Transfer to PhD Degree Requirements

Transfer to the PhD program requires successful completion of:

• MBB 806-3 PhD Graduate Research Candidacy Examination

and

• the transfer request to SFU Graduate Studies must be initiated within the first 6 terms of the master's program. As per graduate general regulation (GGR) 1.12.3, initial enrolment in the doctoral program will be the initial enrolment as a master's student.

Continued enrolment in the MBB PhD program requires successful completion of MBB 806. Enrolment in MBB 806 requires permission of the student's supervisory committee based on suitable academic and research performance; after this permission is granted, MBB 806 must be completed in the 6th term. Only if MBB 806 is not available during the 6th term, then it may be taken the following (7th) term. If MBB 806 is not completed in the mandated time or not completed with a minimum B+ grade, students will complete their thesis projects as MSc graduate students, or leave the MBB graduate program, as decided by the student's supervisor.

Students applying for a transfer must have completed 75% of the MSc course work and a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5.

Students who transfer from the Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Master of Science program will achieve a minimum total of 15 units, by completing all of:

• MBB 801-3 Student Seminar in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
  
• MBB 803-1 Department Seminar Series – must be taken twice
  • This course must be taken at the first opportunity in the graduate program for two consecutive offerings (Spring and Fall, or Fall and Spring).
  • Only students who started their graduate program in the Spring 2022 term or later may take this course for credit.
• MBB 806-3 PhD Graduate Research Candidacy Examination - normally taken before transfer to PhD

and one unit of MBB colloquium by completing one of:

• MBB 821-1 Cell and Molecular Biology Colloquium
  
• MBB 841-1 Genomics and Bioinformatics Colloquium
  
• MBB 861-1 Biomolecular Structure and Function Colloquium

and another six 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.