INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SECOND EXAMINATION

Ph.D. Program in Biochemistry
 

Format:
The Second Examination in Biochemistry is in the form of a research proposal which the student must develop and then defend before the Doctoral Dissertation Committee by the end of his/her second year in the Program. The members of the Committee are selected by the student and his/her thesis advisor and approved by the Executive Officer.

The proposal should be based either on the student's planned thesis research or on a current problem in biochemistry. If the proposal is based on the planned thesis research, the student should be prepared to answer questions about other approaches that could be used to achieve the specific objectives.

The proposal should include the following six sections:

Summary
Introduction	Concise presentation of the background which bears upon and leads to the specific aims which should be stated clearly.
Experiments and Discussion	Presentation of the experimental design and discussion of the expected results including possible alternatives.
Conclusion	Discussion of the expected results as they relate to the specific objectives.
Experimental Procedures	Detailed description of the methods and materials.
Bibliography

Procedures:

1.	A typed copy of the proposal should be in the hands of each committee member at least TWO weeks before the date of the examination. At the same time, a copy should be sent to the Biochemistry Program Office with your mentor's written approval.
2.	Students should obtain an indication from all members of the committee that the research proposal is defensible BEFORE scheduling the defense of the research proposal.
3.	The Second Examination may be held either at the campus or at the Graduate Center, but if any faculty member wants to have the examination at the Graduate Center, it should be scheduled there.
4.	Notify the Biochemistry Program Office when you have set the date, time, and place of the examination. The Biochemistry Program Office will arrange for a room and notify the examination committee and the student.
5.	The Committee Chairperson will submit the results of the examination to the Biochemistry Program Office as soon as possible after the examination using the Report of Second Examination form, currently available from the Biochemistry Program Office.
6.	The Committee Chairperson will also notify the Biochemistry Program Office when any required corrections have been made (see Report of Second Examination form).

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