About PhD Program,
The Department of Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine is committed to advancing genetic research and mentoring the next generation of diverse scientists through undergraduate training, graduate programs, and postdoctoral opportunities.
The Ph.D. program in the Department of Genetics provides opportunities for graduate study in all major areas of modern genetics, including identification and analysis of human disease genes, molecular evolution, gene therapy, statistical genetics, application of model organisms to problems in biology and medicine, and computational and experimental approaches to genome biology.
PhD Program Degree Eligibility with GPA,
Students in the Genetics Graduate Program take the Qualifying Examination in the Fall Quarter of their second year of study. There are two parts to the exam, a written research proposal and an oral examination.
There is no minimum GPA requirement to be considered for admission. The application review process is holistic and all aspects of the application (prior coursework, letters of recommendation, the statement of purpose, prior research experience, and test scores {if applicable}) are considered by the Admissions Committee when making an admissions decision.
Service Requirement
Service and outreach are a critical component of a student’s development as a scientist, and offer unique opportunities to learn by interacting with individuals outside the Department. Students are expected to participate in a minimum of 60 hours of service and/or outreach work prior to defending their dissertation.
Supplementary Educational Activities
In addition to your courses, qualifying exams, and dissertation, the Genetics Department has arranged additional educational activities for students. These regularly occurring meetings are:
Current Issues in Genetics (CIG)
Two people from the Genetics Department give 20-25 minute presentations about their current work at this weekly Friday meeting. Students in their third year and above are expected to present their work annually. This series gives students the chance to learn about the range of science going on in the department and provides a great opportunity to give formal presentations to peers and colleagues.
Graduate Student Journal Club
This weekly journal club is organized completely by graduate students from the Genetics and Developmental Biology Departments. At each meeting, one or two graduate students lead 30 minute discussions on their choice of a recent journal article. For the first three years of the Ph.D. program, each student presents once per academic year.
Refreshments are provided by the graduate students and reimbursed up to the current year limit. Reimbursement requires an original receipt to the Student Services Coordinator.
Frontiers in Biology
Every week, the Departments of Genetics, Developmental Biology, and Biochemistry host an external speaker through the “Frontiers in Biology” seminar series. First year students also take a course related to this seminar (GENE 215), where they discuss a relevant paper the day before and meet the speaker after the presentation.
Frontiers is held most Wednesdays at 4pm in Clark Auditorium.
Other Seminar Series
There are many other regular seminar series on campus that students choose to attend. Some of the most popular include:
Center of Law and the Biosciences lunchtime talks. See CLB events calendar or subscribe to the listserv
Evolgenome (organized by CEHG). See CEHG website or subscribe to the listserv
Teaching and Mentoring Academy Events. See TMA website or subscribe to the listserv
Discussing Developmental Data (3D). See events schedule
Biomedical Seminars. See events schedule or subscribe to the listserv
PhD Funding Coverage,
Students receive a competitive stipend ($51,600 for the 2023-24 Academic Year), tuition, health insurance, and a dental care stipend for a full four years. We also encourage students to seek additional fellowships, including but not limited to: NSF GRFP, NIH F31, NDSEG, Stanford Bio-X fellowship, Stanford DARE, and Stanford CEHG Fellowship.
Application Requirement,
- Personal Background
- Program Selection
- Academic History
- Test Scores
- Experience
- Recommendations
- Statements
- Program Supplemental
- Additional Information
Application Deadline,
December 3, 2024, at 11:59:59 pm (PST).
Application Fee,
The application fee is $125 and is nonrefundable.
You are prompted to pay the application fee at the time you submit your application.
We accept payments via credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, JCB, Discover, and Diners Club) or via bank transfer from a U.S. checking account.
The application fee may not be refunded under any circumstance, including withdrawal of the application from admission consideration prior to receiving a decision.
