Program Requirements

 

Coursework

 

The program requires 7 formal courses, plus research rotations (which count for one semester-long course credit).

In the fall semester of the first year, students usually take 4 courses:

  • 7.50 (Methods and Logic)

  • 7.51 (Graduate Biochemistry)

  • 7.52 (Graduate Genetics)

  • A program-related elective of their choice

In the spring semester of the first year, students usually take 2 electives and a quantitative/computational biology course along with their research rotations.

A requirement is to take a quantitative/computational biology course either in the fall or spring semester of the first year. Examples of these courses include:

  • 7.57 (Graduate Quantitative Biology)

  • 7.81 (Systems Biology)

  • 20.490 (Computational Systems Biology)

  • 6.878 (Advanced Computational Biology)

Examples of program-related electives include:

  • 7.86 (Building with Cells)

  • 7.85 (Hallmarks of Cancer)

  • 7.75 (Human Genetics and Genomics)

  • 7.66 (Molecular Basis of Infectious Disease)

Students do not conduct research in the first semester — a key part of the program is having students focus on learning and bonding with their cohort in their first semester.

There is some flexibility around how the coursework requirements can be met (i.e. taking more or less advanced versions of a course, or when to fulfill the course requirements). Students will be matched with a first-year advisor to help them navigate course selections, among other first-year concerns.

For more information, see MIT Biology - First year program and the Course Catalog.

 

Teaching

 

MIT Biology requires 2 semesters of teaching assistant work: one in the second year and one in the fourth year. There are teaching trainings available for first-time TAs, as well as 2 teaching certification programs for graduate students: one aimed at early-career PhD students and one at upper-year students and postdocs.

Typically, second-year students TA one of the introductory undergraduate biology courses, and fourth-year students TA a subject in which they have proficiency or which dovetails with their research.

TA responsibilities can include leading discussion sections, grading problem sets and/or exams, holding office hours for students, and helping design course material with faculty guidance.

 

Research

 

Rotations take place during the spring semester of the first year. During the January before this semester, students participate in the Independent Activities Period (IAP), which consists of research talks given by all MIT Biology faculty currently taking students.

Students do at least three 4-week rotations. No one commits to a lab until mid-May after the third rotation is complete. This allows for the opportunity to experience several research environments without pressure to commit prematurely. If, after the third rotation, students feel unable to select a lab, additional 2-week or 3-week rotations may be undertaken in consultation with the department. Students must commit to a lab by late August. An additional requirement is that at least two of the first 3 rotations must be with faculty who have appointments in the MIT Biology department, and all rotations must be with MIT faculty.

After the 1st year, students are required to have a yearly meeting with their thesis committee (a group of three Biology faculty with related expertise) to discuss their research progress. Students also submit a yearly departmental update on their ongoing research projects.