GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

SOUTH CAROLINA

COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Revised November 2006

GRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Dean’s Message 5

GSA President’s Message 6

SECTION I: College and University Information and Policies

Goals and Objectives 7

Administration and Graduate Council 7

Standing Committees 8

Admissions 8

Progress 9

First Year Curriculum Steering Committee 9

Advanced Curriculum Committee 10

Credentials 10

Scholarship 11

Student Organizations 11

Graduate Student Association 11

Multicultural Graduate Student Association 13

International Graduate Student Association 14

Dean’s Office 15

Program of Study 16

Academic Standing 17

Registration 17

Stipends 17

Scholastic Requirements 18

Withdrawal 18

Readmission 18

Requirements for Graduation 18

Master of Science 19

Degree Requirements 19

Advisory Committee 19

Program of Study 19

Courses Audited 20

Repeating Courses 20

Transfer Credit 20

Table of Contents Continued:

Master of Science (Cont’d.)

Admission to Candidacy 20

Residence 20

Research Seminar 21

Thesis 21

Final Examination 21

Time Limit 21

Doctor of Philosophy 22

Degree Requirements 22

Advisory Committee 22

Program of Study 22

Courses Audited 23

Repeating Courses 23

Transfer Credit 23

Qualifying Examination 23

Plan of Research 24

Admission to Candidacy 24

Residence 24

Research Seminar 25

Dissertation 25

Final Examination 25

Notice of Final Defense 25

Time Limit 26

College of Graduate Studies Student Policies 26

Conflict of Interest Policy 26

Student Participation in Proprietary Research 27

Graduation Requirement Outline/Checklist 28

Leave Policy 30

Travel Policy 30

Honor Code and Standard Code of Discipline 31

Professional Code of Conduct 35

University Student Policies 35

SECTION II: GSA – Planning for Your Research

Student Research Day 36

Career Workshop 36

Tips From Your Colleagues 37

Choosing a Thesis/Dissertation Topic 37

Scientific Reading and Writing 38

Table of Contents Continued

Writing the Research Proposal/Oral Defense 42

Writing the Thesis/Dissertation & Final Defense 42

Tips From Your Colleagues Contd.

Selection of an Advisor 44

Choosing a Dissertation Committee/ 46

Networking 47

Research Funding Sources 49

Dean’s Incentive Award 50

Additional Information 51

Resources 52

SECTION III: Contact Information

Dean’s Office 54

Program and Department Information 55

(Please familiarize yourself with the University Student Policies and Complaint Procedures.)

October, 2006

Dear Graduate Students:

I am delighted to welcome you to the Medical University of South Carolina and the College of Graduate Studies. This is an exciting time to be embarking on a research career in the biomedical sciences. The turn of the century has heralded a myriad of new opportunities and approaches to make important fundamental scientific discoveries that will have a significant impact on the health of our nation. During this past year the Medical University received over $180 million in research grants. Indeed, over the past ten years the research funding has averaged an increase of 15% per year-an extremely impressive figure. From 1998-2002, MUSC was ranked ninth in the nation in growth in NIH research funding.

The faculty is committed to research and research training and we take great pride in our graduates. As you pursue both your course work and laboratory research, I urge you to “think out of the box”. Think of truly unique hypotheses and be fearless in your approach to research. This is how you will be at the cutting edge of a discipline and make the seminal discoveries. I have no doubt that you will find a research mentor that will nurture your growth and development as a scientist. As you set about to choose a mentor there are two thoughts that you should keep in mind about your selection. First you must truly be excited about the science and secondly the personality and mentoring style of the potential mentor should match your expectations. Our campus is also known for the collegial and interdisciplinary approach to research, a set of attributes that you will have an opportunity to realize during your time here.

The first year core curriculum is now in its fifth year. As a result of significant input from students and faculty the curriculum has evolved to its current format. The Curriculum ends at Spring break, after which you have the opportunity to take a selective course that is more closely allied with your area of interest. This curriculum embodies the fundamentals of the many disciplines of basic sciences, skills necessary for becoming an outstanding scientist, and other enrichments.

My office is always open for students and I welcome your comments concerning ways in which we can improve the College of Graduate Studies. On my door is a sign that reads “ If you have had a eureka moment come right in, all others make an appointment”. I hope that while you are here that you have eureka moment and share it with me.

I also encourage you to contact our administrative staff whenever you have questions concerning business or procedural questions. They are known for the outstanding help that they provide for our students. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors and look forward to the day you will join us as colleagues.

I encourage you to read through this handbook, because it contains much valuable information for you. The handbook is subject to change and thus always check the latest version and Graduate Council minutes that are emailed monthly, both of which can be found on the College’s home page.

Perry V. Halushka, Ph.D., M.D.

Dean, College of Graduate Studies

Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine

Director, Medical Scientist Training Program

Dear Graduate Students,

Welcome to the College of Graduate Studies of the Medical University of South Carolina, and to Charleston. You have probably worked hard to get here and you probably also know that there’s a lot more to come. MUSC’s College of Graduate Studies seeks to develop thoughtful & professional critical thinkers who are committed to excellence in science. The achievement of such excellence requires not only attention to detail and persistent effort, but teamwork; such teamwork is fostered not only by faculty, but also by interactions among students with diverse expertise and backgrounds.

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) is a student-run organization consisting of student representatives from each department within the College of Graduate Studies. Representatives are additionally solicited from the first and second year graduate student classes, and from recognized student organizations. The purpose of GSA is to represent the interests of graduate students by providing a forum for interaction among graduate students, and by acting as a liaison to the administration and faculty. GSA organizes and participates in social and charitable events each semester, and represents the College of Graduate Studies at MUSC’s campus-wide student government association (SGA) where the five other colleges of MUSC are also represented.

As president, I would like to personally encourage you to get to know your GSA representatives, to enjoy GSA’s social and charitable events, and to consider representing your fellow students by becoming a GSA representative yourself.

So on behalf of the GSA, welcome again to MUSC and Charleston. I hope that you find your journey toward a graduate degree to be both challenging and rewarding.

Adrian Sproul

GSA President

SECTION I: COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY INFORMATION AND POLICIES

MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA

COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES

Goals and Objectives

The purpose of the College of Graduate Studies, as part of the Medical University of South Carolina, is to train biomedical scientists for the discovery of new knowledge in a premier academic research environment. The College is committed to providing state-of-the-art facilities, technologies, and scholastic opportunities for the pursuit of graduate degrees at the master's and doctoral levels. In order to fulfill this purpose, the College of Graduate Studies has adopted the following goals: 1) To offer advanced courses, beyond the baccalaureate level, in various disciplines of the biomedical sciences; 2) To give students opportunities to develop and apply research techniques and to utilize the resources appropriate to their graduate programs; 3) To develop informed judgment, independent thought, and impartial inquiry and to foster the spirit of research scholarship through the development of original ideas; and 4) To contribute to the advancement of knowledge for the benefit of a constantly changing society through the efforts of its faculty and students.

Administrative Officers

Perry V. Halushka, Ph.D., M.D., Dean

Jacqueline McGinty, Ph.D., Associate Dean

Cynthia Wright, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Admissions

Joann Sullivan, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Extramural Program Development

Ed L. Krug, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs

Graduate Council

The Graduate Council is composed of a representative from each of the graduate programs and the Dean, acting as chairperson. The Graduate Council acts as an advisory group to the Dean. Each graduate program's representative also serves as the Graduate Coordinator for that program. In this capacity, they register students each semester and serve as the primary advisor for the students prior to the appointment of a mentor and advisory committee.

Graduate Council Members

Dr. Perry V. Halushka, Dean and Chair

Dr. Jacqueline F. McGinty, Associate Dean

Dr. Cynthia Wright, Assistant Dean for Admissions

Dr. Ed Krug, Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs

Dr. Joann Sullivan, Assistant Dean for Extramural Program Development

Dr. Maurizio Del Poeta, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Dr. Douglas Sweet, Pharmaceutical Sciences

Dr. Robert Gourdie, Co-Program Director, Training to Improve Cardiovascular Drug Therapy

Dr. Andy Wessels, Cell Biology and Anatomy

Dr. Daniel T. Lackland, Biostatistics, Bioinformatics and Epidemiology

Dr. Kevin Schey, Marine Biomedicine

Dr. Marilyn King, College of Nursing

Dr. Lucille London, Microbiology and Immunology

Dr. Steven D. London, Director, D.M.D/Ph.D. Program

Dr. Donald R. Menick, Molecular & Cellular Biology and Pathobiology

Dr. Steven A. Rosenzweig, Cell & Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Dr. Sammanda Ramamoorthy, Physiology and Neuroscience

Mr. Adrian Sproul, President, Graduate Student Association

Dr. Lisa Cunningham, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Ms. Christine Walters, MGSA

Mr. Joseph Palatinus, MSTP

Standing Committees

Admissions Committee

Composition of the Committee: The admissions committee shall report to the Graduate Council. The chairperson of the committee will be the Assistant Dean for Admissions. There will be a co-chairperson, who will serve a two-year term. The co-chairperson will be appointed by the Dean, College of Graduate Studies. Each program, department or track of the college shall have one permanent member on the committee. That individual shall be appointed by the chairperson of the department or director of a program or track and may or may not be the graduate coordinator. There will be two student representatives on the committee. They will be elected by either the graduate student body or graduate student association. Additional temporary or permanent members may be added when appropriate by the assistant dean in consultation with the Dean, College of Graduate Studies. A member of the registrar’s office will be an ex-officio member of the committee.

Duties and Responsibilities: The committee will set the guidelines for admission to the college of graduate studies. The chairperson shall be responsible for planning the interview process for the applicants. The members will interview and evaluate all potential applicants for the college. The committee will report the results of their deliberations on all applicants to the members of the graduate council for their information. The committee will meet every two weeks or more often if necessary, during the height of the recruitment season. Meetings can be canceled by the chairperson when there is not sufficient business to warrant them. When a final decision has been made on an applicant, and the committee feels that he or she is an outstanding candidate, the assistant Dean will notify the Dean so that a letter of acceptance can be sent promptly to the applicant.

Progress Committee

Composition of the Committee: The committee consists of a committee chairperson appointed by the Dean and a faculty representative from each program or department nominated by the program or department. A co-chairperson is selected from these faculty by the members. Appointment to the committee normally follows the academic year. The first chairperson will serve for a period of two years. The next and subsequent chairpersons will serve for a period of one year and be succeeded by the co-chairperson. The committee members serve a three-year term. The term is renewed at the discretion of the program/department and the Dean. The co-course directors of the Biomedical Sciences First Year Curriculum and the Assistant Dean for Admissions are ex-officio members of the committee.

Duties and Responsibilities: The Progress Committee reports to the Dean or Associate Dean. The committee is responsible for:

1. monitoring the academic progress of all MUSC graduate students participating in the first year curriculum.

2. counseling and advising students in all matters related to their successful completion of the first year curriculum. Students are required to meet with Committee members during orientation, at the end of each of the Phase Exams, and at any other time requested by the committee or the student. A formal meeting with the students and their advisors will be arranged after the grading of each phase exam.

3. advising the students regarding their choices of laboratory rotations and dissertation lab. At the end of the spring semester a formal meeting between the student and his or her advisor will be arranged.

The Student Progress Committee does a formal review of the academic progress of all MUSC students enrolled in the first year curriculum. This includes a thorough review of those students who do not maintain the minimum academic standards as set forth in the MUSC Bulletin and the Biomedical Sciences First Year Curriculum Handbook for Students and Faculty. The committee reviews the grades of all students and takes into account all relevant material and circumstances as presented by the faculty and the student. Committee recommendations for improvement of performance or remediation are made directly to the student and reported to the Dean or Associate Dean. Recommendations for dismissal are directed to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. The decision of the Dean is final.

First Year Curriculum Steering Committee

Composition of the Committee: The first year curriculum steering committee reports to the Graduate Council via the chairperson. The committee has a chairperson and co-chairperson. The chairperson is the Associate Dean of the College. The co-chairperson is selected by the membership of the committee and serves for one year. Each department and program is represented by one member and an alternate, both of whom are selected by the chairperson or program director. The MCBP has two representatives, one MBES and one MCBP and two alternates, one from each program. The alternate attends scheduled meetings and votes only if the primary representative is not able to attend the meeting. Members of the committee serve for a term of two years. In addition to the faculty, two students serve on the committee. One is a first year student chosen by his/her peers. The other student will have completed the first year curriculum, and is chosen by the GSA. The total number of members may vary depending on the needs of the committee and curriculum. Additional members may be appointed by either the chairperson or Dean as deemed necessary. The course co-directors, the students and the Dean are ex-officio members.

Duties and Responsibilities: The committee is responsible for continued evaluation, revision, and evolution of the first year curriculum for the College of Graduate Studies. The schedule of meetings shall be determined by the chairperson.

Curriculum Committee

Composition of the Committee: The advanced curriculum committee reports to the Graduate Council via the chairperson. Each department and program is represented by one member who is selected by the department chairperson. In addition to the faculty, one student serves on the committee. Additional members may be appointed by either the chairperson or Dean as deemed necessary. The advanced curriculum committee is the longest standing committee of the College.

Duties and Responsibilities: The committee is responsible for reviewing and approving all courses for the College of Graduate Studies. The schedule of meetings shall be determined by the chairperson.

Credentials Committee

Composition of the Committee: The credentials committee will report to the Graduate Council. The chairperson of the committee shall be a member of the Graduate Council and will be appointed by the Dean for a term of two years. The committee shall be made up of four to five senior members of the Graduate Faculty, who shall be appointed by the Dean in collaboration with the chairperson. They shall serve for a term of two years. Half of the committee shall rotate off each year. Half of the original group of members shall serve for a term of three years.

Duties and Responsibilities: The committee shall establish the standards for appointment of faculty to the College of Graduate Studies. All the members of the committee shall review all applications for appointment to the College. The results of the evaluation of the committee shall be presented to the members of Graduate Council for their final approval and subsequent recommendation to the Dean for the letter of appointment.

The committee shall meet at least once a quarter and these meeting dates will be designated at the start of the academic year for the entire year. The committee may also meet on an ad hoc basis when deemed necessary.

Scholarship Committee

Composition of the Committee: The committee shall report its proceedings to the Graduate Council. The committee will have a chairperson and four additional members chosen from the graduate faculty of the College. The term of service will be two years. Two members will initially serve for a period of three years. There will also be one student member on the committee, who will be chosen by the Graduate Student Association and will serve for a term of one year. There will be an ex-officio member of the committee who will be appointed by the Office for Research Development.

Duties and Responsibilities: The members of the committee shall choose the awardees for scholarships administered by the College. The committee shall also be responsible for identifying potential applicants for extramural fellowships and scholarships and foster the application process. The committee shall also be responsible for publication of the deadlines for the applications.

Student Organizations

Graduate Student Association

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) Senate is composed of a student representative from each of the graduate programs. The executive council is composed of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer. This organization allows graduate students to participate in the design of their formal education and provides a forum for students to express opinions about the graduate school to the administration. This group meets with the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies on a regular basis to discuss pertinent matters pertaining to graduate education and student well-being. These meetings keep the students abreast of the growing University and its changing policies. Representatives to standing committees of the College are appointed from the Graduate Student Association Executive Committee. Elections to the Graduate Student Association are held each year in the spring and all interested students are encouraged to become candidates.

The goal of the Graduate Student Association (GSA) is to promote graduate student involvement in university affairs by initiating dialogue between students and faculty while encouraging student interest and involvement. All students of the College of Graduate Studies are members of the GSA. The GSA Senate acts as the representative council for the graduate students to the College of Graduate Studies. Representatives from each of the basic science disciplines as well as one each from the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), the Multicultural Graduate Student Association (MGSA), and the International Graduate Student Association (IGSA) hold seats on the GSA Senate. The senate also acts as the Honor Council for College of Graduate Studies if an honor violation occurs. Faculty advisors to the senate include, but are not limited to, the Dean and Associate Deans of the College of Graduate Studies. Representatives to standing University committees are also elected from the senate members. These committees include the Graduate Council, MUSC Student Government Association, the SGA President’s Council, and the Alcohol Awareness Committee.

Graduate Student Association Events

Please join your fellow students at our many events throughout the year! These include: New Student Cruise, Happy Hours for relaxation and socialization, Graduate Student Spring Picnic, volunteer activities (Habitat for Humanity, Beach Sweep, and others).

We hope to see you at these events. It provides a fun, relaxing way to make new friends and hang out with old ones, as well as getting to know your professors in an informal setting.

Your Humble Servants: GSA Senate 2006-2007

Executive Council:

Adrian Sproul, President – sproula@musc.edu

Andrea Boan, Vice President – boan@musc.edu

Andrew Sas - Treasurer – sasar@musc.edu

Lee Lineberry - Secretary – lineber@musc.edu

Departments/Programs:

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Arelis Salas salas@musc.edu

Rosanna Robertson robertro@musc.edu

Biostatistics, Bioinformatics & Epidemiology

Lee Lineberry lineber@musc.edu

Amy Bardeen bardeen@musc.edu

Jill Nonemaker nonemak@musc.edu

Cell & Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics

Cameron McIlwain mcilwai@musc.edu

Danielle Thaibault thibaul@musc.edu

Medical Scientists Training Program

Adrian Sproul sproula@musc.edu

Jason Lockrow lockrow@musc.edu

Microbiology and Immunology

Andrew Sas sasar@musc.edu

Iris Moralez moralez@musc.edu

Molecular and Cellular Biology and Pathobiology

Kelli Margot margot@musc.edu

Rebecca Johnston johnstor@musc.edu

Blake Ellis ellisbl@musc.edu

Nathanael Pruett pruettnd@musc.edu

Anne Deschamps deschama@musc.edu

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

Rebecca Bullard bullard@musc.edu

Jamie Lee Fraser leeja@musc.edu

Pharmaceutical Sciences

Ryan Monfeli monfelir@musc.edu

Gloriane Schnabolk faith @musc.edu

Neuroscience

Armina Wiggins wiggin@musc.edu

Alicia Saylor saylor@musc.edu

Lauren Willis willisl@musc.edu

Second Year Representatives

Andrea Boan boan@musc.edu

Sydney Seidel seidel@musc.edu

Emily Vanmeter vanmete@musc.edu

First Year Representatives

Molly Ogle ogle@musc.edu

Linnea Freeman freemal@musc.edu

Marisa Meyers meyersm@musc.edu

Multicultural Graduate Student Association

Willietta Gibson gibson@musc.edu

International Graduate Student Association

Multicultural Graduate Student Association

To All New Graduate Students:

The Multi-Cultural Graduate Student Association (MGSA) welcomes you to the College of Graduate Studies (CGS) and to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). MGSA is a student organization open to ALL interested students officially enrolled in our college. Some of the goals of the MGSA are:

1) To enhance the well-being of all graduate students enrolled at the Medical University with particular concern to specific needs of students of color;

2) To encourage communication between students of color, university administration and other student organizations in order to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information that will enhance the efficiency of achieving solutions to common and/or particular problems;

3) To encourage and aid in the recruitment of minority students to the CGS and MUSC;

4) To plan activities that will be socially, culturally and educationally enriching to the membership and the university community.

As you adjust to your new academic environment and the rigors of graduate school, we urge you to get involved with MGSA It is our goal that MGSA serves as a network for students and students of color in particular, fostering relationships between prospective and current minority graduate students, post-docs and minority faculty.

Again, we welcome you to the College of Graduate Studies, to MUSC and to the Charleston area.

Sincerely,

Williette Gibson, President

International Graduate Student Association

Dear All,

On behalf of the International Graduate Students Association (IGSA), I would like to welcome you to the Medical University of South Carolina and briefly describe what IGSA is all about.

The International Graduate Students Association (IGSA) of the Medical University of South Carolina is an organization formulated to enhance the well-being of all graduate students presently enrolled at the Medical University of South Carolina with particular concern for students of foreign origin. All international students are default members of this organization. We aim to encourage communication between international students, university administration and other on-campus student organizations in order to facilitate the exchange of ideas and information to enhance the orientation process of incoming international students.

Meetings are held four times per academic year. This association works closely with the on-campus International Association. I would personally encourage you to be an active participant and come out and make new friends and feel at home!

Best wishes!

Sincerely,

President, IGSA

FACES IN THE DEAN’S OFFICE

Perry Halushka Ph.D., M.D.

Phone: 792-3012

E-mail: halushpv@musc.edu

Jacqueline McGinty, Ph.D. Cynthia Wright, Ph.D.

Phone: 792-9036 Phone: 792-2564

E-mail: mcginty@musc.edu E-mail: wrightcf@musc.edu

Associate Dean, College of Graduate Studies Assistant Dean for Admissions

Keisha Brown Dodie Weise

Administrative Specialist II Student Services Program Coordinator II

Phone: 792-3391 Phone: 792-2577

E-mail: brownkn@musc.edu E-mail: weised@musc.edu

Responsible for providing staff support Responsible for current students, registration

to the First Year Curriculum “pink forms”, graduation related matters

and the College’s web pages.

Debra Shoemaker Amy Connolly

Student Services Program Coordinator II Assistant to the Dean and

Phone: 792-9620 Administrative Coordinator,

E-mail: shoemakd@musc.edu Medical Scientist Training Program

Responsible for Summer Research Programs, Phone: 792-3012

Student Research Day, admissions related E-mail: connolla@musc.edu

staff support

Karla Locklear

Business Manager

Phone: 792-4345

E-mail: locklear@musc.edu

Responsible for all college financial and

budget related items, Including stipends

and student travel

Program of Study

The College of Graduate Studies offers a common entry pathway for new students. The first year curriculum provides a broad interdisciplinary background devoted predominately to the principles of the basic sciences. It also provides information on some of the latest and cutting edge areas of science. The Curriculum is composed of several elements: Foundations of Biomedical Sciences, Essentials of Scientific Practice, four Laboratory Rotations, Important Unanswered Questions in the Biomedical Sciences, Program Selectives, and Program Exposures, in which students are familiarized with the individual Ph.D. training programs at the beginning of the first semester. At the end of the first year curriculum (May) the student chooses a Ph.D. program and faculty mentor for his/her degree work. The additional didactic courses are decided by the various departments and programs. More details about the first year curriculum can be found at www.musc.edu/grad/.

Academic Standing

Registration

First year students are registered for the first and second semester via the College’s Student Services Program Coordinator. All students beyond the first year, full and part-time, are required to register through their graduate coordinator at the beginning of each semester. Only officially registered students may obtain credit on courses and/or research. In order to maintain an "active" status, one must be registered for a minimum of one hour per semester. Any student who is not registered for any course work in a given semester is considered to be "inactive." Any student who is not on an approved leave of absence and who does not register for any course work for three consecutive semesters will be notified that they have been dropped from the rolls of the College of Graduate Studies and will have to reapply through the Admissions Committee for readmission to complete their program.

At the time of registration, a schedule of courses for the upcoming semester will be given to each student. Courses may be chosen from this list, and the approval signature of the graduate coordinator or the chairperson of the student's advisory committee is required.

A graduate student who has completed the requirements for a degree and plans to write the thesis/dissertation either in absentia or in residence, must register for at least 1 hour per semester and pay at the current semester hour rate until completion of a successful defense. This applies to the first semester following a student's admission to candidacy, i.e. a student expecting to be admitted to candidacy at some point during a given semester does not fall into this category. Also, students who expect to defend at some point during a given semester are still required to register for that semester. Students on stipends are required to maintain full-time status at all times. This requires registration for a total of at least 15 hours per semester.

Stipends

Ph.D. students on stipends are required to maintain full-time status at all times. Stipend recipients are allowed to be on probation for one semester and still retain the award unless grades fall to 2.0 or below, in which case the stipend is terminated immediately. However, if one is on probation for two or more semesters, one loses eligibility for the award. A stipend through the Dean's Office is limited to a maximum of 14 months for the Ph.D. students.

Scholastic Requirements

Graduate students are expected to maintain at least a 3.0 overall average. This represents the minimum requirement of the College. Individual programs may have more stringent requirements for continuation as a graduate student. A student whose total cumulative record is below these requirements at the end of any semester is placed on probationary status and is given one semester in which the cumulative average must be brought back to the required standard. By the end of the following semester, if the required level has not been attained, consideration for further enrollment by the program or college is obligatory.

Withdrawal

Students who voluntarily withdraw from a graduate program are asked to submit in writing their intent to withdraw. Students who wish to go on an approved leave of absence are requested to submit the necessary form, approved by their graduate coordinator.

Action by the College or program is required before a student will be requested to withdraw for academic reasons.

The University reserves the right to sever the connection of a student with the University at any time, if in its opinion the student is unsuited for a career in the health professions and sciences.

Readmission

A student who has been required to withdraw for either academic or other reasons cannot be reinstated or readmitted except by action of the Admissions Committee and Dean.

Requirements for Graduation

Listed on pages 28 and 29 is a brief outline of the requirements for graduation. Those items marked with three asterisks (***) require the formal submission of a written form. These forms are available from the program graduate coordinator, the Graduate Office, or the Graduate School website. All students are encouraged to make themselves familiar with the detailed information regarding the College requirements as stated in the current University Bulletin. It is the responsibility of the student to be familiar with the requirements of the particular program in which they are enrolled. It is possible that the program may have more stringent requirements to which the student must adhere. If you have any questions regarding program requirements, you should consult your program graduate coordinator.

Master of Science

Degree Requirements

The College of Graduate Studies does not require a specific number of course credits for the master of sciences (M.S.) degree. The student shall follow an individual Program of Study designed in consultation with the Advisory Committee and approved by the Graduate Training Committee of the department.

Each student is expected to be familiar with the elements of statistics. If the sponsoring department considers that the student has insufficient preparation in this field, one or more courses may be in included in the Program of Study.

Advisory Committee

This committee, which is recommended by the major department and approved by the Graduate Council, shall consist of at least five members, three from the major department and two from outside the department. The chairperson of the committee and all but one member shall be members of the graduate faculty. The chairperson must be a full member of the graduate faculty. The Advisory Committee should be appointed after a student has chosen a specialized area in his/her field and no later than 12 months after the student makes his/her selection. In the interim, the student is advised by the departmental graduate committee or advisor. (See Page 47 "Selection of Advisor”)

Program of Study

The Program of Study is planned in a joint meeting of the student and his/her Advisory committee. It is a list of courses and other requirements (including those of the major department) that the student must complete in order to meet the minimum requirements of a given degree. It lists courses that are being transferred as well as courses, which are to be taken on campus. After approval by the Advisory Committee, the approved Program of Study is filed with the departmental graduate coordinator and with the Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies within three months after the Advisory Committee is organized. The Program of Study does not require approval by the Graduate Council. A decision to remove, substitute, or add courses to the program can be made in a joint meeting of the student and the Advisory Committee and by a unanimous vote of that committee. Any changes in the program must be completed no later than one week after the substituted or additional course has begun. A record of any change in the program will be submitted by the Advisory Committee Chairperson to ensure that any change in the Program of Study is consistent with the maintenance of at least the minimum course requirements of the major department.

Ordinarily, only courses listed in the catalog of the College of Graduate Studies will be included in the program. The program must be completed before the final oral examination is scheduled.

Courses Audited

Any graduate student, with permission of the instructor and the chairperson of the Advisory Committee, and with written notice to the Graduate Office, may audit a course. Audited courses are not part of the Program of Study and will not be given credit.

Repeating Courses

The Advisory Committee may permit a student to repeat a course in order to raise the grade. Courses that have been repeated will be treated as follows: (1) Credit hours will be granted only once. (In computing the overall average to determine eligibility for degrees or in rulings on probationary matters, the credit hours must be counted twice and both grades included.) (2) The transcript must show both grades, with the second being designated as Repeated, and credit hours being given only once.

Transfer Credit

Only those courses (none from correspondence or research) in which grades of 3.0 or above were received will be acceptable for transfer on the Program of Study. In some instances, the department may request that a student transfer hours received in certain courses that have been taken on a pass/fail basis, but these cannot be averaged in the GPA. It is the responsibility of the department to determine the student's comprehension of the material before such hours are shown on the Program of Study for credit toward the degree.

Prior to a student being certified as a candidate for the M.S. degree, he/she will submit a research proposal on the proposed topic in NIH grant format. This proposal should show evidence of creative integration of course material, superimposed on a sound understanding of the pertinent literature.

Admission to Candidacy

Upon approval of the research proposal, the student will be certified as a candidate for the M.S. degree. Such admission to candidacy must occur at least three months prior to completing requirements for the degree.

The graduate school recognizes that the student's research may deviate substantially from that originally proposed. The student should be encouraged to pursue promising leads; however, long-term changes in the direction of the student's research should be in consultation with the Advisory Committee.

Residence

At least one year of residency at the Medical University is required before receiving the M.S. degree. A graduate student who has completed the course requirements for a degree and plans to write the thesis either in absentia or in residence must register and pay tuition for a minimum of one hour each semester until completion of a successful oral defense of the thesis.

Research Seminar

Students are required to make a research presentation, on campus, in a manner to be determined by the department or program and the Advisory Committee.

Thesis

A thesis, contributing new knowledge or the treatment of familiar materials from a new point of view, is required on a topic in the major field. These may comply with the regulations contained in A Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations which is available in the Graduate Office or through the CGS website. Following approval of the Advisory Committee, two copies of the final rough draft of the thesis must be available in the Dean’s Office or the department.

Final Examination

Each candidate is required to pass a general oral examination covering the major field and the thesis. This shall begin with a formal presentation with appropriate slides and shall be at least 20 minutes in length for the M.S. candidate. The examination is conducted by the Advisory Committee, with its Chairperson presiding.

The Advisory Committee will have primary responsibility for evaluating the student's research, including the written thesis, and the formal oral presentation (which is open to the general graduate faculty) and for administering the final oral examination.

Approval by the Advisory Committee, with no more than one dissenting vote, is necessary for recommendation for awarding the degree. The decision of the Advisory Committee will be forwarded to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies. The Graduate Faculty has the authority, which it has delegated to the Dean, for final approval of the candidate for the awarding of the degree.

Only one opportunity for re-examination shall be given (in not less than six months and not more than one year from the time of the final examination at which this decision was made). Any candidate who is granted the privilege of re-examination shall retain the status and obligations of a graduate student until the time of such re-examination.

Time Limit

All requirements should be completed within a period of five years following initial registration, although course credit is not nullified until six years after completion of a course.

Doctor of Philosophy

The granting of the doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree is based on evidence of general proficiency and distinctive attainments in a special field, particularly on the demonstrated ability to carry on independent and original investigation. The degree is not one to be conferred solely as a result of study for a specific length of time with the accumulation of credits taken.

Degree Requirements

The College of Graduate Studies does not require a specific number of course credits for the Ph.D. degree. However, the Ph.D. student is required to take 12 didactic hours beyond the first year curriculum. The student shall follow an individual Program of Study designed in consultation with the Advisory Committee and approved by the Graduate Training Committee of the department or program.

Advisory Committee

The major advisor should be selected no later than the end of the summer semester of the first year of study. The Advisory Committee shall consist of at least five members, three from the student's major department and two from outside the department. The chairperson (advisor) and all but one member shall be members of the graduate faculty. The chairperson must be a full member of the Graduate Faculty. The Chairperson will be responsible for coordinating the activity of the Advisory Committee and ensuring compliance with graduate school regulations.

An Advisory Committee shall be chosen by the student with the proposed dissertation advisor and the names forwarded through the departmental graduate coordinator for approval by the Dean. The Advisory Committee should be organized no later than six months after the student selects his/her advisor.

The student must meet at least annually with his/her Advisory Committee from the time of appointment of the committee until completion of the requirements for the degree. The departmental coordinator and the Dean should be notified in writing of the annual meetings by the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee. More frequent meetings of the Advisory Committee and the student are encouraged in order to facilitate student-committee interaction. Meetings may be called at the discretion of the student, the advisor, or if two or more members of the Advisory Committee request such a meeting.

Program of Study

The Program of Study is planned in a joint meeting of the student and his/her Advisory Committee. The program is a list of courses and other requirements, including those of the major department, which the student must complete in order to meet the minimum program requirements for a given degree. It lists courses that are being transferred as well as courses that are to be taken on campus. After approval by the Advisory Committee, the Program of Study is filed with the departmental graduate coordinator and with the office of the Dean within three months after the Advisory Committee is organized. The Program of Study does not require approval by the Graduate Council. A decision to remove, substitute, or add courses to the Program of Study can be made in a joint meeting of the student and the Advisory Committee and by a unanimous vote of that committee. Any changes in the program must be completed no later than one week after the substituted or additional course has begun. A record of any change in the program will be submitted by the Advisory Committee Chairperson to the office of the Dean. In addition, it will be the final responsibility of the student and his/her Advisory Committee Chairperson to ensure that any change in the Program of Study is consistent with the maintenance of at least the minimum course requirements of the major department.

The committee, in consultation with the student, will prescribe additional course work needed to complete the departmental requirements for graduation and other course work or areas of study needed to remedy deficiencies in the student's background to ensure successful completion of the proposed dissertation. The Program of Study must be completed before scheduling the qualifying examinations.

Courses Audited

Any graduate student, with permission of the instructor and the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee, and with written notice to the Graduate Office, may audit a course. Audited courses are not part of the Program of Study and will not be given credit.

Repeating Courses

Transfer Credit

Only those courses (none from correspondence or research) in which grades of 3.0 or above were received will be acceptable for transfer to the Program of Study. In some instances, the department may request that a student transfer hours received in certain courses that have been taken on a pass/fail basis, but these cannot be averaged in the GPA. It is the responsibility of the department to determine the student's comprehension of the material before such hours are shown on the Program of Study for credit toward the degree.

Qualifying Examination

An applicant will not be admitted to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree until he/she has passed a comprehensive qualifying examination. This examination is intended to test his/her general knowledge of his/her major field and related fields of study. Failure to pass any part of the examination requires a reexamination in areas not completed satisfactorily and will be permitted only once and after not less than three months of further study.

The nature of the examination in the major field is determined and conducted by the major department. If credits have been transferred, a definite part of the qualifying examination must be devoted to testing on the courses involved. The College of Graduate Studies does not require that qualifying examinations be given in courses earned as credits outside the major department in related fields. The student is advised to consult the major department to determine departmental requirements in the area of qualifying examinations.

Plan of Research

Prior to a student being certified as a candidate for the Ph.D. degree (no later than six months after passing the qualifying examinations), he/she will submit a research proposal, in NIH grant format, on the dissertation topic. This proposal should show evidence of creative integration of course material, superimposed on a sound understanding of the pertinent literature. The topic chosen for the Ph.D. dissertation shall be approved by both the advisor and the department chairperson, the latter with regard to availability and utilization of departmental resources.

The Advisory Committee will critically review the written proposal. The student should understand that the proposal will be acceptable only if it is imaginative and provides a scientifically rigorous test of a meaningful hypothesis. The proposal may be strengthened with data from preliminary experiments.

Within two weeks of the submission of the written proposal to the committee, the student will present and defend the research proposal orally before the committee. The student will be questioned on those methodologies and background areas needed to successfully complete the proposed research.

Admission to Candidacy

Upon completion of the Program of Study, the qualifying examinations, and approval of the research proposal, the Advisory Committee recommends that the student be admitted to candidacy. Such admission to candidacy must occur at least one year prior to completing requirements for the degree.

Residence

At least one year of residency at the Medical University is required before receiving the Ph.D. degree.

A graduate student who has completed the requirements for a degree and plans to write the dissertation either in absentia or in residence, must register and pay tuition for a minimum of one hour each semester until completion of a successful defense of the dissertation. If the student is in residence and receiving a stipend, registration must be for at least 15 hours per semester.

Research Seminar

Students are required to make a research presentation, on campus, in a manner to be determined by the department or program and the Advisory Committee.

Dissertation

A dissertation, based on original investigation, is required which gives evidence of mature scholarship and critical judgment, indicates knowledge of research methods and techniques, and demonstrates the ability to carry out independent investigation. Preparation of the dissertation may comply with the regulations contained in A Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Dissertations, which is available in the Graduate Office or through the CGS website.

Final Examination

Each candidate is required to pass a general oral examination directed primarily to the defense of the dissertation. This shall begin with a formal presentation with appropriate slides and shall be at least 30 minutes in length for the Ph.D. candidate.

The examination is conducted by the Advisory Committee, with its Chairperson presiding. The Advisory Committee will have primary responsibility for evaluating the student's research, including the written dissertation, the formal oral presentation (which is open to the general graduate faculty), and for administering the final oral examination.

Approval of the Advisory Committee, with no more than one dissenting vote, is necessary for recommendation for awarding the degree. The decision of the Advisory Committee will be forwarded to the Dean. The graduate faculty has the authority, which it has delegated to the Dean, for final approval of the candidate for the awarding of the degree.

In the event of disapproval, the candidate may be permitted to retake the examination in not less than six months and not more than two years from the time this decision was made. Only one opportunity for re-examination is given. Any candidate who is granted this privilege shall retain the status and obligations of a graduate student until the time of such re-examination.

Notice of Final Defense

All “Notice of Final Defense” forms must be received in the Dean’s Office of the College of Graduate Studies three weeks prior to the date of the Defense. The reason for this rule is so that the Defense can be advertised well enough in advance to allow all interested parties to attend. By the rules of the College of Graduate Studies, all Graduate Faculty may attend the Defense of a master’s or doctoral student and participate in the questioning of that student; only the advisory committee will be permitted to vote on the student’s performance on the exam.

The “Notice of Final Defense” form must be signed by all advisory committee members. The committee members should have read your dissertation prior to signing this form to insure that the dissertation is of a caliber to be defended. Signing this form does not state that revisions will not be needed. Indeed, there usually are final revisions after this point. However, it does establish that each committee member is satisfied that the body of work is appropriate for Defense and that the dissertation is written in a manner to be worthy of Defense.

Please arrange your schedule so that the committee members have an opportunity to examine your dissertation before signing the form. Do not expect the committee members to sign the form when you first submit the document to them. Depending on each individual committee member’s schedule, it may take some days to several weeks before they are able to examine the dissertation and sign off on the form.

It is the student’s responsibility to assure that the timing of this initial review of the dissertation and the defense itself is such that the committee members will be available for both the reading of the dissertation and attending the defense. A handy rule of thumb is for the student to allow themselves at least one month from the time they submit the final draft to the committee in order to receive sign-off approval by their committee that the dissertation is ready for defense, defend the dissertation, make the necessary corrections to the dissertation, and submit the final dissertation to the Dean’s Office.

We appreciate your cooperation with these College of Graduate Studies regulations. The dissertation is a final, complete accounting of one’s doctoral research. It is the most valuable documentation of your research project. The dissertation will require a great deal of effort and time to prepare. Please remember this when making your schedules. The Ph.D. degree is not awarded until the final dissertation is turned into the College of Graduate Studies Dean’s Office.

NOTE: Diplomas are awarded three times a year, in August, December and May. Official graduation ceremonies are held in May.

Time Limit

In the event that all work is not completed within four years following the qualifying examination, a second qualifying examination will be required. In the event that all the requirements for the Ph.D. have not been met within 7 years, the student will be offered a terminal masters degree. The student has the right to appeal the decision.

College of Graduate Studies Student Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy for Graduate Students

I. Definition

The term "conflict of interest" as it pertains to the policy described herein refers to a conflict of interest as defined in Section 10.08 of the MUSC faculty handbook. More information on this and other types of conflicts of interest or on grievance procedures are described on the College of Graduate Studies (CGS) website ( www.musc.edu/grad ).

All students are required to sign a conflict of interest statement once they have chosen a mentor. If a student perceives a change in status and a conflict of interest at any time, he/she must fill out the conflict of interest form.

II. Scenarios for Potential Conflict of Interest Situations

Conflict of interest issues are not necessarily tied to sponsored projects -- i.e., funded projects -- nor are they necessarily related to late-stage research or commercial products. A potentially harmful conflict of interest could arise from a faculty member having a financial interest in a project on which his or her student is working, whether the project is sponsored or unsponsored. The project in question could be a textbook, software, scientific or engineering innovation, or basic/applied research that would harm/benefit the mentor’s or company's interest. The key issue is whether that outside financial interest may have the potential to influence the Faculty Mentor/Thesis /Dissertation Advisor to make a decision that could harm the academic interests of the student or postdoctoral fellow. Four sample scenarios for identifying financial interests that may have such conflict of interest potential are described below.

• A faculty member has a personal consulting agreement with a private company that provides research support for a project through the university. The faculty member is advising a student who is also working on that project. The student wishes to publish his or her dissertation in a related area, but the outside entity requires the student to withhold publication and delay graduation until the research is complete.

• A faculty member owns stock in an outside entity that may or may not be supporting research on which the faculty is working, but which stands to benefit from that research. The faculty member directs the student or fellow, who is also working on this research, to delay publication until the faculty member can complete his research.

• A faculty member establishes a company that stands to benefit financially from research or other project. The company is also supporting the faculty member's research in this area at the university. The faculty member pressures a student or fellow to work on the research project of interest to his/her company.

• A faculty member has an extramurally funded research grant and the student or fellow generates data that refutes the previous results supported by that grant. The faculty member pressures the student not to publish the results.

Student Participation in Proprietary Research

Faculty and students of the Medical University of South Carolina College of Graduate Studies create, disseminate and apply knowledge for the benefit of society. When faculty of the University are involved in research, some of which may be of a proprietary nature, particular care must be taken to ensure that the need for graduate students to publicly present and defend results of their thesis or dissertation research is not compromised. Graduate student advisors, graduate program directors, and graduate students themselves, therefore share in the responsibility to ensure that graduate students do not become involved in thesis or dissertation research that is, or has the potential to become, proprietary if participation in that research will delay completion of their degree requirements or negatively affect their productivity or future employability.

The policy of the College of Graduate Studies is that a graduate student cannot enter an agreement that prevents or significantly delays the presentation or publication of research results or have as a thesis or dissertation project research involved in such an agreement. Journal publication delays not exceeding three months are acceptable.

In instances where, despite good faith efforts on the part of the graduate student advisor, the graduate program director, and the graduate student, the graduate student’s thesis or dissertation research is later found to be of a proprietary nature, the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies will be notified immediately. The Dean, in turn, will immediately convene a meeting of the graduate student, the chairperson and members of the student’s research advisory committee, and the involved graduate program director. This group, in consultation with the Executive Director of the Research Foundation, will resolve the problem.

Graduation Requirements Outline/Checklist

Check list in order of events completed. You may refer to the current University Bulletin for further details, or call the Graduate Office at Ext. 2-3391 for information on the requirements listed below. ***requires submission of form(s). Forms can be obtained from the College of Graduate Studies website under Current Student Information ( www.musc.edu/grad ), the graduate coordinator or the Graduate Office.

	Master of Science	Doctor of Philosophy
1. Selection of Major Advisor	The major advisor should be selected no later than the end of the summer semester of the first year of study.	The major advisor should be selected no later than the end of the summer semester of the first year of study.
2. Advisory Committee Advisory Committee shall consist of 5 members. The Chairperson and all but one member shall be members of the Graduate Faculty	No later than 12 months after enrolling. Major Dept. ______________ Major Dept. ______________ Major Dept. ______________ Outside Dept. _____________ Outside Dept. _____________ Department Chairperson must send form recommending committee to Dean. ***	No later than 6 months after selection of the major advisor. Major Dept. ______________ Major Dept. ______________ Major Dept. _____________ Outside Dept. _____________ Outside Dept. _____________ Department Chairperson must send form recommending committee to Dean. * Annual Meeting Required**
2. Program of Study	3 months after advisory committee appointed - consult department. Complete before final oral examination. ***	3 months after advisory committee organized. Complete before scheduling qualifying examinations. ***
3. Qualifying Exam	None required by Graduate School. See Departmental requirements.	Schedule as soon as possible after completion of Program of Study. Obtain certificate of eligibility from advisor. See individual Department. ***
4. Plan of Research	Due before beginning research. Obtain approval sheet from advisor or Graduate Office. ***	Due no later than 6 months after passing qualifying exams and before beginning research. ***
5. Admission to Candidacy	Advisory Committee recommendation. At least 3 months prior to completion of degree. ***	Recommendation for candidacy is included in the eligibility form to the Dean at least one year prior to completion of degree.***
6. Research Seminar	Determined by Department and Advisory Committee.	Determined by Department and Advisory Committee.
7. Thesis or Dissertation	Draft and form due 2 weeks before final exam. (Submit form for Date/Time/Title/etc.) Refer to Guidelines for Thesis/Dissertations. **	Draft and form due 2 weeks before final exam. (Submit form for Date/Time/Title/etc. Refer to Guidelines for Thesis/Dissertations. **
8. Residence	At least 12 months of residency at MUSC. Must register for a minimum of one hour each semester until completion of a successful oral defense (Thesis). This is only applicable after all research is completed and the student is preparing his/her thesis.	At least 12 months of residency at MUSC. Must register for a minimum of one hour each semester until completion of a successful oral defense (Dissertation). This is only applicable after all research is completed and the student is preparing his/her dissertation.
9. Final Exam	On the major field and thesis. A formal presentation with slides at least 20 minutes long; conducted by Advisory Committee. (Refer to Thesis/Dissertation Guidelines.) ***	Defense of dissertation. A formal presentation with slides at least 30 minutes long; conducted by Advisory Committee. (Refer to Thesis/Dissertation Guidelines.) ***
10. Time Limit	Within 5 years	Re-examination 4 years after qualifying exam if degree not completed. If degree not completed within seven (7) years) of matriculation, will be given a terminal Masters Degree.

Leave Policy

The College of Graduate Studies has adopted the following policy regarding leave time for students:

The policy of the Graduate School is that full-time students may be granted up to two weeks leave per year in addition to those holidays/breaks designated on the University Calendar (see University Calendar in front of the University Bulletin). Granting of this additional leave is at the discretion of the program/mentor.

Requests for leave time exceeding two weeks may be granted at the discretion of the program/mentor with written notification of the Office of the Dean. For students on stipends, leave exceeding two weeks could result in stipend support being suspended until the student’s return to campus.

Students in their first two years, who are taking didactic courses requiring one month or more leave during a single semester, are advised to request a formal leave-of-absence for that semester. If the student is on stipend, support will be discontinued for that semester. Students on stipends should be aware that their funding cannot be guaranteed upon their return from a leave-of-absence of more than one semester.

Travel Policy

Full time graduate students are authorized a $750 travel allowance to present research at a scientific meeting. The travel must be approved by the Dean.

Once approved by the Dean, the following procedures apply. Airline tickets and registration fees are the only costs that are allowable to be paid for in advance. Students need to identify the specific airline and flights that they are interested in prior to coming to the Dean’s Office to meet with the Business Manager. Registration fees and airline tickets may be purchased via the internet or paid directly to a vendor. If purchased directly by the student, these costs are only reimbursable after the travel has been completed.

Reimbursement requests for travel related expenses must be submitted to the Business Manager. Reimbursements will be mailed to your home address within approximately one month after receipt of claim.

The following information is required on all travel claims: your name, social security number and home mailing address. You must submit original receipts for all reimbursable expenses except for meals. If you purchased your airline ticket via the web, a computer printed receipt is acceptable. You must submit any left over pieces of your airline ticket along with your airline receipt. You need to submit a copy of your abstract, any name tag received at the meeting, and a copy of the cover and the page of a meeting booklet that lists your presentation.

Other allowable expenses include items such as airport parking, meals, mileage if driving, lodging, taxi fees to and from the airport/place of lodging. Mileage is reimbursed at .445 per mile. You must attach a web print (such as MapQuest) showing the mileage from your home to the airport, and to your destination, if driving instead of flying. If you are driving out of state, you need to provide a copy of a web airline price quote to show that it costs less to drive than it did to travel by air.

Meal reimbursements are made via a per diem rate. The out of state rates are as follows: breakfast $7, lunch $9, dinner $16. You do not need to keep any receipts for meals. If you spend more then the per diem rate, you still will not be able to be reimbursed for anything above the per diem rate.

College of Graduate Studies Honor Code

Section 1.

The Honor Code of the Graduate Student Association prohibits the following:

A. Lying, cheating, and stealing of any sort.

B. The giving or receiving of assistance to or from (as the case may be) another student on any examination, laboratory report, library report, research report, or other scheduled course work except as explicitly authorized by the instructor.

C. The use of unauthorized reference materials on any in-class or take-home examinations (which includes the prior review of examinations before administration).

D. The deliberate communication of false information, or information believed to be false by the communicator.

E. The appropriation for personal use of material(s) belonging to the Medical University of South Carolina or to any individual, without proper authorization.

F. The revelation of confidential records, academic or otherwise, to persons not clearly entitled to such information.

G. Academic dishonesty; i.e., the withholding of unfavorable data, or the deliberate presentation of data so as to give the impression of a logical continuity that does not exist in fact.

H. Copying others’ work, all or in part, from reports or published works without permission and/or giving credit.

Section 2.

All graduate students must sign a pledge upon initial registration in the College of Graduate Studies to follow this Honor Code, at which time they shall be given a copy of Section 1 of the Honor Code; except for those persons already enrolled in the College of Graduate Studies at the time of ratification of this honor Code, who shall sign such a pledge prior to their next registration after ratification.

Section 3.

Any student, pledged to follow this Honor Code, or presiding instructor of a class containing graduate students who has witnessed a violation of the Honor Code--the performance of any of the activities listed as prohibited in Section 1--shall report such violation to the Chairperson of the Honor Council. The reports must be sealed, dated and signed on the outside. The Chairperson of the Honor Council shall, within two weeks of the initial report of the violation, hold a meeting of at least three other members of the Honor Council, constituting an Investigation Subcommittee. The members of the Investigation Subcommittee shall not all be enrolled in the same Department of the College of Graduate Studies nor shall all be from departments other than that of the student accused of a violation of the Honor Code unless there are no other students than the accused enrolled in graduate study in his (her) particular department. The Investigation Subcommittee will conduct an investigation to determine if sufficient evidence exists to warrant a full hearing before the Honor Council. The case will be dismissed only if all members of the Investigation Subcommittee vote unanimously against pursuing a full hearing. All other cases will be forwarded to the Honor Council.

The Chairperson of the Honor Council must give the accused at least five business days notice prior to the hearing. This notice will include: a statement of the charges, referenced to Section 1 of the Honor Code; the date and time of the infraction; time, place and date of the hearing; and a statement of the rights of the parties to bring witnesses, present evidence, and have student or faculty representation and to cross-examine witnesses. Both the accused and the person filing a report of a possible Honor Code violation must be present at the hearing before the honor Council. The Chairperson is empowered to summon such other persons to the hearing as he (she) deems proper and necessary, for fair and impartial proceedings, and must conduct the hearing in such a manner as to insure fairness to all parties concerned. The hearing may be recessed by the Honor Council, but may not be adjourned until the Honor Council either affirms or denies the guilt of the accused party. At least three-fourths of those members of the Honor Council present must affirm the guilt of the accused before any penalty of any sort can be imposed. The Honor Council may delay the assessment of a penalty to the day after the initial hearing, if a majority of the Council so desires. The Chairperson of the Honor Council may vote with the rest of the Council in deciding procedural details not specified herein (such as the desirability of a recess), but does not vote on the guilt of the accused nor on the sentence to be imposed on one convicted of a violation of the Honor Code. The penalty upon conviction of a violation of the Honor Code shall never be less than the immediate retraction of the offending action (e.g., the retaking of an examination) and may extend to the dishonorable - expulsion of the convicted offender from the College of Graduate Studies of the Medical University of South Carolina. Unless an appeal is filed within five business days, the sanctions will become active.

Section 4.

A decision of the Honor Council may be appealed to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies within five business days of the formal hearing. The only grounds for appeals are the discovery of new evidence, process or procedural irregularities or undue harshness of sanctions. The Dean of the College of Graduate Studies of the Medical University of South Carolina shall have the final appellate jurisdiction within the College of Graduate Studies. Appeals upheld by the Dean will be communicated to the University Honor Council with regard to the basis and reasoning of the final decision and/or sanctions.

Section 5.

The Chairperson of the Honor Council shall be the President of the Graduate Student Association. In the case that the President is from the program of the accused or has a personal conflict, the Vice President will assume the duties of Chairperson of the Honor Council. If the Vice President cannot serve as Chairperson for the aforementioned reasons, the Secretary will assume the duty of Chairperson. The full Honor Council will be made up of the graduate Student Association and two faculty representatives appointed by the Graduate Student Association and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Any member of the Honor Council from the same program as the accused will be excused from the hearing. In the case of faculty members being in the same program as the accused, a substitute will be appointed by the Chairperson of the Honor Council and the dean of the College of Graduate Studies. Any member of the Honor Council with a personal conflict with the accused may request, in writing, permission from the Chairperson to be excused from the hearing. If the member is excused from the hearing, he (she) must find a replacement from his (her) program, except in the case where the member is in the same program as the accused.

The Chairperson of the Honor Council will serve as the College of Graduate Studies' representative to the University Honor Council.

Section 6.

No member of the honor Council shall participate in an Honor Code hearing or appeal session if he (she) is implicated in the original accusation, even if he (she) is not explicitly accused of a violation of the Honor Code. Questions of disqualification(s) must be decided by the Chairperson of the Honor Council, and his (her) decision regarding such shall be final.

Section 7.

Hearings of the Investigation Subcommittee and the full Honor Council to consider possible violations of the Honor Code are closed to outside parties.

Section 8.

Procedural by-laws relating to the operation of the Honor System may be proposed by written notice to the Graduate Student Association. All changes must be approved by the Graduate Student Association and the Graduate Council.

Section 9.

If a student pledged to this Honor Code witnesses an action violating the honor Code (i.e., listed as prohibited in Section 1) being committed by a student at the Medical University of South Carolina not enrolled in the College of Graduate Studies, he (she) shall still report the matter to the Chairperson of the Honor Council as specified in Section 3 of this Honor Code. The Chairperson of the Honor Council shall forward the information to the Honor Council of the College of which the accused is a member.

Section 10.

If a student who has pledged to follow this Honor Code refuses to cooperate with the Honor Council in the scheduling of and attendance at a hearing to consider a reported violation of the Honor Code by him (her), the Honor Council may forward a censure and tentative sentence to the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, who will treat the matter as an appeal by the person convicted from the Honor Council in accordance with Section 3 of this Honor Code.

Section 11.

This Honor Code does not maintain any jurisdiction over former students of the College of Graduate Studies of the Medical University of South Carolina.

Section 12.

This Honor Code must be ratified by a majority vote (written) of those students in the College of Graduate Studies of the Medical University of South Carolina who are engaged in a degree program and by the Graduate Council. The Honor Code shall take

effect upon the signing of pledges.

The Honor Code of the Graduate Student Association prohibits the following:

A. Lying, cheating, and stealing of any sort.

C. The use of unauthorized reference materials on any in-class or take-home examinations (which includes the prior review of examinations before administration).

D. The deliberate communication of false information, or information believed to be false by the communicator.

E. The appropriation for personal use of material(s) belonging to the Medical University of South Carolina or to any individual, without proper authorization.

F. The revelation of confidential records, academic or otherwise, to persons not clearly entitled to such information.

G. Academic dishonesty; i.e., the withholding of unfavorable data, or the deliberate presentation of data so as to give the impression of a logical continuity that does not exist in fact.

H. Copying others work, all or in part, from reports or published works without permission and/or giving credit.

AS A STUDENT IN THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES OF THE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA, I PLEDGE TO FOLLOW THE HONOR CODE OF THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES.

Signature

Date

THE MUSC HONOR CODE SUPERCEDES THE GSA HONOR CODE

College of Graduate Studies Professional Code of Conduct

The College of Graduate Studies promotes a code of conduct for its students and faculty that seeks to maintain the highest professional standards. Students and faculty are expected to conduct themselves in a professionally acceptable manner at all times.

The following outlines behavior that is unacceptable for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

1. Engaging in any activity that is deemed disrespectful towards a faculty member, fellow student or colleague. This may include but is not limited to engaging in violent, forceful, threatening, intimidating, or disruptive conduct, or inciting others to engage in such individual or collective conduct, that willfully disrupts any normal operation, function, or activity of the College or any of its organizations, personnel, or guests.

2. Any form of conduct within the classroom or laboratory that substantially disrupts the academic or research environment.

3. The use of any mechanism or other practices that result in harassment.

A student who is found to be in violation of the professional code of conduct shall be charged with non-professional behavior and referred to the honor council. A student has the right to appeal the decision to the Dean.

Postdoctoral fellows found to be in violation of the professional code of conduct will be referred to the Assistant Dean for Postdoctoral Affairs, who will adjudicate the incident along with the postdoctoral fellow’s mentor.

*Adopted and modified from the University of North Carolina code of conduct.

University Student Policies

For University Student Policies please refer to the University Bulletin found at www.musc.edu/es/bulletin .SECTION II: GSA – PLANNING FOR YOUR RESEARCH

Student Research Day

On the first Friday in November the University holds its annual Student Research Day (SRD). SRD is run like a major meeting and gives students a chance to practice delivering oral or poster presentations in a “safe” environment. The number of presentations has increased steadily to ca. 200, divided into sections for undergraduates, MD/DDS and MS, PhD, and Postdocs/Residents and Fellows. More than 50% of presentations fall into the PhD section, which is further subdivided according to the number of years the presenters have been enrolled in their graduate programs. The standard of presentations is extremely high - driven in part by the desire of students to win a prize. Teams of faculty judges award points according to scientific content, clarity and quality of delivery, and question handling, and the first and second place winners in each subdivision receive significant prizes ($200-500). SRD also functions as a showcase for the wealth of research being conducted MUSC and is the day the University truly celebrates research mission. This is a great time to practice your presentation skills and receive constructive criticism. A great reference is “Preparing Effective Slides and Poster” (3). The deadline for abstracts is usually in mid-September.

Career Workshop. Traditionally, the Careers Workshop is held the Saturday after Student Research Day. It follows an informal and interactive format. There is usually a panel discussion with 5 or 6 MUSC CGS alumni representing academia, industry, and other career tracks. The majority of panelists are usually recent graduates (<10 years post-grad). Each panelist usually gives a brief personal history of why and how they got to their current job, what things (i.e., courses, experiences, contacts, etc.) were useful to them in starting off on their career path, and what things they would have done differently. They also discuss their personal strategies for conducting their job searches and how they integrated domestic and other considerations into their choices. Panelists then disperse and are available for further interactions and questioning by workshop participants. A lunch is usually provided as well!

Tips From Your Colleagues

Choosing a Thesis/Dissertation Topic

Excerpted from an essay by Marie desJardin (1)

Generally speaking, a good thesis/dissertation topic is interesting to you, to your advisor, and to the research community. As with many aspects of graduate school, the balance you find will depend at least in part on the relationship you have with your advisor. Some professors have well defined long-term research programs and expect their students to contribute directly to this program. Others have much looser, but still related ongoing projects. Still others will take on anyone with an interesting idea, and may have a broad range of interesting ideas to offer their students. Be wary of the advisor who seems willing to let you pursue any research direction at all. You probably won’t get the technical support you need, and they may lose interest in you when the next graduate student with a neat idea comes along.

1. Future Directions…

In order to do original research, you must be aware of ongoing research in your field. A good source of ideas for the thesis/dissertation project is the future work section of papers you’re interested in. However, you’ll never be able to read everything that might be relevant — and new work is always being published. Also, read future directions suggested in the theses/dissertations from students who have already been through the program. Try developing and implementing an extension to an existing system or technique.

If you see new work that seems to be exactly what you’re working on, don’t panic. It’s common for graduate students to see a related piece of work and think that their topic is ruined. If this happens to you, reread the paper several times to get a good understanding of what they’ve really accomplished. Show the paper to your advisor or someone else who’s familiar with your topic and whose opinions you respect. Introduce yourself to the author at a conference or by e-mail, and tell them about your work (without giving away novel ideas that you and your lab have developed). By starting a dialogue, you will usually find that their work isn’t quite the same, and that there are still directions open to you. You may even end up collaborating with them. Good researchers welcome the opportunity to interact and collaborate with someone who’s interested in the same problems they are.

2. Pick a narrow, defined topic that addresses an important issue.

To finish quickly, it’s usually best to pick a narrow, well-defined topic. The downside of this approach is that it may not be as exciting to you or to the research community. If you’re more of a risk-taker, choose a topic that branches out in a new direction. The danger here is that it can be difficult to carefully define the problem, and to evaluate the solution you develop. If you have a topic like this, it helps a lot to have an advisor or mentor who is good at helping you to focus and who can help you maintain a reasonably rigorous approach to the problem. In the extreme case, if your topic is so out of the ordinary that it’s unrelated to anything else, you may have difficulty convincing people it’s worthwhile. Truly innovative research is, of course, exciting and often pays back in recognition from the research community — or you could just be out in left field. If you have a far-out topic, be sure that people are actually *interested* in it, or you’ll never be able to “sell” it later, and will probably have trouble getting your work published and finding a job. In addition, it will be hard to find colleagues who are interested in the same problems and who can give you advice and feedback.

In any case, a good topic will address important issues. You should be trying to solve a real problem, not a toy problem (or worse yet, no problem at all); you should have solid theoretical work, good empirical results or, preferably, both; and the topic will be connected to, but not be a simple variation on or extension of, existing research. It will also be significant yet manageable. Finding the right size problem can be difficult. One good way of identifying the right size is to read other dissertations. It’s also useful to have what has been called a “telescoping organization” — a central problem that’s solvable and acceptable, with extensions and additions that are “successively riskier and that will make the thesis more exciting.” If the gee-whiz additions don’t pan out, you’ll still have a solid result.

Remember that a thesis is only a few years of your work, and that — if all goes well — your research career will continue for another 30 or 40. Don’t be afraid to leave part of the problem for future work, and don’t compare yourself to senior researchers who have years of work and publications to show for it. (On the other hand, if you identify too much future work, your thesis won’t look very exciting by comparison.) Graduate students often pick overly ambitious topics (in theory, your advisor will help you to identify a realistic size problem). Don’t overestimate what other people have done. Learn to read between the lines of grandiose claims (something else a good advisor will help you to do).

BEWARE:

If you pick a topic that you’re not truly interested in simply because it’s your advisor’s pet area, it will be difficult to stay focused and motivated — and you may be left hanging if your advisor moves on to a different research area before you finish. The same is true for choosing a topic because of its marketability: if you’re not personally excited about the topic, you’ll have a harder time finishing and a harder time convincing other people that your research is interesting. Besides, markets change more quickly than most people finish dissertations.

Scientific Reading and Writing

Excerpted from an essay by Marie desJardin (1)

You’ll have to read a lot of technical papers to become fami

Table of Contents

Graduate Council Members

Admissions Committee

First Year Curriculum Steering Committee

Curriculum Committee

Credentials Committee

Student Organizations

Graduate Student Association

Your Humble Servants: GSA Senate 2006-2007

Microbiology and Immunology

International Graduate Student Association

Dear All,

Perry Halushka Ph.D., M.D.

Associate Dean, College of Graduate Studies Assistant Dean for Admissions

Degree Requirements

Advisory Committee

Program of Study

Repeating Courses

Transfer Credit

Admission to Candidacy

Residence

Thesis

Final Examination

Time Limit

Degree Requirements

Advisory Committee

Program of Study

Courses Audited

Repeating Courses

Transfer Credit

Qualifying Examination

Plan of Research

Admission to Candidacy

Residence

Research Seminar

Dissertation

Notice of Final Defense

Time Limit

College of Graduate Studies Student Policies

Conflict of Interest Policy for Graduate Students

Student Participation in Proprietary Research

Annual Meeting Required

College of Graduate Studies Honor Code

College of Graduate Studies Professional Code of Conduct

Tips From Your Colleagues

Scientific Reading and Writing