Program in Immunology - Plan of Studies

It is expected that students will take approximately five years to complete their Ph.D. The following is a very general outline of the various stages of the Ph.D. program.

First Year

1. The first year of study will include most of the requred coursework. Students take courses mainly from offerings of the Division of Medical Sciences which coordinates medical education at Harvard Medical School. Tuition exchange programs also allow all DMS students to select courses offered at Harvard University and MIT. Students must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 (B) throughout the first and second years.

It is important to get to know faculty members and their research interests so that students can choose an advisor with whom to work. It is also important that the advisor be someone with whom the student can interact. Students are expected to attend seminars, dinners, poster sessions, retreats, journal clubs, etc. to meet the faculty. The laboratory rotation serves as the best way to select a dissertation advisor.

Students can change their advisor during the program but it may cause graduation delays. Many students begin lab rotations during the first year. Most students select their advisor and research plan during the second year. An advisor can be anyone listed as a participating faculty member of the immunology program. Click here to review the list of Faculty and Research Interests.

2. Students are strongly encouraged to attend the weekly immunology seminars. Click here for further details about Immunology Seminars.

Second Year

1. Students take more classes to complete the Ph.D. course requirements in the major (four 200-level courses) and the collateral subjects (four 200-level courses) as well as the numerous 300-level quarter courses.

Qualifying Exam
2. During the spring semester of the second year, students must succesfully complete a proposal-based preliminary qualifying exam (PQE). The goal of the PQE is to evaluate the student's potential and ability to think independently and creatively in laboratory experimentation. The written proposal will be presented to the exam committee in an oral presentation and defense format.

Dissertation Lab
3. Students must complete their lab rotations and declare a dissertation advisor during their second year.

Third Year

1. Optional courses in elective areas (usually third year students audit courses instead of taking classes for credit).

2. The student, in conjunction with the Director of the Immunology Program, nominates a dissertation advisory committee (DAC), consisting of at least one member of the Immunology Graduate Committee. Students meet with their DAC at least twice a year throughout Graduate School during the dissertation research phase of the program. The purpose of the committee is to approve the research topic as to its adequacy in fulfilling requirements for the desired degree, and to critically evaluate research progress. The review committee can be extremely helpful in offering the individual the expertise of its members and their unbiased opinion. Prior to each meeting with their review committee the student must prepare a written progress report summarizing the status of his/her research project.

Fourth and Subsequent Years

1. Students should be well along on their dissertation work. As the dissertation comes to a conclusion, the dissertation advisor and the dissertation advisory committee members must approve the quality, quantity and originality of the work before the student may write the dissertation.

2. The final dissertation defense includes a public lecture and a formal dissertation defense before a panel of four ad hoc experts, including one member from outside the university. Notices are emailed by the university to all faculty members of the Division of Medical Sciences at Harvard University two weeks in advance of the dissertation defense.

Immunology Student Research Topics