The Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry is administered by the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry. Enrollment in the Biochemistry program is open to students with baccalaureate degrees in agricultural, biological, or physical sciences or engineering. Entering students must have excellent academic records in mathematical, physical, and biological sciences.
The average GRE scores of students presently in the program are 521 on the verbal and 690 on the quantitative. A GPA of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 is required for a competitive application.
If English is your second language, you must have a TOEFL score of 600 (paper based test) or 250 (computer based test) or 100 (internet based - new 2006) in order to qualify for both teaching and research assistantships. Exceptions will be reviewed on a case by case basis by the Graduate Committee. You must also pass a test of written and spoken English upon arrival at Clemson.
Prior to enrollment, students are required to complete 1 year of each of the following courses:
General Biology
General Chemistry
Organic Chemistry
Physics
In addition to the above required courses, it is highly recommended that students enrolling in the program have completed these additional courses:
Genetics
Biochemistry
Cell Biology
Calculus
Financial support is available through grant-supported research assistantships, University-supported research and teaching assistantships, graduate fellowships and grants-in-aid. Stipends for Ph.D. graduate assistantships are a minimum of $18,000 for 12 months with reduced tuition. Applications for financial assistance must be completed by April 1 preceding the academic year for which support is requested. Fees for graduate students with assistantships are approximately $1050 per session for up to 12 credit hours. Graduate students are required to enroll in Fall, Spring, and both summer sessions. Summer session fees are approximately $350 per session.
For the Ph.D., 30 credit hours are required which include the following core courses:
BIOCH 805 - Issues in Research
BIOCH 810 - Principles/Methods in Molecular Biology
BIOCH 814 - Advanced Biochemistry
GEN 814 - Advanced Genetics
The student, with the guidance of the advisory committee, will selected elective courses (12 hours) for the Ph.D. degree from the following:
BIOCH 643 - Biochemical Basis of Disease
BIOCH 816 - Signal Transduction
BIOCH 818 - Cellular Metabolism
BIOCH 821 - Proteins
BIOCH 822 - Enzymes
BIOCH 828 - Supramolecular Structure
BIOCH 832 - Structure and Function of Nucleic Acids
BIOCH 890 - Special Topics in Biochemistry
GEN 640 - Bioinformatics
GEN 650 - Comparative Genetics
GEN 670 - Human Genetics
GEN 801 - Cytogenetics
GEN 803 - Quantitative Genetics
GEN 815 - Developmental Genetics
GEN 830 - Population Genetics
GEN 890 - Special Topics in Genetics
Beginning in the second year of enrollment all genetics students are required to present Research in Progress (RIP) seminars as part of the BIOCH 825/851 requirements. Pre-doctoral students will present 15-20 minute seminars; doctoral candidates will be given a full hour to present.
Successful completion of written and oral comprehensive examinations will admit the doctoral students to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.