Biochemistry and Cell Biology

The Biochemistry & Cell Biology graduate program faculty members are committed to training and mentoring graduate students to reach their full potential as scientists. We seek to facilitate students’ progression towards fulfilling and exciting careers in academia, industry, or government, and to develop their skills as future leaders in science and society. Our program builds a strong foundation in modern biochemistry and cell biology, while developing critical thought and independence to ensure competitive preparation for a future research career. Formal course work is developed through consultation between the student and an advisory committee of faculty members. Faculty have research expertise in diverse areas, including biochemistry, biophysics and structural biology, cancer biology, cell and developmental biology, computational biology, genetics, microbiology, neurobiology, plant biology, signal transduction, and synthetic and systems biology. Entering students conduct three research rotations before selecting a thesis advisor in the second semester.

Although the department offers an MA degree in biochemistry and cell biology, the program is designed for students who wish to pursue the Ph.D. degree.

Applicants for graduate study in the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology must have:

• BA or BS degree in biochemistry, biology, chemistry, chemical engineering, physics, or some equivalent
• High levels of intellectual strength and motivation, as indicated by academic record, Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, and recommendations

Although the department offers an MA degree in biochemistry and cell biology, the department admits students who intend to pursue the Ph.D. program. The department provides a program guide titled “Biochemistry and Cell Biology Graduate Program Handbook” that is updated annually. For general university requirements, see Graduate Degrees. 

Course Requirements: 

Most of the formal course studies will be completed in the first year of residence to allow the students to commence thesis research at the end of their second semester at Rice. During the first year, the BCB Graduate Advisory Committee will advise all graduate students. This committee will determine the formal course program to be taken during the first year in residence. Students are required to have training in biochemistry and cell biology; training in genetics and physical chemistry or biophysics is also beneficial. Students lacking formal training in biochemistry or cell biology are required to take the equivalent background courses during their first year. 

The following Rice Courses must be taken if students lack these prerequisites in their undergraduate transcript: 

• BIOC 301 Biochemistry [ 3 credit hours ]
• BIOC 341 Cell Biology [ 3 credit hours ]

All PhD students are required to take the following graduate-level courses: 

• BIOC 575 Introduction to Research [ 1 credit hour ]
• BIOC 581/582 Graduate Research Seminar [ 1 credit hour ] (required in all semesters of residency) 
• BIOC 583 Molecular Interactions [ 4 credit hours ] 
• BIOC 587 Research Design, Proposal Writing, and Professional Development [ 3 credit hours ]
• BIOC 588 Cellular Interactions [ 4 credit hours ]
• UNIV 594 Training in the Responsible Conduct of Research [ 1 credit hour ]
• BIOC 599 Graduate Teaching [ 1 credit hour ] (two semesters) 
• BIOC 701/702 Graduate Research Rotations [ 2-4 credit hours ] (first year research course) 
• BIOC 800 Graduate Research [ 1-15 credit hours ] (theses lab research after rotations are complete) 

Elective Requirements 
In addition to required courses listed above, graduate students in Biochemistry and Cell Biology must take at least six credit hours from the set of 500-level advanced BIOC electives. The full list of the 500-level Biochemistry & Cell Biology courses can be viewed under the Course Listings tab at the top of this page.

Graduate students are required to attend BIOC 581 and 582 during all years of residency. Students generally complete BIOC 583, BIOC 587, and BIOC 588 in their first year, and will be responsible for the content of these courses in their admission to candidacy examination. Students gain teaching experience by serving as discussion leaders and graders in two undergraduate courses during their second year (BIOC 599); additional teaching experiences are available on an individual basis. 

Evaluation of Progress in Graduate Study: 

The BCB Graduate Advising Committee evaluates each student's undergraduate record and recommends course work based on the requirements. Thesis advisors may require additional courses.

At the end of each semester, the department chair, in consultation with the faculty, reviews student performance in the formal course work. Students must maintain at least a B average (GPA ≥ 3.0), perform satisfactorily in BIOC 701/702, and demonstrate outstanding motivation and potential for research. Thesis lab assignments are made based on student and faculty preferences following research rotations.

Evaluation after the first year includes:

• Ongoing review of research progress by the thesis advisor; satisfactory research progress will be indicated by a grade of "S" in BIOC 800 each semester 
• A yearly research progress assessment by the student’s Research Progress Review Committee
• Presentation of research progress at least once a year in seminar format (BIOC 581/582) starting in the fourth semester and continuing until submission of the doctoral thesis
• Completion of a written and oral admission to candidacy examination before the start of the fifth semester
• Defense of the PhD thesis research and text in a final public seminar presentation and oral examination attended by the student’s Thesis Committee 

MA Program: 

All the above requirements and evaluation procedures apply to MA candidates, with the following exceptions. The research progress review examination held during the MA student’s second year replaces the admission to candidacy examination; no other preliminary examination is required before the final oral defense of the master’s thesis. MA students do not have to complete two semesters of BIOC 599 Graduate Teaching and do not require an outside committee member on their Thesis Committee. MA candidates must maintain a GPA ≥ 2.67, complete a thesis, and successfully complete a public oral defense of their research work to their Thesis Committee and other interested parties.

• Official Transcripts: All offers of admission are contingent on receipt of the official transcript or transcripts of all previous college or university (including graduate) work. These records should be sent directly to the department (address below) by the institution or institutions attended. An unofficial transcript may be uploaded to the application for preliminary evaluation, but once an applicant is selected for an interview, the official transcript will be due. A supplementary transcript, covering work in progress at the time of application and any later work, must be furnished as soon as possible.
• Recommendation Letters: Recommendations should be requested from four persons (preferably professors in the applicant's major field) who know the personal and scholastic qualities of the applicant. Letters may be submitted online if you select that option when you list your references on the application. If the online option is not selected,  forms provided for this purpose should be mailed by the writers directly to the department. Applications will not be reviewed until at least three recommendations are received.

• Personal Statement 
  Submission of a personal statement with your application materials is required; you may upload this document in the "Documents" section of the application in pdf format. Briefly describe your intended plan of study or the particular sub-division of the major field in which you wish to specialize. Discuss any scholarly research, writing, or similar research that you have done or are currently pursuing. Include other information that may be helpful in evaluating your application. If applicable, briefly describe any additional factors that you would like to have the admissions committee consider in evaluating your application (e.g. personal background, work experience, leadership roles).

• GRE: Applicants should have their scores on the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination sent directly to the department by Educational Testing Service. Advanced test scores are preferred, but not required. Tests should be scheduled at least six weeks before the application deadline.

      GRE codes:Institutional Code is 6609,Department Code is 0202

• TOEFL: Applicants whose native language is not English should also have TOEFL scores reported. The minimum scores for each type of TOEFL test are 600 (paper-based test), 250 (computer-based test) and 90 (Internet-based test).  For students who choose to take the IELTS in lieu of TOEFL, the minimum score is 7. TOEFL CODES: Institutional code is 6609, Department code is 34

• Fee: Merit based fee waivers can generally be given to U.S. students with 3.5 GPA or above. Please request a fee waiver before submitting your application by sending an email to bioc-gradapps@rice.edu, along with an unofficial copy of your current transcript. In addition, fee waivers are granted to students participating in certain programs (e.g., McNair Scholars, Gulf Coast Undergraduate Research Symposium (GCURS), Mellon Mays Fellows, Project 1000, Nankai University Hundred Young Teachers Program, Vietnam Education Foundation). Please indicate participation in the University Programs and Fellowships field in the application to receive the waiver. Fee waivers usually cannot be granted to international students.

Minimum Scores 

GRE: There is no set minimum score for the GRE. The Graduate Admissions Committee examines GRE scores on a case-by-case basis. The entire application is considered, GRE scores, GPA, letters of recommendation, and research experience. Therefore, a low evaluation in one area can be offset by very strong evaluations in the other three areas. Only the Graduate Admissions Committee can make the evaluation. GRE subject tests are not required, but a high score on a subject test in a relevant field will strengthen your application.
GPA: In general, applicants should have at least a 3.0 (B) grade point average in their undergraduate work.
TOEFL: Minimum TOEFL scores are 90 (iBT), 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based).

International Students

The BCB graduate program seeks diversity in its graduate student body. Our average intake of international students is generally about 1/3 of our incoming doctoral students. Applicants who have independent funding sources are encouraged to apply.

Scholarships

Incoming students who do not hold external fellowships will be awarded a Rice University Graduate Fellowship for their first year of study comprised of a full tuition waiver and a stipend to cover living expenses. The BCB graduate program annual stipend for the 2016-17 academic year will be $29,500, which is sufficient to live well as a student given Houston's low cost of living. Applicants DO NOT have to apply separately for financial aid; when you apply to the departmental program, you are applying for the graduate research fellowship.

Stipend levels are reviewed annually and periodically increased to maintain competitiveness with comparable institutions. If externally obtained stipends should fall below the department's stated level, a supplement is provided. Incoming first-year students usually receive a signing bonus that can be used to assist with relocation or other expenses. Additionally, graduate student campus housing is available.