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All students are required to have formed a Graduate Supervisory Committee consisting of their Senior Supervisor and at least 2 other members by the end of their first month of enrollment. The Supervisory Committee has the authority to specify an appropriate program of course work meeting or exceeding the minimum requirements stated below.

Students in both programs are required to submit an annual progress report. The progress report consist of an evaluation of the student's progress by the committee, a summary of courses taken and grades achieved, a summary of financial support, and an evaluation done by the student of his/her progress over the last year.

All graduate students are expected to attend our Friday afternoon MBB Research Seminar Series and to regularly participate in a journal club. Journal clubs are discussion groups that focus on the current research literature, and can be in the form of the MBB colloquia, or informal groups consisting of the members of one or more research laboratories.

M.Sc. Degree Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Course Work

Students complete 12 units of graduate courses, including 

  • MBB 801-3 Student Seminar in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry I

and one unit of MBB colloquia by completing one of 

  • MBB 821-1 Cell and Molecular Biology Colloquium
  • MBB 822-1 Cell and Molecular Biology Colloquium
  • MBB 823-1 Cell and Molecular Biology Colloquium
  • MBB 861-1 Biomolecular Structure and Function Colloquium
  • MBB 862-1 Biomolecular Structure and Function Colloquium
  • MBB 863-1 Biomolecular Structure and Function Colloquium

and another eight units selected from other graduate courses, chosen in consultation with the supervisory committee and which can include appropriate courses from MBB and/or other departments. Two of these eight units can come from colloquia and/or journal clubs, with journal clubs being completed as one-unit directed readings courses.

With the approval of their Supervisory Committee, students in the M.Sc. program may apply to the MBB Graduate Program Committee for transfer to the Ph.D. program after at least two semesters in the program. Transfers to the PhD program will normally be considered only in the second through fifth semesters after enrollment in the M.Sc. program. Students applying for a transfer must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 in 75% of the graduate course work required for the degree and must submit of evidence that they are capable of undertaking substantial original research.

Research

A major part of the M.Sc. program will be devoted to original research. A thesis describing the work must be submitted and defended in accordance with SFU Graduate General Regulations.

Thesis Defence

Thesis preparation, defence and submission is a very involved process with firm deadlines. Make sure to review the Graduate Thesis Timelines and contact the Graduate Program Assistant for guidelines in preparing, defending and submitting your thesis.

Anticipated Completion Time

The anticipated completion time of all program requirements for students enrolled in the MBB M.Sc. program is 2 calendar years from initial enrollment. The maximum allowable time for completion of M.Sc. requirements is 12 semesters of full-time equivalent enrollment. The 12 semester maximum is not the expected time for degree completion; it is an outside limit on the time permitted and is intended to take into account the many factors, both academic and personal, that may delay progress toward degree completion.

Ph.D. Graduate Degree Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Course Work

Entry with a B.Sc. or equivalent

Students who enter the program with a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree, or equivalent, will achieve a minimum total of 18 units, at least 15 of which must be in graduate courses, by completing all of

  • MBB 801-3 Student Seminar in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry I
  • MBB 806-3 PhD Graduate Research Seminar at the earliest opportunity following four terms of program enrolment

and one unit of MBB colloquia by completing one of

  • MBB 821-1 Cell and Molecular Biology Colloquium
  • MBB 822-1 Cell and Molecular Biology Colloquium
  • MBB 823-1 Cell and Molecular Biology Colloquium
  • MBB 861-1 Biomolecular Structure and Function Colloquium
  • MBB 862-1 Biomolecular Structure and Function Colloquium
  • MBB 863-1 Biomolecular Structure and Function Colloquium

and another 11 units selected from other graduate courses, chosen in consultation with the supervisory committee and which can include appropriate courses from MBB and/or other departments. Two of these 11 units can come from colloquia and/or journal clubs, with journal clubs being completed as one-unit directed readings courses.

Entry with a M.Sc. Degree

Students who enter the program with a Master of Science (MSc) degree will complete a minimum total of six units, including both of

  • MBB 801-3 Student Seminar in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry I
  • MBB 806-3 PhD Graduate Research Seminar at the earliest opportunity following two terms of program enrolment

If MBB 801 has already been completed, the remaining three units must be earned by completing appropriate graduate courses or colloquia.

Research

The major portion of the Ph.D. program will be devoted to original research. An original Thesis which contributes to new knowledge must be presented and defended at the end of the degree program in accordance with SFU Graduate General Regulations. In addition, all MBB Ph.D. candidates must present a public seminar on their research.

Thesis Defence

Thesis preparation, defence and submission is a very involved process with firm deadlines. Make sure to review the Graduate Thesis Timelines and contact the Graduate Program Assistant for guidelines in preparing, defending and submitting your thesis.

Anticipated Completion Time

The anticipated completion time of all program requirements for students enrolled in the MBB Ph.D. program is 4-5 calendar years. from initial enrollment The maximum allowable time for completion of Ph.D. requirements is within eight calendar years of initial enrollment as a Doctoral student or, in the case of a student who has transferred from a Master's program into the Doctoral program without completing the Master's degree, within eight calendar years of initial enrollment as a Master's student. The 8 year maximum is not the expected time for degree completion; it is an outside limit on the time permitted and is intended to take into account the many factors, both academic and personal, that may delay progress toward degree completion.