All applicants for admission to the Graduate School at Cornell University should
Applicants from United States colleges and universities should be in the top third of their graduating class.
Students applying to the Field of Pharmacology are expected to have a combined score of at least 1200 in the Verbal and Quantitative parts of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). They should also have had prior courses in Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Chemistry, Math, Molecular Biology, Physics and Physiology. Students that do not have the necessary background in any of these areas will be expected to take the relevant courses after they matriculate at Cornell.
All applicants whose native language is not English must provide proof of competency in English. Acceptable proof is (1) a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 213 (computer-based) or 550 (paper-based); if students take the new internet-based test, the current minimum scores required for the various components are as follows: Writing 20, Listening 15, Reading 20, and Speaking 22, (2) a degree from a college or university in a country where the native language is English, or (3) two or more years of study in an undergraduate or graduate program in a country where the native language is English.
More detailed information on admission requirements and application procedures can be obtained from The Graduate School, Cornell University, Caldwell Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853-6201, USA.
2. Coursework, Seminars and Work-in-Progress
The Graduate School's degree requirements are kept to a minimum in order to give the Special Committee and the student freedom to determine appropriate degree requirements and to define a course of study best suited to the student's particular goals. No specific requirements for credits or courses are imposed by the Graduate School. Grades of C+ and below in a student's major area, however, do not normally constitute satisfactory progress.
The following recommendations and guidelines are provided for students majoring or minoring in the Field of Pharmacology:
3. Laboratory Rotations
Wherever possible, students are strongly encouraged to complete several laboratory rotations before making a final choice of thesis project. A temporary committee will be appointed to advise each student while he or she is doing laboratory rotations. This committee will include at least one member of the Field of Pharmacology Executive Committee. The Graduate Faculty Representative will be the chair if s/he is not involved in the rotations. Additional members will be appointed by the Executive Committee.
A student's Special Committee should be formed by the end of the first year, but until that time, the Executive Committee of the Field of Pharmacology, together with the student's major adviser or sponsor(s), will act in that capacity.
The Special Committee, when formed, should consist of:
The student should convene a formal committee meeting at least once a year. As a result of this meeting, the major advisor will submit a written report on the student's progress to the Director of Graduate Studies for evaluation by the entire Faculty of the Field of Pharmacology.
5. Teaching
There is no formal teaching requirement for students majoring in the Field of Pharmacology. Nevertheless, the Field strongly encourages students to participate in teaching. The appropriate type and amount of teaching for each student will be decided by his or her Special Committee.
6. Admission to Candidacy ("A" Exam)
A comprehensive Admission to Candidacy examination is taken when a student has completed all the recommended courses and other requirements of his or her Special Committee and has earned at least two units of residence credit. For the "A" Exam in the Field of Pharmacology, the student will prepare a written proposal, in the form of a grant application, in his or her area of research. The Special Committee should receive a copy of the proposal in final form no later than one week prior to the examination. This will be presented and defended by the student before his or her Special Committee. At least two weeks prior to the exam the Schedule of Examination Form should be filed with the Graduate School and a copy of the completed form with the Office of Graduate Education, College of Veterinary Medicine. After the examination the Results of Examination Form must be filed with the Graduate School within three days and a copy of the form with the Office of Graduate Education within a week.
7. Final Examination ("B" Exam)
This is given after completion of the doctoral dissertation. Detailed guidelines for the preparation, submission and examination of the thesis are described in Doctoral Dissertation and Master's Thesis: Formatting, Production, and Submission Requirements available on the web and published by the Graduate School at Cornell University.
The Field of Pharmacology expects that a largely complete draft of the thesis be given to each Special Committee member at least six weeks before the proposed date for the "B" Exam. The committee will be allowed a maximum of one week to examine the draft, before deciding whether the student should be allowed to proceed with the "B" Exam. The final examination must be at least five weeks after the date on which approval to proceed has been given by all members of the Special Committee.
The "B" Exam should be scheduled at least 14 days in advance by filing a Schedule of Examination Form with the Graduate School and a copy of the completed form with the College Office of Graduate Education. A complete thesis must be submitted to the members of the student's Special Committee at least two weeks before the "B" Exam.
The student will present the results of his or her research at a Field Seminar, which is open to all members of the university. The "B" Exam, at which the student defends the thesis before his or her Special Committee, takes place after this seminar. After the examination the Results of Examination Form must be filed with the Graduate School within three days and a copy with the Office of Graduate Education within a week.
8. Current Faculty, Field of Pharmacology
Linda Nowak Molecular Medicine Director of Graduate Studies Richard Cerione Molecular Medicine Field Executive Committee Huai-hu Chuang Biomedical Sciences Field Executive Committee Maurine Linder Molecular Medicine Field Executive Committee Barbara Baird Chemistry and Chemical Biology Ruth Collins Molecular Medicine Huai-hu Chuang Biomedical Sciences Robin Davisson Biomedical Sciences Clare Fewtrell Molecular Medicine Robert Gilmour Biomedical Sciences George Hess Molecular Biology and Genetics Bill Horne Clinical Sciences Mike Kotlikoff Biomedical Sciences Natasza Kurpios Molecular Medicine Roy Levine Molecular Medicine David Lin Biomedical Sciences Henning Lin Chemistry and Chemical Biology Manfred Lindau Applied and Engineering Physics Robert Oswald Molecular Medicine Bendicht Pauli Molecular Medicine Mark Roberson Biomedical Sciences Wayne Schwark Molecular Medicine Geoffrey Sharp Molecular Medicine Holger Sondermann Molecular Medicine Watt Webb Applied and Engineering Physics Gregory Weiland Molecular Medicine Gary Whittaker Microbiology and Immunology
last modified: Friday, October 30, 2009 gaw