. The student's thesis committee and preliminary examination must adhere to MDTP guidelines. The Ph.D. adviser must be a trainer in MDTP. A significant portion of the student's thesis research must be completed in the laboratory of the Ph.D. adviser. The student's program, including any deviations, must be approved by the steering committee.

2. Transfer to MDTP

A transfer to MDTP will be considered only under unusual circumstances, such as when a student's thesis adviser changes departments or joins the University. To transfer, a student must be admitted to MDTP by the admissions committee using the same criteria applied to other applicants. The student must complete all requirements of the program. Deviations from the program, such as less than three research rotations, will be considered by the steering committee, similarly to requests from other students in the program.

IV. Initiation of Graduate Study

A. Graduate Study Prior to Choosing a Thesis Adviser

1. Advising, Rotations, and Forming a Thesis Committee

During the registration week of the first semester of residence, each student will attend orientation activities and meet with the Advising Committee. The Committee will review background course requirements, consider training emphasis area (if known) and devise a course of study for the first year. The Advising Committee will also monitor rotations and be available for advice until a thesis adviser is identified. If a student is funded by certain training program grants, the student may also be assigned a specific adviser who is representing that program until a thesis adviser is identified.

During the initial 6 months of graduate study, students will complete at least 3 research rotations with 3 different faculty or trainers in the program. The length and timing of rotations will be decided by the individual student in consultation with the faculty with whom they are rotating, although 3-4 rotations of 1-2 months each is appropriate. Students may select a thesis adviser as early as Dec. 15, but no later than Feb. 21 of the first year. Deviation from the minimal number of rotations or dates for selection of a thesis adviser will require approval of the Advising Committee. A student who fails to select a thesis adviser by July 1 of the first year may be dismissed from the Program.

2. Entry of MD/PhD Program students into the Microbiology Doctoral Program.

An MD/PhD student who wishes to join the Microbiology Doctoral Program and who has completed his/her research rotations, fulfilled initial MD/PhD Program requirements, and arranged to join the laboratory of a Microbiology faculty member will be routinely admitted to the Program by the Chair of the Microbiology Admissions Committee. The student is excused from further laboratory rotations in Microbiology, but thereafter is subject to all the requirements of the Microbiology Program as well as the MD/PhD Program. Financial responsibility for the support of the MD/PhD Microbiology student rests with the thesis adviser.

B. Graduate Study after Choosing a Thesis Adviser

1. Formation of the Thesis Committee

A committee consisting of five faculty members will guide the student's progress towards the degree. The composition of the thesis committee must be approved by the Steering Committee. At least four members of the thesis committee must be appointed by May 1 of the first year; all five members must be appointed before the preliminary exam. At least one of the five committee members must be from outside the thesis adviser's department. At least two members of a student's thesis committee other than the thesis adviser must be members of the core faculty of the Bacteriology or Medical Microbiology & Immunology departments. A student who desires a different thesis committee composition may petition the Steering Committee for approval.

2. Initial Meeting

The student will write a brief description of research planned for the next year (1-2 pages is sufficient) by June 15 of the first year, distribute the write up to the committee and meet with the committee prior to August 15. At the meeting, the student's coursework for completion of degree requirements will be approved.

3. Annual Meeting with Thesis Committee

Beginning with the first January after matriculation, students are required to meet at least once per calendar year with their Thesis Committee. The Initial Meeting (see above), in the first year and the Qualifying/Preliminary Exam (see below) in the second year can satisfy this requirement. In all subsequent years, students are to prepare and send a brief (one to two pages), written progress report prior to meeting with their committee. The committee will approve the progress report and return an evaluation form to the Steering Committee. The student will return the committee apporved progress report and signed evaluation form to the program administrator. The reports will be kept on file in the student's permanent record.

V. Completion of Graduate Studies

A. Teaching Practicum*

As part of their training, students are required to complete two semesters of teaching practicum during their second year in the Program. A request to change the timing of part or all of the teaching practicum (typically to the first year) must be approved by the Program Director, both department chairs, and the student's advisor. Waivers of one semester may be granted for special circumstances by the Steering Committee with the approval of both department chairs.

*Refer to end of document for a copy of the Teaching Practicum

B. Qualifying/Preliminary Exam

Before the first day of Spring semester classes in the third year in the Microbiology Ph.D. program, students will complete the requirements of the qualifying exam, which is centered around a research proposal. The exam will consist of two parts, the written proposal and an oral defense by the student before the members of the Thesis Committee.

1. The Written Proposal (Part A).

The student will write and submit the research proposal to the Thesis Committee. The subject matter of the proposal will coincide with the student's anticipated thesis research. The proposal will be prepared in the organizational structure of a National Institutes of Health research proposal, but with a limit of up to approximately 15 double spaced text pages plus tables, figures, and references. (A guideline for the written proposal will be provided.) The student should consult with others, including the thesis adviser and committee members, before and during the writing process. At least 6 weeks prior to the anticipated oral defense, the student will submit the proposal to the members of the committee. The committee will have two weeks to evaluate the proposal.

During the third week, the student should meet with each member of the committee to learn his/her appraisal. Based on these comments, the student will revise the proposal and resubmit it at least one week prior to the oral defense. The revision must include an Introduction of not more than two pages that summararizes the substantial additions, deletions, and changes. The Introduction must also include responses to the criticisms and issues raised by the committee.

If a committee member has reservations about the original or the revised proposal that are serious enough to make voting to "pass" unlikely, that member should notify the student and the thesis adviser of his/her concerns immediately. In such cases, the thesis adviser, after consultation with the other committee members, may delay the defense to allow time for corrective actions.

2. The Oral Defense (Part B)
The student will give a brief (20-30 min.) oral presentation describing the research proposal and then respond to questions raised by the members of the Thesis Committee. The questions will center around the research proposal, but may include any question relevant to it or to the expected proficiencies in microbiology enumerated by the Steering Committee. Following the examination, the Thesis Committee will decide whether the student (i) passes the exam unconditionally and proceeds to candidacy, (ii) passes the exam conditionally and is instructed to complete additional work to satisfy a perceived deficiency, or (iii) fails the exam.

3. Candidacy.

After the student has passed the Qualifying Exam and all other degree requirements have been met, the Graduate School warrant certifying candidacy for the Ph.D. will be signed by the Thesis Committee and returned to the Graduate School.

4. Procedure for Appeal.

A student who fails the Qualifying Examination may be offered a second opportunity to pass the qualifying examination or may be dismissed from the program. Appeals of a decision by the Thesis Committee must be made to the Steering Committee within two weeks or they will be final. The Steering Committee will make the final decision on an appeal.

A student who has not satisfied the qualifying examination requirement within 36 months of entering the Ph.D. program will be dropped from the program, except by appeal in writing to the Steering Committee, which will make the final decision.

C. Thesis and Final Defense

Prior to graduation, every student must submit a thesis based on original and significant observations. Six months prior to the expected defense date, the student will meet with the Thesis Committee and obtain approval of the thesis prospectus. Students are required to present a seminar on his/her dissertation research, which is followed directly by the final examination. The final examination will be an oral defense of the thesis to the Thesis Committee. One month prior to the scheduled oral defense, the student must obtain the Ph.D. warrant from the Graduate School. For the student to pass the final exam, four of the five committee member must sign to affirm passage.

Appendix I: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program
Policy for the Teaching Practicum

Purpose and Philosophy

As a part of the Ph.D. training, the Microbiology Doctoral Training Program (MDTP) endeavors to prepare its students to be effective teachers and instructors of Microbiology. The Teaching Practicum is designed to provide students with skills to equip them for productive careers in Microbiology, which will require the effective communication skills that good training in effective teaching can uniquely provide.

Requirement
As outlined in the MDTP guidelines, each Ph.D. student is required to complete a teaching practicum.

Guidelines

1. Teaching opportunities and assignment process: Each year the Program will notify the Bacteriology and Medical Microbiology and Immunology Departments of the number of students who will need to be assigned a teaching practicum. Identification of available courses and the assignments process will be the responsibility of the two departments. The assignment process should include distribution of available course opportunities to eligible Ph.D. students and a consideration of their ranked preferences in making assignments.

2. The teaching practicum experience: The teaching practicum assignments must meet the following criteria:
A. Each teaching practicum assignment must provide ample opportunity for practice in classroom presentation. This means more than a single lecture per semester, but could include presentations such as leading discussion sessions, review sessions, or pre-laboratory lectures on theory and practice.
B. Each teaching practicum must involve significant contact with students taking the course, including dealing with individual student problems, for example, through set office hours, individual appointments when appropriate, or via e-mail.
C. Each teaching practicum should offer some experience in the preparation and evaluation of testing procedures. These could include formal written tests, quizzes, one-on-one evaluations, or evaluations of students' oral presentations.
D. Each teaching practicum should include orientation, supervision, and feedback from the instructor of the course. This must include the instructor's presence for at least a portion of the classroom presentations. The instructor is expected to provide students with regular verbal feedback on their progress in acquiring teaching skills and two written evaluations, one mid-semester and one at the end of the semester, using the form attached to this document. The course instructor also will assign a letter grade for the teaching practicum.

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MDTP Teaching Practicum Evaluation Form

To be completed at mid and end of semester by course instructor.

Student Teacher Name: ______________________________________________________

The numbers at right represents the following scale:

1. Excellent/Outstanding 3. Needs Some Improvement

2. Satisfactory 4. Needs Substantial Improvement

5. Not Applicable

1. Degree of preparedness for presenting lecture(s) or lab demonstrations. 1 2 3 4 5

2. Effectiveness as lecturer (gets the idea across, engages students' interest) 1 2 3 4 5

3. Knowledge of subject material. 1 2 3 4 5

4. Organizational skills. 1 2 3 4 5

5. Attitude regarding teaching. 1 2 3 4 5

6. Degree and quality of student contact. 1 2 3 4 5

7. Exam or test composition skills. 1 2 3 4 5

8. Grades exams and lab reports fairly and accurately. 1 2 3 4 5

9. Attendance record. 1 2 3 4 5

10. Comments: What are this students strongest qualities in teaching?

11. How specifically can this person improve their teaching skills?

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