IPPH Grad Program - Guidelines for Graduate Study

Introduction

This document supplements the policies and procedures of the Graduate School, the College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences and the School of Pharmacy. As graduate students at Purdue University, you are members of the Graduate School. The Graduate School has certain policies and procedures and these are outlined in the Policies and Procedures Manual for Administering Graduate Student Programs. You are also members of the College of Pharmacy, Nursing & Health Sciences, and the College has a series of additional guidelines and procedures which are outlined in the Policies and Regulations Manual for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Staff. You are also members of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, but all graduate policies set by the School are contained within the College manual. This web page outlines a third tier of polices and procedures - departmental policies and procedures that have been established by the faculty of this department. Upon reading these procedures and requirements, you will realize that the faculty of the department have set basic goals for all graduate students. We hope that each of you will set higher goals for your own personal and scientific development. The faculty of the department will do everything possible to assist you in achieving those goals.

Selection of a Major Professor

It is essential that each graduate student select a Major Professor early in their graduate career. This selection process is begun by first visiting with each of the faculty members in the department. This will help you to become acquainted with the individual faculty members and to learn of their research interests and how they coincide with your own personal research interests. As you approach a final decision on the selection of a Major Professor, you may wish to talk more than once with those faculty members of particular interest. Your selection of a Major Professor should be completed by the end of the first semester of your first academic year. This will permit you to formulate a plan of study with your Major Professor and your Advisory Committee such that you are able to select the proper courses during your second year in the department. In addition, you are encouraged to begin your research in the summer of your first academic year since the department has no teaching assistantship funding for graduate students during the summer session. Until you select a Major Professor, the head, or associate head of the department will serve as your informal advisor.

Required Courses and Qualifications

To prepare you for the type of research in the department, one year of multivariate calculus (e.g., MA 261 and MA 262) or the equivalent and one year of physical chemistry (e.g., CHM 373 and CHM 374) or the equivalent are required for all graduate students. Note that graduate credits are not given for these courses.

Academic Performance during the First Year of Study

You must take a full course load (see Section 10 of the College of PNHS Policies and Regulations Manual for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Staff) during each semester of your first year and achieve a grade of B or better in each course. If you do not achieve a B grade or better in courses taken during the two semesters of your first year, the department will consider your case and you will probably be asked to leave the program.

Plan of Study

You will be required to file a Plan of Study tailored to your research interests and the goals of your Advisory Committee at least one month prior to the start of your second year. This Plan of Study will contain the proposed courses you will be taking during your studies in the department as agreed by your Advisory Committee. For those students who may not begin their studies in the fall term, the plan of study is due within one year after starting the program.

The department does not ordinarily grant an MS degree. In the event that an MS degree is desired, a Plan of Study for an MS degree must be developed that meets all school and university requirements. For those students seeking joint PharmD/MS or PharmD/PhD degrees, a Plan of Study must be developed that meets all school and university requirements for both degrees.

Academic Performance during the Second and Subsequent Years of Study

A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above is required for continuation in the department graduate program during the second and subsequent years. The department will review grades after each semester. After one semester with a GPA below 3.0, the student is placed on departmental probation. A semester GPA below 3.0 for two consecutive semesters constitutes grounds for dismissal from the departmental graduate program. In such cases, the student's Advisory Committee shall meet with the student and submit a written report to the department head, with a copy going to the student, justifying continuation or recommending termination of the student.

Each student is required to receive a grade of A or B in all departmental courses. A student receiving a C grade in a departmental course may have to re-evaluate his/her commitment to graduate study in this department. In addition, the Advisory Committee may require a minimum B grade for other selected courses, which will be so noted on the plan of study.

Written and Oral Preliminary Examinations

Both written and oral preliminary examinations are required of all students. The written preliminary examination is broadly based and will test the student's ability to apply basic principles to problem solving. The written preliminary examination is normally taken at the end of the second year, but must be taken before the end of the third year.

The oral preliminary examination, which emphasizes a literature review and experimental plan must be taken within one year after passing the written exam. The oral preliminary examination will not require extensive data presentation. You must submit a copy of your research proposal to each member of your Advisory Committee at least two weeks prior to the day of the oral preliminary examination. The proposal should follow the NIH or NSF format, or an equivalent format as defined by your major advisor. This proposal will serve as a basis for questions during the oral preliminary examination; however the examination is not limited to the specifics of the proposal.

The University graduate school regulations specify that the preliminary examination may be repeated once but that if it is not passed on the second attempt the student may not continue in the graduate program. That means that in this department you may have only one failing grade on a preliminary exam, whether it is the written exam or the oral exam.

Research Performance

The early selection of your Major Professor is important not only from the standpoint of course registration but also from the standpoint of initiating a research project early in your graduate career. Once your research is in progress, your Major Professor and your Advisory Committee (listed on your plan of study) will monitor your research progress. Throughout the research phase of your program it is required that you provide research reports to your Advisory Committee at the beginning of each quarter that summarizes your progress during the previous three months. It is further required that you meet with your Advisory Committee on an annual basis, typically at the end of each academic year, to discuss your research. Unsatisfactory performance in research will result in a U grade in IPPH 699. Students receiving a U grade will be required to meet with their Advisory Committee. If a student receives a second U grade in research, he or she may be asked to leave the department.

Departmental Seminar Program

Each student will be required to present a seminar during the first semester of their second year in our graduate program. The seminar will be on some aspect of the scientific literature and should be carefully thought out and prepared by the student. These seminars are evaluated by the faculty and are the basis for a grade in seminar during that semester as well as serving as an evaluation of new graduate students. Each student is also required to present a seminar on their graduate research near the end of their studies.

Attendance at all seminars is mandatory for all students unless excused by your Major Professor.

Overall Student Performance Review

The department will review the progress of all the graduate students at least once a year. This review will include academic performance, including grade index, course hours completed, and attainment of departmental and University minimal requirements. The purpose of this review is to provide graduate students with an early indication of faculty concern with their progress. If it is found that any aspect of the student's performance is lacking, the student, the student's Major Professor, and the student's Advisory Committee will be informed in writing. The faculty may, as a result of such a review, recommend that a particular student terminate graduate study, or terminate graduate study on completing the requirements for the MS degree. The student involved may request an appeal of that recommendation.

Outside Employment

Graduate school is a full-time endeavor, and outside employment of any kind is discouraged. However, if you choose to pursue outside employment, please read Section 7 of the Policies and Regulations Manual for Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Staff from the College of Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Sciences.