Multidiciplinary Program in Immunology–

Ph.D. Program - Curriculum

[Timeline]  [Coursework]  [Qualification Exams]  [Forms]  [TAships]

Timeline

Stanford Academic Calendar

School of Medicine Calendar

All Years

  • Immunology 1st yr welcome lunch

  • TA orientation offered by the Center for Teaching and Learning

  • Special workshops to be offered, TBA (e.g., FACS)

First year

  • Faculty talks
  • BioMASS
  • Complete three (two minimum) research rotations (1 per quarter, may start in summer if desired)
  • Asilomar Retreat (November 8-9th, 2009)
  • NSF and other fellowship applications due (November)
  • Choose a thesis advisor (summer before second year)
  • Choose thesis committee members (summer/fall, after choosing a thesis advisor)
  • Present results of one research rotation to predoctoral committee (June 2010)
  • Qualifying examinations, Part I (June 2010)

Second year

  • Asilomar retreat (November)
  • Dissertation Thesis Proposal Meeting, Quals Part II (before December 17th, 2009)
  • Apply for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree
  • TAships if available

Third & Fourth years

  • Asilomar retreat - present poster or give talk (November)
  • Annual thesis committee meeting
  • TAships if available

Fifth year and beyond

  • Asilomar retreat - present poster or give talk (November)
  • Annual thesis committee meeting
  • Oral dissertation defense
  • Submission of written Ph.D. dissertation
  • Commencement

 

Coursework

Descriptions of course offerings are available. Students may file a petition for exemption from required courses they have previously taken. Please submit for consideration to the Predoctoral Chair a copy of the syllabus of the course(s) taken.

Requirements and Electives

Asterisk (*) denotes 'may file for exemption'

Required

Advanced Genetics (Gen 203, fall, 1st or 2nd year)
Cellular and Molecular Immunology (BioSci 230, fall, 1st year, Required for students who have never taken an undergraduate immunology course. Letter grade required. For students with undergraduate immunology, highly recommended to sit in these lectures in preparation for Advanced Immunology I)*
Advanced Immunology I (Imm 201, winter, 1st year)
Advanced Immunology II (Imm 202, spring, 1st year)
Advanced Immunology III (Imm 203, summer, 1st year)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (Bioch 200, TBA 1st year)*
Biostatics (BioSci 141, fall or winter, 1st or 2nd year)*
Cell Biology of Physiological Processes (MCP 221, win, 1st year)
Immunology Journal Club (Imm 305, 1st - 5th years, year round except summer)
Principles of Biological Technologies (Imm 215, spring, 1st year)
Immunology Seminar Series (Imm 311, fall through spring, 1st year)
Immunology Seminar Discussions (Imm 311a, fall through spring, 1st year)
Responsible Conduct in Research (Med 255, winter, 1st year)
Immunology Research (Imm 300, all quarters, all years)

One of the following "electives" for your area of specialization is also required:
Cell Signaling (MP 210, winter, 1st or 2nd year)
Biological Macromolecules (SB/BC 241, fall, 1st or 2nd year)
Developmental Biology (DvBio 210, spring, 1st or 2nd year)
Cancer Biology (CBIO 241, Molecular, Cellular, and Genetic Basis of Cancer; fall, 1st or 2nd year)

 

Electives

Topics in Immunology (Imm 315, any quarter, 1-15 units)
Innate Immunity (Imm 204, Spring)
Frontiers in Immunology (Imm 317, any quarter 1 unit)
Introduction to Medicine (Imm 230, spring, 3-4 units)
Immunology in Human Health and Disease (Imm 205, winter, 4 units)



'Topics in Immunology' are journal club format courses, organized by Immunology graduate students. (Past topics have included chemokines, cancer biology, cytokines, autoimmunity…)

Immunology graduate students also have a weekly student journal club on Thursdays at noon where each student presents and discusses a new article each week (lunch is provided). Typically, only students attend these journal clubs.

 

Sample schedule
(choose 1 of 3 italicized courses; asterisk (*) denotes 'may file for exemption')

Autumn 1st yr

 
 

Cellular & Molecular Immunology*
 

Advanced Genetics
 

Biological Macromolecules
 

Journal Club
 

Seminar Discussion
 

Seminar Series
 

Research

Winter 1st yr

 
 

Advanced Immunology I
 

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology*
 

Cell Biology of Physiological Processes
 

Responsible Conduct of Research

 

Journal Club
 

Seminar Discussion
 

Seminar Series
 

Research

Spring 1st yr

  
 

Advanced Immunology II
 

Developmental Biology
 

Principles of Biotechnologies
 

Journal Club
 

Seminar Discussion
 

Seminar Series
 

Research

Summer 1st yr

  
 

Advanced Immunology III
 

Research

Fall 2nd yr

  
 

Biostatistics
 

Cancer Biology (pending approval)

 

Journal Club
 

Research

Winter 2nd yr

  
 

Signal Transduction Pathways and Networks
 

Journal Club
 

Research

Beyond

  
 

Journal Club
 

Research
 

Electives

 

Note: if a student opts to take the introductory immunology course Cellular and Molecular Immunology, it is advised that the student postpone taking Biological Macromolecules until the fall of the second year (if Macromolecules is chosen from the set of three required courses from which students must choose one). It is also advised to postpone Cell Biology of Physiological Processes if a student has not taken an undergraduate Biochemistry course and will not exempt from Biochem. Both starred (*) courses are undergraduate-format courses.

 

Qualification Exams

Overview of Requirements

 

Forms

Please email these forms to Maureen () by their due dates.

General Forms for All Years

pdf Annual Committee Meeting - required of all years
pdf Leave of Absence
pdf Travel to Conferences
pdf Lost Receipt Memo

pdf Herzenberg Prize form

 

 

First year

pdf Course Exemption Petition - due early Fall quarter

 

Second year

pdf Dissertation Thesis Proposal
pdf Application for Candidacy for Doctoral Degree

 

 

Third year

Fourth year

pdf TGR form (submit summer before 5th year)

 

 

Fifth year and beyond

pdf Oral Exam Checklist

pdf Directions for Preparing Doctoral Dissertations

pdf The Hugh McDevitt Prize - Nomination form (** View Previous Recipients)

Dissertation paper information (the actual paper)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TAships

To gain teaching experience, students are required to serve as teaching assistants in two immunology courses offered at the School of Medicine or in Biological Sciences. Alternatively, students may create courses on a topic of their choice and offer them as electives.

Teaching Assistantships are available for the following courses:

Cellular and Molecular Immunology (5)
Advanced Immunology I (2)
Advanced Immunology II (2)
Advanced Immunology III (2)
Immunology in Human Health and Disease, Medical School (6-7)
Frontiers in Immunology (1-2)
Principles in Biotechnologies (1)
Topics in Immunology (1-2)
Seminars in Immunology (3)

CCIS Summer Internship Program (2)

After fulfilling the two TA requirement, students are welcome to TA other undergraduate and graduate courses.

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